Every Ultimate Comic Currently Running

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Now having been active for just over one year, the new Ultimate Universe is the latest divergent continuity at Marvel Comics. Showcasing new versions of Marvel heroes such as Spider-Man and the X-Men, this modern take on the Ultimate Universe is both quite familiar and drastically different from what came before. It’s also proven incredibly popular, which is why the number of titles in this universe continues to grow.

There are four ongoing titles in the Ultimate Universe, most of which showcase Marvel’s most iconic properties and characters. As noted, some of these radically change these heroes and their status quo, while others feel only slightly altered compared to their normal portrayals. This has given these books a lot of room to experiment and take some of the biggest names in comic books in new directions.

Ultimate Spider-Man Gives Fans the Married Peter Parker They’ve Always Wanted

Ultimate Spider-Man #12 Ends Year 2 On a Holiday High-Note

In some ways, Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man is the premiere book of the new Ultimate Universe. Instead of a teenage or young adult Peter Parker, this take on Spidey has him getting his powers after he’s already a married adult who has two children with Mary Jane. Likewise, his Aunt May dies in a global catastrophe while Uncle Ben is alive and forming his own news company with J. Jonah Jameson (who sometimes publish under the name “Ben Reilly”). At this point in the story, Uncle Ben knows Peter is Spider-Man.

The most recent issue is a Christmas breather, with the Parker family celebrating the holidays together during a party. Unfortunately, the Peter Parker present at the party was actually a decoy deployed by his Stark-tech suit. In actuality, both Spider-Man and his business partner/ally, Harry Osborn/Green Goblin, were captured by Kraven the Hunter. Kraven is part of the Ultimate Universe Sinister Six, with that group being down one person after Harry grievously injured Black Cat. Their goal is to keep the machinations of Wilson Fisk under wraps and stop the recent wave of vigilantes from ruining Kingpin’s plans.

Ultimate X-Men Is Nothing Like the Mutants Fans are Familiar With

Ultimate X-Men #10 Introduces a Deadly New Mutant to the Mix

More than any other title in the new universe, Ultimate X-Men is far different from the mainstream version of the title. The main character is a version of the mutant Armor. While variants of Shadow King, Cyclops and Daken (the son of Wolverine in the main universe) have appeared, the general focus and tone isn’t on the brand’s most familiar concepts. Instead, it’s essentially reminiscent of a horror manga by Junji Ito, reflecting how things are different for mutants in the Ultimate Universe, depending on the continuity.

The presence of the “Children of the Atom” cult and mutants has made life particularly unruly, with protests ringing out in the streets. Further, mutants with no ties to the cult are interviewed, and it’s clear that the nature of mutants, namely in Japanese society, is tied to the villainous Maker. The fact that Daken exists in this world also potentially sets up a major crossover, given that an Ultimate Wolverine book will soon launch. Given how distant Ultimate X-Men feels from the rest of the universe, this will likely tie things together once and for all.

Ultimate Black Panther Pits T’Challa Against Moon Knight

Ultimate Black Panther #11 Introduces the Ultimate Sorcerer Supreme

Ultimate Black Panther perhaps bears the most resemblance to the mainstream counterpart for the character, though ironically, Black Panther himself is the only character in the new lineup to have not had a book in the original Ultimate Universe. In this world, T’Challa is once again the king of the isolated Wakanda, ruling alongside Okoye as they decide the fate of their country’s resources. Standing against Wakanda’s dominance are The Maker’s cohorts, Ra and Khonshu, who collectively operate as “Moon Knight.”

The latest issues of the series have T’Challa delving deeper into the story behind the vibranium metal, and he’s had continued visions of himself empowered by it. Likewise, T’Challa’s allies Killmonger and Storm/Ororo have gained the aid of the Sorcerer Supreme, who seeks to enlighten the Black Panther further on the true nature of vibranium. She manifests this help in a portal, but her intentions aren’t quite what the king of Wakanda expected. Many fans have noted the series’ adherence to the usual version of Black Panther, the incarnations in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and comparisons to the Dune novels and movies.

The Ultimates Is the Newest Ultimate Universe Book

The Ultimates #7 Makes Major Changes to the Team

As in the original Ultimate Universe, the team in The Ultimates is the new continuity’s equivalent to the Avengers. Similarly, this take on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is far more proactive. They’re chiefly formed to deal with the evil of The Maker, who supposedly holds many superhumans captive. This led to a fatal encounter against an Iron Fist-wielding Hulk, seemingly resulting in the death of Iron Lad/Tony Stark.

The latest issue of the series has the team reflecting on their own lives and joint missions as The Ultimates, namely as political ideologies are issued forth in each anthology. America Chavez attacks police officers at a protest. At the same time, Captain America and Human Torch discuss world events, and the latter urges Steve Rogers to lead the team. Giant-Man questions his own place in the group amid their many trials. The issue is meant as a jumping-on point, with the status quo changed for the team and Iron Lad possibly gone for good.

“}]] The new Ultimate Universe is already over a year old, with Marvel’s alternate universe titles radically altering iconic heroes and villains.  Read More