I used to write off Marvel’s Ultimate universe as a cheap imitation of the real Earth-616 Marvel continuity that began with Fantastic Four #1 in 1961.
Now? It’s possibly my preferred recommendation for new Marvel comic readers.
Before we get rolling, if you want to read through the entire Marvel Ultimate Universe – literally every issue! – with Comic Book Herald’s My Ultimate Year reading club, check out the podcast and club!
The Ultimate Marvel Universe is thrilling, a fantastic entry-point, and rarely wastes time on slow plodding storylines. For the uninitiated, Marvel’s Ultimate line of comics takes all the existing and known characters – Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers – and recasts them in a similar, yet different Ultimate Universe set in the 2000s. It’s the sort of concept that could have fallen flat on its head, but actually works for some of the best Marvel stories of the decade.
Below you’ll find a reading order for the Ultimate Universe. Although I split up all the issues, I would mention that you can actually read a lot of these series without too much concern for the others. For example, I read over 100 issues of Ultimate Spider-Man before I ever even thought about the outside Ultimate Universe, and the reading experience was highly enjoyable. So roll with the approach that feels right to you.
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Best of the Ultimate Universe – Essential Fast Track
The Ultimate Universe is an enjoyable and completely palatable read in its entirety. Nonetheless, if you still want all killer no filler – and if Sum 41 taught us anything, it’s that you most certainly do – here are my picks for the best 10 Ultimate Universe comics of all time!
1) Ultimate Spider-Man by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley
2) Ultimate X-Men by Mark Millar and Adam Kubert
3) The Ultimates by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch
7) Ultimate Comics Ultimates by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic
8) Ultimate Comics Spider-Man: Miles Morales by Brian Michael Bendis, Sara Pichello, and David Marquez
9) Divided We Fall / United We Stand
10) Cataclysm
Ultimate Universe Trade Reading Order
Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra #1 – #4
Ultimate Iron Man #1 – #5 + Ultimate Iron Man II #1 – #5
Ultimate Marvel Team Up #1-#16
Ultimate Fantastic Four #1 – #6
Ultimate War + Ultimate X-Men 26 to 33
Ultimate Spider-Man 40 to 45, 47 to 53
Please note that the issue by issue reading order can be found below, and that the rest of these collections can be found in the Ultimate Universe trade collector’s guide.
The Ultimate Marvel Reading Order
Intro to the Ultimate U
Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra #1 – #4
This story is all flashback so you could choose to read it after Daredevil makes an appearance in Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, but I prefer it as origin here.
Another flashback that is actually published well after a number of the issues below. Daredevil and Elektra are not hugely essential to many of the following Spider-Man, X-Men, and Ultimates stories (although they do pop up) so you could always come back to these stories if you like.
Ultimate Iron Man #1 – #5 + Ultimate Iron Man II #1 – #5
Flashback Iron Man origins from series released in 2005 and 2007-2008 respectively. I consider these pretty inessential and prefer Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch’s fully formed Tony Stark in The Ultimates. That said, Iron Man’s origins in the Ultimate universe are very different than those of Earth-616 (the main Marvel Universe), so it’s some semi-interesting background.
Worth noting as well that several in the comments have declared these issues out of continuity, and I’m hard pressed to argue otherwise.
Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #1 – #8
Ultimate X-Men #1 – #6
Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #10 – #16
Ultimate Fantastic Four #1 – #6
Ultimate Fantastic Four didn’t actually launch until 2003 – well after The Ultimates. The team is referenced off-handedly in Ultimates #2, but I prefer their origin here.
Alright, after some notes in the comments let’s go ahead and call this one: Out of continuity! It’s a weird Fantastic Four story that never really aligns with the Ultimate Fantastic Four that would come.
After the Ultimate War
Ultimate Spider-Man #46 + Ultimate Six #1 – #7
Ultimate Fantastic Four #7 – #18
The Gah Lak Tus Trilogy Begins
Technically the Ultimate Vision saga was collected in short stories across the Ultimate line of comics. So, for example, Ultimate Spider-Man #86 included a piece of the Vision story. In Marvel Unlimited, though, you can just read Ultimate Vision #0 altogether, and frankly it’s a lot more cohesive.
Ultimate Fantastic Four #19 – #26
Ultimate Fantastic Four Annual #1
Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk #1 – #6
Most of this showdown is published well after Ultimates v2 but I think it makes more sense before the conclusion of the Ultimates second wave.
