It’s Time to Admit It – Ultimate Spider-Man Hasn’t Lived Up to Its Earlier Hype

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When Ultimate Spider-Man (Vol. 3) launched, it felt like exactly what Spider-Man fans needed. A lot of us were getting a little burned out on The Amazing Spider-Man, especially how things were going with Peter and MJ. We were craving something fresh, and this series seemed to promise just that. I was really intrigued because Jonathan Hickman had written Spider-Man before, but mostly in team-ups or shorter stories. Seeing him take on an older, married Peter was a big draw. Plus, Marco Checchetto’s artwork? It all added up to what felt like a truly amazing combination.

For a period, Ultimate Spider-Man was a huge success. It became Marvel’s most popular comic, consistently selling out each month and surpassing all others in sales. It was a remarkably popular title, something the comic world hadn’t seen in years, and it paved the way for other successful Marvel series that fans adored. But eventually, its dominance faded. New titles like the X-Men’s “From the Ashes” reboot and DC’s Absolute line emerged. Even with increased competition, Ultimate Spider-Man issues #11 and #12 were still incredibly well-received. However, things have since changed. The enthusiastic praise has died down, and the comic is no longer a top seller. The series seems to have lost its way, and it might be time to acknowledge that it always had underlying issues.

Ultimate Spider-Man Coasted on the Peter/MJ Status Quo More than Great Storytelling

For a time, Ultimate Spider-Man led a hugely popular series of comics. Titles like Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate X-Men, and Ultimate Black Panther were the most talked-about books in comics during 2024, and they were quickly followed by the successful The Ultimates. While opinions on Ultimate Wolverine were mixed, the entire line felt fresh and exciting, something both Marvel and DC were lacking. Ultimate Spider-Man was particularly successful, boosted by the creative team of Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto, and everything seemed to be coming together perfectly.

Issue #12 of Ultimate Spider-Man felt like a high point, leaving readers eager for what 2025 would bring. Unfortunately, the story took an unexpected turn. The following arc shifted the focus away from Peter Parker and his family, instead centering on the Green Goblin and Mysterio. Despite a year of development, the Parker family felt sidelined, overshadowed by the Osborns. While the comic remained enjoyable, these changes started to become noticeable.

The initial twelve issues of the book could have been much stronger if they’d focused more on establishing Peter Parker as Spider-Man and developing his family relationships. It seems the writer was so busy building the larger world that he neglected to properly develop Peter himself. We didn’t see much of Peter’s growth as a character or a hero. Instead, the story relied on a frustrating technique from the Ultimate series – constantly jumping ahead a month at a time – to explain why he was suddenly improving his fighting skills without actually showing that improvement.

The initial issues of the series were enjoyable, but the story quickly became overly complex, leaving important plot points underdeveloped. While still interesting and entertaining, the comic’s popularity seems to have waned as DC’s own books improved. Initially, fans loved it simply because it featured a highly-regarded writer tackling Spider-Man and reunited Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson. We were so excited about that pairing that we tended to ignore the book’s shortcomings. The flaws were always present, but the positive aspects—especially seeing Peter and MJ together—overshadowed them.

Ultimate Spider-Man‘s Hype Has Overshadowed the Quality of the Book

For a while, Ultimate Spider-Man was the most popular Marvel comic. It was consistently excellent in its first year, with each issue offering something exciting and generating a lot of online buzz. But then other titles like Absolute and DC K.O. emerged, and the Ultimate line lost its top position. Despite initial expectations that it would regain prominence, Ultimate Spider-Man hasn’t been able to recapture that original spotlight.

From the start, this book received a lot of unnecessary hype. It initially thrilled readers, and we were excited to follow Peter and his family in this new world. We were patient with the slow start, assuming the story would continue for a long time. But knowing the series has a limited run makes that slow pace feel like a mistake. We were promised something that will now never happen, which adds a layer of disappointment. Ultimately, Ultimate Spider-Man didn’t live up to our expectations.

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2025-12-23 18:15