Jonathan Hickman's 'Ultimate Spider-Man' #1 Makes the Most Daring Storytelling Choice in Spider-Man History

They said it would never happen. They said it couldn’t be done. Yet in today’s ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1, Marvel readers saw Uncle Ben alive and well!

The debut issue of Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto’s new ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN series was packed with startling revelations, including this sharp storytelling turn for one of pop culture’s most famous super hero origin stories and most notable deaths! In ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1, fans met an older Peter Parker who, despite his heroic nature, never became Spider-Man! Instead he’s a devoted husband to Mary Jane, a dedicated father to two kids, and works at the Daily Bugle alongside his beloved uncle—Ben Parker!

Having never fell victim to a burglar’s senseless crime, the Uncle Ben of this new Ultimate Universe plays an active role is his nephew’s adult life, inspiring him in a very different—but no less impactful—way than the late Uncle Ben does for the main universe’s Peter Parker. Now, thanks to intervention from Tony Stark, Peter is reclaiming a life that was stolen from him and beginning his career as Spider-Man.

Uncle Ben will be an important figure in the new ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN saga as Ben, an award-winning journalist, and his trusted partner and friend J. Jonah Jameson pursue the truth of this corrupt world and the unrest that’s stirring around every corner—starting with discovering the identity of the newly emerged Green Goblin!

"This is a Peter Parker who not only didn’t get bit by a spider when he was a teenager, but a Peter Parker who also never lost his Uncle Ben," Editor Wil Moss said. "Now that he has become Spider-Man when he’s a full-grown adult, how will having Ben in his life affect who he is as a hero? It’s a fundamental shift in the Spider-Man mythos, and Jonathan and Marco are really going to surprise you with how it affects Spider-Man’s journey as a hero, I guarantee."

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN is the first launch in Marvel’s new ULTIMATE line that was born out of Hickman and Bryan Hitch’s ULTIMATE INVASION series. The saga began with the Maker, one of the final survivors of the doomed Ultimate Universe, travelling back in time on a parallel Earth to create a world without heroes. He succeeded in preventing various iconic heroes from achieving their destiny and ruled this world in secret through various global factions.

Now, he’s vanished and a secret war has broken out across the planet to shape what will happen to his kingdom. Some want to control the world. Some want to free it. After discovering the dark truth, a young Tony Stark embarks on a ambitious mission to make things right, starting with gifting a certain genetically enhanced arachnid to a man named Peter Parker!

Filled with modern takes on classic Marvel ideas and characters, the new Ultimate Universe is ripe for rich storytelling and a perfect evolution of the Ultimate brand. See it grow and develop in upcoming issues of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN, ULTIMATE BLACK PANTHER, and March’s ULTIMATE X-MEN along with more Ultimate titles launching in the months ahead.

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art and Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTO
Colors by MATTHEW WILSON
On Sale Now!

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1 Second Printing

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1
Second Printing Variant Cover by R.B. SILVA
On Sale 2/21

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #2

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #2
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art and Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTO
Colors by MATTHEW WILSON
On Sale 2/21

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #3

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #3
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art and Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTO
Colors by MATTHEW WILSON
On Sale 3/27

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #4

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #4
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art and Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTO
Colors by MATTHEW WILSON
On Sale 4/24

The second printing of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1 will conveniently hit stands on the same day as ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #2. Check out R.B. Silva’s new cover along with the cover for April’s ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #4 and preorder both today at your local comic shop!

Grab these comics and more at your local comic book shop! Or redeem then read your digital copy on the Marvel Unlimited app by using the code found in your print comic. Find and support your local comic book shop at ComicShopLocator.com.

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