Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1: Married With Children

Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) (Collected Editions)

by Jonathan Hickman

The most surprising Spider-Man story of the 21st century! Visionary writer Jonathan Hickman (HOUSE OF X/POWERS OF X) and acclaimed artist Marco Checchetto (DAREDEVIL) unite for a bold new take on Spider-Man at the dawn of the reimagined Ultimate Universe! After the events of ULTIMATE INVASION, the world needs a hero. Step forward, Peter Parker! But this is an older, wiser web-slinger - one who balances his costumed duties with his responsibilities as a husband and a father. That's right, Peter and Mary Jane are married with kids! The stakes have never been higher - and as Spider-Man faces his first super villain, J. Jonah Jameson's quest to uncover who's really pulling the strings of this new Ultimate Universe leads to a shocking revelation! Plus: New York City welcomes its newest hero…the Green Goblin! But who's behind the mask? And what does the Goblin know of the true status of the world in which he lives? Collecting ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN (2024) #1-6.

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Spider Man, Superheroes, Comic Book, Fiction

170 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2024

About the author

Jonathan Hickman is an American comic book writer and artist. He is known for creating the Image Comics series The Nightly News, The Manhattan Projects and East of West, as well as working on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, FF, and S.H.I.E.L.D. titles. In 2012, Hickman ended his run on the Fantastic Four titles to write The Avengers and The New Avengers, as part the "Marvel NOW!" relaunch. In 2013, Hickman wrote a six-part miniseries, Infinity, plus Avengers tie-ins for Marvel Comics. In 2015, he wrote the crossover event Secret Wars. - Wikipedia

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spider-Dad.



Marvel's new Ultimate Universe is probably the first thing they've done in a while that's really piqued my interest.
Plus, I love Spider-Man, especially when he's with MJ, so this seemed like it would be a win-win for me.
And it was!



This has a good group of characters in an interesting What If situation that has kind of taken all of Peter's main group (Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, Uncle Ben, J. Jonah Jameson) and recast them all in a new light.



So if you read Ultimate Invasion, then you're up to date on what Maker did to futz with this new version of the Ultimate universe. <--it is important to note that this is NOT the old Ultimate Universe that has somehow come back.



This Peter works for the Daily Bugle and everything is somewhat familiar to us but everything has a different flavor and I really dug it.
I think most fans of the Spiderverse will find a lot to love with this particular Parker.

Recommended.

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I stopped collecting The Amazing Spider-Man (after Spider-Man/Peter Parker being my favourite comic character for years). This is Peter Parker as he should have been. Mature, a family man, being responsible and having a support system.

Peter Parker has a family and a job he works hard at, but something is missing. The world is different than it should be. There are no heroes. However, Peter is given a chance to change that. With his life in order and so much to lose, does he want to accept the power or the responsibility? Also, who is the other mystery man causing mayhem? For anyone who criticises the importance of Peter and MJ as husband and wife, they need to read this book.

This other thing I like about this book is that Peter is on a learning curve. This is not a 30+ year old Peter who has been fighting super villains since he was 15 years old. He needs to learn not just his powers, what he is fighting for, but also how to fight. The nervousness, naive belief that everyone is a nice person like him but his ability to not give up even when he is beaten up are what have always made Spider-Man great. The book finishes with a thumbnail variant covers gallery.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic retelling of a classic hero that blends the essence of the character with a twist in scenery. It brushes old ideas and characters over with a fresh coat of paint and keeps it fresh for old timers that have relived the exact same story countless times.

[Jim Ef · Rating 5 out of 5]

8.5/10
If someone asked me: "What a new Spider-Man series should be about?" I would give this concept as an answer. A bit older Peter, happily married to MJ. So i was very excited when this was announced. I holdy my enthusiasm, because i knew it would all come to the execution. I'm very happy because the creative team did an excellent job.

The story progresses smoothly and the character developmen feels natural. There isn't a ton of action, but i didn't mind that at all. I'm pretty sure there is a lot of that coming soon.

Checceto to no one's suprise, nails it.

[Diz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a bit light on action, but it presents an intriguing alternate Spider-man universe with strong character development. I particularly like Peter Parker as a family man, which is the version of Peter featured here. The family dynamics are so appealing.

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won't lie: I read this because everyone else was doing it but it actually blew me away.

