Ultimate Spider-Man #1 is everything Spider-Man fans have been demanding for years. It offers solid artwork, witty scripts, and familiar variants of the beloved Spider-Man characters. Like the 2000 Ultimate Spider-Man series, it is a perfect distillation of what made Spidey Marvel's flagship character and a new take on the original legend. Read Full Review

Before we wrap up, I also need to mention the art of Ultimate Spider-Man specifically. Marco Checchetto is an ideal choice for developing a band new Ultimate Marvel Universe. Checchettos art style is simultaneously comic-standard, realistic, and pays appropriate homage to artists who have come before. I really hope he sticks around on this book for years.  Read Full Review

If you asked me a year ago about Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto delivering the best Spider-Man book of the decade, I wouldve been hesitant to say it was possible. The hope of a truly amazing Spider-Man story in comics felt like a bygone conclusion. But after seeing this issue in action, there is no doubt this run will be something spectacular. It feels so of the moment and timeless all at once, reacting to the modern comic landscape while charting forward something that feels like fertile ground. This is how a modern reboot is done, built around the essence of a character and refracted through the times, with a top-tier artist and colorist on board. Read Full Review

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN is giving fans some of what they wanted, and even more that they didn't even know they wanted. If you're a Spider-Man fan, you need to call your local comic shop and have them add this to your pull-list, because you're going to want to see where this goes next. As familiar as this world feels, something tells me we have more than a few surprises coming our way. Read Full Review

The latest incarnation of Peter Parker is filled with classic drama and a question of unfulfilled destiny. Hickman sets the stage with magnificent writing while Checchetto and the team offer up some bold imagery while handling the emotional impact of destiny in a cant miss debut. Read Full Review

Ultimate Spider-Man is like a warm blanket to the reader who wants to see Peter Parker have a great possible future. Sure, Hickman will likely blow it all up quickly because where's the drama in a happy life, but it's nice to see how well he's written this character. This book has a lot of love, from the art to the character work, and it's pretty clear we're in great hands. Its strength lies in the interplay between characters with intriguing twists on what we know about Spider-Man that readers will love to unravel. Read Full Review

Ultimate Spider-Man #1 does something the previous Ultimate Spider-Man didn't quite do for me, it feels unique. It stands out with its own voice, a different take on a classic character, and delivers some emotion that pulls you in and makes you care about the characters. Overall, a fantastic start to the Ultimate Universe. Read Full Review

Checchetto delivers some beautiful art in the issue. Every page and panel engage the reader in this world and with these characters. I love the visual style of the series and look forward to seeing more in the next issue. Read Full Review

Ultimate Spider-Man #1 delivers on the exact promise that comes with the Ultimate Universe. It's a fresh start for both the characters and readers. Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto do a lot of excellent character work for Peter Parker and his cast to create this whole new world. In it you are left feeling that Ultimate Spider-Man is a series rich with potential that the creative team will be tapping into. It's an accomplishment that makes Ultimate Spider-Man #1 must-read. Read Full Review

Now we just have to wait a month to see the next step in this new world when TChalla takes center stage. Read Full Review

Exquisitely paced, elegantly written and beautifully rendered, Ultimate Spider-Man #1 is the Peter Parker book I've been waiting for. Read Full Review

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. Read Full Review

This issue really delivers on the Peter Parker world-building, setting up a bunch of new status quo details with grace and style. But the jarring nature of the new Ultimate Universe is definitely a hinderance. Read Full Review

Ultimate Spider-Man #1 is a bizarre way to kick off an ongoing series that has sky-high expectations on it. To be clear, the story Hickman presents is masterfully written in terms of establishing the characters and status quo of this alternate universe, and Checchetto's art is stellar. However, I doubt anyone expected a Spider-Man comic without Spider-Man and a story that spends almost all of its time focused on Ben Parker. Read Full Review

So happy to read this book after years of awful writing on Amazing. Hickman with a sensational first issue!

Art and story are far out! Best Spider-Man issue since a long time! Slow paced, no action overkill (or let‘s say, nearly no action at all), very good dialogues and character studies, ‘nuff said!

