Summary

• The Ultimates #1 introduces an evolution of the superhero team concept in the expanding Ultimate Universe.
• Heroes like Iron Lad, Thor, and Captain America band together to defeat the shadowy Maker's Council.
• The new Ultimates team, promising unique storytelling, will hopefully set the stage for years of exciting comic book adventures.

As Marvel's Ultimate Universe continues to expand, the brand-new universe's very own Avengers team is finally revealed in a gorgeous cover for The Ultimates #1. Described by writer Deniz Camp as, "An evolution of...the whole superhero team concept," the fresh Ultimates team will feature iconic heroes like Iron Lad, Thor, and Captain America.

Marvel's The Ultimates spins directly out of Ultimate Invasion, which saw The Maker molding this baby universe into a playground for his evil machinations, systematically killing or stopping classic superheroes from becoming the heroes they were meant to be.

Now, in The Ultimates - from writer Deniz Camp with art by Juan Frigeri - an expanding network of superheroes must team up to defeat the shadowy Maker's Council, a group of leaders who secretly run the world, and give free will back to their universe.

The Ultimate Universe's Mightiest Heroes Finally Revealed

The gorgeous cover for The Ultimates #1 is illustrated by Dike Ruan, who will be illustrating all the main covers for the series, and features Iron Lad, Thor, Doom, Captain America, Sif, Wasp, and Giant-Man (or Ant-Man)! On X, writer Deniz Camp reported, "The lineup on this cover is just the beginning," teasing that even more repowered superheroes will be activated and the Ultimates movement. Captain America was still frozen in ice in Ultimate Universe #1, meaning sometime between the activation of Peter Parker's Spider-Man powers in Ultimate Spider-Man and The Ultimates, Steve Rogers will be defrosted and returned to life.

While Multiversal variants of Giant-Man and the Wasp were seen in Ultimate Invasion, The Maker made sure that Janet van Dyne and Hank Pym were non-active as heroes in his Ultimate Universe. This means that The Ultimates #1 will most likely see Tony Stark sending the two iconic heroes something to trigger their heroic transformations. It will also be fascinating to see if any plots in Ultimate Black Panther or Ultimate X-Men play into The Ultimates, perhaps introducing heroes in either series that could the universe's new heroic team. The Ultimates will need all the tactical brilliance and fighting strength they can gather if they hope to take down the incredibly strong Maker's Council.

The Original Ultimates Were Hugely Popular And Influential

Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch's monumental 2002 launch of the original Ultimates series became hugely influential in pop culture, greatly influencing the development of the Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and reinvigorating the team's popularity with the public. Deniz Camp is promising that this new Ultimates, "...is the most exciting superhero comics event in years" which, "will feel like no Avengers or Ultimates comic ever before." A tall order for sure, but one that Camp, known for his brilliant Marvel comic Children of the Vault and fascinating Image comic 20th Century Men, is definitely up for.

The Ultimates will finally see a team of superheroes standing up to the Maker's Council and fighting to free their world from despicable puppet masters, led by iconic new versions of Iron Man, Doctor Doom, Thor, and Captain America. Marvel is teasing that this new era of the Ultimate Universe will be unlike any before, and will hopefully set the stage for years worth of thought-provoking and exhilarating story telling.

The Ultimates #1 from Marvel Comics will be available in stores on June 5th, 2024.

Source: Marvel Entertainment, Deniz Camp