Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1

History

Marvel Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski publicly announced the one-shot concept at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con, framing it as a recap and bridge into the second year of the Ultimate Universe imprint overseen by Jonathan Hickman. The main story was written by Ultimates writer Deniz Camp with art by Jonas Scharf and colors by Mattia Iacono, while a backup story was handled by the incoming Ultimate Wolverine team of writer Chris Condon and artist Alessandro Cappuccio with colors by Bryan Valenza—all edited by Wil Moss. Camp publicly described his threefold goal as creating a new-reader entry point, rewarding long-readers with connective tissue between the four ongoing titles, and building narrative momentum toward the Maker's return. The issue shipped December 11, 2024 with a February 2025 cover date and went to at least three printings, with the spoiler variant cover by Cappuccio specifically spotlighting Wolverine's debut.

Trivia · 8 facts

• First appearance of Ultimate Nick Fury (Earth-6160), depicted as an LMD serving as director of H.A.N.D. (Heroic Anomaly Neutralization Directorate), the Maker's secret police apparatus tasked with suppressing emerging superheroes.
• First appearance of Ultimate Wolverine (Logan/Earth-6160), introduced in his Winter Soldier identity as the weaponized 'most lethal asset' of the Eurasian Republic's Directorate X—a secret mutant-exploitation program created by the Rasputin family (Colossus, Magik, and Omega Red).
• Main story written by Deniz Camp with art by Jonas Scharf and colors by Mattia Iacono; backup story by Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappuccio with colors by Bryan Valenza; both stories lettered by VC's Travis Lanham and edited by Wil Moss.
• The issue is structured entirely from the antagonists' point of view: Nick Fury (LMD) debriefs the Maker's Council—including Captain Britain (Henri Dugarry), the Hulk (Bruce Banner), Magik (Illyana Rasputina), Colossus (Piotr Rasputin), Omega Red (Arkady Rossovich), Silver Samurai (Kenuichio Harada), Sunfire (Shiro Yoshida), Viper (Ophelia Sarkissian), and Emmanuel Da Costa—on the escalating superhero resistance.
• In-story, Nick Fury (LMD) is revealed to be responsible for the deaths of Devil Dinosaur, the Vision (Aarkus), 3-D Man, and Black Bolt; their remains were held at a Damage Control black site previously shown in Free Comic Book Day 2024: Ultimate Universe/Spider-Man #1.
• The Eurasian Republic lore established here—including Directorate X and the Opposition—directly set up the premise and antagonists of the subsequent ongoing series Ultimate Wolverine by Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappuccio (launched January 2025).
• The issue shipped with an extensive variant program: covers by Rafael Albuquerque (main), Frank Miller, Peach Momoko, Marco Checchetto, Stefano Caselli, Dike Ruan, a six-part connecting cover by Josemaria Casanovas spanning the entire Ultimate line (an homage to Jim Lee's X-Men #1), and an Alessandro Cappuccio spoiler variant spotlighting Wolverine; the issue went to at least three printings.
• The issue is collected in Ultimates by Deniz Camp Vol. 2: All Power to the People and in Ultimate Wolverine Vol. 1: The Winter Soldier.

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Variants (11)