Delightful, endearing, and full of future promise. The art is incredible, and I don't think these characters have ever looked better. This is a fresh take on a Peter Parker origin in which he will be inexperienced, but not immature. He is shown to have embraced responsibility with or without the Spider-Man mantle, and he is smart, capable, and good. It's nice to see a Peter Parker who isn't a loser all the time. Hickman was right to spend much of the first issue introducing Peter and his supporting cast. Spider-Man stories thrive on a strong civilian cast and meaningful relationships. And the supporting cast is excellent here. The family dynamic with younger kids should be a lot of fun and will add weight and depth to the stakes for Spider-Man. I hope we never see a big time skip. The mysterious Green Goblin could be interesting, given the backstory. I loved Peter's choice at the end. The final pages are fantastic. more

In one number this is much better than anything The Amazing Spider-man by Zeb Wells has done.
There are some things that could be better both in terms of art and how the rebirth of the ultimate universe is being written but I would be lying if I said that I dind't loved this a lot.

Perfection. This is what I want to read. Characters I care about. Story that keeps me turning the page. Marvel can have alternate worlds, why let the Distinguished Competition be the only one? We know different can be bad... but if you take a chance on different and it's awesome then it can be something truly MARVELOUS! Face it Tiger, you need to read THIS!

I don’t know how to begin expressing how much I enjoyed , and loved this first issue. It’s been years since I’ve felt that Peter Parker, MJ Watson, and Spider-Man have gotten the love and story they deserve. It’s never easy to revamp a legacy character, especially an icon like Spider-Man. However, Hickman and Checcheto have done what I once considered nearly impossible. There’s so many new elements and spins on the supporting cast. It’s just nice seeing Peter with a family, a steady job, a healthy relationship, and a good reputation among his peers. It main seem silly, but the perpetual “Peter Luck” has felt tiresome, safe, boring, and honestly insulting to the character for so long. There argument of Peter needing to perpetually stay in a state of being suffering, jobless, and just miserable for every new generation of readers has always been a weak one. I can’t wait to see all of the surprises, heroics, and heartfelt moments that Hickman has in store for us!
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Yep

As soon as I saw the creative team for this book, I knew I needed to check this one out. Hickman wasn't someone I would initially think of as a Spider-Man writer, but I've liked everything I've read from him in the past. As for Checchetto, I knew from the get-go that he would be a great fit for any Spider-Man title. Luckily, the team of Hickman and Checchetto wholeheartedly knocked it out of the park with this debut. Yes, it's a fairly slow-paced book, but Hickman writes it so incredibly well that you can't help but keep reading. I really enjoyed all of the twists and differences from the main, 616 continuity. As Afre pointed out in their review, Ben being alive and Jonah being more friendly to Peter are both super intriguing ideas for this series. Plus, the big difference of having Peter actually choose to become Spider-Man was another fantastic one. I also can't end this review without bringing up Checchetto. He absolutely killed it here, as every page just looked gorgeous. From the first page of this, I knew something special was ahead. All things considered, my hopes are very high for this series, and rightfully so after a truly stellar first issue. more

This is probably going to be the best single issue all year.

The hype was worth it. I loved every second of this comic, and the art by Checchetto is on point as usual. The direction to go with an older Peter Parker who has his perfect life, but is just missing something inside, is an interesting concept that fits well with the tone of this new Ultimate Universe by Hickman. This series has potential to be the best ongoing Spider-Man book period.

YES! Jonathan Hickman’s debut issue of the first on-going series in Marvel’s new Ultimate universe (spinning out of Hickman’s Ultimate Invasion mini & Ultimate Invasion one-shot) did not disappoint in the slightest. The introduction of a powerless, middle-aged Peter Parker, now married to MJ with two kids, was such a refreshing take on all the various incarnations of Spider-people we’ve seen over the years. We’re not just looking at a mirror- or alternate-version of Peter Parker and the world around him. Hickman does a tremendous job of showing us the mental struggle Pete’s facing due to a lack of meaning in his life, without ever knowing what was missing. It makes him a very tragic and sympathetic figure, especially given how it is impacting his relationship with MJ. This is a character who will feel instantly relatable to superhero/Marvel/Spider-Man fans who were children of the 90s and have no aged into a point in their lives where its not too early for a reflection on one’s life, but its also not too late to make a major change. Outside of the kids, it was so easy to see myself in this version of Pete.

