EW: Hickman and Hitch are teaming up for a new Ultimate Marvel comic

[Uncanny X-Man]

That's odd...the name sounds familiar, but I can't remember it.



How about when that sentient robot lusted after Wanda?

Or how about when Logan slept with Magneto's wife and in the silhouette, her spine looked like it was broken?

Wait, what? I don't remember this at all! What's the implication? That Magneto had a habit of breaking people's spines like he did Xavier's? Or that Magda was really Xavier all along?

Also, didn't Magda come back at a later stage as a spy or something?

[Cyclone_Ablaze]

Not really interested in the Ultimate Universe, but I do love Hickman's writing. So, I will give this a chance.

[Mungho]

Wait, what? I don't remember this at all! What's the implication? That Magneto had a habit of breaking people's spines like he did Xavier's? Or that Magda was really Xavier all along?

Also, didn't Magda come back at a later stage as a spy or something?

No, no, it was just the artist's choice to emphasize Magda's breasts led to...questionable anatomy. I don't know if I can post the image here without getting in trouble.

[Jackraow21]

If this means we're getting a completely rebooted Ultimate Universe with Jonathan Hickman as the architect, count me in. I would definitely trust him to world-build a new Ultimate universe from the ground up. He's one of Marvel's most talented world-builders right now. I don't think anyone else could do it better.

But if it means Marvel trying to dig up the corpse of the old Ultimate universe and try to salvage it in some way, I'm out. Not even Hickman can fix that kind of disaster. Ultimate ended for a reason and a good one. It had completely lost everything that once made it appealing. On top of that, a lot of stories from those early Ultimate comics have aged horribly. Pretty much everyone in the Ultimates was a complete *******. And outside of Ultimate Spider-Man, every major story had no real appeal. It was basically just a dumping ground for all the terrible ideas that could never be done in the 616 comics. That universe deserves to stay dead and buried.

So hopefully, we get a full reboot.

It... sounds like a full reboot... but the tagline just keeps nagging me too... "The Transformation of the Marvel Universe beings in June 2023"... not the Ultimate Marvel Universe, mind you. What does that mean? How would the creation of a new Ultimate U, which Hickman describes as kind of an "inversion" of the original Ultimate U "transform the Marvel Universe"?

Maybe I'm reading too much into it and overthinking it and it's just a dumb slogan... buuut... it's also Hickman, which means it's probably bigger in scope than just a new Ultimate U being born...

[Mungho]

It... sounds like a full reboot... but the tagline just keeps nagging me too... "The Transformation of the Marvel Universe beings in June 2023"... not the Ultimate Marvel Universe, mind you. What does that mean? How would the creation of a new Ultimate U, which Hickman describes as kind of an "inversion" of the original Ultimate U "transform the Marvel Universe"?

Maybe I'm reading too much into it and overthinking it and it's just a dumb slogan... buuut... it's also Hickman, which means it's probably bigger in scope than just a new Ultimate U being born...

No, you're right, that's very strange. Unless they mean a new Ultimate Marvel universe means a sort of,meta-transformation meaning this new UM is adding to the greatness of Marvel? I just don't know.

[ARkadelphia]

It... sounds like a full reboot... but the tagline just keeps nagging me too... "The Transformation of the Marvel Universe beings in June 2023"... not the Ultimate Marvel Universe, mind you. What does that mean? How would the creation of a new Ultimate U, which Hickman describes as kind of an "inversion" of the original Ultimate U "transform the Marvel Universe"?

Maybe I'm reading too much into it and overthinking it and it's just a dumb slogan... buuut... it's also Hickman, which means it's probably bigger in scope than just a new Ultimate U being born...

I have the same concerns you do. Assuming it’s a concern for you, of course. You didn’t really indicate.

[Jackraow21]

Not really concerned per se… at least at this point. More curious right now.

[Houseofhick]

I'm actually really interested in seeing what they do with the Ultimate X-Men/mutant side of things in the Ultimate Universe because I feel like its really flown under the radar, just how much the final years of Ultimate X-Men were basically like....a blueprint for the Krakoa era. Like the Ultimate Universe ended before the Krakoa era started, and the last we saw of mutants they were in their Utopia era, but it really had very little similarities to the 616 Utopian era but a LOT of parallels to the Krakoan era itself.

Like the 1610 mutants basically grew/created their own version of Krakoa, with a heavy emphasis on having a symbiotic relationship with the land.....the Ultimate mutants were doing circuits before they were ever described as such in the 616 universe (there were some epic circuits between Magma, Shola Inkose and Mach-2, for instance), they created miracle seeds they traded to the rest of the world to gain autonomy for mutantkind, very similarly to how they used the mutant drugs to guarantee mutant autonomy in 616.....

Just saying, I think interest in the Ultimate Universe had fizzled out by the end of it, to such an extent that a lot of people just aren't familiar with what was going on in Ultimate X-Men, but a TON of the Krakoan era's major beats were copy+pasted directly from that comic so I'm actually really curious to see what the status quo is for mutants in whatever form the Ultimate Universe is brought back in.....because I'd love to see a direct compare and contrasting of the two different Krakoan/Utopian societies.

Never really got into the Ultimate universe but I'm now really interested in reading the whole thing just to see how close these major beats are. Also interested to see how Moira could fit into all this too. Looking forward to this now, so thanks.