Countdown to Ultimate Power
Ultimate X-Men / Fantastic Four #1 – #2
In Marvel Unlimited, the first issue is “Ultimate X-Men/Fantastic Four” and the second is “Ultimate Fantastic Four/X-Men”
Ultimate Fantastic Four #27 – #32
Ultimate Fantastic Four Annual #2
Ultimate Spider-Man #97 – #105
Countdown to Ultimate Human
Ultimate Fantastic Four #33 – #46
Ultimate Spider-Man #106 – #117
Ultimate Fantastic Four #47 – #53
Ultimate Spider-Man #118 – #122
Ultimate Fantastic Four #54 – #57
March to Ultimatum
Ultimate Spider-Man #123 – #128
Squadron Supreme #1 – #6
Ultimate X-Men/Fantastic Four Annual #1
Ultimate Fantastic Four/X-Men Annual #1
Ultimatum Reading Order
Ultimatum: Fantastic Four Requiem One-Shot #1
Ultimatum: X-Men Requiem One-Shot #1
Ultimatum: Spider-Man Requiem #1
Ultimatum: Spider-Man Requiem #2
After Ultimatum
Ultimate Comics Armor Wars #1 – #4
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1 – #6
Ultimate Comics Avengers #1 – #6
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #7 – #15
Ultimate Comics Avengers 2 #1 – #6
Ultimate Enemy Begins
Ultimate Comics Captain America #1 – #4
Ultimate Comics New Ultimates #1 – #5
Ultimate Comics Avengers 3 #1 – #6
Death of Spider-Man Reading Order
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #150 – #156
The Ultimate Spider-Man numbering returns to the original counting for the 150th issue.
Ultimate Comics Avengers vs. New Ultimates #1 – #2
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #157
Ultimate Comics Avengers vs. New Ultimates #3 – #4
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #158 – #160
Ultimate Comics Avengers vs. New Ultimates #5 – #6
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2011 – Present) #1 – #5
Countdown to Divided We Fall
Ultimate Comics Hawkeye #1 – #4
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #1 – #6
Ultimate Comics X-Men #1 – #13
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #7 – #12
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #7 – #12
Divided We Fall / United We Stand Reading Order
Ultimate Comics X-Men #14
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #13 – #14
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #13 – #14
Ultimate Comics X-Men #15
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #15
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #15 – #16
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #16
Ultimate Comics X-Men #16 – #17
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #17
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #17 – #18
Ultimate Comics X-Men #18 – #18.1
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #18
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #18.1
Countdown to Cataclysm
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #16.1 & #19 – #22
Ultimate Comics X-Men #19 – #22
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #19 – #24
Ultimate Comics Wolverine #1 – #4
Ultimate Comics X-Men #23 – #33
Ultimate Comics Iron Man #1 – #4
Ultimate Comics Ultimates #25 – #30
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #23 – #28
Cataclysm Reading Order
Cataclysm Point One #0.1
Cataclysm: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1
Cataclysm: Ultimate X-Men #1 – #3
Cataclysm: The Ultimate’s Last Stand #1
Cataclysm: Ultimates #1
Cataclysm: The Ultimate’s Last Stand #2
Cataclysm: Ultimates #2 – #3
Cataclysm: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #2 – #3
Cataclysm: The Ultimate’s Last Stand #3 – #5
Survive #1
After Cataclysm
Ultimate FF #1 – #6
Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #1 – #12
All-New Ultimates #1 – #12
The Ultimate Universe Concludes in Secret Wars!
Or Does It?! Check out the CBH guide to the Ultimate Universe after Secret Wars!
And It’s Back! Check out the CBH Guide to the New Ultimate Universe (2023 – Present Day!)
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David E Gregory says
I love the reading lists over here!!
That said, if I’m really primarily (maybe only) interested in tracing the hulk storyline through the Ultimate universe, where should I be reading?
Thanks to anyone willing to help.
Rico says
I think Ultimate X-Men Annual #2 should be read after the crossover with the F4, because in these two issues there is Kurt too, and it’s weird seen what happened in the last X-Men’s TPB.
Also Vol.15 of UXM comes after USM, because of Kitty and Peter’s relationship, reading Ultimate X-men it looks like they broke up, but in Ultimate Spider-Man they’re still a thing (if I used the right slang).
Brian says
Will there be a new ultimate universe reading guide for the one that’s just starting?
jack says
Probally. Right now read all this.
Lol but nah ultimate invasion, then ultinate universe #1, then ultimate spiderman/black panther/xmen 2024
And now ultimates 2024.
