Ultimate Invasion

Ultimate Invasion is a four-issue American comic book limited series written by Jonathan Hickman, drawn by Bryan Hitch and colored by Alex Sinclair. The first issue was published by Marvel Comics on June 21, 2023. The storyline shows Maker (the Reed Richards of Earth-1610) manipulating a new Earth called Earth-6160.

Issue 1
Two months ago at the Blaakguard Building, a group of armed mercenaries raid it where they steal some key cards off the people they knocked down with their sonic weapons. Using the key cards, they make their way to the sub-level where they find a special prison containing the man who contracted them to break him out. Once they open the prison, they are greeted by Maker as they give him his outfit. When the mercenaries are ordered to remove their masks, Maker identifies them as Dominic Green, Misha Slope, Randall West, and two other members as Maker learns that Keith and Itchy perished in a freak accident where they had to improvise. Maker then places his outfit on and then uses a device to merge the mercenaries into a look-alike of him to fool everyone as he takes his leave. Six weeks ago at the Blaakguard Building, Mister Fantastic and Black Panther are looking through the rubble. They arrive at where Maker is imprisoned as the imposter Maker disintegrates. One week later, the Maker infiltrates the Baxter Building to obtain a dossier that Mister Fantastic has that documents the origins of Earth-616's heroes, while inadvertently waking up Franklin Richards in the process. The next day at the Necropolis, Mister Fantastic informs his fellow Illuminati members Black Bolt, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Namor, and Professor X on what had happened. They each state about how Maker came to each of their locations. Maker stole some Vibranium from Wakanda, four Terrigen Spheres from Arctilan, a bridge from a Stark Warehouse, a Mutant Gateway from Krakoa, absconded with an immunity lance from the Sanctum Sanctorum, and stole some diluted shields from Atlantis. They figure out what he is building. Meanwhile, Maker arrives at the Morales family's apartment where his arrival awakens Miles Morales. He claims to Miles that they have a shared history of being from Earth-1610 and tries to get him to go home with him. With Miles unconvinced, Maker states that the offer still stands if he changes his mind and gives Miles a blank card as he disappears. Moments later, the Illuminati confront Maker as he claims that he is using a portal to go to the one place where he can call his own. Despite the Illuminati's attacks, Maker escapes through the portal as they vow to find him. Before he departs, The Maker asks Mister Fantastic if he would erase him from existence, with Mister Fantastic responding with "yes". The Maker then remarks he'll "keep that in mind". On Earth-6160, 15-year old Peter Parker and Liz Allan arrive at the demonstration of the Isotope Genome Accelerator. When a spider gets affected by its radioactive waves, it tries to bite Peter only for Maker in his Reed Richards appearance to smack it and contain its corpse, preventing Peter from obtaining any powers.

Issue 2
In Earth-6160, the Maker has been busy doing some changes. He placed Loki on the throne of Asgard with Thor bowing to him, shattered the Bifrost Bridge, delayed the rocket launch so that Reed Richards' crew wouldn't fly into a cosmic storm, and enabled Howard Stark and Obadiah Stane to become partners. Though there were some thing he wasn't able to prevent, such as Bruce Banner becoming Hulk and still hasn't found where Captain America's frozen body is. The Maker has established The City in Latveria. His memory log of Earth-6160's inhabitants stated that Jim Hammond, Bucky Barnes, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm are dead, Robert Grayson, Jack Monroe, Peter Parker, Hank Pym, and Janet van Dyne are inactive, Thor and Doctor Strange are captured, and Reed Richards, Howard Stark, and Bruce Banner are controlled. It is then shown that Howard Stark is the Iron Man of Earth-6160 with Tony Stark working at Stark Industries. He and Obadiah arrive at The City where the convergence of incorporated nation-states would occur. Also in attendance are an enlightened Hulk and his fellow monks, Sunfire, Viper, and Silver Samurai representing that Harada-Yoshida Alliance, Colossus, Magik, and Omega Red of the Rasputin family. The Maker comes out of The City to greet them as he quotes "Well, I'm waiting." A wormhole opens up as clones of Captain America, Giant-Man, Thor, Vision, and Wasp attack The city. As Howard Stark didn't bring his armor as advised, Obadiah had brought his armor and fights the clone army until he is killed by a Vision clone. Hulk, the Harada-Yashida Alliance, and the Rasputin family fight the clone army and slay most of them as Howard falls unconscious. The Maker later wakes Howard up and informs him that Obadiah is dead. He is then shown the captive clones that survived, as the Maker explains to Howard that these were a group of temporal suicide bombers from the future as a group of people are herded in. The Maker has the group of innocents vaporized, with the captive clones disintegrating following this, proving to Howard that they were from the future. When Howard expresses his concerns that they'll try to go back and kill the Maker in his crib, the Maker explains to Howard that he is not of this Earth and that if they were to take him out, it would be at the height of his power. Then he shows Howard the Immortus Engine, a time machine which he used to remake Earth-6160 into what it is now. When Howard exclaims that because of the Maker's actions messing up the timeline and that more will come after him, the Maker then removes his helmet to show off a missing part of his head from a previous attack from the future, where it will take time for him to heal after he previously rearranged some of his organs, but laments that the attack gave him amnesia. The Maker then goes on to state to Howard that he needs him because of his theory that Howard is the one built the Immortus Engine.

