"Ultimate Universe" thematic stories
From up and left to bottom and right on the cover ofUltimate Endgame:Maker, Iron Lad, Spider-Man, Black Panther, Wolverine, Wasp, Captain America,Maystorm, and Doom.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
Title(s) Ultimate Spider-Man Ultimate Black Panther Ultimate X-Men Ultimate Wolverine The Ultimates
Genre	Superhero
Publication date	June 2023 – April 2026

TheUltimate Universe is an imprint of comic books published byMarvel Comics beginning in 2023; the imprint is overseen by writerJonathan Hickman. It reimagines several classic Marvel characters in a new fictionalcontinuity, after Hickman and artistBryan Hitch'sUltimate Invasionlimited series depictedThe Maker (theReed Richards ofEarth-1610) shaping a new world in his image, resulting inEarth-6160, a new Earth preceded byalternate history.

While it shares its name with the earlierUltimate Marvel imprint that ran from 2000 to 2015, it is not a directreboot. While the original Ultimate Marvel started by updating the origins ofMarvel 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 originalUltimate Marvel imprint ceased to be published in 2015, and was destroyed in-story in theSecret Wars crossover, withMaker being transferred toEarth-616, the Prime Universe. WriterDonny Cates used the character during his run in theVenom 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 toJonathan Hickman instead.^[2] Hickman had worked with the Maker character in the original Ultimate imprint and wrote the aforementionedSecret Wars crossover.

Hickman started the project withUltimate Invasion which he took on another path ignoring both the original Ultimate Universe and the plots inVenom 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 withIron Man / Howard Stark and a variation of Kang the Conqueror, with The City scheduled to open up in 24 months. TheMaker's Council, ashadow 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 sonTony Stark continues his work to take the world back while taking on the name of Iron Lad.

The first comic wasUltimate Universe #1, aone-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 isUltimate Spider-Man, by Hickman and Marco Checchetto. In contrast with the originalUltimate Spider-Man comic, it stars an adultPeter Parker who is married toMary 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 filmSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.^[3]

WriterBryan Hill, who had previously worked onBlade, writesUltimate Black Panther with Caselli. The comic is aboutBlack Panther defending the continent of Africa from LordKhonshu 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, toRyan Coogler's incredible work with therecentfilms, toFrank Herbert's world-building capacity ofDune. 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, fromDemon Days: X-Men, writes and illustrates the newUltimate 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 thatDeniz Camp and Juan Frigeri would write and illustrateThe Ultimates, following Iron Lad,Doom,Captain America,Thor,Sif,Giant-Man, and theWasp 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 EditorC.B. Cebulski announced at the 2024San Diego Comic-Con that there would be a one-shot comic titledOne 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 2024New York Comic Con, it was announced the book would beUltimate 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]

TheFree Comic Book Day 2025 one-shot issue for May 3, 2025 featured a prologue for the limited seriesUltimate Spider-Man: Incursion, which first issue was published on June 4, 2025. The story featuresMiles Morales trying to save his sister Billie after she was accidentally transported from Earth-616 to Earth-6160.^[7][8][9] Marvel also announced another one-shot issue titledUltimate Hawkeye, which will be published on September 24, 2025, and focuses on Charli Ramsey, who has taken on the mantle ofHawkeye.^[10]

In July 2025, Marvel announcedUltimate Endgame, a new crossover event that will debut on December 31, 2025.^[11] The one-shotUltimate Universe: Two Years In will serve as prequel to the event, setting to be published on December 3, 2025, which will follow theGuardians of the Galaxy and introduce the 6160 version ofDaredevil.

In October 2025, during a retailer day atNew York Comic Con, Marvel announced that the Ultimate Universe would come to an end in April 2026 with the release ofUltimate Endgame #5.^[12]

At the beginning of "Ultimate Invasion", the Maker orchestrates an elaborate escape from his imprisonment in Earth-616,^[13] 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, likeGalactus or theKree–Skrull War. He also forges alliances and helps to install figures to depose heroes and figures opposed to him, such as when he assistsLoki in taking control ofAsgard and other realms.

