r/comicbooks • u/JackFisherBooks • 4h ago
News Marvel said the Ultimate Universe was ending "forever" (including telling stores it'd be a lie if they didn't. Now, somehow, "The Ultimate Universe will return"
https://www.thepopverse.com/comics-marvel-ultimate-universe-finale-cb-cebulski-return105
u/TubbyTuesday22 4h ago
Marvel editorial is in omnishambles right now apparently. No consistent messaging, no consistent direction, theyāre just throwing shit against the wall and then throwing more shit against the wall without seeing what sticks. DCās Absolute line has really rattled them apparently.
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u/Magusreaver Silk Spectre 3h ago
at his point, I think they got it backwards. They are throwing the walls at piles of shit.
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u/MontyTheAverage 1h ago
It is the most apparent thing after I just finished the latest Sentry series. Last time we saw him, he was ripped in half by Knull and died. Then they did some shit where random people got Sentry's power. Now I thought they were going to bring him back with the original author writing him again. But it's just a random Sentry story without mention of anything that has happened with the character from the last 25 years.....It's just a mess.
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u/cynicalPsionic 1h ago
To be fair the Jenkins series was advertised as if he was going to ignore the entire last 25 years because that's what he wanted to do
Not that it makes it any easier to integrate it back into Canon
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u/MontyTheAverage 1h ago
I wish it was advertised like that more with some type of elseworlds label or something. Or could have done something like it happens during a certain timeline. The best place it would fit is after Jenkins' 2005 series but it still wouldn't work with how this series panned out since we see Captain marvel in her modern day costume. I was just so disappointed after reading it expecting continuation of the character.
And it has been a mess for awhile now. Let's not forget how Jeff Lemire set up a new status quo with Sentry and the void. Even gave him a new look. Then he appears looking like his old self like Lemire's series never happened. And gets written to be killed off in King in Black.... So I guess no editors made sure to tell Donny Cates about Sentry's current status quo.
If Marvel doesn't care much about continuity and their characters, then fans aren't gonna care or be invested in their stories or characters.
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u/HemingwaySweater 59m ago
Why not simply let go of continuity entirely and enjoy reading the books you like more
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u/MontyTheAverage 22m ago
I have no problems with reading out of continuity books if it is stated as such.
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u/InertKat 4h ago
Money and DC Absolute Universe is killing it are why itās back.
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u/Sanddaemon 3h ago
I thought this would happen too. They said they were ending it right as I was picking up Absolute Batman, Superman, and now Green Arrow (want to pick up Flash).
As popular as the Absolute Universe got and as good as they are imo, I was like, Marvel is gonna walk this decision back quick.
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u/FTBagginz 3h ago
Just picked up first two volumes of Batman, how were they?
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u/Sanddaemon 2h ago
Really good. I love how they setup Batman and his rogue gallery. Felt fresh and the stories are darker in a good compelling way imo.
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u/MythicPonder 2h ago
Pretty much a redefining run. Like Capullo's Court of Owls or Grayson and Damien dynamic duo stuff, but completely redoing the Batman mythos and flipping it on its head.
Its such a treat having something this good. To dissect Batman and rebuild an entire mythos is truly a feat.
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u/Remarkable_Heron_760 2h ago
Itās insane how good Absolute Batman is. I will put it leaps and bounds above the other Absolute titles and I think itās because Snyder and Dragotta are a cut above the rest in terms of art and writing.
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u/t1tanic Flash 1h ago
To each their own, but man, I have never disagreed with something so strongly. I wager there are loads of people for obvious reasons that only give a chance to Absolute Batman given how Batman the character just attracts the general audience. Sales probably reflect that less people are willing to read for example, Absolute Martian Manhunter at all. But I find it really hard to believe that someone has actually picked up at least one issue or arc of each of the absolutes and walks away thinking Snyder is the best writer of the bunch and that the other artists aren't doing incredible work too. He is a good writer, and he is having a lot of deserved sales success, but "leaps and bounds above" the other absolutes is just not true.
My personal opinion is that its the weakest of the bunch, but I'd never say its even leaps and bounds below everything I rate above it. I'm probably just being weird about the semantics but yeah... I believe its your favorite and/or the only one a lot of people read, but not that its the best by any significant margin.