Issue 3
At Obadiah Stane's funeral, Tony Stark gives his dad his condolences for the loss of Obadiah. Howard tells Tony that they are going away for a while. Two days ago, Howard Stark meets Emmanuel da Costa of the Society of South America who states that he has followed his life's work. While giving his condolences for Obadiah's death, Emmanuel mentioned that Obadiah was usually the ones who handled the "high-level" gatherings while as Howard mentions how Silver Samurai kept him from interacting with Sunfire. Emmanuel mentions that this is protocol as the "Sun Emperor" doesn't speak when his mask is on and that Viper does most of the speaking. Then he states that some of those conversations are the same with the Upper and Lower Kingdoms as Lord Ra prefers to speak when the Sun is up and Lord Khonshu does the same when the Moon is out. Emmanuel then introduces Howard to Henri Duggary of the European Union as Hulk asks Emmanuel about the meaning of the attack that occurred. He is told by Emmanuel that there is no word about it yet as Hulk gives his condolences to Howard. Magik then speaks out before everyone demanding the information on who attacked them and where the Maker is. Howard then notes to Henri that he had heard that the Rasputins are the European Union's enemies as Emmanuel was surprised that Obadiah didn't tell Howard how everything works here. Hulk even comments that everyone takes turns playing the "adversary" here like the Rasputins are doing right now. The Maker then arrives claiming that "The little people hate us--We giants who rule the lands". As Howard is welcomed into the group, he asks the Maker what the "real work" is that they do. Maker then quotes "Now we are getting somewhere". Back in the present, Howard and Tony board their helicopter to head back to Stark Tower. Tony suggests to his dad that he should make the logical choice and fight them. One day ago at the city, the Maker takes Howard into The City as the Maker tells him that this part of the city is a prison where some truly genius work is done. As Howard states that he works alone when instructed to build the Immortus Engine, the Maker states that nobody works alone as he introduces Howard to Earth-6160's version of Reed Richards, who is wearing a Doctor Doom-like mask. In the far future, the clones of Captain America, Giant-Man, Thor, Vision, and Wasp are assembled by Kang the Conqueror, accustomed with his own Iron Man-like suit, who plans to finally end the Maker.