Politics in its regular form is replaced by a series of manufactured conflicts in a form ofwar economy practiced between power blocs controlled secretly 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 targets and annihilates dissenters.

Due to the alterations of world history, there are also major social changes. The origins of many heroes and the initial beginning of a Heroic Age are averted. SinceMutants haveno 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. ThePunisher becomes a notorious historical figure due to his actions on the streets and his symbol is co-opted by fascist paramilitary groups. TheSavage Land is industrialized and all prehistoric life is extinct after a violent takeover by a group of mercenaries underRoxxon's command in the 1970s, an event called the "Savage Land Revolt".Attilan was destroyed and the survivingInhuman 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. These entities make up his Council.

The modern world is ultimately organized as such:

• North America was reformed into the North American Union, a technocratic successor state to the United States which is controlled by a corporation called Stane/Stark Industries run byObadiah Stane andHoward Stark; after the death of Stane and Stark trapping himself in The City with the Maker, the polity is secretly divided up by other members of the Maker's Council. Otherwise, the country appears largely run by a collection of corporations, such as Roxxon and Oscorp, who have assumed control of critical civil functions such as electricity and healthcare. This is the main setting forUltimate Spider-Man where it is shown thatWilson Fisk is a shadow governor in New York City and a recurring setting forThe Ultimates.
• Latin America is dominated by the Society of South America, run by the Hellfire Club underEmmanuel da Costa.
• Europe is run by the European Coalition, itself dominated byHenri Duggary, a French aristocrat who controlsAvalon. Duggary also de facto controls the Eastern Seaboard of North America after the division of the North American Union, assuming responsibility for its local leaders where Wilson Fisk works for him.^[14]
• Africa is dominated by the Upper and Lower Kingdoms, based in Egypt. Both Kingdoms are governed by LordRa and LordKhonshu. Wakanda, which has remained largely isolationist, remains outside of their control. This is the setting forUltimate Black Panther.
• Russia and parts of Central Asia are governed by the Eurasian Republic, currently geopolitically antagonistic to much of the rest of the world. Russia has reverted back to theTsarist autocracy and is ruled by the Rasputin Family (consisting ofColossus,Magik, andOmega Red). The Republic is designated by the Maker as the primary ward for mutants which its government attempts to use as weapons for secret police units. This is the setting forUltimate Wolverine.
• South Asia and Southeast Asia are under the jurisdiction of the Children of Eternal Light, a faux-Buddhist martial arts cult led by theHulk who rules K'un-L'un and all the other seven cities of heaven.
• Much of metropolitan China, Korea, and Japan are governed by Hi no Kuni which dominated by a bloc of three clans called the Harada-Yoshida Alliance (consisting ofEmperor Sunfire,Viper, andSilver Samurai). This is the setting forUltimate X-Men.
• Central Asia and Latveria fall within the bounds of The City, a technologically advanced fortress solely controlled by the Maker. Due to his political power, it is also thede facto capital of the world.

At the end of "Ultimate Invasion", the Maker attempts to have Howard Stark and Doom (Reed Richards)^[a] construct a time machine for him, called the Immortus Engine, hoping to use it to consolidate his control over the world in perpetuity.^[15] Deeply repulsed by the global system the Maker has constructed, Stark instead weakens his defenses, allowing for a cataclysmic battle started byKang to close The City shut, potentially trapping the Maker inside for two years with Stark also being trapped. With the Maker absent, the ensuing political ripples of his absence allow for the emergence of organized defiance to the world order and his regimes. In particular, theUltimates emerge as an effective guerilla army, undermining global regimes while recruiting the worst victims of the global order to resistance. Maker's Council begins to break into in-fighting, with individual states beginning to launch unauthorized contingencies in the hopes of reinforcing their powers. These frictions serve as the overall background for the individual series.

• Timeslide (December 25, 2024)

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