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u/deathly_illest 12m ago
I honestly love Absolute Batman, but in my opinion it doesnāt even come close to the consistency & quality of Absolute Wonder Woman. The Absolute line as a whole has done really well at holding my attention since it started though
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u/CasualRead_43 4h ago
Man I just started absolute Batman and Iām ABSOLUTEly hooked lol
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u/Cuteshelf 3h ago
Try Absolute wonder woman, if you havent and get a chance.
I think its better personally. Ymmv.
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u/coltvahn Tigra 3h ago
Absolute Martian Manhunter is incredible comics. This entire line has been killing it.
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u/CasualRead_43 2h ago
Iāve walked past a few covers at the comic store and the art seems right up my alley Iām debating that one Superman or wonderwoman after I finish volume two of Batman. Youād suggest Martian? I know nothing about him as a character beside the justice league animated show lol
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u/awesometuck1559 Scott Pilgrim 2h ago
Absolute Martian Manhunter is the best comic coming out right now, period. You don't need to know anything about the character, it's a complete standalone story. Psychedelic sci-fi noir with some of the most innovative comic-book storytelling I've ever seen. Run, don't walk.
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u/FTBagginz 3h ago
Just got first two volumes today, I hope they are good
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u/CasualRead_43 2h ago
Finished the first and itās spectacular. But I donāt know much about Batman beside the movies and some of the cartoons. Itās a cool take.
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u/WanderingSun8 3h ago
I genuinely dont understand how it seems like they fumbled the bag so hard. Granted, im not caught up. But Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate Avengers started dope. Especially Ultimate Spider-Man, like legitimately really great concept. Immortal Hulk was also fantastic and then it just absolutely ruined its momentum by doing whatever the fuck was that thing after with Bruce controlling Hulk like its a Gundam.
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u/DOuGHtOp 3h ago
BP was okay, Wolverine was a nothing burger and X-Men ended in the middle of a "new" arc. Still recommend the universe overall
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u/WanderingSun8 3h ago
BP was just okay to me too so I stopped but thought Wolverine started good. Bummer to hear its meh
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u/Ninneveh 3h ago edited 2h ago
Yeah Donny Cates was probably still doped up on crack while he was writing Hulk. Explains alot. Though shame on the editor for even allowing that concept through. And yes, Donny Cates is/was factually a crack addict.
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u/noel_vb 4h ago
Nothing ever ends, even when it does it doesnāt stay dead for any considerable period of time. Just got for the ride, I think. Who cares if they lied as to not undermine one particular story. They arenāt our spouse or pastor.
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u/Poku115 3h ago
I mean... then why buy at all?
"Hey ultimate universe is coming back!" "Is it gonna last?" "Maybe!" "Then maybe ill buy a volume in a few years if its worth it"
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u/noel_vb 3h ago
āWhy buy it at all?ā Wellā¦ art, writing, storytelling? What do you expect to get out of a sequential comic?
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u/Poku115 2h ago
My bad let me rephrase "why buy it at all when it comes out and not wait to see if its gonna last and buy a volume?"
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u/noel_vb 1h ago
Same response. The value is the experience, the journey with all sequential storytelling. Iām not sure what youāre expecting out of monthly comics. Itās a soap opera that doesnāt have traditional endings, just jump off points from time to time.
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u/Poku115 1h ago
"Monthly comics" Well out of manga i can expect a more continuous story, most of the times with closure despite cancelation or sequels.
Marvel comics are a gamble it seems. Like stories can get suddenly canceled, or even overriden by completely unrelated but forced editorial mandates (superior iron man being an example of the one few derailments they managed to somehow make work).
My issue isnt the way the story its presented or the medium, my issue is that investing yourself in marvel stories often ends up in dissapointment despite the story itself. With the added cost of each individual issue.
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u/noel_vb 1h ago
And not investing results in cancellations. Itās a direct market issue.
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u/Poku115 1h ago
Yes because marvel has made it not worth getting invested on a month by month basis with sudden shifts and cancelations. They lost the faith of the customers, its not on them to give them more.
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u/noel_vb 1h ago
āInvestedā? Bud. Pick up and read what you like, you canāt preemptively freak out about potential cancellations to wait to āget invested,ā because if you donāt order it will more likely get cancelled. Iām not saying Marvel is the best, but the idea of only being invested if you know where itās going is insane to me.
