Imperial #4
(W) Jonathan Hickman (A) Iban Coello, Federico Vicentini
(C) Federico Blee (L) Cory Petit
(CA) Marcho Checchetto, Marte Gracia (VCA) Javier Garrón and Jesus Aburtov, Jeeyung Lee, Logan Lubera and Israel Silva, NetEase Games, Simone Di Meo, Skottie Young
WAR!
The cosmic side of the Marvel Universe is experiencing a radical transformation in Imperial, the four-issue event series by Jonathan Hickman, Iban Coello, and Federico Vicentini. In its wake, a new era of space storytelling begins with series launches like Planet She-Hulk, Nova: Centurion, and Black Panther: Intergalactic, a four-issue limited series by acclaimed writer Victor LaValle and rising star artist Stefano Nesi.
Black Panther: Intergalactic is part of the first wave of series spinning out of Imperial, an epic saga that shatters the existing status quo of the Marvel cosmos and establishes a new intergalactic order among its most powerful empires, including the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda. In last month’s Imperial War: Black Panther one-shot, T’Challa restored his people’s honor after they were framed for the assassinations that ignited this galaxy-spanning conflict. Now, his search for the truth continues. As T’Challa dives deeper into a deadly conspiracy, trouble brews back home and forces emerge that are determined to keep T’Challa from returning to the Wakandan throne. It’s a startling chapter for Black Panther who finds himself alone in space, armed with nothing but his intellect and strength against unseen threats and the future of Wakanda depending on his survival!
THE INTERGALACTIC EMPEROR OF WAKANDA!
T’Challa, the King of Wakanda, faces the challenge of uniting all of his kingdom – on Earth and in the stars! Before he can begin, though, someone – or something – steals him away to a mysterious planet where the Black Panther must fight for his life! Shuri, his sister, works to find him – but with the king and princess distracted, will someone else seize the title of Emperor of Wakanda?!
T’Challa isn’t the only hero navigating these strange new spaceways. Planet She-Hulk by Stephanie Phillips and Aaron Kuder is a solo series unlike any other in She-Hulk’s history as she uses her brains and brawn to maintain order on the savage planet of Sakaar. Nova: Centurion by Jed MacKay and Álvaro López sees Marvel’s oldest and most iconic cosmic heroes doing whatever it takes to keep the memory of his people alive amidst the corrupt system now governing the stars. Learn about the second issues, on sale in December, of these highly anticipated series, both launching in November.
A HERO ON THE EDGE! Jennifer Walters may be a trained lawyer and professional…but how much help is that going to be in a world governed by “Might Makes Right”? Fortunately, she’s also the gamma-fueled powerhouse known as the Sensational She-Hulk! Can she really smash the planet Sakaar into peace the way her cousin once did? Find out in Planet She-Hulk #2!
RAVENOUS! Taking a job for the gangsters of the Kree/Skrull War, Nova hunts a mysterium thief in Nova: Centurion #2. But business becomes personal when the trail leads to an old nemesis, and the opportunity to settle old scores going back to the Annihilation War becomes worth more than any reward. Enter the murderer of untold Nova Corpsmen: Ravenous!
The Marvel cosmos is no more. Long live THE UNION!
Imperial #3
(W) Jonathan Hickman (A) Iban Coello, Federico Vicentini (CA) Marco Checchetto
In Shops: Aug 20, 2025
SRP: $4.99
The conflict begins to spread out to the wider universe! We find out who’s really orchestrating the great game of cosmic houses as the last chance to stop a universal war presents itself. Will our heroes be able to stop it in time?
As the conflict begins to spread out to the wider universe! We find out who’s really orchestrating the great game of cosmic houses as the last chance to stop a universal war presents itself. Will our heroes be able to stop it in time? Imperial #3 pulls back the curtain of who’s behind the chaos with major implications.
Imperial #3 promised a reveal of who has been behind the cosmic chaos and it delivers with an intriguing examination of the puppet masters and then an ending that shakes up the entire Marvel Universe, not just the cosmic portion. Written by Jonathan Hickman, this series has delivered with every issue, nailing down its teases and filling them with action and surprises. Under Hickman’s guidance, Marvel’s cosmic characters didn’t just wake up, they’ve come back with a massive explosion.
