Ultimate Spider-Man #1 talk.

[thwhtGuardian]

Think we've got to manage expectations here. The Ultimates line hasn't been about fresh new takes without the continuity since before the original UU ended. We shouldn't really treat this like Ultimate Spider-Man 2.0. It not and was never marketed as such. And really this should apply to whatever we feel about Peter. Outside of knowing he's a good person we shouldn't assume he's going to be just the like the Peter we know when this world is sooooo different from not just the regular MU, but the previous UU.

If it says Ultimate in the title I'm expecting something new and continuity free. It's just the way it is.

[Frontier]

The Ultimate is basically just to give this new Elseworlds line a recognizable name than anything else.

I think this is a bit of an unfair expectation. Peter is a scientific genius in 616 but we don't know if he's a scientific genius here. People are more positive towards changes like a living Uncle Ben, Peter and Harry being total strangers, a less douchy JJJ so why is this a problem? By the way I'd love Peter to be a genius in a more Sherlock Holmes-ey way. A guy with an uncanny ability of observation and reasoning. It would go well with investigative journalism.

Yeah, there's no indication of science wiz Peter in this comic. He definitely seems smart, but that's about it.

[ZeroBG82]

The Ultimate is basically just to give this new Elseworlds line a recognizable name than anything else.

Yeah, there's no indication of science wiz Peter in this comic. He definitely seems smart, but that's about it.

Something to consider, but perhaps one of the reasons 616 Peter stuck with science was BECAUSE OF the spider bite. When something that extraordinary happens to you, it leaves a mark in more ways than just cool powers.

And, despite claims from some posters here, most scientists don't actually make that much money or find that much commercial success or fame. It's about opportunities and making the most of them, and this Peter had his greatest opportunity STOLEN from him by the Maker.

I find it totally believable that with a different youth, Peter eventually moved his career goals someplace else. Doesn't mean he isn't still brilliant, just that he applied himself elsewhere. And when Uncle Ben is in journalism, it makes even more sense. Without Ben's death, Peter would have had much more time to crave following in Ben's footsteps instead of finding his own path.

[Mister Mets]

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this new Ultimate Spider-Man. It was certainly well written, and Peter Parker with a family is an interesting take...but as someone who really enjoyed the Ultimate Universe I just can't really shake the meaning of that word as it pertains to comics. Ultimate was meant to be a fresh start for new readers to jump on without having to know about or care about the continuity baggage that had built up since the character's inception, it was meant to be a distillation of everything that made the character great but put into a new direction...and this book isn't that.

For this book to really hit you have to know just how different it is from what came before, and on top of that the whole Maker plot is a direct continuation of the continuity that was spawned by the old Ultimate Universe. So it's not really new reader friendly and despite a serious change in the status quo of continuity it isn't actually free from previous continuity.

At the end of the day it's an interesting coda to the Ultimate Universe for someone who loved that continuity, but it's not something that lives up to the Ultimate name in my eyes. I plan on reading at least the next issue to see how things shake out as this was a lot of set up, but for me it doesn't really capture the magic of the old Ultimate Universe.

At this point, the Ultimate universe has its own continuity. Even if they didn't go with a radical reset, you'd have the problem that continuity adds up and goes in different directions.

In addition, the Ultimate universe came at a time when there weren't obvious entry points to the major series. It's a different story now.

[thwhtGuardian]

At this point, the Ultimate universe has its own continuity. Even if they didn't go with a radical reset, you'd have the problem that continuity adds up and goes in different directions.

In addition, the Ultimate universe came at a time when there weren't obvious entry points to the major series. It's a different story now.

Continuity definitely added up in the old Ultimate Universe, which was why it was logical to end it but it doesn't mean the concept of slimmed down, back to basics stories is a bad one.

And there aren't any real obvious entry points either, Spider-Man has been incomprehensible to me for a while now and the X-Men books are worse so I'd snap up a slimmed down version of those in a heart beat.

That isn't to say this was a bad book, it was definitely well done and because I loved the old Ultimate Universe I wasn't lost by the Maker plot at all and this new take seems interesting...but it's not an easy entry that doesn't rely on past continuity.

[Username taken]

I think this is a bit of an unfair expectation. Peter is a scientific genius in 616 but we don't know if he's a scientific genius here. People are more positive towards changes like a living Uncle Ben, Peter and Harry being total strangers, a less douchy JJJ so why is this a problem? By the way I'd love Peter to be a genius in a more Sherlock Holmes-ey way. A guy with an uncanny ability of observation and reasoning. It would go well with investigative journalism.

This is fair.

I'm jumping the gun a little bit.

Think we've got to manage expectations here. The Ultimates line hasn't been about fresh new takes without the continuity since before the original UU ended. We shouldn't really treat this like Ultimate Spider-Man 2.0. It not and was never marketed as such. And really this should apply to whatever we feel about Peter. Outside of knowing he's a good person we shouldn't assume he's going to be just the like the Peter we know when this world is sooooo different from not just the regular MU, but the previous UU.

I agree with managing expectations, like I said above, I think I might have gone into this was some pre-conceived notions about Peter Parker. However, I don't agree this isn't Ultimate Spider-man 2.0.

This book has been marketed as a new take on Spider-man a la Ultimate Spider-man way back in 2000, difference this time is Peter is older and married with children.