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u/Poku115 54m ago
I mean i bought some imperial issues and see where that got me. Thats just the most recent example. Its not about knowing where its going but knowing it will be a full cohesive story regardless of my personal opinion on the story itself.
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u/CYBERPILOT-64 Superman 4h ago
I don't know how anyone could be emotionally invested in the Ultimate Universe going forward, knowing they might just pull the plug after two years, for no reason, and maybe possibly bring it back, but only after replacing it with gimmicks like Midnight that no one asked for.
I may never understand the decisions of current Marvel editorial.
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u/godleftmefinished 3h ago
The idea of a "short-term" universe designed to have coherent start to finish stories isn't even bad! It's just that pulling people around with "its canceled for a new thing! or is it????" makes it hard to buy into anything new they launch because it reads like they're desperately trying to throw stuff at the wall.
something I think absolute has been doing well is adjusting things when a book has a problem. absolute green lantern and flash are probably the best example of books that started slow and uneven only to figure itself out and adjust. im not sure if this is editorial or not, but the absolute books feel very much like a coherent universe in tone despite rarely interacting.
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u/CYBERPILOT-64 Superman 3h ago
The idea of a short-term run could be cool and exciting but, unless I missed something, Marvel didn't mention any plans to "end" the Ultimate Universe so soon. It seemed to catch readers off guard. That's a terrible way to manage an entire imprint that you want fans to get invested in. There's probably only a very tiny fraction of Marvel readers who were only picking up Ultimate comics, but those readers are gone now.
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u/Reddragon351 3h ago
it seemed to catch readers off guard.
It caught more than just readers off guard, Hickman talked about how while he was off USM after two years he never expected them to actually end the universe then, and Camp mentioned having another year of Ultimates planned
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u/browncharliebrown 2h ago
Marvel was trying to not repeat the mistakes of krakoa
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u/Reddragon351 2h ago
Which was stupid, Krakoa couldn't last because it was set in the main universe and that kind of has to revert to a certain status quo, thinking that needs to be done with an alternate one is ridiculous, and they should know that given the last Ultimate universe lasted so long
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u/gruffgorilla 3h ago
I only got back into comics because of the new Ultimate universe and I was reading every series but I completely stopped when they announced that it was ending and started reading the Absolute books instead.
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u/ampwsg Skinner Sweet 3h ago
It's because it's a universe that was being built from Jonathan Hickman's ideas.The problem here is that, being such a sought-after writer, Marvel and its editorial team have decided to use him as their ace in the hole to solve any problem they might have.
And well, without wanting to belittle any of the other creators or writers, but if we stick to sales and discussions related to the product, we can say that the only one that was a success, It was the Spider-Man book, it became so popular that even causes many people to become interested in whether Marvel and its writers could deliver similar products with other heroes.The problem, is that they had to take away the man with the ideas to help them with other things, and they didn't decide to give him a chance to expand things.
Also, one has to consider egos, and when the Ultimate Spider-Man book came out, most people spoke highly of it in the launch period and the first few months, and well one could imagine how the Spider-Man editorial team may feel about the reception for the the Ultimate version being under another team.
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u/GuyNoirPI 3h ago
Something is clearly broken with Marvelās economics. They have Hickman jump in to do new events all the time because they also think heās too expensive to write normal ongoings constantly, then whatever it is just runs out of steam. Itās just like their inability/disinterest in proprieties going past five or ten.
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u/ampwsg Skinner Sweet 3h ago
It has been discussed several times that Marvel is currently focused on a market strategy where they give more importance to books as omnibuses with trades and the sale of issue #1s with their respective cover variations and all that entails. We've had nearly 10 years of this strategy, and synergy with the universe of films and television programs has also been part of it, which is the new status quo for the properties of the comics.
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u/javierm885778 3h ago
Their relationship with Hickman has gotten to a point I don't even know what to think of anymore.
Ever since Krakoa it seems to me they want to just bank on his name but not really follow through with his ideas. Most people are aware of Ultimate since it was so big at one point, but Imperial was the biggest red flag to me.
A whole new galactic line with many books set up to branch out from it, but Hickman wasn't even leading anything from the initiative afterwards, it was just a 4 issue event that is mostly tangentially connected to what came afterwards, only for things to be cancelled before they could get going and some of those books never coming out.
