REVIEW: ‘Ultimate Spider-Man,’ Issue #1

Ultimate Spider-Man #1 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Jonathan Hickman, with art by Marco Checchetto, colors by Matt Wilson, and letters by Cory Petit. In the first ongoing comic in the new Ultimate Universe, an older Peter Parker wants more from his life as the ramifications of the Stark attack become clear in New York.

This issue not only has to tell a brand-new version of an age-old story, but it also has to continue the expansion and growth of a blossoming world. And Hickman does that slowly and with detail. It starts small, focusing on a small selection of that society in the wake of a devastating attack that decimated the city. The best part about the Ultimate Universe is how close it is to the mainstream timeline, but with subtle differences that have totally changed the course of history.
There are people alive in this first issue who haven’t been in 60 years, and it entirely alters the theme of Spider-Man. The pacing is slow and methodical as the bigger storylines begin, with the tone and the atmosphere crucial to why certain events take place. It seems like there is a period of change across every character, with the status quo burdening many of them. Massive trauma has dulled ambition. It is a long time before the book shows any signs of superheroes, but that is pivotal to how this universe was born. The Maker stopped the heroes from being created, so there aren’t. But with the ongoing sense of danger and villains, someone needs to stand up. The extended length of the issue could have featured more incidents or drops of drama to spice it up and maintain interest, but there are reasons within the plot why that can’t happen.

The characters are fascinating, and Hickman’s dialogue is brilliant. Peter is something of an unknown at the moment, with others being more powerful and interesting voices. But that is largely because Parker hasn’t been through the same things as his regular self, so the wit hasn’t had to be created as a coping mechanism. He is just a normal man who lacks a lot of respect and can be dismissive towards anyone in his life. There are two important male figures in his life: J. Jonah Jameson and Parker’s business partner. Jameson is also slightly changed. He’s much more pleasant, genuinely warm, and kind towards Peter. Again, it raises the question of whether the presence of others has affected how he speaks to people. That fire and fury is still present but tempered and rare. It will be interesting to discover if there is more humor when Spider-Man appears. This is a double-sized issue, and some jokes or lightness would be appreciated, but that isn’t Hickman. He’s scientific, meticulous, and focused on crafting a world. The book has some sweetness, focusing on family and father figures in general. The end of the book sows some fantastic seeds of revolution and re-emergence of the heroes.

The art is stunning. Hickman has gone and poached the art team of the last Daredevil run, and it is a perfect choice. Checchetto is one of the finest artists of this generation. The characters he creates are incredibly realistic without crossing the line into an uncanny valley. New York looks fantastic, with the whole location carrying a feeling of sadness and mourning with it. And the characters are terrific. There are only a few glimpses at the extraordinary, so it falls on the ordinary to draw us in. Instead of a scrawny kid, he is now a grown man with a beard and young kids. The snowy January air makes the comic cold and bitter. With the pacing and the stillness, it is as if the comic is poised for something huge to happen. When those glances at action, the intensity and mystique are phenomenal.

Also coming from Daredevil is Wilson and the partnership is clear. The wintery look of the comic stems from the colors, with a pale and gray hue to the comic that helps establish the bleak atmosphere within this early stage of the series. But as the drama starts to pick up, there is more power and vibrancy within the shades. The colors are rather formal and uniform, which makes the text effortless to read.

Ultimate Spider-Man #1 is a fascinating start. The changes to the world of Spider-Man are drastic and have altered how the character acts and speaks completely. This is not a book filled with action, but the tone is perfectly represented. There is a banal baseline because the whole universe has been forced into embracing it. The superheroes are what bring that excitement and energy. There is enough towards the second half of the comic to see where the intensity and life will be breathed back into the series. And the art is leaning on absolute legends of the industry.

Ultimate Spider-Man #1 is available now wherever comics are sold.