It's Officially The End Of An Era For Marvel

Marvel is officially facing the end of an era, acknowledging that fact in a recent social media post. Here's everything that's about to change, why it's happening, and what comes next.

In 2023, Marvel made a huge move, launching its new Ultimate Universe imprint. Patterned on a 2000s imprint of the same name, the new comics line takes place in its own dedicated continuity - one where the timeline has been rewritten so that Marvel's iconic heroes were erased from history, leaving the villains free to rule the world.

The new imprint promised modern subject matter and commentary on real-world issues, and has delivered in spades, with titles like Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate Black Panther and Ultimate Wolverine telling new kinds of stories with these characters.

Marvel Eulogizes The Ultimates as Imprint Comes to An End

On social media, Marvel Comics recently shared a post eulogizing The Ultimates. The flagship title of the Ultimate Universe imprint, Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri's Ultimates has been a critically and commercially beloved blockbuster. The title uniquely played out in real time, with each issue representing a month's progression, moving between different fronts in the Ultimates' battle against the Maker's regime.

Marvel celebrates iconic moments from the series, touting the final issue's Hulk vs She-Hulk grudge match as the "Ultimate Fight," the original Human Torch transforming into the Vision as the "Ultimate Twist," the towering Anti-War Machine joining the Battle of Detroit as the "Ultimate Entrance," Wasp being exposed as a triple agent as the "Ultimate Reveal," Steve Rogers killing Bucky Barnes as the "Ultimate Tear-Jerker" and the Ultimates' disastrous first clash with the Hulk as the "Ultimate Battle."

Marvel couldn't be more right in picking out these moments to celebrate. At a time when the quality of Marvel's comics is generally perceived at being at a generational low, the Ultimate Universe has been the exception, and The Ultimates has been the best thing about it.

Marvel's Most Political Imprint Has Also Been Its Best

At their worst, superhero comics tread water, with the title hero going up against an imposing villain and winning out, ensuring the status quo continues. Thanks to the freedom offered by an imprint that Marvel didn't have to maintain indefinitely, The Ultimates was the exact opposite. Every issue of The Ultimates saw its protagonists fighting to change the world, and either succeeding or failing and paying a high price.

The comic was also 'about' something specific, calling out the darkness and corruption of the real-world and in particular American society. Characters like the new She-Hulk and Hawkeye delivered commentary on real-life issues that Marvel has rarely (if ever) touched on before, while classic characters like Spider-Man and Captain America attacked those same topics from the other direction, drawing connections between both the real-world and Marvel's original 2000s Ultimate Universe, with its post-9/11 cynicism.

The Ultimates has represented superhero comics as urgent social commentary, boldly experimenting with the comics medium while also shattering the molds of Marvel's greatest characters and showing the vibrant potential they possess with the right creative teams. Now, the Ultimate Universe has one final job - stick the landing.

There's a Single Issue Left of the Ultimate Universe

And Fans Are Starting to Get Nervous

The Ultimates is the last ongoing series of the Ultimate Universe imprint to conclude, following Ultimate Wolverine. Other series concluded ahead of the blockbuster Ultimate Endgame series, which will officially and permanently bring the Ultimate Universe to a close.

But even Ultimate Endgame only has a single issue left, with the concluding issue five coming June 24. The issue has a lot of work to do. There are mysteries involving Doom, Tony Stark and the Maker still to be solved, the Maker still needs to be defeated, and fans need to see what Earth-6160 becomes once it's been rescued from its corrupted fate.

With the recent deaths of Captain America and Spider-Man, fans have begun to speculate that Earth-6160 will end with a timeline reboot, returning this universe to its prior glory. While that would complete the metaphor of heroes resisting and ultimately changing a reality stolen by villains, there would also be downsides.

The Ultimates has very explicitly drawn parallels between real-life resistance and the superhero narrative. If Ultimate Endgame concludes with something as high concept as a timeline reboot, there's the risk of throwing away the message that readers really can improve their world through direct action. Ultimately, Ultimate Endgame #5 will decide how the wider imprint is remembered, but The Ultimates itself is already assured a legacy as a modern classic.

What's Next for Marvel, And Can It Compare?

Marvel just ended its most celebrated series, and is soon to shutter an imprint that's seen as the high watermark of its current output. However, it's clear the publisher knows that with the end of an era, something big needs to follow.

The obvious successor to the Ultimate Universe is the upcoming Midnight Universe imprint. Like the Ultimate Universe, the groundwork is being laid by superstar writer Jonathan Hickman, with Midnight X-Men, Midnight Fantastic Four and Midnight Spider-Man depicting an alternate universe overrun by the supernatural.

Marvel has a lot of horror concepts to draw from in creating this new universe, and the creative teams are solid. However, it's worth noting that so far, there's no sign of what made the Ultimate Universe truly special - the specificity of focus and ambitious presentation.

The Midnight Universe has the potential to replace the Ultimate Universe, but only if it digs just as deep. A simple horror-themed continuity can't replace an imprint built on vital commentary about the real world.

Another possibility for replacing The Ultimates is the upcoming rebirth of the Avengers franchise. June 10's Avengers: Armageddon #1 begins a series that Marvel has teased will essentially soft-reboot the Avengers franchise, once again making it the heart of the Marvel Universe.

With recent reveals that Avengers: Armageddon will seemingly kill off a huge number of characters - leaving Wolverine, Spider-Man, Luke Cage, Daredevil and Captain Marvel as an "Earth's Mightiest Survivors" Avengers roster - this is clearly a genuine reinvention of The Avengers, which has been failing to connect with comic fans for almost a decade at this point.

Marvel ending the Ultimate Universe came as a shock to fans, and in The Ultimates, Marvel has lost perhaps its best ongoing series. However, the publisher is clearly cognizant of the fact that it needs to fill the gap left behind. Both the Midnight Universe and the total reinvention of The Avengers suggest that while the imprint itself is almost over, the Ultimate Universe's spirit has a decent chance to live on.

The Ultimates #24 is available from Marvel Comics now, with Ultimate Endgame #5 coming June 24.