Ultimate Marvel is an
imprintIn the publishing industry, an imprint can refer to two different things:* It can mean a brand name under which a work is published. One single publishing company may have multiple imprints; the different imprints are used by the publisher to market the work to different demographic consumer segments...
of
comic bookA comic book is a magazine made up of narrative artwork, often accompanied by dialog and often including brief descriptive prose...
s published by
Marvel ComicsMarvel Publishing, Inc., a company doing business as Marvel Comics, produces American comic books and related media. It forms a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, Inc....
, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's most popular
superheroA superhero is "a fictional character of unprecedented powers dedicated to acts of derring-do in the public interest"...
characters, including
Iron ManUltimate Iron Man is the name of two comic book miniseries written by Orson Scott Card and published by Marvel Comics. The stories tell the origins of the Ultimate Marvel version of Iron Man, who appears in Ultimates.-Publication history:...
,
Spider-ManUltimate Spider-Man is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
, the Hulk,
ThorUltimate Thor is a fictional character, a superhero in the Ultimate Marvel Universe based on the Marvel Universe version of Thor who is in turn based on the god of the same name of Norse mythology....
, Daredevil, the
X-MenUltimate X-Men is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 2001. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running X-Men comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
, the
AvengersThe Ultimates is a fictional group of superheroes that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team was created by writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch, and first appeared in The Ultimates #1 , as part of the company's Ultimate Marvel imprint...
, and the
Fantastic FourUltimate Fantastic Four is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Fantastic Four comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
. The characters have new origins, freeing them from the sometimes convoluted back-histories of the original versions which were thought to turn off new readers unfamiliar with their extensive
historiesIn fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer. It is of relevance to several media....
. The universe has been designated as "Earth-1610" within the
Marvel MultiverseWithin Marvel Comics, most tales take place within the fictional Marvel Universe, which in turn is part of a larger multiverse. Starting with issues of Captain Britain, the main continuity in which most Marvel storylines take place was designated Earth-616, and the multiverse was established as...
, which comprises an infinite number of alternate universes.
The entire Ultimate Marvel imprint has been relaunched after the conclusion of the Ultimatum event, under the "
Ultimate Comics" brand.
History
The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of
Ultimate Spider-ManUltimate Spider-Man is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
, followed by
Ultimate X-MenUltimate X-Men is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 2001. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running X-Men comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
and
The UltimatesThe Ultimates is a fictional group of superheroes that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team was created by writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch, and first appeared in The Ultimates #1 , as part of the company's Ultimate Marvel imprint...
in 2001 and finally
Ultimate Fantastic FourUltimate Fantastic Four is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Fantastic Four comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
. Prior to the launch, the imprint was under the working title of
Ground Zero. While some of the series (including
Ultimate Spider-Man) were seemingly aimed at younger readers than most Marvel titles, others (such as
Ultimates) seem written for an older audience. Nevertheless, the Ultimate imprint as a whole was intended to attract and serve new readers beyond the existing Marvel fan base, although long-time fans have generally embraced the line.
The stories and characters of Ultimate Marvel have been adapted to reflect the differences between the present and past continuities, most of which were created in the 1960s and 1970s. For example,
Ultimate Spider-ManUltimate Spider-Man is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
gains his
superpowers from a
genetically-engineeredGenetic engineering, recombinant DNA technology, genetic modification/manipulation and gene splicing are terms that apply to the direct manipulation of an organism's genes. Genetic engineering is different from traditional breeding, where the organism's genes are manipulated indirectly...
spiderSpiders are air-breathing chelicerate arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae modified into fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
rather than a
radioactiveRadioactive decay is the process in which an unstable atomic nucleus spontaneously loses energy by emitting ionizing particles and radiation. This decay, or loss of energy, results in an atom of one type, called the parent nuclide transforming to an atom of a different type, named the daughter...
spider, and his alter ego, Peter Parker, originally a
photographerA photographer is a person who takes photographs using a camera. A professional photographer uses photography to make a living whilst an amateur photographer does not earn a living and typically takes photographs for pleasure and to record an event, place or person for future enjoyment.A...
for the
Daily BugleThe Daily Bugle is a fictional New York City newspaper that is a regular fixture in the Marvel Universe, most prominently in Spider-Man and its derivative media. The company first appeared in Fantastic Four #2....
newspaperA newspaper is a publication containing news, information, and advertising. General-interest newspapers often feature articles on political events, crime, business, art/entertainment, society and sports. Most traditional papers also feature an editorial page containing columns that express the...
, now has a part-time job as the paper's
webmasterA webmaster , also called a web architect, web developer, site author, website administrator, or webmeister, is a person responsible for maintaining a website...
. Another noteworthy aspect of the Ultimate Marvel universe is that many of the characters are more youthful than their regular-continuity counterparts. In some cases, this is simply a result of taking the characters back to their origins—Spider-Man, the Human Torch, and the X-Men were teenagers at the beginning of their respective series—but other cases involve more striking changes. In particular, the backstory of the
Ultimate Fantastic FourUltimate Fantastic Four is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Fantastic Four comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
has been compressed so that they gain their powers when
Reed RichardsMr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
is only twenty-one years old.