I didn't expect nor like the direct connection to Ultimate Invasion. It means someone coming in fresh has to go back and read Ultimate Invasion to understand the events that led to Teen Tony giving Peter his powers.

This isn't me saying the book is bad in anyway, just that I had certain expectations around this particular launch.

[Coop]

I don't think it's necessarily true hat anyone who hasn't read Ultimate Invasion but picks up USN has to go back. feel like Tony's speech to Peter gives enough insight about Ultimate Invasion and Ultimate Comics that it's not necessary to read those books. Especially since this book is about Peter, it's not necessary for the reader to know more than he does.

The pertinent information is there, someone altered the history of the world in order to control it with a group of like minded villains. Tony has obtained catalysts and plans to use them to give people a chance at reclaiming there destinies. Peter is one of them. I personally don't think you need to know the ins and outs of Howard Stark, Maker, etc to enjoy this story.

Plus, they are framing Jonah and Ben as looking into this Ultimate Illuminati, so my bet is that the relevant details that are pertinent to USM will be shown through that plotline further reducing the need to go back to Ultimate Invasion.

If you want the additional details they are available, but I don't think it's required reading

[Kevinroc]

I think I'm going to cross post in the general USM thread because it feels apt.

I think the themes of, not just Spider-Man, but this new Ultimate line as a whole is that of a lost generation. The Maker invaded this timeline and stole this world's heroes. He either completely neutralized them or he recruited them to his cause. The future of this world was stolen, and now the new generation of heroes are fighting to get back what should be theirs.

This leads to a very different take on Spider-Man, but it's certainly an interesting one.

[Frontier]

This is fair.

I'm jumping the gun a little bit.



I agree with managing expectations, like I said above, I think I might have gone into this was some pre-conceived notions about Peter Parker. However, I don't agree this isn't Ultimate Spider-man 2.0.

This book has been marketed as a new take on Spider-man a la Ultimate Spider-man way back in 2000, difference this time is Peter is older and married with children.

I didn't expect nor like the direct connection to Ultimate Invasion. It means someone coming in fresh has to go back and read Ultimate Invasion to understand the events that led to Teen Tony giving Peter his powers.

This isn't me saying the book is bad in anyway, just that I had certain expectations around this particular launch.

If the original Ultimate Spider-Man were for the youth of the 2000's this is for the adult HBO audience of the 2020's.

[Kevinroc]

If the original Ultimate Spider-Man were for the youth of the 2000's this is for the adult HBO audience of the 2020's.

You could argue that's still the youth of the 2000s.

[IamnotJudasTraveller]

Is this a recent thing that people point out with Hickman? Cause other than his X-Men stuff which got extended due to editorial not Hickman I don't remember him going off track early in any of his other works. Secret Warriors was consistently good throughout, Fantastic Four and Future Foundation were incredible, his Avengers Epics into Secret Wars also hold up (could've used an arc or two less). Just curious to know what run of his people feel like he went off track. His Ultimate stuff?

It might be. I personally always felt this way about his earlier works, they just didn't seem to pull me in long time (F4, Avengers - F4, itself, had the mother of all setups with the Council of Reeds using Infinity Gauntlets around the universes, but then it just kinda felt a little aimless with too much setup and not enough payoff IMO). I noticed one or another odd duck like myself say it too, but I noticed more of it around the Krakoa era. But I was also posting on a different country's forum at the times of Hickman's earlier runs, so it could also be a bit of a regional thing with different places reacting differently to his craft.

[Jman27]

I think I'm going to cross post in the general USM thread because it feels apt.

hoping that means Spiderman will be regarded as one of the A-tier heroes of the new universe as opposed to his 616 counterpart

[Ursalink]

Well, I have to say, this issue really surprised me with the surprises in this reality.

- Peter actually met his parents, although they died when he was 15 years old. My guess? I suppose that, because of the Maker, they couldn't keep working as SHIELD's agents.
- Peter seems to be smart, but for some reason, he's not a "braniac" like his main counterpart. I wonder what caused him not to choose the science path.
- Uncle Ben is alive, that is actually something I expected; what I didn't expect was him working at the Daily Bugle and being friends of J Jonah Jameson.
- It appears Peter never met Gwen and Harry in this reality, which means there's a high chance for Gwen to be alive here.

I suppose both Jameson and Uncle Ben will become supporting characters in Peter's adventures as Spider-Man. I suppose he will get pictures and proofs about the secrets of this world, leaving to Jameson and Ben to reveal it.

I don't pretend to know something I don't, but I can't shake the feeling that the radioactive spider might bite more than just Peter here. I mean, it surprises me it's still alive after 20 years, so who knows what other anormalities might have. Could it eventually bite the rest of Peter's family? Peter definitely needs an insurance so his family won't be in danger.

[Frontier]

You could argue that's still the youth of the 2000s.

Writing for your audience indeed .

hoping that means Spiderman will be regarded as one of the A-tier heroes of the new universe as opposed to his 616 counterpart

He doesn't have a lot of competition this go-around.

[Username taken]

If the original Ultimate Spider-Man were for the youth of the 2000's this is for the adult HBO audience of the 2020's.

Yeah, that's my thinking as well.

I think that's how Hickman is approaching it as well.