It’s official: the clock is ticking for Marvel’s Ultimate Universe. Just announced at New York Comic Con 2025, the innovative line of titles (which successfully rebooted iconic characters and bold storytelling for a new generation) is coming to a definitive close next year.
The news broke during Marvel’s Next Big Thing Panel, where Head of Marvel Comics and Franchise Dan Buckley, Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski, and several key creative talents revealed the final issues for all five Ultimate titles, much to the surprise of attending fans.
That return is the catalyst for the five-issue event series ULTIMATE ENDGAME, launching in December 2025. This climactic showdown will bring together all five Ultimate titles (ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN, ULTIMATE BLACK PANTHER, ULTIMATE X-MEN, ULTIMATES, and ULTIMATE WOLVERINE) for their final arcs.
The conclusion dates are:
- ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #24 in December 2025
- ULTIMATE BLACK PANTHER #24 in January 2026
- ULTIMATE X-MEN #24 in February 2026
- ULTIMATES #24 and ULTIMATE WOLVERINE #16 in April 2026
The creative teams promised a powerful, definitive ending. As ULTIMATES (2024) writer Deniz Camp put it: “It really is the culmination of everything Jonathan began. Everything from my book and everyone else’s book is converging. It’s gonna be definitive, it’s going to be big, it’s going to be emotional, there’s going to be death…it’s just wild.”
Even as the Ultimate Universe closes its doors, its impact will be felt in the main 616 Marvel Universe. The “Origin Boxes” the Maker used to suppress heroes’ powers will be carried back to the 616 by Miles Morales in ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN: INCURSION #5, setting the stage for new developments throughout 2026.
Head of Marvel Comics and Franchise Dan Buckley ensured fans that this complete saga will be one for the ages: “You’ll be able to take this journey (the beginning, middle, and end) and digest it for years to come and pass it on to others.”
Check out the covers below:
While it’s sad to see these fantastic stories end, it’s exciting to know we’re getting a complete, intentional saga! Are you ready for ULTIMATE ENDGAME?
