New Ultimate Spider-Man Will Give Fans The Peter Parker Family Life They Crave

Spider-Man fans hoping that Peter Parker's new Ultimate Comics series will expand his family life are getting their wish. Marvel Comics shared new details about "Ultimate Spider-Man" by Jonathan Hickman ("Ultimate Invasion") and Marco Checchetto ("Daredevil"), where Peter is joined by his wife, Mary Jane Watson, and two children. The series puts a renewed focus on an aspect Spider-Man fans have called to see in the mainline series: Peter and MJ together, growing older as parents — just like they were in "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse."

Hickman's relaunch of the Ultimate Universe brings a new version of the previous alternate Marvel Universe back with several exciting announcements. At New York Comic-Con, Marvel previewed a new Ultimate Universe one-shot from Hickman and Bryan Hitch ("Avengers"), a new "Ultimate X-Men" series starring the mutant Armor from Peach Momoko ("Demon Days"), a new "Ultimate Black Panther" from Bryan Edward Hill ("Batman and the Outsiders") and Stefano Caselli ("Secret Warrior"), and perhaps, most excitingly, the aforementioned new "Ultimate Spider-Man" series from Hickman and Checchetto.

In a press release, Marvel shared a different version of the titular character as he appears in "Ultimate Spider-Man." Peter Parker will be older and wiser and will navigate being a hero while trying to balance his married life. Peter and Mary Jane Watson will have two kids — neither officially being named. It remains to see how much inspiration — if any – the story draws from his original Ultimate version. 

Jonathan Hickman says with his Ultimate version of Spider-Man, he wants to take the hero on a journey readers aren't used to and break the mold of traditional Spidey-led stories. "When we decided that we were going to do a book about an older Peter Parker becoming Spider-Man, we really wanted to lean into him starting his superhero life from a very different place than what's traditionally expected," he explained. "Peter and MJ being married is one of many decisions we made that underline this being quite a 'different' kind of Spider-man story."

Giving Peter and Mary Jane a shot at happiness has been a significant point of contention in the current in-continuity "Amazing Spider-Man" comic. In the series, MJ ends up in a different dimension where time moves slower, resulting in her starting a new family with a man named Paul — continuing after they are freed. Peter struggles to see MJ's new life. But, after months of conflict and MJ and Paul's adopted kids being erased from existence, it seems like Marvel is gearing up readers for their romance to return. Still, that's far from guaranteed due to their rocky recent existence, even in the Ultimate Universe.

In launching a new Ultimate Universe, Jonathan Hickman put his own stamp on the new-look world for iconic heroes and villains. That means new/changed origins, different story arcs, and potentially surprising faces behind iconic masks and costumes — all in an effort to offer something new to readers without the constraints of continuity. In the Ultimate version of Spider-Man's case, Hickman's seemingly been given free rein to take Peter Parker's story in a much-desired direction. If readers aren't going to see Peter and MJ together in the main "Amazing Spider-Man" title, having them together in the Ultimate Universe with a family is a pretty great compromise.

"Ultimate Spider-Man" will release on January 10, 2024. Check out Marco Checchetto's main cover for issue #1 featuring Spider-Man swinging through New York, with the text solicit below.

Marvel Comics/Marco Checchetto

THE NEW ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN FOR A NEW ULTIMATE UNIVERSE! Visionary writer Jonathan Hickman (HOUSE OF X/POWERS OF X) and acclaimed artist Marco Checchetto (DAREDEVIL) bring you a bold new take on Spider-Man, with this, the debut title of the new line of Ultimate Comics! After the events of ULTIMATE INVASION, the world needs a hero...who will rise up to take on that responsibility? Prepare to be entangled in a web of mystery and excitement as the all-new ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN comic redefines the wall-crawler for the 21st Century!