Issue 4
As Howard and Reed Richards of Earth-6160 are finishing the Immortus Engine, Reed tells Howard that he knows secrets about the Maker, such as where he came from and how he shaped the world into what it is now. With the Immortus Engine now finished, Reed suggests to Howard a feedback mechanism to account for the Immortus Engine to be able to traverse back and forth through time. As Howard asks Reed how long he's been trapped in his lab, Reed remarks how he gave up keeping track of time after the Maker continued to feed him misleading hints and tells Howard he cannot run from who he is. One week later, Howard is about gives the Immortus Engine to the Maker. Howard remarks that the original Immortus Engine was made by someone else, most likely the Maker from the past, with the Maker remarking that maybe he'll take it to his past self and then will make his own Immortus Engine, continuing the loop. Howard then tells the Maker he's grown tired over having to choose between either Maker or Kang, so he has Reed shut down the shield surrounding The City just long enough to allow Kang and army to arrive and seal them in The City with them. The Maker lambasts Howard, telling him that he is the reason why the world he inhabits is the way it is and that Howard can ether run and hide or fight inevitability, as his choice matter very little. Howard then remarks that Maker is wrong and that he has a third choice and is going to take it. As the two armies fight, Maker and Kang find and fight each other, with Kang hitting Maker so hard that he remembers who Kang is. A flashback shows that, when Maker was still developing the world, he used the Immortus Engine to visit the far future to see what became of his empire, only to be greeted by Kang who gave the Maker his original injury and tells Maker he is "witnessing [his] origin". Back in the present, Howard has shut off the damper of the Immortus Engine, intending on taking down both Maker and Kang with it and a big explosion erupts knocking out both armies. Meanwhile at Maker's castle in Latveria, Reed steals the Maker's incomplete Immortus Engine contemplating whether he is making another prison for himself. Before The City's power conduit terminator surge and becomes closed off, Howard takes off Kang's mask to reveal his face only to react with disappointment. One week later, Maker's sovereign bodies have gathered to discuss what has become of both The City and their leader. Lord Ra then mentions that when The City was sealed for a month the first time, a thousand years had passed inside The City. Hulk then mentions how he once asked the Maker if one month was a thousand years in The City, then would three months be three thousand years in the city, with the Maker responding that "some secrets are mine and mine alone". The group then mention how they have two years till The City reopens and deal with whatever was inside, and ask what to do with America and their union now that Obadiah was dead and Howard, presumably, as well. Magik then suggest that they split it up amongst themselves with the group taking a vote to decide to go through with it. At Stark Tower, Reed gives Tony the Maker's broken Immortus Engine, the secret files the Maker kept on everyone, and a letter written by Howard to Tony before he went through with his plan. Tony asks Reed if Howard is dead, with Reed responding that he can't give Tony a definitive answer. Tony remarks that he's going to need a suit. As Tony builds a new suit with the Immortus Engine built into it, Tony remarks that he and Reed have work to do as there were some things Maker missed with Tony now knowing why. When Reed asks if Tony will call himself Iron Man, Tony responds that Iron Man was his father's name and that he'll go by Iron Lad until he comes up with a better name. The epilogue showcases Iron Lad and Reed discovering the frozen body of Captain America with the letter written by Howard overlayed above, telling Tony that he has grown tired of this world and tells Tony that it's never too late for him to change the world. "You just have to fight. And you just have to win".