Its a good time to hop on board you got like 4 issues of each (sans-ultimates/ultimate universe)
Mabel says
Hi, I know this is an old post and all but I wanted to ask
Is it really better to read stuff like the Ultimate events in one swing? I’ve found that some things don’t seem to match quite well like Nightcrawler quitting the X-Men but showing up in the U Spider-Man Deadpool arc for exemple
Also Nick Fury contacting Charles about Jean after being caught in another universe in ultimate power (if reading through this guide)
Although I must say this guide has been a huge help so far in going through the entirety of the Ultimate comics and for that I’m grateful!
Howard Stanford says
You pretty much can’t go wrong reading any of this ultimate universe stuff for my money it’s some of the best marvel stuff in the last 30 years it got stupid around ultimatum but even that book could have been great if they’d win a different route with it The art in it is absolutely phenomenal by David Finch it’s some of the best looking Spider-Man and hulk you’ll ever see but the storyline just jumped the shark lol but ultimate universe for the first 6 years was better than anything the regular main universe was putting out marvel was even considering making that the main universe Go back and look at the ads back then that said the gold standard ultimate marvel meaning that was they considered that the prime top of the line version of their characters the ultimate characters That’s how they did an ad campaign called the gold standard ultimate marvel
trey clayton says
So I’ve been following this guide and really enjoying it. However I noticed The Ultimates #14 and so on seems to be missing. This list only stops at issue #13. I checked out other sites and those were the same thing. Only the first thirteen issues of The Ultimates. Is there a reason for this? Maybe I’m just overlooking this. Sorry I’m new to this lol. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
Mark Almanza says
There’s no Ultimates #14, the ultimates vol 1 ends at the #13 issue, it continues in Ultimates 2
Trey says
Thanks! That makes a lot of sense!
Andrew says
Hello,
Thank you for doing such a wonderful reading list. I’ve been steadily making my way through it for some time now.
Can I ask why Ultimate Adventures is missed off? From what happens in the story, I think it should come after the Ultimates first run, but before Ultimate War.
Also, I think that Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk is in the wrong place. I’ve just finished that and started the last few issues of the Ultimates second run in which Betty is a peripheral character. Without going into spoilers, if UWvsHulk goes before Ultimates 2, Betty shouldn’t be in that, but she is. Maybe these two arcs are in the wrong order on your reading list.
Thank you for you many marvellous lists.
Andrew
David M Airlie says
Befire ultimates v3 has black panther you really need to read ultimate captain america annual which doesnt seem to be on the list
Andrew says
Or immediately after as it lays context for Ultimates 3, but doesn’t spoil its surprise.
Moisés Brignoni says
The “Squadron Supreme 1-6” mentioned above is the 2008 series by Howard Chaykin and Marco Turini?
Spencer P says
Hey Dave, for someone who really wants to get into the Marvel comics, do you recommend starting with the Ultimate Marvel Universe list above or would you recommend starting with your Best 100 marvel stories 1998 to 2015? Granted I don’t have unlimited time to read comics but I really do want to start reading them I just don’t know which of the two options are more worth my time. Any kind of reply would be sweet! Thank you!
Dave says
Currently, I’d suggest you check out the Best 100 marvel comics list first. That will get you up to speed with the Marvel Comics universe that continues today.
For the Ultimate Universe, I think it’s well worth the time, but if you’re strapped, I’d consider checking out the “My Marvelous Year” podcast where we’re starting our Ultimate Universe reading club and podcast *this week!*
details here: https://www.patreon.com/mymarvelousyear
jamieb says
Ultimates 4-13 seems to fit better right before Ultimate War cause of the appearances of pietro and wanda between 21 and 25 of X-Men
jamieb says
Or at least 8 and on which pietro and wanda appear in
jamieb says
Also, Ultimate Spider-Man 68 and 69 happens before Ultimate Fantastic Four 13-18, They appear in 68 and 69 before they’ve gone at all public
jamieb says
Ultimate Secret happens after Ultimates 2 1-5 as events from number are mentioned in one of the issues in passing despite the first issue of Ultimate Secret saying it happens before Ultimates
jamieb says
Ultimates Annual 1 occurs after Ultimates 2 issue 6
jamieb says
I ended up finding much better, clearer and actually accurate guides at crushingkrisis.com and comicbookreadingorders.com so if anyone else finds a bunch of inconsistencies and mistakes across this guide like I have then I suggest using them instead.