Background
The Ultimate titles have also displayed a shift away from a sprawling universe of magic, alternate dimensions, and continuity changes. Although these elements are present to a certain degree, Marvel characters with fantastical origins are often re-imagined to fit a more plausible (by comic-book standards) framework. For example, the
Doctor StrangeDoctor Strange is a fictional character that appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
of this reality is actually the son of the traditional Doctor, and does not nearly possess his father's skill. Several characters are even genetically revamped into other species or sub-species.
MojoMojo is a Marvel Comics supervillain, primarily an enemy of the X-Men and one of its members, Longshot. Mojo is one of the "Spineless Ones," an alien race that is immobile without advanced technology. He is a slaver who rules the Mojoverse, a dimension where all beings are addicted to his...
(extradimensional) and Princess-Majestrix Lilandra Neramani (extraterrestrial) are now ordinary humans.
LongshotLongshot is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero best known as a member of the X-Men. He was created by writer Ann Nocenti and artist Art Adams.-Publication history:Longshot debuted in a six-part, eponymous 1985-1986 mini-series that parodied television...
(extradimensional genetically-engineered humanoid),
SpiralSpiral is a fictional character, a supervillainess in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in the Longshot miniseries by Ann Nocenti and Art Adams.-Fictional character biography:...
(human cyborg and sorceress), the Juggernaut (magic-based human mutate), the
Fenris TwinsFenris are two fictional characters from the Marvel Comics universe, namely German twins Andrea and Andreas von Strucker, children of supervillain Baron Wolfgang von Strucker of HYDRA. Andrea is female, Andreas is male...
(science-based human mutates),
Black PantherThe Black Panther is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52...
(science-based human mutate), the
WaspThe Wasp is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics universe and founding member of The Avengers. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #44 ....
(science-based human mutate) and Snowbird (demi-deity) are now all human mutants. Also, many characters are somehow connected to Captain America and
Nick Fury'sGeneral Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional character published by Marvel Comics. A reinterpretation of the character Nick Fury, one of the most notable differences between the two is that the mainstream Nick Fury is a Caucasian colonel with greying brown hair, while this Nick Fury is a...
attempt to recreate the Super-Soldier Serum. The only characters who until recently seemed unconnected with this were the X-Men, who are, of course, mutants. However, Ultimate Origins 1 indicates that the mutant gene itself is a product of super soldier experiments on
WolverineThe wolverine , also referred to as a glutton and occasionally as a carcajou, skunk bear, quickhatch, or gulon, is the largest land-dwelling species of the Mustelidae family in the genus Gulo . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...
. Thus far The Hulk has been the standard of ultimate strength, and it is quite common for characters to remark that a group, weapon, or holding facility was designed for apprehension of the Hulk as a means of displaying its power. Also, the phenomenon known as
comic book deathComic book death is a neologism used in the comic book fan community to refer to the killing off and subsequent return of a long-running character. This irony addresses the fact that while death is a serious subject, a comic book death is generally not taken seriously and is rarely permanent or...
is rare in the Ultimate universe; the death of a character is treated as permanent and often has lasting consequences. However, due to the relative youth of the imprint, future writers and editors may choose to revive characters killed by earlier creative teams, such as the Ultimate versions of the Beast, who was killed off in
Ultimate X-Men #45 and was recently revived in #81.
Furthermore, the imprint as a whole attempts to link the various and diverse titles to a few common themes or events in order to avoid sprawling storylines that do not intersect. The most important elements that overlap with many of the Ultimate titles are the
super-soldierSupersoldier is a term often used to describe a soldier that operates beyond normal human limits or abilities. Supersoldiers are common in science fiction literature, films, TV programs, computer, conspiracy theories, and video games, but have also made appearances in other related genres, such as...
project and a genetic
arms raceThe term arms race, in its original usage, describes a competition between two or more parties for real or apparent military supremacy. Each party competes to produce larger numbers of weapons, greater armies, or superior military technology in a technological escalation...
that is escalating world-wide. One of the most important factors was the discovery of the frozen body of Captain America, the original super-soldier and the only person whose DNA was fully able to accept the serum. This was a crucial factor in the formation of Nick Fury's superteam, The Ultimates. The Ultimates' first public mission was to take down the Hulk, the result of Bruce Banner's attempt to recreate the Super-Soldier serum with his own genes. In
Ultimate Spider-Man, the genetically modified spider that bit Peter Parker was part of Norman Osborn's efforts to win the military bid for the super-soldier project. Furthermore, Osborn's supersoldier experiments turned him into the
Green GoblinThe Green Goblin is a name shared by several fictional supervillains that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko. The original and current Green Goblin, Norman Osborn,...
, his son Harry into the
HobgoblinThe Hobgoblin is the alias of several fictional characters that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #238, and was created by Roger Stern and John Romita, Jr.-Publication history:...