It’s hard to really describe what makes Imperial #3 solid without spoilers. Part of the comic is a trio of characters attempting to stop war from spreading while the other half is who is behind it all. There’s been teases as to one based on what has been presented, a chess like game and blue hand, making it clear who one is. But, the second individual is a surprise and just the tip of the iceberg as to what’s going on. For those who have been paying attention, there’s been a major absence in Marvel comics and this issue marks a big return with a clear direction.
The art by Iban Coello and Federico Vicentini is top notch. With color by Federico Blee and lettering by Cory Petit and Ariana Maher, the visuals go from big action and borderline horror to a more quiet match of minds. The colors and visuals pop with a comic that looks great and echoes earlier cosmic events like the Annihilation saga. The comic hits every beat it needs visually with the fear and concern of our trio of heroes and the cold calculation of the revealed villains.
After years of stumbling, the “Marvel Event” is back with both Imperial and One World Under Doom delivering two epic stories that promise to shake up the Marvel Universe going forward, and delivering. Imperial #3 was full of surprises and where those might lead has us excited for what comes next in this series and when everything is settled.
(W) Jonathan Hickman (A) Iban Coello, Federico Vicentini
(C) Federico Blee (L) Cory Petit, Ariana Maher
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
Imperial #3
(W) Jonathan Hickman (A) Iban Coello, Federico Vicentini (CA) Marco Checchetto
In Shops: Aug 20, 2025
SRP: $4.99
The conflict begins to spread out to the wider universe! We find out who’s really orchestrating the great game of cosmic houses as the last chance to stop a universal war presents itself. Will our heroes be able to stop it in time?
Against the fallout of someone mysteriously killing the rulers of the Marvel galactic empires, the fires of war are lit! As that conflict simmers, Nova and Star-Lord race to discover who is behind all these evil acts – a journey that takes them to the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda! Imperial #2 is packed with surprises as reveals come quickly as war is declared.
If Imperial kicked off with a bang, really a poison, Imperial #2 delivers the actual bang. Numerous leaders have been killed with an attack that points to the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda as the perpetrators. We all know this isn’t who’s really behind it, as the comics have teased manipulation by a greater force and political thrillers like this are rarely so straight forward. Writer Jonathan Hickman amps up the action of the issue as forces muster and the assault against the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda comes in many forms and tactics. And that’s one of the first things that stands out in the issue. Hickman gives thought as to how each force would attack and how they’d play off of each other a bit. With that, we get a space battle that’s epic in scope, scale, and brutal in the results.
But, Imperial #2 really stands out as to how quickly the story moves. Things are compacted in a good way here as the series is rather short for such an event, just four issues and a series of one-shots. With that brevity, it needs to make every issue count and can’t string things along. By the issues end, it’s a bit clearer as to what’s going on, though not totally, as betrayal, reveals, and some crazy action all play out in the epic way that so many stories in Marvel’s cosmic corner have delivered.
Part of that epic sense is due to the art of Iban Coello and Federico Vicentini who are joined by Federico Blee on color and Cory Petit and b on lettering. The visuals are crazy with ships battling and shooting off volleys, assaults from uber power beings, and battles onboard ships that feel claustrophobic and chaotic as they should. All of the characters look great and everyone, and so many moments, stand out. Gladiator telling his forces to hold until its the right moment to strike comes off in such a badass way. It’s a comic whose visuals give it a grand scope the story is going for.
Imperial #2 is a solid issue that wastes no time at all. Two issues in and this event has lit a fire in Marvel’s cosmic corner and if it keeps it up, this is a story that’ll be up there with other modern Marvel cosmic stories like Annihilation. It’s delivered in every way, storytelling and art, and has kept its promise to shake up this underused setting and underused characters. It’s an event that delivers as promised.
