Marvel's Ultimates #23 Is Everything the Line Does Right

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Published May 3, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT

Joshua Edward Ryan Fox is a freelance writer for Screen Rant with a passion for pop culture. Joshua grew up in Connecticut where he developed an appreciation for writing and entertainment and has earned a Master's degree in professional writing and technical writing. His writing has been quoted by both the anime streaming site Crunchyroll and the anime YouTuber Gigguk.

Warning: Contains spoilers for The Ultimates #23.As Marvel’s new Ultimate Universe slowly comes to an end, so too does the book that essentially became its headliner, Deniz Camp’s The Ultimates. Between being the only book directly concerned with the plot surrounding the Maker and how that was used for political commentary that became more relevant with every issue, The Ultimates has been a massive highlight from day one, and even as the Ultimate Universe began dragging in quality, The Ultimates was largely unaffected by it all.

While The Ultimates has largely been the most consistent story in the new Ultimate Universe, that isn’t to say that it hasn’t had its weaker moments, especially when it comes to some of the most recent issues. That arguably reached its peak with The Ultimates #23; while it was a great story in a vacuum, when viewed through the lens of the wider story, it’s hard to feel too happy about it, but at the same time, it’s exactly what Marvel needs to be doing more of.

Why The Ultimates’ Latest Issue Was The Worst Story Of The Run

Thor and Loki's final figt in The Ultimates #23

The Ultimates #23 moved away from The Ultimates’ fight with the Maker’s forces and instead focused on Thor and Sif’s fight with Loki to reclaim Asgard. Things quickly escalated into an all-out war including the likes of Surtr, Hela, Mangog, and the Fenris Wolf, and in the end, rather than try to defeat Loki, Thor allowed the destruction of all of Asgard so that Ragnarok could finally take place and their death could pave the way for new gods.

On paper, something as high-concept as the end of a world of gods to make way for a new one should be a great read, but unfortunately, so much of it ultimately fell flat. For starters, while Thor and Sif were among the founding members of the Ultimates, they quickly left the team to focus on overthrowing Loki and retaking Asgard, and Ultimates #23 was the first time their story was addressed in over a year. It felt like the conclusion to a story we never got to see, and that’s nothing but disappointing to see.

More than that, however, is how it ties into the larger issues with The Ultimates’ final arc. With the conclusion of most of the story’s major story beats being saved for Ultimate Endgame's story, The Ultimates’ final arc has been largely episodic and focused on either new one-off stories or rushing to give closure to any leftover story arcs. There’s been plenty of good content, but it’s felt more disjointed than anything, and Ultimates #23 is the perfect embodiment of that issue.

If there’s any problem that’s plagued The Ultimates’ otherwise fantastic run, it’s that it’s been too ambitious for its own good; The Ultimates has tried to strike a balance between hard-hitting political commentary and over-the-top comicbook absurdity, but in doing so, so much of both fields has a habit of getting muddied and falling flat. Everything with Thor’s story in The Ultimates #23 is a perfect encapsulation of that, and with it being the penultimate issue of the run, that’s arguably even worse.

Why The Ultimates #23 Is So Special, Despite Its Problems

There’s plenty to complain about with The Ultimates #23, but surprisingly, there might be just as much to love about it. Right off the bat, Ultimates #23 stands out for foregoing the series’ regular artist, Juan Frigeri, and bringing in Stipan Morian, who previously collaborated with Deniz Camp on 20th Century Men and Bleeding Hearts at Image Comics. Much like those books, Ultimates #23, under Morian’s pen, featured wonderfully psychedelic art that highlighted both the chaos of the story and the storybook nature of its narrative, and that helped it stand out in the best of ways.

Naturally, the writing is another part of why Ultimates #23 worked surprisingly well. The poetic nature of the prose did wonders to highlight not only the intense action of the war, but the sadder and more emotional moments as well, like Thor’s grief over Sif and how he and Loki resign themselves to death and embrace Ragnarok. The final pages even made the story a deliberate nod to the intended origin of the New Gods as depicted by Jack Kirby, and that level of respect was as touching as it was creative.

We Already Know How the Hulk's Story Ends And Honestly? I'm Heartbroken For the Hero.