It's a perfect reset, bringing fresh life to an old, familiar character. I loved the re-do and I'm so curious where it's gonna go.

Artwork is fantastic and I feel like this issue really lived up to the hype.

[Oscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

What the hell did I just read

[Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonathan Hickman's Ultimate universe reboot had a mixed start, but his continuation by focusing on Peter Parker is just plain excellent.

It's like the opposition of most Spider-Man stories, he's an adult with kids and it totally works.

Not only that, the action is slow-building with a cerebral take on the iconic Marvel hero. It's always been about the cast of characters with him, and works ever better as a family man.

It is Hickman, so there's a secret conspiracy looming the while time. Makes for Kingpin being a good initial villain.

I miss Peter being married to Mary Jane, so this is especially for my generation. The Uncle Ben as journalist is an intriguing subplot, as is the growing relationship with Harry Osborne. I anxiously await reading more

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great concept with Peter Parker actually getting the chance to be older, married to MJ with children. The first couple issues are solid, but I found it quickly recedes into typical superhero antics. Kingpin is in charge of NYC, the Green Goblin is trying to stop him. I would have liked more time with the two fellas working on the newspaper and seeing Peter with his kids.

[Urbon Adamsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

PT Nunca fui o maior fã do Homem-Aranha. Não é que a personagem não tenha graça, simplesmente nunca me cativou o suficiente para acompanhar as suas aventuras com regularidade. A única saga que li e que realmente apreciei foi o "Homem-Aranha Superior", em que o Dr. Octopus assume o corpo de Peter Parker, dando origem a uma versão muito diferente do herói.

Neste caso, o meu interesse foi exclusivamente por ser uma obra escrita por Hickman. Admito que avancei com alguma cautela, receoso de que, mesmo assim, não me conquistasse. Mas a verdade é que adorei. Gostei imenso desta nova versão de Peter Parker e do rumo que Hickman está a dar a este novo universo Ultimate. As personagens estão bem reinventadas, e o resultado deixou-me com vontade de pegar rapidamente no volume seguinte.

Em suma, esta é uma excelente fase para tanto novos leitores como fãs de longa data do Homem-Aranha começarem a acompanhar as suas novas aventuras sob a direção de Hickman.

--

EN I’ve never been the biggest Spider-Man fan. It’s not that I dislike the character — he’s just never appealed to me enough to follow his adventures regularly. The only saga I’ve read and truly enjoyed was The Superior Spider-Man, where Dr. Octopus takes over Peter Parker’s body, resulting in a very different kind of Spider-Man.

In this case, my interest came solely from the fact that it was written by Hickman. I’ll admit I approached it cautiously, worried that I still might not enjoy it. But the truth is, I loved it. I really liked this new version of Peter Parker and the direction Hickman is taking with this new Ultimate universe. The characters are well reimagined, and it left me eager to pick up the next volume right away.

All in all, this is an excellent point for both new readers and long-time Spider-Man fans to start following his new adventures under Hickman’s direction.

[Rory Wilding · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2000, Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley created Ultimate Spider-Man, which modernised the life of Peter Parker, who tried to balance high school, work duties at the Daily Bugle and be a superhero with spider-like powers. Published alongside Marvel’s mainstream continuity of The Amazing Spider-Man that has been in publication since 1963, not only did the comic reignited readers’ interest in the web-slinger, but launched an alternate universe that put new spins to long-running Marvel characters, as well as introducing whole new creations like Miles Morales. Although the Ultimate Universe would go on for fifteen years, Marvel revives the imprint with a new paint job.

Beginning last year with the four-issue limited series Ultimate Invasion by Jonathan Hickman and Bryan Hitch, this year spawned the Ultimate Universe with a number of ongoing titles including Ultimate Spider-Man, written by Hickman and art by Marco Checchetto. But instead of focusing on a teenage Peter Parker getting bitten by a radioactive spider and how he learns to become a hero, this series centres an older Peter who becomes Spider-Man for the first time later in life, already a father of two children and married to Mary Jane Watson.

When Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created the creator in 1962, the latter always felt that the essence of Peter Parker was that he was a high school character, and no doubt many have symbolised the spider-like powers as a form of puberty. Fans loved Spider-Man because they can identify with the everyday problems that young Peter Parker is going through. However, by presenting the superhero origin story as a way of going through a midlife crisis adds a new and clever perspective to Peter, who is happily married and has two loving children, but he feels that something is missing in his life. And unlike the mainline continuity where great power is thrust upon Peter, when he is given the choice to get bitten by a radioactive spider, and along with the helpful advice from his loved ones, he takes it.