Story: Jonathan Hickman Art: Iban Coello, Federico Vicentini
Color: Federico Blee Letterer: Cory Petit, Ariana Maher
Story: 8.75 Art: 8.75 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
Imperial #2
(W) Jonathan Hickman (A) Iban Coello, Federico Vicentini
Rated T+
In Shops: Jul 09, 2025
SRP: $4.99
Against the fallout of someone mysteriously killing the rulers of the Marvel galactic empires, the fires of war are lit! As that conflict simmers, Nova and Star-Lord race to discover who is behind all these evil acts — a journey that takes them to the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda!
Imperial, a four-issue event series by visionary writer Jonathan Hickman and superstar artists Iban Coello and Federico Vicentini, is reshaping the Marvel cosmos and ushering in a new era of galactic storytelling, starting with five Imperial War one-shots! Today, fans can learn about the last of these one-shots, Imperial War: Imperial Guardians, hitting stands in October.
Imperial War: Imperial Guardians #1 will be written by Dan Abnett, the influential storyteller behind Marvel space epics like Annihilation and War of the Kings, and drawn by Cory Smith, the acclaimed artist known for his work on Nova and more recently, Fantastic Four. Co-written by Hickman, all five Imperial War one-shots represent key chapters of the overall Imperial narrative and lay the foundation for upcoming series launching in this burgeoning cosmic landscape. In Imperial Guardians, CAPTAIN MARVEL, GAMORA, and DARKHAWK and more assemble as a new space-faring super team to take on the many threats emerging from the conflict raging across the stars—beginning with a dark conspiracy at the heart of the SKRULL Empire!
As the events of Imperial explode in fatal fashion, the Super-Skrull finds himself at the center of a seditious scheme with consequences that will be felt by the entire cosmos! But he’s not the only superpower looking for answers – an unlikely team is on the hunt to avert disaster before galactic order is lost for good!
Check out the Imperial War: Imperial Guardians #1 cover by Francesco Mortarino and stay tuned for more Imperial announcements later this month at San Diego Comic-Con!
Marvel comics are back on the newsstand with a special Fantastic Four bookazine! Marvel Comics: The Fantastic Four bookazine is available at retail outlets and wherever magazines are sold, bringing together comic book storytelling, film inspirations, deep dives into Marvel’s history, and more for every Marvel fan!
Featuring perfect entry points to learn about Marvel’s First Family, the Fantastic Four bookazine, created and distributed in collaboration with Dotdash Meredith, will include an illustrated look at the origin of the Fantastic Four by renowned artist Alex Ross, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks at Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps, interviews with Marvel Studios Executive Producer Grant Curtis and Creative Director of Visual Development Ryan Meinerding, and three introductory issues of some of the Fantastic Four’s most iconic comic book runs, including:
Along with each full introductory issue to these seminal Fantastic Four comic book arcs spotlighting Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben, readers will receive a code to unlock over $30 in free digital comics to continue each storyline for FREE on the Marvel Unlimited app!
Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.
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Marvel comics are back on the newsstand with a special Fantastic Four bookazine! Starting Friday, July 4, an all-new Marvel Comics: The Fantastic Four bookazine will be available at retail outlets and wherever magazines are sold, bringing together comic book storytelling, film inspirations, deep dives into Marvel’s history, and more for every Marvel fan!
Featuring perfect entry points to learn about Marvel’s First Family, the Fantastic Four bookazine, created and distributed in collaboration with Dotdash Meredith, will include an illustrated look at the origin of the Fantastic Four by renowned artist Alex Ross, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks at Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps, interviews with Marvel Studios Executive Producer Grant Curtis and Creative Director of Visual Development Ryan Meinerding, and three introductory issues of some of the Fantastic Four’s most iconic comic book runs, including:
Along with each full introductory issue to these seminal Fantastic Four comic book arcs spotlighting Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben, readers will receive a code to unlock over $30 in free digital comics to continue each storyline for FREE on the Marvel Unlimited app!
The Fantastic Four bookazine will be available in two collectible covers by Arthur Adams, Christina Strain, and Phil Noto, comic book industry legends.
Discover key moments from throughout the 60+ year history of the Fantastic Four and dive headfirst into the Marvel Universe, just in time for Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps, in theaters July 25. Pick up your copy of Marvel Comics: The Fantastic Four bookazine at your local retail outlet, Amazon, or magazine stand, and experience epic comic book adventures for yourself!
