Publisher Marvel Comics | ||
First appearance Ultimates #1 (October 2015) Created by Al Ewing
Kenneth Rocafort Member(s) Blue Marvel
Black Panther
Spectrum
Ms. America
Captain Marvel | ||
The Ultimates are a group of fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Contents
The team borrows its name from the unrelated team Ultimates, which was the Ultimate Marvel version of the Avengers.
Publication history
In February 2015, Marvel announced that it would be fusing its mainstream universe and Ultimate universe into one following its crossover event, Secret Wars. Its post-Secret Wars branding would be dubbed All-New, All-Different Marvel, where 55 to 60 titles would be a part of this new universe. In late June 2015, a catalogue of 45 of these titles was shipped out to retailers, which quickly were posted online. One of these titles was Ultimates, featuring the cover of the first issue, its team of writer Al Ewing and artist Kenneth Rocafort, and a tagline, which read "Ultimate Problems need Ultimate solutions." The team borrows its name from the original Ultimates, who were the Avengers of the Ultimate universe. On utilizing the name, Ewing told Comics Alliance,
"...they’re the ultimate super team, solving the ultimate problems. They’re generally pretty ultimate. And "The Ultimates" is a fine name for a book — it says it all, really. I don’t see a need to retire it just because the universe it came from is no longer with us."
The team also features an uncommon practice in modern media of having no Caucasian men, the team being diverse in both race and sexuality. On the team's diversity, Ewing said,
"I think it’s important in the way that a roof is important. If you’re moving into a building and the landlord says "oh, and we have — get this — a roof! And four walls! We’re not just a hole someone dug in the street!", you don’t start giving out medals for that. That’s just a basic thing that ought to be standard. It’s just fiction reflecting reality — there are all kinds of people in the world, and we should reflect that properly and try not to screw up. To be honest, I think there’s a long way to go in a lot of ways, both on the page and off."
The team consists of Black Panther, Blue Marvel, Spectrum, Ms. America, and Captain Marvel.
In Marvel NOW! (2016), the Ultimates broke up but are later reunite and were asked to become the heralds of Galactus, who is now the Lifebringer of Worlds.
Fictional team biography
Black Panther, Blue Marvel, Spectrum, Ms. America, and Captain Marvel come together to deal with cosmic threats to Earth and the larger universe.
The Ultimates begin their mission by dealing with Galactus. They retrieve Galactus' incubator and force him into it. This time, Galactus emerges from it as a lifebringer instead of a Devourer of Worlds. His first act is to restore Archeopia, the first victim of his hunger.
While the Ultimates were in Exo-Space upon arriving there in their ship the Abeona, they encountered Blue Marvel's old enemy Anti-Man whose body had reassembled there. Although Blue Marvel wanted to kill Anti-Man, having deemed him too dangerous, he ended up sparing him upon being convinced by his son Kevin who was also in Exo-Space. Instead, Blue Marvel brought him back to the Abeona so that he and the Ultimates can fix him.
During the Civil War II storyline, Ulysses later received a vision that tipped off Blue Marvel about Infinaut's ninth manifestation attempt enabling him, Giant-Man, and the Ultimates to work on a Pym Particle accelerator within a week. When the day in question happened, Blue Marvel and the Ultimates used the Pym Particle accelerator to anchor Infinaut and shrink him down to human size. When he finally spoke to Blue Marvel and the Ultimates, Infinaut was pleased to finally meet them.