While this first volume functions as its own narrative, it does reference the events of Ultimate Invasion as twenty years ago, The Maker secretly manipulated this universe to make it one without any superheroes and thus he and his council can control the way things are within shadows. Known for his grand sci-fi worldbuilding as seen in his Fantastic Four run and the Krakoan Age which relaunched the X-Men in 2019, Hickman does some worldbuilding here, though this is perhaps his most down-to-Earth Marvel title in a long time.

Considering that Marvel has always tried to present its fictional main universe as our own with the addition of superheroes, the original Ultimate Universe took it a step-forward with The Ultimates by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch deliberately taking place during George Bush’s administration. In the first issue of Ultimate Spider-Man, the events of Ultimate Invasion are referred to when characters attend a place that resembles the New York 9/11 memorial, which is where we find out that May Parker and Norman Osborn are victims of the tragedy from two decades ago. This story is about a New York that is still recovering from a tragedy where villains like Wilson Fisk has a higher power, whilst others are trying to retaliate this greater evil by various means.

Whilst you have plenty of Easter eggs that showcase how different this universe is from the main continuity, this is first and foremost a Spider-Man story, albeit one that takes interesting liberties. Not only do you have Peter being a family man, but his uncle Ben still alive and has a great dynamic with J. Jonah Jameson, both of whom serve as a mentor to Peter, as well as having their own subplot about their crusade against Wilson Fisk. With Marco Checchetto drawing the book – though David Messina draws issues #4 and #5 – the action is there and spectacular, but this is a slow-burner that really showcases how Peter works his way of being a hero, often to hilarious effect, as well as how certain members of his family feel about his new persona. A section of long-time Spidey fans has always embraced the relationship between Peter and MJ, which is evident here, but you also the benefit of two adorable children, each with their own quirks and hopefully they will get more to do in subsequent issues.

In recent years, Amazing Spider-Man has not been great with numerous creators like Nick Spencer and Zeb Wells just not knowing what to do with Peter Parker. But upon reading the first six issues of Ultimate Spider-Man, Hickman and Checchetto are doing the fresh things with the Spidey mythos without losing the essence of what makes that character special. As much as I’m curious about what new spins of iconic Marvel characters will be, it’ll be interesting to see where Hickman goes with this ongoing narrative that could go anywhere, which is the best thing to do when you’re somewhat rebooting a well-known comic book property.

[Willow Heath]

I've been a big comic book fan and a big Spider-Man fan for years, but those two things have never actually overlapped before. I love the Spider-Man cartoons and movies, and I love so many comics that aren't Spider-Man. But Spider-Man comics have never clicked with me before, for whatever reason.

Luckily, I'm also a big Jonathan Hickman fan, and his reboot treatment here of a Peter Parker who isn't bitten by the spider until he's thirty-five, married to MJ, and has kids? Well, this hits different.

Hickman deserves a lot of praise for taking this thing slow, going heavy on the dialogue, and really taking the time to establish who this peter is, who MJ is, who their kids are, and what their situation is, and only then gradually sprinkling in the action and the drama.

This series book has finally got me paying attention to Spider-Man comics, and I'm super grateful.

[H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most inventive, most successful (on a literary scale) reboot of a franchise that I have ever read.

All the familiar characters are represented but their lives are not what you have come to expect, and that is pure genius.

It helps to know the “Marvel Universe” and part of the fun is seeing how characters from Tony Stark to The Green Goblin have such different roles in this series.

