Marvel’s new Ultimate Universe line will get a familiar addition this summer, as The Ultimates, featuring an Avenger-esque team with Iron Lad, Captain America, Thor, Sif and more, will debut from the team of writer Deniz Camp and artist Juan Frigeri.
The title joins Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate X-Men and Ultimate Black Panther as part of the Jonathan Hickman-architected line-up of what could arguably be called Marvel’s most exciting launch in quite awhile.
“The new Ultimates line is the most exciting super hero comics event in years, and it’s humbling to be a part of it,” Camp said. “We are reinventing these classic characters and archetypes to be as surprising and vital as when they were first introduced. Our Ultimates is an evolution not just of the Avengers, but of the whole super hero team concept; from the grand and operatic to the small and personal, The Ultimates will feel like no Avengers or Ultimates comic ever before! That’s our ambition, anyway; tune in to find out if we succeed.“
The new series spins out of Ultimate Universe #1 and also ties into what we’ve been seeing in the new Ultimate Universe titles like Ultimate Spider-Man:
Months ago, Tony Stark sent Peter Parker a radioactive spider to set him back on the course to become Spider-Man. Since then, Iron Lad (Stark), Captain America, Doom, Thor, and Sif have begun to do the same for other lost heroes, building a network of super-powered heroes hungry for change… Now, they must band together to destroy the Maker’s Council and restore freedom and free will to a world ruled from the shadows!
Interestingly, Camp’s career in comics kicked off with a contest hosted by the writer of the original Ultimates title, Mark Millar, who helped redefine superhero comics about 20 years ago with artist Bryan Hitch.
“On a personal note, my first big break in comics was winning the Millarworld talent competition, so there is a strange, sweet symmetry to taking on the title Mark and Bryan pioneered 20+ years ago,” Camp said. “We’re doing everything we can to live up to the Ultimates name, and the high bar set by Jonathan, Marco [Checchetto], and all the Ultimate creative teams so far!”
Look for the first issue on June 5.