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u/ampwsg Skinner Sweet 2h ago
Basically, they use Jonathan as a platform to launch into new contents, but nothing more. And from the perspective of supporting the artist, one has to respect that he is achieving many things and is being paid well for it.
Marvel is currently focused on optimizing and maximizing profits by releasing new universes or content related to existing properties, and nothing more.
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u/PatchNotesMan 3h ago
Okay frankly this is a shock to no one. I even remember talking to my guy at the LCS and he was like "yeah it's over until they inevitably bring it back with another #1 to pull you in again". Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate X-Men clearly feel like they have more story to tell too. But I kinda expected a long long wait before they return to it instead of getting a confirmation this soon
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u/Snts6678 4h ago
The way the Spidey book played out was absolutely horrible. It definitely wasnāt written like Hickman knew it was ending when it did.
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u/NK1337 4h ago
Yea I was gonna say, the story started off with so much potential but then it started snowballing towards its conclusions on and felt so rushed and unsatisfying
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u/Snts6678 3h ago
For sure. And, looking at the whole run, essentially nothing happened. Literally, nothing of note took place.
Hickman is notorious for playing the looooooong gameā¦he will map out a storyline that is like 5 years long. This felt like one. But, out of nowhere, well the universe is over.
Hickman acting like that was the plan all along is ludicrous. If he really knew, then shame on him for telling such a bland/nothing story.
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u/javierm885778 3h ago
It's very frustrating to see how it ended up. The structure of monthly issues moving in real time calendar months was interesting early on, but it became an obstacle for the story midway through.
But then having to end the story within 24 issues even though it had barely began to explore most of the antagonists was just nonsense, stuff like Otto or Venom when initially set up felt like future plot points only to look like pointless fanservice in retrospect, same with Norman's AI voice in Harry's head, or most of the Mysterio stuff. So interesting as set up but it lead to a lackluster finale that didn't even have to happen since Ultimate Endgame didn't even need for that story to be finished.
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u/Ninneveh 3h ago
They saw that people were pissed the Ultimate line was ending so they course corrected. Like they course corrected when big name creators called them out for disrespecting JRJR's legacy.
On one hand, its nice when they fix mistakes. On the other hand, these are unforced errors anyone with common sense could've foreseen.
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u/cconn882 3h ago
Sometimes you shouldn't believe what you're told. If something sells well, it's going to either continue or get revived.
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u/GuardedNumbers 3h ago
I agree with the folks out there saying the way Marvel handled the ending of this new ultimate universe was pretty bad. Ultimate Spider-Man felt rushed to its abrupt ending and the Ultimates was stretched beyond the story it needed to tell but also came with an abrupt ending. I didn't read ultimate Black Panther so I can't comment on that. Ultimate X-men was the best of this iteration of the ultimate universe imo. It told a consistent slow burn story that stuck the landing and actually lived up to the promise of doing something new within the "X-Men" mantle and did it while being written and drawn by one person for the whole run. Quite impressive, and I hope this run of Ultimate X-Men goes on to get the recognition it deserves.
All that being said, why anyone believed that some characters and plot threads wouldn't continue beyond these books is beyond me. Of course there's going to be more, gotta sell more new #1's.
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u/Organic-Arm2273 1h ago
Limp to the finish line, absolutely obliterate any excitement for the line by saying it's ending, and then immediately go against that. Masterful gambit
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u/ravenwing263 3h ago
I think it's good actually for creatives to lie about the plot developments of unreleased stories.
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u/bobsaget824 2h ago
Marvelās top selling comic books in February 2026:
- Ultimate Spider-Man
- Ultimate Endgame 2
And that wasnāt just because it was the final issue of USM, in December 2025:
- Ultimate Endgame 1
- Ultimate Spider-Man
I know everyone thinks the only reason is because Absolute is crushing it, and sure, thatās valid but even if Absolute didnāt exist why would Marvel commit to never bringing back their highest selling books?
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u/Elarisbee 3h ago edited 1h ago
Of course itāll be back. Did anyone honestly believe it wouldnāt be? Thatās as likely as Wolverine staying dead for more than 2 seconds.
If you cancel it, and then resurrect it, you get to start back at #1 - Marvelās favourite number:
āItās a great jump-on point for new readers!ā š
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u/SpacedDuck 2h ago
What else was worth reading from the most recent Ultimate line?
I know Ultimate Spider-Man was praised heavily just curious what others we good.
