Posted in: Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: jonathan hickman, ultimate, Ultimate Endgame, Ultimate Incursion, ultimate spider-man

Is This The End Of Marvel's Ultimate Universe, Or What?

Is This The End Of Marvel's Ultimate Universe? It's looking more and more like it, with Ultimate Endgame launching at the end of the year

Published Tue, 23 Sep 2025 06:57:05 -0500

by Rich Johnston

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Article Summary

Marvel claims Ultimate Endgame will end the Ultimate Universe, but fans doubt this is truly final
Jonathan Hickman exits as Ultimate Spider-Man nears its reported conclusion by end of 2025
Conflicting creator statements fuel speculation about the future of Ultimate X-Men and Ultimates
The Maker’s return could reshape Marvel’s Ultimate Universe before a possible new direction

Marvel Comics declared the upcoming Ultimate Endgame was the end of the Ultimate Universe. And no one believes them. Jonathan Hickman, architect of the new Ultimate Universe, declared he is leaving and bringing Ultimate Spider-Man to an end. And no one believes it won't just start up again. This reminds me of another comic, Ultimate Death Of Spider-Man. This saw the death of that Ultimate Spider-Man, Peter Parker, replaced by Miles Morales, and became one of the most important modern Marvel Comics characters. And no one, it seems, saw it coming then either. Despite it doing exactly what it said on the tin.

As far as Bleeding Cool can ascertain, Ultimate Endgame #1 published on the 31st of December 2025, will indeed begin the end of the current Ultimate Universe. And that's how it was contractually agreed three years ago with Jonathan Hickman when he took the project over from Donny Cates. Which, yes, is hard to square with its sales success against other Marvel titles.

Previously, Bleeding Cool reported on a number of deleted bleets from Ultimate X-Men script editor Zack Davission on BlueSky, saying, "We're working on issue #18 now. We have six more issues to go. If you haven't figured out yet that this is the story we are telling…" and concluding, "I mean, things can always change. But that was announced at the beginning of the series. It's supposed to be 24 months in real time." A follow-up from the husband of Ultimate X-Men artist and writer Peach Momoko, Yo Mutsu said, "We don't know why Zack wrote that because we and probably no one (other than maybe Hickman?) really knows what's next. Or even when it is planned to end."

Some people look to a San Diego Comic-Con report on X from AIPT, who said "Incursion sets the stage for the next wave of Ultimate books" but the press from that panel only talked about upcoming Ultimate comics such as Ultimate Endgame and the end of Ultimate Spider-Man.

Others look to Ultimates writer Deniz Camp, who posted on X "Additionally, I have seen a few people say Ultimates is ending at 18. Uh, no, it's not. There's much more to come." Indeed, and Ultimates #19 had just been solicited, as well as his series Ultimate Incursion, and Ultimate Endgame running into 2026…. but then?

The current Ultimate Universe comic book titles from Marvel Comics are taking place in real time, and have seen the new Ultimate world, as created by the Ultimate Reed Richards, The Maker. He removed many of the superheroes' origins from the timeline and rallied the rest to his cause of power and control. He established a version of The City at Latveria and became known as the Imperator of this world, reshaping international politics and creating a new world order. He even killed the Fantastic Four, aside from Reed Richards, who he turned into his own pet Doctor Doom. Howard Stark trapped the Maker inside the City for two years after realising his true intentions, and those two years are almost up as The Maker prepares to re-emerge.

There is one other aspect to this story that might suggest a very different Ultimate continuation, But that would be just mindless speculation. So maybe later when I have all my ultimate ducks in a row…

Ultimate Endgame (2025-2026) #1 by Deniz Camp, Terry Dodson, Jonas Scharf
ENDGAME HAS ARRIVED! The moment that has been building since the beginning of the new Ultimate Universe! Spinning out of Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri's ULTIMATES comes the culmination of ULTIMATE INVASION… Two (thousand) years have passed in the Ultimate Universe, but inside the City, the Maker has had thousands of years to prepare for his return! With the barrier around the City finally gone, heroes all across the Ultimate Universe must mobilize to defeat the Maker before it's game over. For everyone. Meanwhile, the rest of the world wages World War III… 32 PGS./Rated T+ …$5.99

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