| Theme: | y |
| Superhero: | y |
| Publisher: | Marvel Comics |
| Startmo: | June |
| Startyr: | 2023 |
| Endmo: | April |
| Endyr: | 2026 |
| Sort: | Ultimate Universe |
The Ultimate Universe is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics beginning in 2023 and concluding in 2026; the imprint is overseen by writer Jonathan Hickman. It reimagines several classic Marvel characters in a new fictional continuity, after Hickman and artist Bryan Hitch's Ultimate Invasion limited series depicted The Maker (the Reed Richards of Earth-1610) shaping a new world in his image, resulting in Earth-6160, a new Earth preceded by alternate history.
While it shares its name with the earlier Ultimate Marvel imprint that ran from 2000 to 2015, it is not a direct reboot. While the original Ultimate Marvel started by updating the origins of Marvel Universe characters in a then-modern but recognizable Earth-1610, the Ultimate Universe (Earth-6160) features entirely new interpretations of Marvel characters set in a radically altered sociopolitical status quo caused by the Maker.
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 would 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, writes Ultimate Black Panther with Caselli. The comic is 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, writes and illustrates the new Ultimate X-Men comics. Armor is the main character, and the X-Men are 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, following Iron Lad, Doom, Captain America, 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 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 featured a prologue for the limited series , which first issue was published on June 4, 2025. The story features Miles Morales trying to save his sister Billie after she was accidentally transported from Earth-616 to Earth-6160.[6] [7] [8] Marvel also announced another one-shot issue titled Ultimate Hawkeye, which will be published on September 24, 2025, and focuses on Charli Ramsey, who has taken on the mantle of Hawkeye.[9]
In July 2025, Marvel announced Ultimate Endgame, the final crossover event that debuted on December 31, 2025.[10] The one-shot Ultimate Universe: Two Years In will serve as prequel to the event, setting to be published on December 3, 2025, which will follow the Guardians of the Galaxy and introduce the Earth-6160 version of Daredevil who happens to be a Beyonder.
In October 2025, during a retailer day at New York Comic Con, Marvel announced that the Ultimate Universe would come to an end in April 2026 with the release of Ultimate Endgame #5.[11] In January 2026, Marvel announced a one-shot, Ultimate Universe Finale, which will serve as the grand finale of the line and unite all of the Ultimates series' creators for one last story set on Earth-6160.[12]
Some concepts of this continuity will be featured in the 2026 Marvel Universe crossover event Armageddon alongside the miniseries Reborn: Ultimate Impact, after Miles Morales' return to Earth-616 with the Origin Boxes of 6160.[13] [14]
In Ultimate Invasion, the Maker orchestrates an elaborate escape from his imprisonment in Earth-616[15], ultimately building a portal to another universe, Earth-6160. Upon arrival in 1963, he uses his knowledge of future events and technology to seize control of the world, eliminating and torturing potential opponents to his regime. 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. He also forges alliances and helps to install figures to depose heroes and figures opposed to him, such as when he assists Loki in taking control of Asgard and other realms.
Due to the alteration of world history, most heroes are non-existent or heavily corrupted. The origins of many heroes and the initial beginning of a Heroic Age are averted. Since mutants had no central figures to guide them, their political movements were destroyed and have been forced underground; some have been co-opted by legitimate actors. The Punisher became a notorious historical figure whose tactics were co-opted by a Neo-Nazi group called the Red Skulls, inspired by the villain of the same name. 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. Attilan was destroyed and the surviving Inhuman population was scattered across the globe.
By 2023, the Maker has fully transformed the world into a series of political spheres controlled by his political allies and their vassals, integrating several superheroes and existing regimes while installing neo-feudal regimes in major parts of the world. Geopolitics has been replaced by a form of war economy practiced between power blocs controlled by the Maker and his Council. There are no known democracies left, and most states are personally dominated by small families, as with Hi no Kuni, the Eurasian Republic and others. When faced with threats, the Council utilizes their near-total control over local political and economic organizations to harass and confront dissidents; the Maker himself runs an advanced secret police organization known as H.A.N.D, which rapidly eliminates dissenters.
The modern world is ultimately organized as such:
At the end of Ultimate Invasion, the Maker attempts to have Howard Stark and Doom (Reed Richards) construct a time machine for him, called the Immortus Engine, hoping to use it to consolidate his control over the world in perpetuity.[18] Deeply repulsed by the global system the Maker has constructed, Stark instead weakens his defenses, allowing for a cataclysmic battle started by Kang to close The City shut, trapping them all inside. With the Maker absent, the ensuing political ripples allow for the emergence of organized defiance to the world order. In particular, the Ultimates emerge as an effective guerilla army, recruiting the worst victims of the global order to undermine the new regimes. The Maker's Council begins to break into infighting, with members launching unauthorized contingencies in the hopes of reinforcing and gaining power. These frictions serve as the overall background for the individual series.
