Marvel Announces The All-New Ultimate Spider-Man

Back in 2000, a mere few years after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Marvel Comics boldly decided to launch the Ultimate Universe. This new line of comic titles establishes fresh takes on 60-year-old Marvel characters, making it easier for new readers to dive in. Though the stories and character reintroductions proved hit-or-miss at best, commercially speaking, Ultimate Marvel was a resounding success. In short order, it pulled Marvel out of a years-long rut and got people talking about comics again. Despite the prosperity, the universe seemed to come to an end in 2015, but it made a surprising return in a new form in 2023. Now, it is about to bring back one of its most popular titles with a fresh coat of paint.

The official Marvel Entertainment account on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, shared on September 20 that a rebooted take on "Ultimate Spider-Man" is coming to comic stands. The title follows the "Ultimate Invasion" limited series from writer Jonathan Hickman that debuted in June, which ran for four installments and set up a new Ultimate Universe. According to the post, Hickman and Marco Checchetto will helm "Ultimate Spider-Man," and fans can expect to learn more about the comic line's comeback at New York Comic-Con.

It'll be interesting to see what the revamped take on "Ultimate Spider-Man," which originally ran from 2000 to 2009, has in store following the events of "Ultimate Invasion."

So, how does "Ultimate Invasion" go about bringing back the Ultimate Universe? Well, it really doesn't. The four-part story puts the spotlight on the Maker — formerly known as Reed Richards, perhaps better known as Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four — who plans to bring back his home universe, Earth-1610. It is destroyed during the 2015 "Secret Wars" storyline. As one of the last remnants of the old Ultimate Universe, the Maker escapes the main Marvel Universe on Earth-616, venturing to Earth-6160 and influencing key events.

At this point in the new Ultimate Universe of Earth-6160, Peter Parker's story hasn't gone the way most would expect. The Maker actually prevents him from being bitten by the spider that famously grants him his Spider-Man abilities in most other Marvel continuities. Outside of this occurrence in "Ultimate Invasion" #1, we haven't seen this new take on Parker do much else. One has to imagine that the return of "Ultimate Spider-Man" will bring with it an origin story for this interpretation of the web-slinger — albeit with some tweaks to differentiate him from his Earth-616 counterpart.

Will this Ultimate Marvel relaunch go on to give Marvel Comics a sales boost like its predecessor? Much like the original Ultimate continuity, will it someday influence the character designs and stories of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Time will tell. If you want to see what the imprint has to offer beyond "Ultimate Invasion," "Ultimate Spider-Man" swings into action sometime in 2024.