The plot is fresh and works in harmony with the new/old characters as we get to know them. If the original was directed at the Teen and YA crowd, the story and dialogue here are much more mature. The inking and color are just great and provide an augmented lift to the text. 5*

[Izhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pretty easy read of a Spider-Man story where the rules have all been flipped upside down. I haven’t been an expert on the Maker’s shenanigans regarding the creation of this new Ultimate universe but it really doesn’t matter because that information is conveyed to you really digestibly. I’m not really one of those people who moans all the time about Peter needing to be with Mary Jane, but of course I recognize that what works, works. And in this story it’s clear from the get-go that this is what works. I know a decent amount about Jonathan Hickman’s work, but I’ve never been the most active reader of his stuff. I still haven’t finished East of West, still never actually started his seminal House of X/Powers of X X-Men stuff despite always wanting to, hell I still haven’t finished watching ComicsExplained’s in-depth breakdown of Hickman’s “Avengers/New Avengers” epic saga(but pretty sure that vid is also like 6-7 hours? Like be frrrr) But anyways, I feel like I can still say that this is peak Hickman, and it’s peak Spider-Man. It’s a new status quo, a reinvigorating new take on the wallcrawler, and a new universe ultimately ripe with endless opportunities, but most if not all, it’s just a fun Spider-Man story. Great start, and I know I’m going to be reading more.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well well well, another Ultimate Spider-man relaunch. Honestly I didn’t love Ultimate Invasion that much which did taper my expectations for this a bit, but it turns out to be really good! Feels different and new while also feeling like a Spider-man book. Very interested to see where Hickman takes this!

[elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

im gonna be honest guys this is probably one of the best spiderman media ive ever consumed in my life.

(i'd like to add that i'm a loser who's sort of a harry osborn fan, and it fills me with joy to see a writer finally make some use of him. thank you hickman keep cooking)

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Setting aside the issue of who the heck even wanted a new Ultimate Universe in the first place, I have to say I didn’t have high hopes for this book.

At first, I thought I had prejudged too harshly, because the first two issues were excellent. The artwork was superb and the story was interesting, exciting and funny in that Spidey-humour way.

Then issue three, which still had great artwork, was a bit underwhelming story-wise.

Then issues four and five had a fill-in artist whose work I really didn’t like and, to add to the problem, the story in these two issues felt like it was stalling; just killing time until the regular artist came back.

Issue six saw the return of the regular artist, which was great, and the story did go back into a higher gear, but it all felt a bit too-little-too-late, unfortunately.

Overall, this averaged out to an somewhat uninspiring 3 stars for me, but I’ll still read volume two in the hope they can recapture the magic from the first two issues.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonah for Justice. Ben is alive. Dat first issue’s “call to adventure”.

Oh my god. How is this the comic I’ve been missing from my life, and I didn’t even know to ask?

Yes it tugs on the classic threads. Bugle photographer, green goblin, kingpin, JJJ, MJ, Harry…

But it freshens them up in a way that makes this totally readable - enjoyable and fun and not at all the slog of “Parker never gets ahead ‘cause he’s the universe’s punching bag”.

And maybe once Hickman hands it off it’ll drift slowly into the same ol formula. But what if it didn’t? What if this took over from Bendis’ incredible, life-altering run in a similar way, and all of the complaints about how 616 Spidey has sucked for too long just faded into the universal background radiation?

Sign me up for more of Spidey talking to his *family* about his problems, rather than airing out his grievances with the villain-of-the-week. I could use some of that influence in my life.

[Rylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is one of the best spider-man comics we’ve gotten in a long time it perfectly captures what makes spider-man comics great while offering a unique twist on the story and characters. this proves to me that comics are still great

[Charles Korb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Felix review: 4 stars, his favorite part is when Spider-Man and Green Goblin work together

I actually got this to read myself. After reading a lot of Spider-Man comics to Felix, I saw a review saying this was a fresh take on the character.

Every superhero origin story at this point is in conversation with every other version of that same origin story and this is a compelling entry into that conversation.

There's a lot of fun surprises, I think my favorite is its take on J. Jonah Jameson. Also, my favorite issue in the collection is one that is almost entirely a dinner between 4 of the principal adults. The dialogue and interactions really feel real.

[Colin Post · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let’s go!! I sincerely hope this is the start of an epic run. The cosmic shenanigans that provide the explanation for why Peter Parker missed out on becoming Spider-Man are overly complicated and kind of boring but it sets up a fantastic premise. I hope we mostly get a character-focused story that lets us imagine what it would be like for Peter to become a superhero later in life and the cosmic stuff is more in the background.

[Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining read, kinda like Spider-Man Batman team-up in a way. Overall, the writing is good, the story is fresh, and all the characters are likeable and familiar enough. Will continue reading. Only thing is the reveal at the end was taken too easily by the family. I suppose there is only so much that can be done. It is a comic book after all, not a drama show.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can easily see why this title is outselling the core AMAZING SPIDER MAN title...and forcing that title to reboot and have (another) #1.

