“We can fix it.” That’s what Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Lad, told the new Ultimates six months after his father, Howard Stark/Iron Man, was trapped in the City with the Maker. The team — Asgardians Thor and Sif, World War II super soldier Steve Rogers/Captain America, and Reed Richards/Doom, last surviving member of the Fantastic Four — had two years to fix the world before the Maker, Reed’s villainous counterpart from the old Ultimate Universe, would be freed from his prison.
Using the Maker’s files, Stark set out to form the Ultimate Network: a superhero resistance network to unmake the world that the Maker created using a time machine, the Immortus Engine. Thinking four dimensionally, they began building the Ultimates 1.0 six months in the past, but after some disastrous results, Tony ruled out time travel and upgraded to the Ultimates 2.0, who had 18 months to make their mark.
Issues of Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri’s Ultimates run have been progressing in real time since launching in June 2024, and as of April’s Ultimates #11, there are just seven months remaining until the Maker’s return.
Stark has already provided heroes like Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Carl Lucas/Luke Cage with the “origin boxes” that helped set them on paths they would have taken were it not for the Maker’s interference, and in the past 11 months, the Ultimates have recruited the likes of Hawkeye (Charli Ramsey), She-Hulk (Lejori Joena Zakaria), Giant-Man (Hank Pym), Wasp (Janet van Dyne), the Human Torch (Jim Hammond), and America Chavez to their ranks.
The Ultimates have targeted the Maker’s Council, battling the Hulk’s Immortal Weapons and Captain Britain, agents of the H.A.N.D., and the Grand Skull and the Red Skulls, but they’re facing a grave threat: Ultimates #11 ended with Doom showing Stark a glimpse of a future where the Ultimates 2.0 are dead at the Hulk’s hand.
After the Hulk nearly killed Iron Lad during their last encounter (back in Ultimates #6), the young Stark’s mission has been impacted “dramatically,” Camp told Marvel.com, adding, “Whether that’s put him (and the Ultimates) on a better or worse path, I think, is the more interesting question.”
With June’s Ultimates #13 marking the start of the Ultimates’ second year and six months remaining until the Maker returns, the titular team will undergo another upgrade: Ultimates 3.0.
“As readers who follow the solicits will know, it’s the next evolution of the book and the team — Ultimates 3.0,” Camp said. “I don’t want to get too deep into the details—that’s what the book is for!—but things change dramatically for every member of the team and the very nature of how the Ultimates operates. There is a palpable urgency to the book, as time runs out.”
Ultimates #14 will not only introduce the Ultimate Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver to the new Ultimate Universe, but yet another character with ties to the Hellfire Club. (Whether it’s the ultimate version of Emma Frost, the White Queen, remains to be seen.)
“As always, introducing new characters is a big part of the series,” Camp teased. “We’ve already announced Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver — and there will be another fan favorite making an appearance in that issue. Later issues will introduce notable names and some less notable names. Plus we’ll see various villains and radical groups we’ve introduced in the series come back into play. Year Two is wild and even more filled with ideas and earth-shattering changes than before.”
“Remember,” Camp added. “This is a rescue mission.”
THE ULTIMATE FRACTURE! Dissent destroys the Ultimates as a disagreement long developing between two members of the team leads to a devastating departure!
On sale: May 21
THE SECOND YEAR OF THE ULTIMATES STARTS HERE! Time is of the essence! And no one knows that better than Iron Lad… With the Maker set to be released in six months, it’s time to kick off new, more daring actions! Enter: Ultimates 3.0!
On sale: June 18
THE ULTIMATE SCARLET WITCH AND QUICKSILVER! The Ultimates’ next mission? Destroy one of the Hellfire Club’s strongholds! But a dangerous pair of twins complicates matters…
On sale: July 30
“We can fix it.” That’s what Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Lad, told the new Ultimates six months after his father, Howard Stark/Iron Man, was trapped in the City with the Maker. The team — Asgardians Thor and Sif, World War II super soldier Steve Rogers/Captain America, and Reed Richards/Doom, last surviving member of the Fantastic Read More