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The Ultimates #23 is too far removed from the main story to look good when viewed as part of the larger narrative, but when treated as a standalone story, which feels like the intention, it’s a beautiful and poetic take on Thor’s story in Marvel that wonderfully harkens back to the origins of his character not just in Marvel, but in Norse mythology, as well. That’s something any fan of the series can appreciate, and it’s what makes Ultimates #23 and its execution all the more frustrating.

The Ultimates Is Exactly What Marvel Needs To Be Doing With Its Stories

As out of place as The Ultimates #23 might have been, everything great about it is a perfect encapsulation of the crucial element missing from Marvel: experimentation. One of the most common criticisms of Marvel Comics for the past decade has been how repetitive their stories have gotten outside of a few outliers, and while the new Ultimate Universe was answering those complaints, the fact that the Ultimate Universe is ending so soon is nothing if not counterintuitive. Marvel is at its best when it’s being creative, and that’s why stories like Ultimates #23 need to be the norm.

That isn’t to say everything Marvel puts out should be the same as The Ultimates #23 as much as it is to say that they should follow the same idea; The Ultimates #23 pushed the boundaries of what’s expected of a superhero comic both visually and narratively, and because of that, it was an incredibly unique read in the best of ways. That’s not something that can always be said about a Marvel comic, and overall, it would be great to see more of that style going forward.

Earth-1610 · Multiverse Edition How Well Do You Know
Marvel’s Ultimate Universe?

🌏OriginsEarth-1610

⚡HeroesUltimates

💥EventsUltimatum

☠VillainsThe Maker

💫LegacyReborn

ENTER THE ULTIMATES! →

The Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610) was launched in 2000 with a reimagined version of Marvel’s most popular teenage superhero. Which comic series kicked off the Ultimate line?

AThe Ultimates BUltimate X-Men CUltimate Spider-Man DUltimate Fantastic Four

✓ Correct! Ultimate Spider-Man #1, written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Mark Bagley, launched in October 2000 and retold Peter Parker’s origin for a modern audience. It became the flagship title of the Ultimate line and ran for 160 issues.

✗ That answer didn’t survive Ultimatum! The answer is Ultimate Spider-Man. Written by Brian Michael Bendis, it was the first Ultimate title, debuting in 2000. The Ultimates and Ultimate X-Men followed in 2001, while Ultimate Fantastic Four didn’t launch until 2004.

In the Ultimate Universe, Peter Parker’s Spider-Man eventually died heroically. A new character then took up the Spider-Man mantle and later crossed over into the main Marvel universe. Who is this character?

ABen Reilly BMiguel O’Hara CMiles Morales DGwen Stacy

✓ Correct! Miles Morales debuted in Ultimate Fallout #4 (2011) after Peter Parker’s death in the “Death of Spider-Man” storyline. Created by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli, Miles became one of Marvel’s most beloved characters and later migrated to Earth-616 after Secret Wars (2015).

✗ That answer didn’t survive Ultimatum! The answer is Miles Morales. Ben Reilly is the Scarlet Spider clone from Earth-616, Miguel O’Hara is Spider-Man 2099, and while Gwen Stacy existed in the Ultimate Universe, she didn’t become Spider-Woman there — that’s Earth-65’s Spider-Gwen.

The Ultimates was the Ultimate Universe’s version of the Avengers. This series reimagined the team as a government-sponsored superhero squad. Who wrote the influential first two volumes of The Ultimates?

ABrian Michael Bendis BMark Millar CJeph Loeb DJonathan Hickman

✓ Correct! Mark Millar, alongside artist Bryan Hitch, created The Ultimates (2002) and The Ultimates 2 (2004). Their cinematic, widescreen approach to superhero storytelling heavily influenced the Marvel Cinematic Universe, particularly the first Avengers film.

✗ That answer didn’t survive Ultimatum! The answer is Mark Millar. Bendis wrote Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate X-Men, Jeph Loeb took over the Ultimates later with volume 3, and Jonathan Hickman wrote the 2024 Ultimate Universe relaunch. Millar and Bryan Hitch defined The Ultimates.

In the Ultimate Universe, many characters were dramatically different from their main universe counterparts. Ultimate Reed Richards underwent a shocking transformation, becoming a major villain. What villain name did Ultimate Reed Richards adopt?

AThe Thinker BThe Maker CDoctor Doom DMolecule Man

✓ Correct! The Maker is one of the most terrifying villains to come out of the Ultimate Universe. After being rejected by Sue Storm and experiencing a mental breakdown, Ultimate Reed Richards turned evil, stretching his brain to enhance his already genius-level intellect and becoming a multiversal threat.

