Marvel To Relaunch The Ultimate Universe With Three New Series

It's been fourteen years since Marvel launched its Ultimate line of comics, with the goal of establishing a universe in which its characters were younger and modern, and where many of the continuity restrictions of the established Marvel line didn't apply. Over that time, many changes have been made and several significant characters have died -- most notably Peter Parker, who was replaced in the role of Spider-Man by young hero Miles Morales.

Now, the Ultimate line will once again embrace change. Following the conclusion of the current line-wide Cataclysm event -- featuring the heroes of that universe facing off against Galactus -- Marvel has announced Ultimate Marvel NOW, an initiative that will see a new direction and new titles from creators Brian Michael Bendis, David Marquez, Joshua Hale Fialkov, Michel Fiffe and more.

It all begins in April, following the final issue of Cataclysm, which leads into the line's new look. "They're able to win the day, but at great sacrifice, a sacrifice that is so huge that it changes the entire landscape," Cataclysm writer Bendis told the AP. "It creates a place that demands a fresh start from everyone who surveys it." Bendis and Marquez, the team behind the current Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, will continue their work with Miles Morales in the new Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man, with the writer noting that the character's "entire life as a human being has changed."

In addition to his solo title, Morales will lead a team of young heroes in the series All-New Ultimates, written by Fiffe, whose work on the self-published Copra we've covered extensively, and illustrated by Amilcar Pinna. The team will also include Kitty Pryde, Bombshell, Cloak and Dagger, and a new Black Widow. "In All-New Ultimates, we'll see this eclectic group of super-powered teens step up, live fast and maybe even die hard," says series editor Mark Paniccia.

And the third title will be Ultimate FF. Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov and illustrated by Mario Guevara, Ultimate FF will focus on the core members of the Future Foundation, "a team of geniuses, four of the smartest people in the Ultimate universe," according to Fialkov. The team includes Sue Storm and Tony Stark, among others, and one missing member who Fialkov described as "a psychopath."

"Once again, we're destroying something and building something new, but there's an end game in sight," says Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso. "We created the line to take chances."

"The long and short of it is this: The Ultimate (universe) benefits from a good, old kick in the butt."