| Superhero: | y |
| Publisher: | Marvel Comics |
| Startmo: | June |
| Startyr: | 2023 |
| Sort: | Ultimate Universe |
The Ultimate Universe is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics beginning in 2023. Reimagining several classic Marvel characters in a new fictional continuity, Jonathan Hickman and Bryan Hitch's Ultimate Invasion limited series depicted The Maker (the Reed Richards of Earth-1610) shaping a new world order in his image, resulting in Earth-6160, a new one preceded by alternate history.
It shares its name with the earlier Ultimate Marvel imprint that ran from 2000 to 2015, but is not a direct reboot; while Ultimate Marvel started by updating the origins of classic Marvel Universe characters in a more modern but recognizable Earth-1610, the Ultimate Universe (Earth-6160) features new interpretations of Marvel characters set in a radically altered sociopolitical status quo.
The original Ultimate Marvel imprint ceased to be published in 2015, and was destroyed in-story in the Secret Wars crossover, with Maker being transferred to Earth-616, the Prime Universe. Writer Donny Cates used the character during his run in the Venom comic book, with the character trying to restore and return to his original universe. At the end of the story arc, Maker returned to a devastated part of the Ultimate Universe, and later hinted he was planning an invasion of the main Marvel Universe.[1] However, Cates had to pull out of writing the series because of a car accident that left him with six months worth of memory loss with the project given to Jonathan Hickman instead.[2] Hickman had worked with the Maker character in the original Ultimate imprint and wrote the aforementioned Secret Wars crossover.
Hickman started the project with Ultimate Invasion which he took on another path ignoring both the original Ultimate Universe and the plots in Venom Vol. 4. It shows instead Maker moving to a new alternate universe called Earth-6160 and changing it with extensive time travel to prevent the existence of most superheroes and make himself its unquestionable leader. By the end of the story, Maker is defeated and trapped inside The City with Iron Man / Howard Stark and a variation of Kang the Conqueror, with The City scheduled to open up in 24 months. The Maker's Council, a shadow government that manages international relations in a "power behind the throne" style, remains a threat as the new comics that follow are set within such background. Howard's son Tony Stark continues his work to take the world back while taking on the name of Iron Lad.
The first comic was Ultimate Universe #1, a one-shot from Hickman and Stefano Caselli that further developed the context in which the comics of the line will take place. The flagship comic of the line is Ultimate Spider-Man, by Hickman and Marco Checchetto. In contrast with the original Ultimate Spider-Man comic, it stars an adult Peter Parker who is married to Mary Jane Watson and has two kids before he becomes Spider-Man. Hickman said that he was inspired by the version of the character seen in the film .[3]
Writer Bryan Hill, who had previously worked on Blade, will write Ultimate Black Panther with Caselli. The comic will be about Black Panther defending the continent of Africa from Lord Khonshu and Lord Ra. Hill said "I was invigorated by this opportunity because in addition to my immense respect for Jonathan Hickman's detailed storytelling, the idea of shepherding this bold new take on Black Panther in this event gives me a platform to do the kind of broad, epic, storytelling I've always wanted to do in comics. My influences range from the history of Black Panther comics, to Ryan Coogler's incredible work with the recent films, to Frank Herbert's world-building capacity of Dune. This is something people won't expect, in the best of ways, and full credit to Marvel and editors Wil Moss and Michelle Marchese for bringing this creative possibility to me."[3]
Peach Momoko, from Demon Days: X-Men, will write and illustrate the new Ultimate X-Men comics. Armor will be the main character, and the X-Men will be tied to folklore and magic. Momoko said "I am very honored to be a part of the new Ultimate Universe. I am very careful in delivering the unique X-Men mutant elements while still being true to my vision and voice. I am also very proud (and surprised) that I was given enough freedom from C.B. Cebulski and Jonathan Hickman to create a brand-new X-Men character. It might not be the normal portrayal of a superhero... but, just like with my Momoko-verse stories, I am excited to introduce everyone to this new world."[3]
In February 2024, it was announced that Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri would write and illustrate The Ultimates, which will follow Iron Lad, Doom, Thor, Sif, Giant-Man, and the Wasp as they band together to fight back against the Maker's Council and take back their world while gaining new allies along the way. Camp said "The new Ultimates line is the most exciting super hero comics event in years, and it's humbling to be a part of it! We are reinventing these classic characters and archetypes to be as surprising and vital as when they were first introduced. Our Ultimates is an evolution not just of the Avengers, but of the whole super hero team concept; from the grand and operatic to the small and personal, THE ULTIMATES will feel like no Avengers or Ultimates comic ever before! That's our ambition, anyway; tune in to find out if we succeed."
Marvel Editor C.B. Cebulski announced at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con that there would be a future one-shot comic titled One Year In, with a recap of everything that happened during the previous year in the Ultimate Universe. He also announced a new ongoing series to be released in late 2024 or early 2025, with no details about the name or characters from the comic.[4] At the 2024 New York Comic Con, it was announced the book would be Ultimate Wolverine by Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappuccio with the official synopsis reading "In order to maintain control of their corner of the Maker’s world, three members of his council – Magik, Colossus and Omega Red – deploy their most lethal asset: The Winter Soldier! But WHO is the weapon behind the mask?".[5]
The Free Comic Book Day 2025 one-shot issue for May 3, 2025 will feature a prologue for the Ultimate Universe's first crossover event.[6]
Issue #3 of Ultimate Invasion showed a map detailing Earth-6160 and its locations ever since the Maker remade it into his own image:[7]
There are also undiscovered territories.