Ian says
Love the guide and currently using it to help navigate all of Ultimate-dom. Curious if their should be a tweak in early Ultimates and Ultimate X-Men. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch appear to do double duty on both Ultimates and The Brotherhood, and it may be best to read the latter half of Ultimates deeper into the Ultimate X-Men run and into Ultimate War.
Keep up the great work!
Gerry says
God, I wish there was more Ultimates and Ultimate X-Men.
The way it’s slightly modernized and streamlined, as well as having almost only 1 series to follow each (initially at least, if you don’t count all the events, but thank god for this guide here to guide me through), it made a perfect read for someone finally getting into comics, after basically not reading any for the last 20 years.
Some might find it too edgy, but I love how dark some characters get, considering that it makes it more believable and it had a lot of ‘Oh Shit’ moments cause of that.
Toby says
Will it matter if I just read Ultimate Spider-man without reading any others?
William Golder says
Not really. You may the occasional reference, but Spidey is pretty self-contained.
William Golder says
may miss*
Zanibuster says
when you are reading ultimate x-men dont read 1/2. its after #6
Zanibuster says
ultimate marvel team up was a dissapoinment. I recommend not reading it. My only question is does it affect the storyline if you dont read Marvel Team Up?
William says
No, not really. They’re referenced in passing, but nothing you can’t get from context.
I do agree though, they are poor!
Muhammad Salman says
The Daredevil and punisher one was amazing tho. I didn’t care for the rest.
Aleck Castro says
Facts! I felt the same way.
Nathan says
I would recommend reading only the following:
Ultimate Team Up: Spider-Man & Daredevil & Punisher:
Has a lot of great backstories on both Punisher and Daredevil. Gives reference to Daredevil’s view of Spider-Man later on in the comics and is a good story.
Ultimate Team Up: Spider-Man & The Black Widow:
Good backstory on Black Widow and has some good banter between the two.
Ultimate Team Up: Spider-Man & The Man Thing:
The ending sucks, but if you skip you will completely miss out on the introduction to Dr. Conners (Lizard) in 1610. He will show up later in Spider-Man with references to this comic.
Reece says
Just started using this reading guide and was wondering if when I get to Secret Wars will I be able to start reading Earth 616 from the aftermath of Secret Wars or not. By the way I love this website so much it has helped me appreciate comics again.
William Golder says
Also interested in an answer to this.
Dylan says
Not entirely sure myself, but I’m fairly certain both universes collide. So if I’m correct theyre both just 1 universe.
David M Airlie says
Befire ultimates v3 has black panther you really need to read ultimate captain america annual which doesnt seem to be on the list
Hazzard says
I’ve started going through, this is mainly about curiosity about the Maker and the Fantastic Four, but why are the Marvel Teamups placed before Ultimate X-Men? The Team-ups came out after.
Nathan says
The only team up that involves and X-Men is Wolverine, and that takes place before because Wolverine has not yet joined the X-Men at point if I am not mistaken.
Alex says
Forgive me if I’m wrong, but weren’t Marvel comics (under a different name) first published in 1936? Is there a list/reading order starting from there?
Joseph McKenna says
The Ultimate universe started in 2000.
Wendy says
Hi. I’m a newbie to comics because I never had access to them when I was younger but digital comics have really helped. So since I’m just starting out, is this list all the issues or just your special picks? If these are just your special picks is there a way to know all the issues. Also, do you advice reading just comics of certain characters like for example I want to read Black Panther comics (and those of others characters too) or do you think I read comics by order of year of publication and read the whole lot instead of focusing on one character?
JK says
This is the complete list of the whole Ultimate Universe
Kragnorak says
This is a super helpful guide, because I own hardbacks of at least half of the Ultimate universe but fell off right before Miles Morales was introduced. Now I want to catch up!
There’s something missing though… Both Ultimate Power and a few one-off stories use characters from Supreme Power, which is sort of an ULTIMATE version of the Supremeverse. Therefore, I believe that JMS’s run on Supreme Power is worth reading even before you get into the mainstream stuff. It’s certainly more relevant than One Tin Soldier, Ultimate Iron Man or Ultimate Daredevil and Elektra!
Wouldn’t you like to know says
I have a question Ultimate Spider-Man 14 came out before Daredevil and Elektra so which do you read first
Separovic says
Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra, Vol. 1 is basically flashbacks from their time at the college. So it is ok if you decide to read it later, it is not going to affect the chronology at all.
taco says
where does ultimate end fit in? and where does it go from there? does the ultimate comic world end?
