Marvel's Ultimate Universe Wraps Up: The Full Story

Get ready, Marvel fans: the exciting, reimagined Ultimate Universe (Earth-6160) is officially ending in 2026, culminating in the epic Ultimate Endgame event. This news, dropped at New York Comic Con 2025, has left many surprised, including some of the line's key creators!

TL;DR: The Ultimate Universe's Grand Finale

• Marvel's popular Ultimate Universe (Earth-6160) will officially conclude in April 2026, after just over two years of acclaimed stories.
• The end was announced at New York Comic Con 2025, surprising even the line's architect, Jonathan Hickman.
• The five main Ultimate titles will wrap up between December 2025 and April 2026, all leading into the massive Ultimate Endgame event.

A Shocking Announcement at New York Comic Con 2025

Talk about a mic drop! New York Comic Con 2025 certainly delivered some massive news for Marvel Comics fans, but perhaps none as surprising as the announcement that the relaunched Ultimate Universe (Earth-6160) is officially coming to an end. This line, which kicked off in June 2023 with Jonathan Hickman and Bryan Hitch's Ultimate Invasion, quickly became a fan favorite, with titles like Ultimate Spider-Man consistently topping sales charts and Ultimates even snagging IGN's Best Comic Book Series of 2024 award.

Given the immense success and critical acclaim, many assumed the "endgame" for the current storyline would just be... well, the end of an arc, not the entire universe! But Marvel Comics president Dan Buckley and other executives confirmed that April 2026 will see the definitive conclusion of Earth-6160.

The Ticking Clock: The Maker's Inevitable Return

For those who've been following along, the Ultimate Universe has always had a built-in expiration date. The premise, established in Ultimate Invasion, saw the villainous Maker (an evil Reed Richards from the original Ultimate Universe, Earth-1610) imprison himself in a pocket dimension with a 24-month countdown. This meant that after two years, he'd be free, and heroes like Tony Stark's Iron Lad and his new Ultimates team had that exact amount of time to prepare for his return and rebuild a world without heroes.

The brilliance of this setup was that the comics ran in real-time, meaning that two years in-universe translated to two years for us, the readers. Each issue of Ultimates even featured a "X months remaining" counter, adding a constant sense of urgency. Now, that clock has almost run out, leading directly into the five-issue event series Ultimate Endgame, launching on December 31, 2025. It promises to be a climactic showdown where no character is truly safe.

An Executive Decision to End on a High Note

What makes this ending even more interesting is that it wasn't a unanimous creative choice. Marvel Entertainment president Dan Buckley revealed at NYCC 2025 that the decision to "permanently say goodbye" to Earth-6160 was his. He recounted a conversation with Ultimate Universe architect Jonathan Hickman himself:

"We were at one of those creative retreats and I was sitting next to Jon, we’re just talking, and he’s like, ‘Well, we’re finishing our stories, then you could do that.’ I said, ‘No, you’re done.’"

"I was by myself with Jon, Jonathan’s looking at me, he goes, ‘What do you mean we’re done?’ I said, ‘We’re shutting it down.’ He goes, ‘Why are we shutting it down?’ I said, ‘It’s the end, right?’"

"There’s a lot of story being told here. You’ll be able to take this journey – take the beginning, the middle, and the end – and digest it for years to come and be able to pass it on to people and say, ‘This is the experiment, this type of storytelling, we’re allowed to do this.’"

"We’re not going to do this with the Marvel Universe. This is more about a group of creators getting together and saying, ‘This is what I see as a story, we want to have a beginning, a middle, and an end.’"

— Dan Buckley, Marvel Entertainment President, via Popverse

Buckley's statement highlights a deliberate strategy: to create a contained, digestible saga, unlike the perpetually ongoing main Marvel Universe. This "beginning, middle, and end" approach aims to make the Ultimate Universe a timeless, complete narrative that new readers can pick up and enjoy without decades of baggage.

The Creators Weigh In: Surprises and Natural Story Conclusions

While Hickman was reportedly surprised, other creators had already been planning their exits. Deniz Camp, writer of the critically acclaimed Ultimates, took to Twitter to offer his insights and clarify the situation, trying to ease some of the fan disappointment. He confirmed that while the initial plan wasn't to "end" the entire universe, many creators were already looking to wrap up their runs.

• Jonathan Hickman: His Ultimate Spider-Man run was always set to conclude with issue #24.
• Peach Momoko: The incredibly talented writer/artist behind Ultimate X-Men was also planning to finish her story when The Maker was released, acknowledging the "insane" workload of both writing and drawing all 24 issues.
• Bryan Hill: Similarly, the writer of Ultimate Black Panther was also set to conclude his narrative with The Maker's return.
• Chris Condon: His Ultimate Wolverine series was initially planned for 12 issues but was extended to 16, tying into the larger Endgame event.

Camp shared that he was the only creator who had plans to continue the Ultimate Universe beyond this initial arc, even pushing for new titles like Hawkeye or Guardians. However, Senior Editor Wil Moss approached him "a long time ago" (about a year prior to the announcement) to confirm the "end it end it" decision. Camp shared his understanding of Marvel's reasoning:

"Not because the books are ‘too woke’... or because the main line is jealous... but because everything seemed to be coming to a natural conclusion. They felt that they had something special with the universe as it was, consistent creative visions that told their stories and had a clear beginning, middle and end... And that the purity of that vision, they though/think, could pay dividends for a long time after, if it didn’t overstay the welcome, dilute it, or fumble the ending."