✗ That answer didn’t survive Ultimatum! The answer is The Maker. The Thinker is a different FF villain, Doctor Doom is a separate character entirely (though Ultimate Doom was Victor Van Damme), and Molecule Man is an Earth-616 entity. The Maker survived Secret Wars and became a major threat across the multiverse.

The Ultimate Universe suffered a catastrophic event that killed off many major characters and dramatically changed the line’s direction. What was this controversial crossover event called?

AUltimatum BCataclysm CSecret Wars DUltimate Fallout

✓ Correct! Ultimatum (2008–2009), written by Jeph Loeb, saw Magneto use Thor’s hammer to reverse Earth’s magnetic poles, causing massive global devastation. Characters like Wolverine, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, and many others were killed, making it one of the most controversial Marvel events ever.

✗ That answer didn’t survive Ultimatum! The answer is, ironically, Ultimatum itself. Cataclysm was a later event involving Galactus attacking the Ultimate Universe, Secret Wars (2015) ended the Ultimate Universe entirely, and Ultimate Fallout dealt with the aftermath of Peter Parker’s death.

Ultimate Nick Fury was redesigned to look very different from his main universe counterpart. His new appearance was so popular that it influenced a major casting decision in the MCU. Who was Ultimate Nick Fury visually modeled after?

ADenzel Washington BWesley Snipes CSamuel L. Jackson DLaurence Fishburne

✓ Correct! Artist Bryan Hitch, with Mark Millar’s approval, deliberately modeled Ultimate Nick Fury after Samuel L. Jackson in The Ultimates. Jackson himself gave permission for his likeness to be used, and was later cast as Nick Fury in the MCU — one of the most perfect comics-to-film casting decisions ever.

✗ That answer didn’t survive Ultimatum! The answer is Samuel L. Jackson. Bryan Hitch specifically used Jackson’s likeness when redesigning Nick Fury for The Ultimates. Jackson actually gave his blessing, reportedly in exchange for first refusal on any film role — which led to his iconic MCU casting.

The Ultimate Universe was eventually destroyed during Jonathan Hickman’s Secret Wars (2015) event, with some characters migrating to the main Marvel universe (Earth-616). Which of these characters did NOT originate in the Ultimate Universe?

AMiles Morales BThe Maker (Reed Richards) CKamala Khan DJimmy Hudson

✓ Correct! Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel) was created for the main Earth-616 universe, debuting in Captain Marvel #14 (2013) and getting her own series in 2014. Miles Morales, The Maker, and Jimmy Hudson (Wolverine’s son) all originated in the Ultimate Universe before crossing over.

✗ That answer didn’t survive Ultimatum! The answer is Kamala Khan. She was created by G. Willow Wilson and Sana Amanat for the main Marvel universe (Earth-616), not the Ultimate Universe. Miles Morales, The Maker, and Jimmy Hudson (Ultimate Wolverine’s son) all came from Earth-1610.

In 2024, Marvel relaunched the Ultimate Universe with a new line of comics set on a reimagined Earth-6160. This new Ultimate Universe features a world where who has secretly controlled everything from behind the scenes?

AThanos BThe Maker (Reed Richards) CDoctor Doom DMagneto

✓ Correct! In Jonathan Hickman’s 2024 Ultimate Universe relaunch, The Maker (Ultimate Reed Richards) has secretly reshaped Earth-6160 from behind the scenes, preventing many heroes from ever gaining their powers and manipulating global events. The new Ultimate line follows heroes discovering and resisting his hidden influence.

✗ That answer didn’t survive Ultimatum! The answer is The Maker (Reed Richards). In the 2024 Ultimate Universe relaunch by Jonathan Hickman, The Maker has been secretly pulling strings on Earth-6160, suppressing the emergence of superheroes and reshaping the world to his design. He is the central antagonist of the new Ultimate line.

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The execution of The Ultimates #23, alongside the wider story, did a lot to dampen its overall impact, but the story's uniqueness largely made up for it in almost every regard. If nothing else, the story perfectly illustrates what makes The Ultimates such a special story, and of everything being lost as Marvel ends the new Ultimate Universe, the loss of The Ultimates probably hurts the most.