SDCC | ‘Ultimate Endgame’ begins in December as ‘Ultimate Spider-Man’ ends

Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto’s final issue of Ultimate Spider-Man will arrive in December, just as the Maker returns in Ultimate Endgame.

Hickman attended the Marvel Comics: Ultimate Universe Panel at San Diego Comic-Con today, sharing that the story he and Checchetto have been telling was always meant to end with issue #24.

“This was everything that I pitched,” Hickman said. “Nothing has deviated. It’s been really nice to execute the plan well and everything culminates into this issue. Fans of the Ultimate Universe are going to love it. It’s been a real pleasure being the writer of Ultimate Spider-Man.”

It was almost two years ago that fans were introduced to the Ultimate Universe version of Spider-Man — an older Peter Parker married to Mary Jane and father to two kids who had never been Spider-Man. As the maker tried to supress the hero community, Tony Stark had found a way to bring them back, and one of the first heroes he contacted was Peter Parker.

And now that story will come to an end. Here’s a look at the final cover by Checchetto:

Here are more details on the final issue:

Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto’s generational Spider-Man saga reaches its planned conclusion in ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #24. Fans should prepare themselves for a startling finale that will cement the run as one of the most beloved Spider-Man runs in recent history. Packed with dramatic—and shocking—developments for the entire Parker family—Peter, Mary Jane, Richard, May and Uncle Ben—along with Harry Osborn, Gwen Stacy and more, the issue will also create promising roadmaps for future storytelling.

But as one Ultimate title comes to an end, another will start. Because the Maker’s imprisonment ends in December, and he’s coming back to check on the world whose heroes he manipulated.

Deniz Camp and Jonas Scharf are the creative team for the five-issue series, which will bring together all the Ultimate Universe heroes to meet their Maker.

“This is the craziest and most impactful crossover [I’ve worked on],” Camp said. “I’m really excited about it. It’s all the characters: everyone coming together in this big way, coming up against each other in a big way, and the resolution of some long plot threads we’ve all been seeing. It’s very big, very dramatic, and with the Ultimate Universe, we can change the world. We can actually do it as creators because we have this incredible playground that Marvel has not just allowed, but encouraged us, to use. It’s such an honor to do something like this. It’s been amazing, and this is the culmination of a lot of what we’ve been doing together.”

Hickman also complimented Marvel for letting them tell this story, and also thanked the fans who have supported them.

“Doing this tight continuity stuff, this smaller line… the execution from the company on this has been great, and it’s stuff we should keep trying to do. You guys supporting this book is the only reason we can [tell stories] this way. Hearing you like this gives us the opportunity to do more things like this,” Hickman said.

Ultimate Spider-Man #24 arrives Dec. 24, while Ultimate Endgame #1 arrives Dec. 31.