5 Biggest Mistakes Ultimate Marvel Made (& 5 Things It Got Right)

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Marvel’s recent Ultimate line started strong in 2023 and 2024, generating a lot of excitement and reminding fans why they loved Marvel in the first place. While the original Ultimate Universe was popular, it didn’t last, and feels dated now. This new version, launched by acclaimed writer Jonathan Hickman, quickly attracted readers with its fresh and energetic approach – a welcome change from recent Marvel publications. However, by 2026, the initial enthusiasm has faded, and the Ultimate line is ending, leaving many fans with a familiar feeling of letdown.

While the current Ultimate Universe is an improvement, the original had significant flaws. Looking back at its history, there were some successes, but also quite a few missteps. Here are five of the biggest mistakes made with the original Ultimate Marvel line, alongside five things it did well, illustrating its overall trajectory.

10) Mistakes: Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion

As a big Marvel fan, I was really excited about Ultimate Invasion because it was supposed to kick off this whole new Ultimate Universe. It hinted that Miles Morales might jump over from the old universe, and we were told we’d finally see that happen in Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursions in 2025. Honestly, though, Incursions was a huge letdown. It felt like just a wandering tour of the Ultimate Universe as Miles searched for his sister, who ended up on the wrong Earth because of something the Maker gave him. The whole thing just didn’t click with me. I didn’t think the writer, Cody Ziglar, was quite ready for the story, and each issue felt worse than the last, even with Deniz Camp helping out. Jonas Scharf’s art was good, but the book felt dead on arrival, unfortunately.

9) Did Right: The First Year

2024 was a fantastic year for the Ultimate line of comics. Titles like Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate X-Men, and Ultimate Black Panther launched the line successfully, with Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate X-Men becoming particularly popular and driving strong sales. While Ultimate Black Panther didn’t sell as many copies, readers who discovered it loved it. The launch of The Ultimates in the summer, along with the Ultimate Universe: One Year In collection, made for an incredible first year that fans still remember fondly.

8) Mistake: The Second Year of Ultimate Spider-Man

The first year of Ultimate Spider-Man was fantastic, ending with a truly memorable cliffhanger. Unfortunately, the second year didn’t live up to the hype. The focus shifted away from Peter Parker and his family, and the story became dominated by the conflict between the Green Goblin, Mysterio, and Kingpin’s Sinister Six, featuring Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy. While Richard Parker’s portrayal as Venom and his connection with Black Cat were highlights, the second year ultimately disappointed. Readers were eager to see more of the Parker family, but the book delivered the opposite, falling from a high point to a major letdown.

7) Did Right: Ultimate Universe: One Year In Was Hype

The first year of the Ultimate Universe comic line was a huge success, capped off by the fantastic Ultimate Universe: One Year In from Deniz Camp, Chris Condon, Jonas Scharf, and Alessandro Cappuccio. This story delivers a standout Nick Fury adventure, showing his work with HAND—the Ultimate Universe’s version of SHIELD—and a pivotal choice with major consequences. The book concluded by hinting at Ultimate Wolverine, building excitement for what was to come and leaving fans eager for the next year of Ultimate Universe stories. It perfectly generated buzz and heightened anticipation.

6) Mistake: Ultimate Wolverine Was Too Basic

Chris Condon, Alessandro Cappuccio, Derek Lins, and Domenico Carbone’s Ultimate Wolverine is a letdown, especially considering the potential of the new Ultimate Universe. While the artwork is consistently excellent, the story itself is a very simple and familiar Wolverine tale. The initial premise – Logan being captured and turned into a Winter Soldier by the Eurasian Republic – promised something exciting, but the series quickly fell into a rehash of the Weapon X storyline, focusing on de-programming and a fight against the Eurasian Republic. The first six issues showed promise, but everything after that has been uninspired and predictable, relying heavily on the strong visuals. Ultimately, Marvel missed an opportunity with Wolverine in 2025, and this book was a significant reason why.

5) Did Right: Married Peter Parker and Mary Jane

The storyline “One More Day” ended Spider-Man’s marriage in 2007, and fans have been upset about it ever since. It surprised many readers when Marvel announced Peter Parker and Mary Jane would be married in the Ultimate Spider-Man series, especially considering Marvel’s apparent dislike of the original marriage. Though the series didn’t handle the couple perfectly over time – a problem it also had with other aspects of Peter’s story – it was enjoyable to see a more mature, married Peter and Mary Jane. The series actually sold better than Amazing Spider-Man thanks to the marriage, and it would be great if Marvel acknowledged how much fans appreciate this relationship.

4) Mistake: Keeping Most of the Maker Story in The Ultimates

The storyline began with Ultimate Invasion, which introduced the Maker and hinted at his eventual return after two years. Ultimate Universe #1 added more details, but the Maker’s plot didn’t really continue until The Ultimates comic series. However, there was a problem: if you only read the main Ultimate titles like Ultimate Spider-Man or Ultimate X-Men and skipped Ultimate Invasion (which was hard to find and not widely purchased), you’d be completely lost. This was a significant issue, because readers who started with Ultimate Endgame without knowing the story from The Ultimates wouldn’t understand how the Maker gained so much power.

3) Did Right: The Ultimates‘ Politics

Deniz Camp has quickly become a popular writer, largely thanks to his work on The Ultimates, which has reached a wider audience than ever before. While he’s a talented superhero and sci-fi author, it’s his strong political views that truly make his work stand out. The Ultimates tackles real-world political issues within a superhero setting, portraying a world dominated by a tyrannical leader. The book is openly progressive, and this political stance has helped it gain attention at a time when such viewpoints are often marginalized. It elevates what could have been a standard superhero story into something truly exceptional.

2) Mistake: Ending It

The news that Marvel was ending the Ultimate Universe came as a real surprise to many fans. Although the comics weren’t as strong in their second year, people were still enjoying them and eager to see what would happen next. The announcement of the ending quickly shifted fans’ feelings about the entire universe. While readers had some concerns about the second year, they hoped things would improve with Ultimate Endgame. Removing that potential future made them less forgiving of any ongoing issues, and ultimately turned a beloved world into a major letdown.

1) Did Right: Ultimate X-Men Was the Most Unique Marvel Comic in Years

X-Men fans haven’t had much to celebrate lately, as Marvel’s recent mutant comics have been disappointing. However, one title really stood out: Ultimate X-Men by Peach Momoko. This comic reimagined the classic teenage mutant concept, setting it in Japan and blending it with the atmosphere of horror manga. The result was a captivating, slow-building story that many fans considered the best mutant comic in years. While the ending wasn’t perfect – it was good, but left things unresolved – it’s hoped that the story will continue in Ultimate Endgame. Overall, Ultimate X-Men has been a highlight of Marvel’s new Ultimate line.

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2026-04-01 16:14