, grafted
Otto OctaviusDoctor Octopus is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. A highly intelligent mad scientist, Doctor Octopus is one of the greatest enemies of Spider-Man who is portrayed as a stocky, myopic man who utilizes four powerful, mechanical appendages, and is...
' metal arms onto his body, and recently turned Mary Jane into a giant, hairy, and red monster. Competing efforts to make supersoldiers led to genetic mutations such as Electro,
SandmanSandman is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #4 , created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko as an adversary for Spider-Man...
, and the creation of Colonel, who notably was the first person to react well to the Super-Soldier serum since Steve Rogers.
Several storylines across the Ultimate titles have involved the genetic arms race and the commonly held belief that the next world war will be fought with genetically altered soldiers. There was an international test-ban treaty concerning development of super-soldiers, but many countries still maintain undercover genetic projects, such as the abandoned Russian super-soldier project seen in
Ultimate Nightmare, the
Weapon XWeapon X is a clandestine government project in the fictional Marvel Universe conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K, which turns willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. The project often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their superpowers and also mutates...
Project utilizing brainwashed mutants, and the U.S. development of a replacement for Captain America seen in
Ultimates Annual #1. This treaty has apparently been amended or done away with entirely (or ignored) as of
Ultimates Vol. 2, as the European Union is shown in that series developing and publicly testing superhuman "Captains" for their individual nations; the United States too has made public use of supplemental teams of "Giant Men" and other super-powered or mechanically enhanced operatives aside from the Ultimates.
Nick Fury has been authorized by the
President of the United StatesThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
to create and enforce laws that regulate genetic modification, the most notable of which is that it is illegal to deliberately alter a human being's genetic make-up without government sanction (Presumably this extends to superhumans sanctioned in allied nations, as opposed to, say,
Kraven the HunterKraven the Hunter is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #15 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko....
, who left the country to gain superhuman powers, but was arrested upon returning to the U.S.). The mutants in
Ultimate X-Men are frequently drawn into the escalating conflict due to their involuntary but highly public status as genetic anomalies.
The characters in this line exist outside of the regular
Earth-616In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.-Origin of Earth-616:...
Marvel UniverseThe Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles published by Marvel Comics take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and Captain America....
and therefore do not interact with their original version counterparts. Marvel once hinted that a
crossoverIn comic books, an intercompany crossover is a comic or series of comics where characters published by one company meet those published by another...
was planned between the two worlds. This crossover was to have occurred in
Ultimate Fantastic Four #21 (July 2005), although it turned out that this was a bit of sly misdirection on Marvel's part, as the continuity that they crossed over into in the issue was not that of Earth 616, but a similar one taken over by
zombiesMarvel Zombies is a five-issue limited series published from December 2005 to April 2006 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Robert Kirkman with art by Sean Phillips and covers by Arthur Suydam...
. Since then, Marvel's
Editor-in-ChiefEditing is the process of selecting and preparing language, images, sound, video, or film through processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications in various media...
Joe QuesadaJoseph "Joe" Quesada is an American comic book editor, writer and artist. He is currently the editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics.-Writer and artist:...
has reiterated his earlier claim that the two universes will not cross over as that would signify that Marvel had "officially run out of ideas".
In the Ultimate imprint's first few years of existence, some readers speculated that its great popularity might prompt Marvel to declare the Ultimate universe the "official" Marvel universe, replacing the traditional continuity. However, the strength of this rumour has diminished over time, as Marvel has shown no sign of cancelling either continuity. However, in December 2005 through early 2007, Marvel published a print ad campaign in titles across their company that showed all Ultimate titles and had the slogan,
Ultimate Marvel: The Gold Standard.
Writers noted for their work in the line include
Brian Michael BendisBrian Michael Bendis is an American comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim for his self-published, Image Comics and Marvel Comics work, and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics, with his books selling consistently highly for nearly a...
,
Warren EllisWarren Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, well known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
, and
Mark MillarMark Millar is an award-winning Scottish comic book writer born in Coatbridge. Now a resident of Glasgow, Millar has been the highest selling British comic-book writer working in America this decade...
.
Joe QuesadaJoseph "Joe" Quesada is an American comic book editor, writer and artist. He is currently the editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics.-Writer and artist:...
and former president
Bill JemasBill Jemas is an American media entrepreneur and writer. He is a founding partner at 360ep, a media management firm.-Early life and career:...
were also deeply involved in the creation of the line. The original idea came from an idea written by Warren Ellis in an article in 1997, describing the 4th movement of comics and the use of the past to reinvent new tales. Where he envisions writers taken a more modern approach on the Fantastic Four while using the past as an idea spring board. Grant Morrison was also involved in the conception of the imprint, but did not write any titles for it; he was most involved in the creation of
Ultimate Fantastic Four and was at one point set to write the series, but his departure from Marvel and exclusive contract with
DC ComicsDC Comics is one of the largest and most popular American comic book and related media companies, along with Marvel Comics. It is the publishing division of DC Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary company of Warner Bros. Entertainment...
made this impossible.
External links