Lots of familiar characters..all slightly different...different backgrounds...but just knowing them gives it a comfy entry point.

Even Gwen!!

[Machiavelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1: Married with Children by Jonathan Hickman is a smart, heartfelt, and genuinely refreshing reboot of the Spider-Man mythos. Rather than retelling the same old origin, Hickman gives us a Peter Parker who’s older, married to MJ, and raising kids—all while just beginning his journey as Spider-Man.

The dynamic between Peter, MJ, and their children adds a whole new emotional layer, grounding the story in something deeply personal while still allowing room for classic Spidey charm and heroism. The dialogue is sharp, the pacing is deliberate but engaging, and the world-building is subtle and effective.

This version of Peter feels both familiar and new, and the relationships at the core of the book are what make it sing. Hickman gets what makes Spider-Man work—heart, humor, and responsibility—and delivers it with warmth and purpose. A fantastic start to a reboot that respects the past while carving out something completely its own. Loved this!

[kesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

got me thinking that old pete wasn’t growing away from spider-man - he js had to grow into it. got me thinking the kfc guy didn’t make kfc til he was eligible for a seniors card so we don’t all have to go to dubai at 16 we can do allat later. got me thinking that if w great power, comes great responsibility, my digital footprint is cooked w these reviews.

also the fact that this mj does marketing and comms, like come on - my mj does marketing and comms (we gon be married w children REAL SOON 😇) #titledrop

4/5.

[Joakim Ax · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so in for the long run, however long Hickman wants to write this! And MArvel let´s him!

[Ali Logs stuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟 for vol.1
تا اینجای کار، با اینکه چندان داستان عمیقی نبود، ولی شدیدا سرگرم‌کننده و جذاب بوده و شاید حتی تا حدودی، بهترین (یا یکی از بهترین) ساختار روایت‌ها رو بین تمام کمیک هایی که تا این لحظه خوندم داشته. واقعا خوبه. نه خیلی سریع و عجولانه جلو میره و نه خیلی کند. به خوبی برای همه چیز زمینه‌سازی می‌کنه. با اینکه تو خیلی از لحظات کلیشه‌ای و تیپیکال نوشته شده، ولی بازم در مجموع، فوق‌العاده لذت‌بخش و سرگرم‌کننده هست. مشتاق ادامه‌ش هستم.
So far, even though it's not one of the deepest comics I've ever read; it's definitely one of the most entertaining ones and in some ways, maybe the best structured one I've read. it's really good. it doesn't progress too fast nor too slow. it builds up every thing pretty well. Even though, it can get corny or clichéd at many parts, it's still pretty darn entertaining.

[Scott Semegran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent first issue! Looking forward to continuing the series.

Great storytelling and exceptional artwork.

[José Vitor - zetalendo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 estrelas.

Como acompanhamos na introdução deste universo ultimate, o Criador interrompe no momento de criação de vários heróis. No caso do Peter, ele captura a aranha antes de morder ele. Isso faz com que Peter Parker tem uma vida normal, até que chega o momento em que isso precisa mudar.
Casado com MJ, com dois filhos, Peter sente que sua vida não está completa, que ele deveria estar fazendo algo, mas não sabe o que é. Então ele recebe uma mensagem de Tony Stark do futuro, onde explica tudo o que o Criador fez, e da a oportinidade de Peter escolher se quer se tornar aquele herói que deveria ser.

Não é à toa que esse quadrinho é tão bem comentado. A história é muito bem estruturada, essa ideia de ter um Peter Parker lidando com esse inicio de poderes na fase adulta traz uma camada bem interessante ao personagem.

Não acompanho muito o Homem-Aranha dos quadrinhos, já li uns 4 volumes de mensais, mas gostei de como o Hickman trabalha esse universo do Aranha aqui. Os personagens são bem interessantes e bem trabalhados na trama.

Sobre a arte, não tenho muito o que reclamar. Tem algumas páginas que são muito bem feitas, nas cenas de ação, e no geral é um traço que combina com a história.

Gostei muito dessa proposta do quadrinho, e estou muito ansioso para pegar os próximos volumes. Vale muito o hype!

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was sooooo good!