After the worlds-shaking conclusion of Ultimate Invasion, a new team of heroes bands together to save the future! Ultimate Universe #1 kicks off a new series focused on the fallout of Ultimate Invasion and in many ways washing away that bump in the road.

Ultimate Universe #1 has a team of Iron Lad and Doom attempting to right the changes to the world that the Maker has made. It’s an interesting concept overall, something that feels a bit fresh and new in some ways, though been done before elsewhere. To right those changes, they need a team and first up is breaking out Thor who has been imprisoned for something. From there, we get some solid action and an interesting direction that really makes this debut stand out.

I’ll admit, Ultimate Invasion was a letdown. The Ultimate Universe has been teased for some time, and while that series had some good ideas, it overall felt rushed and unfocused. Thankfully, Ultimate Universe #1 is much more focused with some concepts from writer Jonathan Hickman that feel interesting and new and creates actual stakes in the game beyond saving the world.

This new team of heroes threaten to shake up the status-quo which Hickman focused so much on in the lead up series. If successful, they will have pulled the power from various groups and individuals who rule over their region. There’s something very fantasy about it all and delivers a different angle to approach this new Ultimate Universe from than just superheroes getting their powers and the fallout from that.

The art by Stefano Caselli is great. With color by David Curiel and Joe Caramagna, the comic has a level of energy about it that pops from the page. It has a look that feels a bit like it’d fit right into the previous Ultimate line of comics but at the same time stands on its won. Caselli and the team nail the key moments creating memorable visuals that create the excitement the comic is going for.

Ultimate Universe #1 is a solid start of the new Ultimate Universe. It ends things in a very interesting spot and position that again has echoes of some other stories but really shakes things up moving forward. While Ultimate Invasion had my excitement for what’s to come diminished, Ultimate Universe #1 gets that excitement right back to where it was. Here’s hoping this is the real sign up what’s to come.

Story: Jonathan Hickman Art: Stefano Caselli
Color: David Curiel Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle