Thanks wolvie and Goodtimes for sticking up for me. Alex, no problem, you're human. Im sure I have come off as a jerk to other people too, so no worries.
The thing is, in 616, I just don't find most of the characters THAT interesting (aside from the X Men and the odd exception like Punisher or Hulk). And I don't want to have to buy years of back issues (not that I would have the money even if I did have the inclination) just to understand why Cap is beefing with Thor or whatever is happening right now.
Ultimate is pick up and read. It's more relevant to today's society, and in particular with the Ultimates, I dig the political shinanigans Millar seems to pack in. It's the ultimate cinematic blockbuster with plenty of brains to go round. Ditto X Men (even though his characters there can be occassionally shallow, ie Magneto as a one dimensional bad guy...who is redeemed by the fact he is bad ass).
I like knowing I can pick up the trades with little to no knowledge needed of past arcs. I haven't read Ultimate x men in a while but when I do dip into it, it fills me up to date without ever burying me in continuity, and it's just fun to read. No laboured cross overs, no multi universe spanning events that goes on in a million comics, just one trade needed to read and enjoy.
The Ultimates line got me back into comics when x men launched, and for that alone, I give it props, to use the word the kids are using these days.
Also Sue and Reed are just dating at the moment in FF....and it wasn't that we think he's great for doing what he did, but it was pretty cool in a'omg what a sadistic son of a *****' kinda way. It's a memorable moment which will probably be talked about still for a long time yet.