Ultimate Comics

The current imprint logo as of 2023.

Ultimate Comics, also known as Ultimate Marvel or Ultimate Universe, is a Marvel Comics imprint that serves as an accessible entry point for new readers, offering a reimagined version of the Marvel Universe populated by characters situated in a young, contemporary context.

The concept for the original iteration of the imprint was developed by former Marvel Comics Vice President Bill Jemas in response to the disappointing comic book sales following the collapse of the 1990s collectibles market and Marvel's bankruptcy. In it, Marvel characters were depicted as younger individuals, a contrast to their more established, mainstream counterparts. Moreover, the narrative setting reflected the social and political landscape of the era. This iteration of Ultimate Comics was designated Earth-1610 and was in publication for 15 years, from 2000 to 2015.

Ultimate Comics launched on September 7, 2000, with the publication of Ultimate Spider-Man, which was followed by the release of Ultimate X-Men in December of the same year. Subsequently, Ultimates and Ultimate Fantastic Four were released on January 30, 2002, and January 2, 2004, respectively. In the interim period and subsequent years, the imprint would release a limited number of miniseries alongside their ongoing titles. This continued until the release of the crossover event series Ultimatum in 2008, which ran until 2009, when it was met with a negative response from both critics and fans alike. Additionally, it was a commercial failure.

In the aftermath of Ultimatum, the imprint underwent a rebranding process and renewed its publication with continuing series and new miniseries up until 2011. However, it never regained its pre-Ultimatum figures. Subsequently, a further rebranding occurred in the wake of the Death of Spider-Man storyline and the introduction of a new Spider-Man, Miles Morales, who was exclusive to the imprint's universe at the time of publication. By 2014, following another rebranding coinciding with the mainline All-New Marvel NOW! initiative, Earth-1610 was destroyed during the Secret Wars crossover event, which resulted in the conclusion of the original imprint.

On June 21, 2023, Marvel Comics released Ultimate Invasion, which concluded on September 27. This was followed by the release of Ultimate Universe on November 1, which marked the beginning of a new series of Ultimate Comics. The latest iteration of the imprint, developed by writer Jonathan Hickman, involves a heavy reinvention of Marvel characters and an exploration of contemporary politics and social issues in a world that is unique to the comic book medium. Furthermore, it incorporates an overarching narrative that unifies the various titles within the imprint. Set on Earth-6160, a world that has been negatively influenced by the Maker of Earth-1610, it began publication throughout 2024 onwards.

The new imprint launched on January 10, 2023, with the publication of Ultimate Spider-Man (Vol. 3). This was followed by the release of Ultimate Black Panther on February 7, Ultimate X-Men (Vol. 2) on March 6, and Ultimates (Vol. 4) on June 5 of the same year. Publication will expand with the upcoming release of Ultimate Wolverine on January 15, 2025.

Differences between Ultimate Comics and Marvel Comics

Earth-1610

• The origin of many characters within Earth-1610 was intertwined with Captain America due to the pursuit of recreating the Super-Soldier Serum in an international superhuman arms race, which formed a central part of the narrative. Although the Super-Soldier Serum is an important aspect of the history of Earth-616, characters are rarely associated with it or Captain America's legacy.
• During a school trip to Oscorp, Peter Parker was bitten by a genetically modified spider that had been injected with OZ, Norman Osborn's attempt to recreate the Super-Soldier Serum. On Earth-616, Peter Parker was bitten by a spider infused with radiation from the Isotope Genome Accelerator during a demonstration at General Techtronics Laboratories East.
• Homo superior are a byproduct of the Weapon X Project's attempt to recreate the Super-Soldier Serum by experimenting on Mutant Zero, resulting in the birth of the mutant species and the X-Gene, which spread like a virus. On Earth-616, the Homo superior and the X-Gene were created through Celestial experimentation on early humanity, resulting in the genetic encoding of latent potential for emerging superpowers.
• The Fantastic Four acquired their powers in early adulthood after experimenting with teleportation technology to reach the N-Zone, and were part of a government-sponsored think-tank based in the Baxter Building. On Earth-616, the Fantastic Four gained their powers after being aboard a rocket ship hit by a cosmic radiation storm as older adults, and are headquartered in the Baxter Building, while being independently funded.

Earth-6160

• As a result of temporal alterations by the Maker, there is a vast divergence in the historical and geopolitical landscape of Earth-6160 from that of Earth-616 from 1963 onwards. By the year 2023, the world is divided into seven major socioeconomic blocs: The North American Union, the Society of South America, the Upper and Lower Kingdoms, the Eurasian Republic, the European Coalition, the Children of the Eternal Light, and Hi no Kuni.
• In contrast to Earth-616 and Earth-1610, the Tony Stark of Earth-6160 is a teenager who begins his heroic career as Iron Lad rather than Iron Man. Howard Stark is the Iron Man of Earth-6160.
• Homo superior display no notable divergence from their Earth-616 counterpart, though they are more intertwined with the supernatural and folklore. A dormant X-Gene can be activated through blood contact, a phenomenon that is unique to this reality.

Comments on Style

Earth-6160

• Jonathan Hickman: "[Revisiting the idea of Ultimate Comics] couldn’t be replicating or revisiting what Bryan did in the original ULTIMATES—creating a streamlined, modernized version that would eventually become the spine of the MCU, and it certainly couldn’t be what I did, which was a final chapter of a pre-existing universe."
• Jonathan Hickman: "We also thought the very idea of Ultimate Comics needed to be inverted from what the original universe was—we wanted this to be something that could really only exist in the comic space: a new way of thinking about, and enjoying, a new version of the Marvel Universe."

Bibiography

Ultimate Comic Books