Zanibuster says
it ends with SECRET WARS. (said very dramaticly) . Every universe from 1 to (unknown) ends with SECRET WARS
John says
Also a big fan of the Ultimate Universe but I only ever read Spidey/X-Men and the first couple trades of UFF. Your guide is excellent! I have a few notes from my read through though, I’m currently starting Ultimate Power.
Ultimate X-Men #66 – #74: After the Date Night storyline Kitty mentions to Wolverine that Spider-Man saved them from the Marauders. It took me a lot of searching to find out they were referring to Deadpool’s team in the story arc in Ultimate Spider-Man #91 – #96 which is way ahead of your reading order.
I think Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk also does better after the full run of Ultimates 2, as Betty Ross is not jailed or participating in any fights as She-Hulk. It would also explain better why *spoiler* Fury lets Banner go at the end of the story.
I haven’t finished Ultimate Power #1 – #9 yet but it starts out with Kitty and Peter still dating and from what I can tell the FF don’t seem to know Peter is Spidey. having it come before Ultimate Spider-Man #97 – #105 would explain why Peter felt he could just show up and ask the FF for help as well, as he seems to be about to help them with some sort of Dimension crossing adventure.
John says
The events of Ultimate Power also explain why Reed is so cautious/angry with Fury during Ultimate Spider-Man 97-105. *Just finished reading*
John says
….Okay I just finished the last issue. Your time line for Ultimate Power does work better considering how it ends… Although this is the most plot-holey storyline I’ve read in the Ultimateverse. Peter is confused as to where Fury is after all this, even though he was there. Not to mention the plot hole with Kitty/Peter and how the F Doom returned from the Z-universe. Okay imma stop replying now.
William says
Hello!
I’m not sure if you’re still following this and commenting back…but thought I’d give it a try.
I’ve been following this list for about a year and a half and have now managed to get myself every TPB up to “cataclysm” – so very close to finally finishing the whole universe!
I was wondering whether there are any Ultimate tpb that you’ve missed off this list intentionally or whether anyone knows of any that have been missed?
Thanks all!
Chris says
I would generally recommend reading the Supreme Power comic books to supplement your understanding of Ultimate Power. You’ll have a better understanding of Squadron Supreme and also Nick Fury and Power Princess switch places for a while.
It isn’t really necessary to read, but the Age of Ultron event in the mainstream (kind of) Marvel universe is responsible for Galactus entering the Ultimate universe and kicking off Cataclysm.
Miles Morales also crosses over into the mainstream Marvel universe in the pages of All-New X-Men #31-36.
Also Miles Morales and Jessica Drew both have parts in the Spider-Verse crossover event, which is a great read even without Miles and Jessica.
That aside, all of the regular Ultimate universe stuff seems to be accounted for, although there are issues with this order.
William says
Hello!
Fantastic! Thank you for the information!
I’ll certainly dip into Supreme Power, and I’ve polished off the Spider-Verse once or twice already!
Again, thank you for the info! Good to know I’ve nearly cracked the lot!
Baptiste says
Hello!
Thank you so much for this guides, it’s been really helpful!
I’m halfaw through reading the Ultimate Universe and I feel like 2012 Marvel Now would be a good entry point to the classic universe. My question is: do you think I should finish the whole Ultimate comics first, then Marvel Now, then Secret War? Or does it make more sense to read them both at the same time? And if so, after what Ultimate event is it wise to start Marvel Now?
Sorry for my English, I’m a French reader.
Thanks again for your amazing work!
Danny says
I’m sorry, this is a good try but it’s not very accurate at all. To mention a few flaws (I can’t remember the comic numbers sorry);
1. Nightcrawler in x men comics has had a telling off and is no longer an x man, however, cut to a spider man comic, and there he is fighting alongside them.
2. Magneto is in hiding, yet cut to the spider man comics, and suddenly hes fighting the x men, and all the x men are together having disbanded in a previous x men comic!
3. Peter parker has an assignment where he has to look after these pretend babies. then the assignment finishes, yet in the following annual, guess what! There are the babies again!
4. Wolverine vs hulk. great. but afterwards…hang on, why is he suddenly back with the x men? And then after a few issues he goes to meet Nick Fury. To talk about what? To talk about fighting the hulk of course.
I let a few slide, but it’s getting silly now!
No offence, but i feel like ive wasted a lot of time going through this when I could be looking at a more accurate one. ( in some comics it even says “this takes place after issue blah blah blah” and you can’t even get that right!) Nice try, but no cigar, bub.
