by Kevin Gaussoin, Editor-in-Chief

September of 2000 brought to life two of my favorite things: ComicsOnline started a new universe of geek pop culture reporting and Ultimate Spider-Man started a new Marvel Universe (1610). Ultimate Spider-Man’s initial run went an impressive 160 issues, with original penciler Mark Bagley sticking around for the first 111 of those and Brian Michael Bendis writing all of them. ComicsOnline didn’t stop back in August of 2011, and neither has Ultimate Spider-Man, really. Miles Morales moved to the 616 universe and now has a series of excellent animated films in our universe. and even OG Ultimate Peter Parker has returned after the destruction of that entire universe in Secret Wars (3) (2015). 

But this new Ultimate Spider-Man? This new Ultimate Marvel Universe (6160) is only tenuously related to the original. Remember how twenty years ago we got Ultimate Fantastic Four? Remember how Ultimate Reed Richards went nuts, turned evil, started wearing a stupid mask and calling himself The Maker rather than our familiar Mister Fantastic nomme de guerre? Okay, so dude continued to be a pain in the asses of pretty much the entire Marvel Multiverse for… okay, ever since. Also for some time into the past and vastly into the future by way of the Immortus Engine. So ever since ever, The Maker has been a favorite among Marvel writers to be that smarter-than-a-multiverse-of-the-smartest-guys villain who, oh crap, the heroes time and again need to form an uneasy alliance with to save the multiverse (Cataclysm), save the multiverse (Secret Wars), or save the Venom-verse (King in Black, Absolute Carnage). 

I know Marvel Earth 6160 is based on a ridiculous premise, granted, but a lot of my favorite franchises can be described as such. As the best example of this phenomenon, I like to point at the TV show Chuck. Remember how stupid that first episode was? An antique Apple computer flashes seemingly unrelated images at him and somehow he was able to recall details about pretty much everything the government had classified at he highest levels? And yet somehow that show was delightful as soon as you accepted that absurd premise. Likewise, the back story for the new Ultimate Marvel Universe is a bit hard to swallow at first, but I am confident that if we give it a chance, we’re bound to be delighted. 

So with last year’s 3-issue Ultimate Invasion miniseries, The Maker shows up in Marvel Earth 6160 and uses the Immortus Engine to hop around all of time preventing the origins of Marvel’s heroes. Tony Stark 6160 learns of this and…

Official Description:
Twenty years ago, THE MAKER prevented a radioactive spider from biting a young PETER PARKER. He likewise prevented the creation of any other super heroes and formed a secret council to rule the world from the shadows. When TONY STARK learned the dark history of his universe, he sought to undo it—prompting the MAKER’S COUNCIL to attack Manhattan, killing thousands, and frame Stark for it. Peter Parker has lived his life unaware of the Maker’s Council or the truth behind the spider, but that is about to change…

Creative Team:
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Marco Checchetto
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit

Okay, after that ridiculous intro, where are we exactly with Ultimate Spider-Man #1 (2024)? Deep into Peter Parker’s life. We meet mid-to-late-thirties Peter, his wife Mary Jane, their two kids Richard and May. Peter seems to be living a happy, if a bit boring life. In real life, boring is always best (thank you Ryan Reynolds as Michael Bryce). But in superhero comics, adventure is out there! Right? Listen, Bendis may have forsaken his Marvel children to go write DC comics, but whether it’s a Bendis homage or just because he likes to watch us squirm, Jonathan Hickman can decompress the hell out of a story. Seriously, he doesn’t always tell them in some genius/wackadoo out of order madness like his X-masterpieces. Oh wait, there’s some of that here too. Whatever, it’s pretty great. 

What I’m getting at here, is this Ultimate Spider-Man #1 (2024) isn’t ten seasons of Smallville before we see Clark don his cape, nor even is it the few issues that 1610 Peter Parker took to stretch into his spider-spandex, but don’t complain when our first issue here lacks any flippitty thwippitty wall-crawler action. 

This is not to say Ultimate Spider-Man #1 (2024) lacks drama. No, not at all. We have Uncle Ben! We have JJ Jameson! We have Matt Murdock, Harry Osborn, Wilson Fisk, and at least a couple more characters you’re sure to recognize. 

Since Ultimate Spider-Man #1 (2024) is the first ongoing title in a new Marvel Universe, I’ll not spoil the plot details here, but maybe next month we can dig in a little deeper to tease and speculate. 

In the original Ultimate Universe, most of the characters in Ultimate X-Men and Ultimates/Ultimate Avengers books didn’t ring true to their classic 616 counterparts, but OG Ultimate Spider-Man always felt right. I’m overjoyed to report that Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) has the heart and soul of its predecessors in 1610 and 616. Suffice it to say: Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto have created the ultimate Ultimate Universe. Ultimate Spider-Man is just the storyline Spidey fans have been waiting for! 

You know, since his and Mary Jane’s family was callously torn apart by Joe Quesada way back in One More Day (2007)? Yes, Nick Lowe, we still want the effects of One More Day undone for 616 Peter and Mary Jane. Yes, we still are down for more stories in the Renew Your Vows 18119 Universe. Yes, the MC2 Universe (Earth 982) is also overdue for a revisit. But this new Parker family in Ultimate Marvel 6160 Universe? I’m here for it. You joining me?

Before we wrap up, I also need to mention the art of Ultimate Spider-Man specifically. Marco Checchetto is an ideal choice for developing a band new Ultimate Marvel Universe. Checchetto’s art style is simultaneously comic-standard, realistic, and pays appropriate homage to artists who have come before. I really hope he sticks around on this book for years. 

Rating:
ComicsOnline gives Ultimate Spider-Man #1 (2024) 5 out of 5 second chances for an amazing life as Spider-Man!

—



Please take a moment to FOLLOW & SUBSCRIBE to our updated ComicsOnline social channels.
We appreciate your support!

INSTAGRAM – COMICSONLINE
BSKY – COMICSONLINE
YOUTUBE – COMICSONLINE
FACEBOOK – COMICSONLINE
TWITTER / X – COMICSONLINE

Keep thwippin’ with ComicsOnline.com for more comics, more reviews, and everything geek pop culture!