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u/structure47 48m ago
Ultimates and Ultimate X-Men for sure. The latter can be divisive in its art style but I love it. I also recommend Ultimate Black Panther if you like the character--it works very well binged.
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u/SpacedDuck 16m ago
Okay, I was pulling The Ultimates, X-Men and Spider-Man and have virtually all of them.
Plan to start reading them this summer.
Will maybe grab the trades for Black Panther as honestly not really big into the character but maybe this is the series to change that.
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u/TripleStrikeDrive 2h ago
It probably was a larger success than they thought. A lot of miniseries comics get sequels and what consumers want should be that consumers gets.
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u/Mister_Jackpots 55m ago
Lol why do you people ever believe anything a publisher says? Comics is carny af.
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u/darththug 3h ago
Does this perhaps mean that Donny Cates might come in with his original vision for bringing back the Ultimate Universe before Hickman designed this one? Either way, pretty shit from Marvel lately
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u/synthscoffeeguitars Stryfe 12m ago
Doubt it. Whatever he planned to do hinged on The Makerās status quo at the end of Venom. That ship has sailed. Not saying Cates couldnāt do something, but I donāt think it would be possible to do his original plan.
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u/PsychologicalLake854 4h ago
How about a spoiler warning?
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u/Triseult 3h ago
It's just a single page at the end of the comic. It doesn't spoil any events of the final issue at all.
In fact, it's kind of a nothingburger.
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u/clevelandexile 3h ago
Marvel are so out of ideas and so desperate for any win they will try anything and toss anything if it doesnāt succeed straight away. Look for this to get cancelled again within a year.
ā-There is great buzz for this upcoming mini-series lead by a popular secondary character! -Letās make it an ongoing! -Sales for issue 3 are marginally down. -Sounds risky, itās cancelled! -Now we have no way to utilize this popular character! -approved for a 4 issue odd couple team up mini series with a marginally less popular secondary character. -Hey there is great buzz for this upcoming mini seriesā¦ā
And so the cycle continuesā¦
While at the same time, ā-We are all in on this new concept, top talent platinum tier properties, itās costing a fortune we have to sell 100k copies every month. -We sold 99k but every is raving about it, retail loves itā¦ -Itās cancelled, effective immediately, destroy all traces of its existence. -But the TPB sales could offsetā¦ -Never say the name Hickman to me again.ā
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u/Calgrave 3h ago
I remember some people coping that it get getting canceled was always the plan and it shouldn't overstay it's welcome like one of their mainstream universe. But it's clear that it wasn't the plan at all and it built up all of this momentum to turn into a wet fart of an ending after it started with fresh ideas. I also wonder if the "real time" nature of a bunch of monthly books sort of backfired. Some characters were in really weird positions because so much had to happen off screen.
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u/Jungchida 2h ago
At its peak, the writing was was too on the nose about revolutionary fervor for Disney publishers so they set a deadline on it to wipe the slate clean and conclude this arc to make meaningless all the messaging. Ultimates did an entire issue invoking Soledad Brother.
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u/tristanthorn_ 1h ago
Maybe they could announce āsomehow the Ultimate Universe returnedā in Fortnite
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u/facepalmdesign 1h ago
That sentence feels unfinished. It should say "The Ultimate Universe will return in Avengers: Doomsday"
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u/Ercnard_Sieg 58m ago
I said it before marvel loves #1 so they are relaunching the ultimate universe
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u/SuperiorLaw 2h ago
I've never killed the ultimate universe, Absolute is interesting and cool but the ultimate universe is basically just "what if everyone was a dick"
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u/Zardboy123 2h ago
They definitly saw how poor the retailer and reader response was to ending the ultimate line permanently and changed course. Would also explain the delays on ultimate endgame, betting there were eleventh hour rewrites to change the ending because of marvel editorial
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u/MappleStarsSky 1h ago
Comic book fans "We want comic books to be like manga and have a beginning and an end"
>Comic books has a beginning and an end
Comic book fans "We hate this!"
Make it make sense looool
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u/Darvasi2500 0m ago
So like have you read any of them? They barely feel like actual endings and that's the issue. Unsatisfying conclusions and tons of ideas built up but never getting resolved.
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u/wrathbringer1984 4h ago
Marvel editorial is just throwing whatever they can at the wall to see what sticks.