Marco Checchetto continues to trend of top-notch artistry on these new Ultimate universe titles, following Bryan Hitch and Stefano Caselli’s past work. His detailed panels make you feel like you’re an onlooker, not a reader, fully present in each scene, as Peter’s life unfolds before you. It’s a masterful visualization of Hickman’s character-first story and puts a beautiful bow and the already wonderful script. It’s not going to be easy to follow this up at the same level consistently, but I have full faith in Hickman and Checchetto to give us their all for as long as Marvel lets them. more

Even better than I expected. It’s exactly what Spider-Man needs.

This is the start of what may be one of the best Spiderman stories ever told. It is so good to enjoy Spiderman again, because I love the character, and it hurts to see how utterly horrible Wells is at writing anything spiderman, but Hickman knows. It's a new story, and so far a very good one, but the heart of it all, this is Peter Parker. When I read any story, the character is the most important part for me. Hickman knows Peter and writes it well. It's not whoever that imposter is over in Amazing Spiderman right now.

And the art - just get Checcetto to draw everything. I have always loved this guys art, and this is fantastic. I know art is subjective, but so are reviews, let's be honest. There's no such thing as objectivity in a review. So my subjective response to this, is go buy this comic, it's so good! If you have any remote interest in Spiderman, this is the comic to buy.

I hope this does well so we can keep getting good spiderman stories. This gets a 10 because there was not a single thing I did not like here. Every page was great, and I reread it as soon as I finished. That's the sign of a great comic. more

Plot
Begins with 35-year-old Peter Parker living with his wife MJ and two children in a different time, at no time was he bitten by a radioactive spider, therefore his whole life is different, his uncle Ben lives and is co-editor of the newspaper Bugle with JJ Jameson and his Aunt May just died after the battle between Iron Man and The Maker that restarted the multiverses.

Peter works with his uncle Ben and is like a nephew to JJ Jameson, this alternating dynamic is amazing, while Ben and JJJ are going to start a new publishing project together, while Kinpin takes the Bugle but a Green Goblin is going to hunt him down.

This comic makes it clear that the trigger for Peter to be Spider-man depends on a sacrifice, in this case it is that of Tia May.

Peter receives from Iron Man a sphere where he offers him to become the superhero he was destined to be, this sphere includes a nanotechnology suit and the possibility of being bitten by a modified spider... will he make the decision?

Ultimate Spider-man shakes up Spider-man's origin with a brilliant, mature and direct twist.

Art
It is loaded with great details that explode in your face supported by subtle and well-placed textures, which gives a raw and powerful tone to this story that shakes up and gives a realistic twist to Spider-man.

Summary
Peter Parker is offered another opportunity to recover his destiny that was cut off by The Maker. Exciting new story that takes the myth of Spider-man and brilliantly elevates it to another level of maturity. They will be talking about this comic throughout 2024 . more

I have not read a Spider-man comics as exciting and cool since Superior Spider-man.

Out of almost a thousand reviewed comics, I’ve never felt a comic has deserved a 10 until now. I felt that same excitement I had back in the year 2000 when I picked up the original Ultimate Spider-Man series. The art is fantastic and the story has so much heart and filled with great character moments. This series has tons of potential.

This is the best Spider-Man book I’ve read since at least life story. If you dislike what Wells and Lowe have been putting out you’re likely to love this.

It was amazing. Don’t expect any action though. The character work and dialogue impressed me. Art was fantastic.

Made me feel like a kid reading their first comic, brilliance across the board

Usually I don't give out 10 out of 10, because rarely are issues perfect. However, on a subjective level, this is everything I ever wanted from a Modern Spider-Man book. While I'm happy I got out out of Zeb Wells run, I think if Jonathan Hickman keeps this up, this might be one of the definitive Spider-man runs of all time, if not the best spidey runs.

while Hickman often has dialogue problem, it works here because its more digestible. The art is amazing, the characters are spectacular, and the final plot twist is beautiful. As a Batman fanboy, it feels good to see an actual great writer tackle Spider-Man, considering the dumpster fire of Zeb Wells Spidey run and boring Gang War.