The first issue of Ultimates Vol. 4 reveals the restructured map created by the Maker's Council. It is shown that the North American Union has been redistributed with Henri Duggary ruling its east coast.[8]
The background of the global status quo is explained further through Howard Stark's history files. The Maker arrives in 1963, establishing the City in Latveria and selling himself as an engine of progress. With no heroes to oppose him, he aids in orchestrating the assassination of John F. Kennedy and starts reconfiguring the United States and the rest of the world, eroding national identities and independence in favor of continental empires. He deals, overtly or covertly, with all external threats that traditional superheroes would otherwise handle in other Earths, like Galactus or the Kree–Skrull War. The central government of the United States is dissolved, while corporations start to supersede the old political order. Companies such as Stark/Stane, Oscorp, and Roxxon become essential parts of the internal functioning of the technocratic Union. Politics in its regular form is replaced by a series of manufactured conflicts in a form of war economy practiced between power blocs controlled secretly by the Maker and his Council. The Soviet Union is superseded by a form of Tsarism led by the Rasputin family, three clans unite and form the Harada-Yoshida Alliance in Japan, while other regions face similar systemic changes as the Maker consolidates his influence over the incorporated nation-states and their leaders.
Due to the alterations of world history, there are also social changes. The origins of many heroes and the initial beginning of a Heroic Age are averted. Since Mutants have no central figures to guide them, their political movements are wiped out, leading them to be seen as a fringe presence and an unrecognized minority, dispersed, and scattered while a few are coopted by the system. The Punisher becomes a notorious historical figure due to his actions on the streets while his symbol is used by militias in the modern day. The Savage Land is industrialized and all prehistoric life is extinct after a violent takeover by a group of mercenaries under Roxxon's command in the 1970s, an event called the "Savage Land Revolt". The Maker is regarded as an Imperator, or de facto ruler of the Earth, because he's recognized as the only one equipped to keep the public safe from global threats and being regarded as disseminating technological advances on a regular base, using the organization H.A.N.D as a secret police.[9]
The Maker is unable to avert certain events, despite using some to his advantage. After the Castle Gamma project of the North American Union tests the "Banner-Ulam Gamma-Bomb" over an island on the Pacific Proving Grounds and causes the creation of the Hulk, he is led towards personal "enlightenment" and becomes the leader of an order of monks called The Children of the Eternal Light, turning into a key figure on The Maker's Council. The testing also causes a mass contamination event (inspired by the real-life incident of Castle Bravo) that affects the island's flora, fauna and population, leading to the unpredictable gamma mutations of Lejori Zakaria and her fellow natives.[10] It's also established that several major corporations serve the Council's interests as proxies, one example being Roxxon as part of Emmanuel da Costa's profile.[11]
| Title< | --! scope="col" | Issues--> | Writer | Artist | Colourist | Debut date< | --! scope="col" | Conclusion date--> |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 3 |
| Jonathan Hickman | Marco Checchetto | Matt Wilson | [12] | |||
| Ultimate Black Panther Vol. 1 | Bryan Hill | Stefano Caselli | David Curiel | [13] | ||||
| Ultimate X-Men Vol. 2 | Peach Momoko | [14] | ||||||
| The Ultimates Vol. 4 | Deniz Camp | Juan Frigeri | Federico Blee | [15] | ||||
| Ultimate Wolverine Vol. 1 | Chris Condon | Alessandro Cappuccio | Bryan Valenza | January 15, 2025 | ||||
| Title | Writer | Artist | Colourist | Debut date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Universe | Jonathan Hickman | Stefano Caselli | David Curiel | November 1, 2023[18] | |
| Free Comic Book Day 2024: Ultimate Universe/Spider-Man | Deniz Camp Zeb Wells Al Ewing | Juan Frigeri Ryan Stegman (pencils), JP Mayer (inks) Iban Coello | Federico Blee Sonia Oback Frank D'Armata | May 4, 2024[19] | |
| Ultimate Universe: One Year In | Deniz Camp | Jonas Sharf | Mattia Iacono | December 11, 2024[20] | |
| Free Comic Book Day 2025: Amazing Spider-Man/Ultimate Universe | Deniz Camp Joe Kelly Cody Ziglar | John Romita Jr. Jonas Scharf | TBA | May 3, 2025 |
| Title | Material collected | Format | Pages | Released | ISBN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Invasion | Ultimate Invasion #1–4 | TPB | 192 | ||||
| Ultimate Spider-Man | |||||||
| 1 | Married With Children | Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #1-6 | TPB | 168 | |||
| 2 | The Paper | Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #7-12 | TPB | 136 | |||
| Ultimate Black Panther | |||||||
| 1 | Peace And War | Ultimate Black Panther #1–6 | TPB | 152 | |||
| 2 | Gods And Kings | Ultimate Black Panther #7–12 | TPB | 136 | |||
| Ultimate X-Men | |||||||
| 1 | Fears And Hates | Ultimate X-Men (2024) #1–6, material from Ultimate Universe (2023) | TPB | 160 | |||
| 2 | Children of the Atom | Ultimate X-Men (2024) #7–12 | TPB | 136 | |||
| The Ultimates | |||||||
| 1 | Fix The World | Ultimate Universe (2023), The Ultimates (2024) #1–6, material from Free Comic Book Day 2024: Ultimate Universe/Spider-Man | TPB | 192 | |||