"And this – really, truly ending the universe on a high note, having it be this contained thing, giving a story an END – that’s radical for big 2 comics! It’s something that, to the best of my knowledge, has never been done on this scale by Marvel or DC. That is exciting to me."

— Deniz Camp, Ultimates Writer, via Twitter

So, while there's a bittersweet feeling, the overarching sentiment is about delivering a complete, high-quality story that stands on its own merits. It's an ambitious move in an industry known for never-ending narratives.

The Final Issues: A Comprehensive Look at the Conclusion

The road to Ultimate Endgame will see each of the popular ongoing Ultimate titles reach their dramatic conclusions. Here's a rundown of when you can expect the final issues:

• Ultimate Spider-Man #24: Written by Jonathan Hickman, art and cover by Marco Checchetto. On Sale December 24, 2025.
• Ultimate Black Panther #24: Written by Bryan Hill, art and cover by Stefano Caselli. On Sale January 21, 2026.
• Ultimate X-Men #24: Written, art, and cover by Peach Momoko. On Sale February 11, 2026.
• Ultimates #24: Written by Deniz Camp, art by Juan Frigeri, cover by Dike Ruan. On Sale April 2026.
• Ultimate Wolverine #16: Written by Chris Condon, art and cover by Alessandro Cappuccio. On Sale April 2026.

The main event, Ultimate Endgame, a five-issue series written by Deniz Camp, will launch on December 31, 2025, and also conclude in April 2026. This epic crossover will bring together all the threads from the individual series for a universe-shattering confrontation with The Maker. Marvel has promised it will be "definitive, big, emotional... just wild." Oh, and keep an eye out for Ultimate Endgame #1, as it's set to debut Marvel's first-ever Blind Bag program!

Beyond Earth-6160: A Lasting Impact on the Main Marvel Universe

While Earth-6160 might be closing its doors, its legacy won't be entirely erased from the broader Marvel Multiverse. Marvel has confirmed that the events of this Ultimate Universe will spill over into the main Marvel Universe (Earth-616).

Specifically, in Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion #5 (releasing later this month), Miles Morales will apparently journey back to Earth-616 carrying some "Origin Boxes." These devices, originally used by The Maker to manipulate and rob heroes of their powers in Earth-6160, are now poised to introduce new heroes and storylines to the primary Marvel continuity throughout 2026. So, while one door closes, another one seems to be opening for some exciting new possibilities!

Why a Contained Story Might Be the Best Thing for Comics

In an era where comic book narratives often stretch on for decades, becoming increasingly complex and inaccessible to new readers, Marvel's decision to conclude the Ultimate Universe on its own terms is quite "radical," as Deniz Camp put it. This stands in stark contrast to the original Ultimate Marvel line, which ran for 15 years and eventually became as convoluted as the mainstream universe it sought to simplify.

It also offers a unique opportunity that many creators dream of: telling a complete story from start to finish. Jonathan Hickman, for instance, famously left his acclaimed X-Men "Krakoa Saga" run before he could fully conclude his intended vision. By giving the new Ultimate Universe a finite lifespan, Marvel ensures that this era will be a cohesive, self-contained saga that can be easily collected and enjoyed as a whole for years to come. This purity of vision might just give it a longer, more impactful legacy than an indefinitely extended run. It’s a bittersweet ending, but one that promises to be truly unforgettable.

FAQ: Your Burning Questions About the Ultimate Universe Ending When exactly does the Ultimate Universe officially end? The Ultimate Universe (Earth-6160) will officially conclude in April 2026, following the final issues of its ongoing series and the conclusion of the Ultimate Endgame event. What is Ultimate Endgame? Ultimate Endgame is a five-issue event series, launching December 31, 2025, that serves as the climactic finale for the entire Ultimate Universe. It brings together all the heroes for a final confrontation with The Maker. Will any characters from Earth-6160 continue in other Marvel Comics? While Earth-6160 itself is ending, its influence will carry over. Miles Morales is set to bring "Origin Boxes" from the Ultimate Universe back to the main Marvel Universe (Earth-616), which will introduce new heroes and storylines there in 2026. Why is Marvel ending such a successful comic line? According to Marvel President Dan Buckley and writer Deniz Camp, the decision was made to ensure the Ultimate Universe tells a complete story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. This approach aims to preserve the "purity of its vision" and make it a contained, highly digestible saga for future generations of readers, rather than letting it run indefinitely and potentially lose focus. Sources

• ‘Ultimates’ Writer Says Earth-6160 Never Meant For Early End – Just ‘Black Panther’, ‘Spider-Man’, And ‘X-Men’
• Ultimate Universe architect Jonathan Hickman didn't expect Marvel Comics to close the line down
• Marvel Comics Announces the End of the Ultimate Universe
• Marvel Seems Serious About Ending the Ultimate Universe in 2026 | NYCC 2025
• Ultimate Black Panther #24 Is Finale, on Sale January 2026
• Marvel Announces End Of Ultimate Universe, Reveals When Titles Will End