It feels nice to have Spidey on my pull list.

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It's easy to think that all this praise and 10/10 rating comes from the fact that Peter is married and has kids. While that does factor, it's not my sole reasoning.

This is legitimately surprising comic. The status quo is so different and there are so many possibilities where we can go from here. It has amazing art and Hickman's writing is surprisingly grounded.

SPOILERS:

I loved how Peter chose to be bitten by the spider. Stark's message clearly made him wonder about his other life and how he doesn't feel like his life is fulfilling him right now. And it made perfect sense why Peter wanted it. His sense of responsibility is there, but he has been powerless to do anything. But not anymore.

And the fact that both MJ and Ben were the catalysts for Peter's choice? Amazing. But I am also interested to see how Peter handles with the pain that comes being Spider-Man. We've always seen him react to it when he is young and didn't choose it. Now neither of those are the case. How will it affect him? And all those beautiful variant covers that tease what could come (Alien Costume and Clone Saga) are so interesting to see in this Brand New World.

Plus Ben being alive,friends with Jonah and working for Bugle? That alone is such an interesting twist. more

An incredible start to what appears to be a classic Spider-man story in the making. Loved everything about this issue, the writing is great, the art is phenomenal, and it’s just a great set-up for all fans of the web head. If you haven’t yet, go read it!

Totally unexpected! Not a Spider-Man fan what so ever. But I liked this book. Refreshing new take on a old character. This series will be an absolute banger. So long as marvel stays out of the way

While I can't give it a 10/10, this is the best Spiderman book written in the past... what.... 10 or so years? So maybe in a way its 15/10.

Art is amazing. I cannot wait to see Checchetto actually draw Spider-man in action.

The story has wonderful world building. Hickman delivered on that. I love the family dynamics, I love everyone's interactions in the world around Peter, its just breath-taking to see a new world one with actual promise compared to the ill and nearly pointless world of 616 that Marvel has functionally destroyed (besides maybe the Hulk book and FF to a lesser degree). This is a world of promise, of different fates, of paths not taken. I do hope this universe thrives on great writers, great artists and has longevity. This Peter is a warn out, but loving father and I want to see how he does.

Ben's and JJ's interactions as die hard 'bros' from an era long past is great. I love it. 10/10.

My only two tiny complaints are I wish we got to see a bit more of Spiderman (or him in action), and that nothing stood out as truly unique or wowing. But I still loved it.

For the first time in probably a decade or more, this is feels like an Amazing Spider-Man... the Ultimate Spider-man one might say. more

Very excited to see where this takes us!

Read issue 1.

Second printing was out; that's the one I got.

Its a lot if setup... but man its great. Peter is actually imo the weakest part of the book tho but I feel thats by design.

Uncle Ben and jonah... I almost want them to get a book. Almost wish this ben became the spider, as a younger man. Wouldve been an interesting angle to have a vengeful but righteous spider going after the wrong guy.

But... I get it. Thus is Peter's story. And I can't wait to see where it goes.

This worked on almost every level. I'm genuinely a little excited to see what they do with it.

Amazing. I've ALSO felt my life was missing something. Now I realize it was not being bitten by a radio-active spider.

It is very hard to deliver on hype but this book did not disappoint and Hickman made very interesting choices that made me invested and curious about where we'll go. Checchetto's awesome and detailed art and Wilson subdued colors are great together to give this book a nice look. The honeymoon period is in full effect lol

This issue introduces the basics of the new Ultimate world.

Peter Parker is married to MJ with two kids and we see some heartwarming scenes between them, the kind of scenes we've been waiting for for years. Peter also works at the Daily Bugle with none other than Ben Parker himself, who is best friends with J. Jonah Jameson. They both decide to start up a new newspaper after the management at the Daily Bugle made some questionable choices regarding the Stark investigation, which involves Wilson Fisk (of course he's involved). The issue ends with the revelation that Stark is actually innocent and not responsible for the terror attack that took Aunt May and that there's a bigger power at play here that erased superheroes from this universe. Stark gives Peter, who himself wants a change in his life, a chance to get his powers back and he takes it (last page went hard). I love how it was Peter's choice to become Spider-Man, it shows that that's who he is regardless of the circumstances, and the fact that MJ and Ben are both a big reason for this choice is just the cherry on top.