Epilogue (Ultimate Universe #1: One Shot)
Two weeks have passed since The City was sealed. Reed Richards has taken up the name of Doctor Doom as he and Iron Lad spring Thor from his cell in Asgard. When they reach Mjolnir, they find it guarded by the prison's warden Sif and some Asgardian soldiers. As Iron Lad attacks an Asgardian soldier, Thor calls Mjolnir to him as he defeats the remaining soldiers. Thor then teleports himself, Iron Lad, and Doctor Doom away from the Asgardian prison with Sif caught in the transportation. Moments later at Stark Tower, Iron Lad, Doctor Doom, and Thor stand before a frozen Captain America as Iron Lad states that getting him out will be a complicated process. Iron Lad works to persuade Sif into helping them as Thor is supposed to be the true king which confuses Thor. Doctor Doom states that the Maker had come from a different universe and made Earth-6160 in his image by making it so that the circumstances that made the heroes of this world never occurred and that they are working to undo his changes by using the memory log on Earth-6160's characters while he is trapped in The city. Tony then reveals to Thor and Sif that Thor is supposed to be the rightful king of Asgard, but The Maker helped Loki kill Odin and steal Thor's birthright. Thor then agrees to help Iron Lad and Doctor Doom, with Sif states that she will stick around. Moments later, Iron Lad, Doctor Doom, Thor, and Sif make it to the Maker's castle in Latveria. Thor manages to take down the security guarding the main door as they enter a room filled with different repositories as Doctor Doom advises them to make off with it. Sif mentions that each one must contain a relic of a stolen life with Doctor Doom stating each one "holds around a hundred". Before they can make plans to take each one in trips, they are ambushed by Henri Duggary who wounds Thor and knocks down the rest before Iron Lad fires a laser at his face after Henri sees Tony's face. After Thor manages to the transport the group and one repository back to Stark Tower, Iron Lad uses his father's invention to help heal Thor as Doctor Doom finds a spider in the repository. Back in Latveria, Henri is wearing an eyepatch over his left eye as he informs Viper, Hulk, Magik, Lord Khonshu, and Emmanuel de Costa of what happened and that Howard Stark's son was responsible for his injuries. Hulk gives his condolences to Henri as he claims that Tony "has given us North America". Iron Lad and Doctor Doom see an orbiting space station about to fire as Hulk states to Henri that they intend to frame Tony and his allies as terrorists. The space station fires on New York City as Tony uses the Immortus Engine built into his armor to teleport the group out. Hulk then states to the rest of the leaders that they will pin the destruction on Tony Stark as, while they were the ones who fired it, it was his family's company that built the satellite. The map of the world is then updated by Maker's Council stating that the North American union and its regional subsidiaries have been redistributed. One week later, a news report states that some lives were lost as the newsman states that the names below have perished which includes but are not limited to Emily Osborn, Norman Osborn, and May Parker. In Hi No Kune, a car explosively collided with a bicycle on the street where the driver is in serious condition while the bicyclist escaped without a scratch. There are breakouts of regional infighting in the Upper and Lower Kingdoms and that Tony Stark "retaliated" over what happened to his father and godfather where the newsman states that they may not know why he did it and that he has presumably perished in the blast. What they don't know is that Tony secretly survived.

Publication history
Ultimate Invasion is a four-issue Marvel Comics limited series written by Jonathan Hickman, drawn by Bryan Hitch and colored by Alex Sinclair, which reintroduces the Ultimate Comics universe created by Brian Michael Bendis. Originally, Donny Cates was going to write Ultimate Invasion, as it follows up on his inclusion of the Maker in his Venom run, but after he got into a bad car accident, Hickman was brought on board as the new writer, ultimately going in a different direction. Cates was given a special thanks in the credits of the first issue.

Hickman, in an interview, said "[Revisiting the idea of Ultimate Comics] couldn't be replicating or revisiting what Brian did in the original Ultimates - creating a streamlined, modernized version that would eventually become the spine of the MCU, and it certainly couldn't be what I did, which was a final chapter of a pre-existing universe. We also thought the very idea of Ultimate Comics needed to be inverted from what the original universe was - we wanted this to be something that could really only exist in the comic space: a new way of thinking about, and enjoying, a new version of the Marvel Universe. I'm pretty happy to say that it feels like we’ve accomplished those things and we’re very excited for everyone to get to read it."

Titles involved

 * Ultimate Invasion #1–4
 * Ultimate Universe #1

Reception
Audience reception to Ultimate Invasion is highly positive. On the League of Comic Geeks website, 97% of readers like Ultimate Invasion #1, with it having a 4.1/5 average rating. 95% of readers like Ultimate Invasion #2, with it having a 4.1/5 average rating. The entire event was released to mixed reviews from critics however, with critics giving the event an average rating of 7.3 out of 10 based on 42 reviews.

Future
In June 2023, it was reported that the end of Ultimate Invasion will lead to a new line of titles in the Ultimate Universe line.

The first line of Ultimate Comics titles was announced in October 2023, with:


 * Ultimate Spider-Man by Hickman and Marco Checchetto set to debut in January 2024
 * Ultimate Black Panther by Bryan Hill and Stefano Caselli in February 2024
 * Ultimate X-Men by Peach Momoko in March 2024
 * The Ultimates by Deniz Camp and Juan Frigueri in June 2024