[Celestialbodies]

I feel like this is a compromise with Hickman giving him the Ultimate Universe to have free reign in a way he wasn't able to on his last X-men run.

[gonnagiveittoya]

I feel like this is a compromise with Hickman giving him the Ultimate Universe to have free reign in a way he wasn't able to on his last X-men run.

But they're still using Hickman's plans in the 616, so rebooting the ultimate line just for Ultimate X Men is kind of a lot

[Grunty]

Never really got into the Ultimate universe but I'm now really interested in reading the whole thing just to see how close these major beats are. Also interested to see how Moira could fit into all this too. Looking forward to this now, so thanks.

In the UU Moira MacTaggert (in that universe her maiden name) was the ex-wife of Xavier and eventualy revealed to have created an addictive super power enhancing/giving drug called Banshee, which Collosus had to take in order to move in his metal form (because he didn't had super strength by default).

When the X-men confronted her she took it herself and gained sonic screaming abilities, essentialy becomming the ultimate version of Banshee (Sean never appeared) and also a villain.

That's pretty much her entire impact on the continuity. If i recall right she didn't play much of a role past the Banshee storyline.

So basicly the "everyone is a jerk, dead and/or villain" syndrome that was very common in UU and pretty much the major beat of it, but especially on the X-men side.

[Krakoa]

I feel like this is a compromise with Hickman giving him the Ultimate Universe to have free reign in a way he wasn't able to on his last X-men run.

He had pretty free reign except for the Storm/BP stuff. He just wasn't making enough money lol

[Jackraow21]

In the UU Moira MacTaggert (in that universe her maiden name) was the ex-wife of Xavier and eventualy revealed to have created an addictive super power enhancing/giving drug called Banshee, which Collosus had to take in order to move in his metal form (because he didn't had super strength by default).

When the X-men confronted her she took it herself and gained sonic screaming abilities, essentialy becomming the ultimate version of Banshee (Sean never appeared) and also a villain.

That's pretty much her entire impact on the continuity. If i recall right she didn't play much of a role past the Banshee storyline.

So basicly the "everyone is a jerk, dead and/or villain" syndrome that was very common in UU and pretty much the major beat of it, but especially on the X-men side.

Everyone’s a jerk in the 616 too. Especially Moira now. Just saying… feels like totally the 616 moved closer to the Ultimate Universe in the years since it went away.

Personally I never minded that aspect of the UU myself. Felt more true… but I admit I’m a cynical bastard who thinks most folks are driven by self interest and even altruism comes from that place. Especially altruism via social media.

[Houseofhick]

In the UU Moira MacTaggert (in that universe her maiden name) was the ex-wife of Xavier and eventualy revealed to have created an addictive super power enhancing/giving drug called Banshee, which Collosus had to take in order to move in his metal form (because he didn't had super strength by default).

When the X-men confronted her she took it herself and gained sonic screaming abilities, essentialy becomming the ultimate version of Banshee (Sean never appeared) and also a villain.

That's pretty much her entire impact on the continuity. If i recall right she didn't play much of a role past the Banshee storyline.

So basicly the "everyone is a jerk, dead and/or villain" syndrome that was very common in UU and pretty much the major beat of it, but especially on the X-men side.

The first 6 issues could of been adapted for TV like "The Boys" and probably should of been.
If Moira is still alive in the UU then there's no reason why this universe can't reset and move onto life 2.
It's not the X-Men I grew up reading but neither is the 616 universe, so I'm willing to give it a chance.

[Grunty]

Everyone’s a jerk in the 616 too. Especially Moira now. Just saying… feels like totally the 616 moved closer to the Ultimate Universe in the years since it went away.

And some wonder why these comics are barely read by a significant number of people anymore compared to how many watch the movies and cartoons...

Obviously this isn't the primary reason, in truth it's likely closer to a combination of factors like publishing system, marketing, pricing, accesibility, awareness, etc.

Also flaws and vices are necessary for rounded characters and stories with depth, but when they become the dominant focus compared to heroism, it kind of breaks the whole appeal of super heros.

Personally I never minded that aspect of the UU myself. Felt more true… but I admit I’m a cynical bastard who thinks most folks are driven by self interest and even altruism comes from that place. Especially altruism via social media.

Judging by how stories which follow such ideas and preferences are still being made and successfull within their target audience, there are certainly enough others who feel the same.

But it's also noticable that the "classic" and primarily idealistic takes seem to either frequently come back "en vogue" or actualy stay popular with a much larger amount of people who come in contact with them, while dark takes seem to remain niche successes.

Ultimate marvel was suited for the mid 00's era and the trend towards more cynic takes on super heros, but that only makes it as dated these days as the "extreme! 90's comics were then.

Which also makes it somewhat ironic that it's most notable new character is actualy highly idealistic and more in line with the "old" ones than what was the trend of the ultimate universe (though ultimate Peter Parker never truely followed that trend either).

... and now i can't help but chuckle at the idea that the Ultimate Universe might get rebooted to be highly idealistic and heroic in order to contrast the regular Marvel universe. Watch the first issue of "New Ultimate X-men" featuring a crowded street full of people protesting for mutant rights.