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This article is about the comic book line. For the one-shot comic, see Ultimate Invasion § Epilogue (Ultimate Universe #1: One Shot). For the 2000-2015 imprint, see Ultimate Marvel.
Ultimate Universe
Visible characters: Captain America, Iron Lad, and Thor. In shadows, Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Armor.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
Title(s)
Genre
Publication dateJune 2023

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.

Publication history

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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 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.[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."[4]

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.[5] 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?".[6]

About Earth-6160

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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]

  • The Northeastern United States make up the North American Union with the rest of the United States, Canada, Greenland, Mexico, and parts of Central America making up its subsidiaries. Howard Stark and Obadiah Stane ruled this area.
  • Parts of South America make up the Society of South America complete with regional clubs in some parts of South America and fractional cultures in the other parts of South America and parts of Central America. Emmanuel da Costa rules the Society of South America.
  • The European Coalition is set in France where its surrounding areas are regional governors and the other parts of Europe are Fiefdoms. Henri Duggary rules this area.
  • The Upper and Lower Kingdoms are set in Egypt with regional dynasties in the surrounding countries and parts of Saudi Arabia and local temples in the rest of Africa, Madagascar, and the other parts of Saudi Arabia. Lord Ra and Lord Khonshu rule this area.
  • The Eurasian Republic is set in a part of Russia with the rest of Eurasia having regional directors and local schools. The Rasputin family (consisting of Colossus, Magik, and Omega Red) rules this area.
  • The Children of Eternal Light are set in India with parts of Southeastern Asia and Australia being run by the Shadows of the Immortal Hand. Hulk rules this area.
  • Hi No Kuni (which is Japanese for "Land of Fire") is set in Japan with daimyos running parts of the Chinese coast. The Harada-Yoshida Alliance (consisting of Emperor Sunfire, Viper, and Silver Samurai) rule this area.

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".[a] 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]

Publications

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Ongoing series

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Title Writer Artist Colourist Debut date
Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 3 Jonathan Hickman Marco Checchetto Matt Wilson January 10, 2024[12]
Ultimate Black Panther Bryan Hill Stefano Caselli David Curiel February 7, 2024[13]
Ultimate X-Men Vol. 2 Peach Momoko March 6, 2024[14]
The Ultimates Vol. 4 Deniz Camp Juan Frigeri Federico Blee June 5, 2024[4]
Ultimate Wolverine Vol. 1 Chris Condon Alessandro Cappuccio Bryan Valenza January 15, 2025[6]

Limited series

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Title Issues Writer Artist Colourist Debut date Conclusion date
Ultimate Invasion #1–4 Jonathan Hickman Bryan Hitch Alex Sinclair June 21, 2023[15] September 27, 2023[16]

One-shots

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Title Writer Artist Colourist Debut date
Ultimate Universe Jonathan Hickman Stefano Caselli David Curiel November 1, 2023[17]
Ultimate Universe: One Year In Deniz Camp Jonas Sharf Mattia Iacono December 11, 2024[18]

Collected editions

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# Title Material collected Format Pages Released ISBN
Ultimate Invasion Ultimate Invasion #1–4 TPB 192 26 Mar 2024 978-0785194736
Ultimate Spider-Man
1 Married With Children Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #1-6 TPB 168 10 Sep 2024 978-1302957292
2 The Paper Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #7-12 TPB 136 18 Mar 2025 978-1302958282
Ultimate Black Panther
1 Peace And War Ultimate Black Panther #1–6 TPB 152 11 Oct 2024 978-1302957308
2 Gods And Kings Ultimate Black Panther #7–12 TPB 136 15 Apr 2025 978-1302958237
Ultimate X-Men
1 Fears And Hates Ultimate X-Men (2024) #1–6, material from Ultimate Universe (2023) TPB 160 5 Nov 2024 978-1302957315
2 Children of the Atom Ultimate X-Men (2024) #7–12 TPB 136 27 May 2025 978-1302958336
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 4 Feb 2025 978-1302957513

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ This information was later revealed in The Ultimates Vol. 4 #5.

References

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  1. ^ Stone, Sam (June 18, 2021). "Venom Teases the Marvel Universe's Next Major Invasion". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  2. ^ Rich Johnston (August 2, 2023). "Donny Cates, Missing Six Months Of His Life, After Car Accident". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c JESSE SCHEDEEN (October 16, 2023). "Marvel Comics Reveals the New Ultimate Universe - New York Comic-Con 2023". IGN. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "The Ultimate Universe's Mightiest Heroes Assemble in 'Ultimates' #1". Marvel Comics. February 22, 2024. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  5. ^ Joe Anthony Myrick (July 26, 2024). "Marvel Expands Ultimate Universe with New Titles and Real-Time Storytelling". Screen Rant. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "NYCC 2024: Marvel Comics Announces 'Ultimate Wolverine' Series at New York Comic Con". www.marvel.com. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
  7. ^ Ultimate Invasion #3. Marvel Comics.
  8. ^ The Ultimates Vol. 4 #1. Marvel Comics.
  9. ^ The Ultimates Vol. 4 #2. Marvel Comics.
  10. ^ The Ultimates Vol. 4 #3. Marvel Comics.
  11. ^ The Ultimates Vol. 4 #5. Marvel Comics.
  12. ^ Ultimate Spider-Man #1
  13. ^ Ultimate Black Panther #1
  14. ^ Ultimate X-Men #1
  15. ^ Ultimate Invasion #1
  16. ^ Ultimate Invasion #4
  17. ^ Ultimate Universe #1
  18. ^ Ultimate Universe: One Year In
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