Imperial

by Jonathan Hickman, Jed MacKay, Iban Coello (Artist)

Visionary writer Jonathan Hickman (Ultimate Spider-Man, Secret Wars) sets his sights on Marvel’s cosmos!

A sweeping Marvel cosmic event resets the balance of power in the Marvel Universe! IMPERIAL is a story of intrigue, mysteries and war that takes place against the backdrop of the formation of new galactic order. Against the fallout of someone mysteriously killing the rulers of the Marvel galactic empires, the fires of war are lit! As that conflict simmers, Nova and Star-Lord race to discover who is behind all these evil acts — a journey that takes them to the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda! Featuring Hulks, Black Panthers, Guardians and cosmic kings and queens, it’s a must-read saga from the scribe who reshaped mutantkind with HOUSE OF X/POWERS OF X!

COLLECTING: Imperial (2025) #1-4, Imperial War: Nova - Centurion (2025) #1, Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk (2025) #1, Imperial War: Imperial Guardians (2025) #1, Imperial War: Exiles (2025) #1, Imperial War: Panther Rex (2025) #1

Written by Jonathan Hickman, Mat Groom, Jed Mackay, Stephanie Phillips & More
Penciled by Iban Coello, Federico Vicentini & More

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel

312 pages, Paperback

Expected publication March 24, 2026

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

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know man, this didn't shake up as much as they said it would. They promised a new status quo to reboot the cosmic stage of marvel, but a lot of this feels like a return to days past. To say I expected a lot with Hickman's name on the cover is a understatement.

Too many players in cannon fodder action scenes, & motivations all over the place both for the actual conflict and what's to come after. I don't think Star Lord would act the way he has (he's never loved or respected his father) but I do like T'challa stepping back up. I guess we're happy the lnhumans are back??? This largely was a miss for me, bombastic space action aside. We'll see which of these cosmic books actually hold up after a year, but for now, this didn't live up to Hickman's name being on the event

[Paul W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Young Avengers: Return of the Status Quo. I guess the Young Avengers are getting the band back together? And the very dull Inhumans are back? What a miss of a series. I love Hickman's work, but this just screams mediocre movie cleanup.

[Brandon Daniels · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as it was coming out, but I barely grasped it/cared what was happening. Hoping it reads better as a trade.

[Travis Whaley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm confused? But I think I liked it?

[pastiesandpages - Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

💥Lets get Cosmic!💥

IMPERIAL written by Jonathan Hickman, art by Federico Vicentini & Iban Coello, with additional writers and artists on the Imperial War chapters.

IMPERIAL will be released as a graphic novel in March but I collected the single issues as they came out so have the full set of nine.

IMPERIAL is a cosmic event in the Marvel Universe,and is a four issue mini-series (issues 1 and 4 are extra length) and sandwiched between issues 3 & 4 are five Imperial War one-shots: Black Panther, Planet She-Hulk, Exiles, Nova: Centurion & Imperial Guardians.

The Imperial War issues are launching points for new comic book series and although you can read IMPERIAL without them, some of the issues do have crucial plot points that would make reading the final issue a more bewildering experience.

In a nutshell it is an event drawing various galactic empires together in a story of mystery, treachery and war. Galactic leaders and kings have been poisoned and die leading to the unrest, accusations, the break-up of the Galactic Union & war.
For long term Marvel fans there are a lot of familiar races and galactic powers. The Shi'ar Empire, the Kree and the Skulls, the Wakandans led by Black Panther, the Spartoi led by Star-Lord and his father, and more characters than you can shake a stick at, including Hulk, Brawn & She-Hulk, Nova, the last surviving member of the Nova Corps, and a few surprise appearances.

It's a murder mystery with intergalactic politics and bombastic space action. Jonathan Hickman does a good job of pulling all the threads together into a coherent whole to create the new status quo in the cosmic Marvel Universe.
The artwork in the main issues is suitably spectacular to match the events and each team in the Imperial War comics has their own style which comes together quite nicely as a whole.

One of the better event series in recent years.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this far more than I anticipated. I like Cosmic Marvel but got my fill after Annhiliation and its various sequels

This largely leaves the deity-class level characters out of the story and focuses on the various galactic empires. What I enjoy is the cohesion it brought into a tapestry of sorts from the chaos of seemingly disparate titles.

Pak's Planet Hulk, Coates' Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, Ewing/Slott's Empyre, Cate's Death of the Inhumans, etc.

For a very long time, I felt Ewing was the heir apparent for Marvel space. But Hickman shows he can still show a few tricks

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marvel's space operas get thrown for a loop when there's some assassinations. It's solid. The art was just OK. Way too chaotic and just too much crammed into every panel for me. The one thing that didn't fit for me, was the Hulk's appearance as the Worldbreaker. He's been on Earth doing the horror thing with Phillip Kennedy Johnson for about 3 years now. Not sure how he wound up back on Sakaar.

[Don · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Can anyone tell the difference...

...when you bite the lies hard enough to taste the greater good?"

Good lord.

That's an actual line someone wrote.

[Ysuf Shari · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[canivetepreto]

(read all the chapters separately)

[AJ Easterday · Rating 2 out of 5]

So this series was kinda a hot mess. I'm so glad I decided to buy it! 🙃