See main article: List of Ultimate Universe characters.
| Title | Issues | Writer | Artist(s) | Colourist | Debut date | Conclusion date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 3 |
| Jonathan Hickman | Marco Checchetto David Messina | Matt Wilson | [19] | ||
| Ultimate Black Panther Vol. 1 | Bryan Hill | Stefano Caselli Carlos Nieto | David Curiel | [20] | |||
| Ultimate X-Men Vol. 2 | Peach Momoko | [21] | |||||
| The Ultimates Vol. 4 | Deniz Camp | Juan Frigeri | Federico Blee | [22] | |||
| Ultimate Wolverine Vol. 1 |
| Chris Condon | Alessandro Cappuccio Alex Lins | Bryan Valenza | |||
| Title | Issues | Writer | Artist | Colourist | Debut date | Conclusion date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Invasion |
| Jonathan Hickman | Bryan Hitch | Alex Sinclair | [23] | [24] |
| Deniz Camp Cody Ziglar | Jonas Scharf | Edgar Delgado | |||
| Ultimate Endgame | Deniz Camp | Jonas Scharf Terry Dodson (pencils) Rachel Dodson (inks) | Edgar Delgado Federico Blee |
| Title | Writer | Artist | Colourist | Debut date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Universe | Jonathan Hickman | Stefano Caselli | David Curiel | [25] | |
| 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 | [26] | |
| Ultimate Universe: One Year In | Deniz Camp Chris Condon | Jonas Sharf Alessandro Cappuccio | Mattia Iacono Bryan Valenza | [27] | |
| Free Comic Book Day 2025: Amazing Spider-Man/Ultimate Universe | Deniz Camp Joe Kelly Cody Ziglar | John Romita Jr. Jonas Scharf | Bryan Valenza | ||
| Ultimate Hawkeye | Deniz Camp Taboo B. Earl | Juan Frigeri Michael Sta. Maria | Alex Sinclair | ||
| Ultimate Universe: Two Years In | Deniz Camp Alex Paknadel | Lee Ferguson Francesco Manna Pat Boutin Javier Pulido Phil Noto | Guru-eFX Erick Arciniega Federico Blee Javier Pulido Phil Noto | ||
| Ultimate Universe Finale | Deniz Camp Chris Condon Jonathan Hickman Bryan Hill Peach Momoko | Alessandro Cappuccio Stefano Caselli Marco Checchetto Juan Frigeri Peach Momoko | TBA | [28] |
| Title | Issues | Writer | Artist(s) | Colourist | Debut date | Conclusion date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timeslide |
| Steve Foxe | Ivan Fiorelli | Frank D'Armata | December 25, 2024 | December 25, 2024 | |
| Miles Morales: Spider-Man Vol. 2[29] [30] |
| Cody Ziglar | Luigi Zagaria Marco Renna | Bryan Valenza | |||
| Reborn: Ultimate Impact |
| Chris Condon | Stefano Caselli | Marte Gracia | May 20, 2026 | TBA |
| Title | Material collected | Format | Pages | Released | ISBN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 3 | |||||||
| 1 | Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #1–6 | TPB | 168 | ||||
| 2 | The Paper | Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #7–12 | TPB | 136 | |||
| 3 | Family Business | Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #13–18 | TPB | 136 | |||
| 4 | One Last Day | Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #19–24 | 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 | |||
| 3 | Darkness and Light | Ultimate Black Panther #13–18 | TPB | 136 | |||
| 4 | Destiny and Destruction | Ultimate Black Panther #19–24 | TPB | 136 | |||
| Ultimate X-Men Vol. 2 | |||||||
| 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 | |||
| 3 | The Realm of the Mind | Ultimate X-Men (2024) #13–18 | TPB | 136 | |||
| 4 | Children's Whereabouts | Ultimate X-Men (2024) #19–24 | TPB | 144 | |||
| The Ultimates Vol. 3 | |||||||
| 1 | Fix the World | Ultimate Universe (2023); The Ultimates (2024) #1–6; FCBD 2024: Ultimate Universe | TPB | 192 | |||
| 2 | All Power to the People | The Ultimates (2024) #7–12; material from Ultimate Universe: One Year In | TPB | 168 | |||
| 3 | Rescue Mission | The Ultimates (2024) #13–18; Ultimate Hawkeye | TPB | 168 | |||
| 4 | Uprising | The Ultimates (2024) #19–24; Ultimate Universe: Two Years In #1 | TPB | 184 | |||
| Ultimate Wolverine | |||||||
| 1 | The Winter Soldier | Ultimate Wolverine #1–6; material from Ultimate Universe: One Year In | TPB | 144 | |||
| 2 | Logan | Ultimate Wolverine #7–12 | TPB | 136 | |||
| 3 | The Maker's Mark | Ultimate Wolverine #13–16 | TPB | 112 | |||
| Other | |||||||
| Ultimate Invasion | Ultimate Invasion #1–4 | TPB | 192 | ||||
| Ultimate Universe: Invasion Box Set Slipcase | Ultimate Invasion; Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1: Married With Children; Ultimate X-Men Vol. 1: Fears And Hates; Ultimate Black Panther Vol. 1: Peace And War; Ultimates Vol. 1: Fix The World; Ultimate Wolverine Vol. 1: The Winter Soldier | TPB box set | 1,040 | ||||
| Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion | Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion (2025) #1–5, FCBD 2025: Ultimate Universe | TPB | 128 | ||||
| Ultimate Endgame | Ultimate Endgame (2025) #1–5 | TPB | 120 |