William says
In the time it took you to write that up, you could have easily fucked off and found somewhere else to moan.
Don’t appreciate the work put into this, don’t look at this.
Nolan says
Your list has truly been a great help, and I thank you for putting it together.
However, I noticed that you have it listed that you should read Ultimate X-men #72-#74 before you read Ultimate Spider-man #91-#94. After reading those issues, I’ve found it would probably make more sense to read Spider-man #91-#94 BEFORE Ultimate X-men #72-#74, as Ultimate X-men #72 references the events that occurred in Ultimate Spider-man #91-#94 (which heavily features the X-men).
Other than that, it is a very good reading order, and I’ve really enjoyed reading the Ultimate Universe using it.
Felipe says
Hi. I’m around that part and decided to pay close attention to what you said about the events on USM #91-94 being referenced on UXM #72. What I found is that one of the X-men says, and I quote: “(…) He totally saved our butts from the MARAUDERS while you were gone. (…)” However, the events on the aforementioned USM issues are with the Reavers… I don’t know, it could be a typo on the UXM issue or something that happened off-scene. Anyway, your comments on the matter are truly appreciated and they make me read more thoroughly.
Xavi says
I am just in the middle of the list and I began to worry about something…
It’s so easy to read the Ultimate Universe since there’s an easy guide for it, as there is not thousands of different characters and groups of heroes like in the 616 universe… I’m really interested in today’s comics like the A-Force, Young Avengers and of course, main events becouse of the movies…
But I don’t know how am I gonna do it to pass from the Ultimate universe to the main 616 earth… Is the transition easy to follow, am I gonna have to read 10000 comic issues a year to be updated? I just feel soooo overwhelmed about the big amount of issues to read and the amount of characters and how they conect each other…
HELP! T.T
Claude Drolet says
I’d say jump on with the My Marvelous Year reading club. February is starting and we are getting in 2001, which starts leading us into Disassembled and the long line of Avengers Events.
Xavi says
Cool answer! Thanks! I’ll see what I can do, but a reading club… That way I won’t feel lonely reading Comics 😀
Oddy says
I’m curious about why ultimate origins is listed so far down when it’s basically an origins story that starts towards the begging? Or am I missing something? I like it at the beggining of my bookshelf personally but that’s just me.
Bobby says
Some of it ties in with the present and its more salient to read in the order listed
Steve G says
Thanks to this guide I have read every single 1610 comic.
Plenty of high points (USM being a personal fav from issue 1 all the way through), and few lows (The last few arcs of UXM were less than stellar) made reading it a pleasure.
I really enjoyed Ultimatum myself and was glad to see that the changes that happened stayed happened, something that the 616 could learn from I think. If a character dies, don’t bring them back 1000 times.
I’ve yet to read Secret Wars to see how everything finishes, but now I’ve joined the reading club I think I’ll be taking a break from finding out for a while.
Joshua N says
So, first off thanks for compiling this list. I signed up for Marvel Unlimited specifically to read through the Ultimate Universe and it’s been a great companion. But, questions…
I see The Squadron Supreme coming up and I was doing skimming some info about them. Another list has Supreme Power v1 1-6 in the list, after UXM # 39 and 7-18 later on, along with Doctor Spectrum. I suppose they explain the origins of Squadron Surpreme (?) but these were run under MAX a marvel imprint and I wasn’t able to find them on Unlimited.
I did, however, come across Squadron Supreme Saga, which seems like it might be summary of that run. Can you confirm? Is there a reason you chose to leave these off?
Oh, and yes, the Ultimate Annual #1 happens after Ultimates 2 #4.
Tiago Xerez says
I’m an old brazilian reader of Marvel’s comics (my history traces back to 1998) who happened to get very apart of it and recently have been caught back to this reading, and all I have to tell you is that this whole work of yours is just jaw dropping, and I can’t congratulate enough for it.
Patrick M. says
Thanks for this! I just subscribed recently to your Marvelous Year reading club so I’ve been frantically catching up with that (So close now! Just got to 1985, so I’ll be caught up with you guys soon) but have been wanting to check out the Ultimate Universe. I remember reading through the Ultimate Spider-Man comics when I was younger but don’t remember them as well, and have barely read any of the Ultimate X-Men or Fantastic Four comics. Your lists are so great though! I followed through your Modern Marvel guide up until civil war before subscribing to the reading club, and I have to say they work perfectly so that you don’t miss out on any details in the comic timelines. Stay awesome.