There's a lot to take in and the pacing is slow, but it's well-written and with Marco Checchetto on the art, it's also beautiful. The possibilities here are endless. more

I haven't read Spider-Man (or a single thing Marvel) since Spencer's run ended,, so I was a bit unsure about this one when announced. After its release I heard a lot of interesting things and decided to give it a shot. It's worth the try. I'm not as hyped as some, but I find this to be off to a good start. Like the original Ultimate series we're starting off in his pre-wallcrawling days just before getting his powers. It's like an ongoing "What if...?" series.
There's a lot of refreshing new elements I'm looking forward to exploring like Peter being a family man (Just so long as Marvel doesn't fuck it up like DC did with Superman's son), Uncle Ben being alive, Peter starting as an adult and so much more. I look forward to seeing what surprises this reality has to give us like what became of Gwen, her father, Eddie Brock, Ned Leeds, Miles Warren and so many other characters whose lives were to be impacted so much by Spider-man.
I also look forward to knowing this easier going Jonah. I also look forward to seeing more of his and Ben's crusade for truth in journalism (Something rarer now than ever before). I also hope to hear the story of how this crotchety editor and jolly retired man became best buds. I know they'll give us years of excitement and humor.
I'm not sure what to think of the new Wilson Fisk. He still gives off bad vibes. I don't know if he became the Kingpin or if he has yet to. He will be interesting to observe as well.
I fully understand and respect the praise this series gives. After the flimsy hodgepodge of political views put into comics over the last 5 or so years this series begins with a new take on things and we have high hopes it stays the same, focusing on the heroics of Spider-Man and the impact it has on those close to him, not on everyone's personal lives, what their gender, racial and sexual preferences are and not having a writer who puts his personal beliefs into the character. I don't know much about Hickman's beliefs and don't want to. I don't want him putting any into his work. I want him to just focus on a hero being heroic and that be it.
This issue gets this series off to a good start and as long as it continues on its current path it will stay good. Marvel should follow this example and not abide by Disney's progressive agenda and they'll see what their books really need to sell.
It's nice to have a Spider-man worth getting again. I can't wait to see #2. At the rate things are going this may become the Spider-Man people think of first and top Amazing as Marvel's flagship. In ways that's sad, but also a triumph that will be well earned. more

The story itself is pretty solid. It's well written, it's sets up who this Peter is, it's just not very exciting.

I'm not a huge fan of Spider-man or even the Ultimates. I stop collecting the recent Ultimates title because I didn't like the direction. However, though Spider-man doesn't appear until the last panel, the dialogue and interactions between the characters is top notch. There are a couple of scenes that could have deleted due to being unnecessary, but the relationship between Peter an MJ is what we've all been waiting to see. I'm looking forward to seeing where theis goes.

My Comic Book Review Channel - https://youtu.be/b6xytxeVPKI

(Cover Date: March, 2024)

Almost all of this issue deals with the status quo of the Peter Parker of Earth 6160 & his family. I really didn't get interested in it until Tony Stark shows up near the end. I'll probably pick up the second issue just to see where it goes from here.

This was really disappointing.

This new Ultimate Spider-Man series is far from what it promised. I expected more from Hickman, A LOT more.

It seems like Marvel just can't do Spider-Man right anymore.

Let's leave the story aside for a moment, this book has many flaws technically speaking. The lack of good editors at Marvel is more than evident here.

The dialogue feels clunky and clumsy, it's like Hickman doesn't know how to write mundane situations or anything that isn't science fiction.

The pacing is also very bad. A lot of decompression. This was boring. The extra pages are just filler.

It would have been better and much more exciting if the book began with a splash page of Spider-Man already in action and throughout the book they had told us through flashbacks how we got to that point. That's how things were done before.

Instead we got a Spider-Man book with no Spider-Man in it. Now let's talk about the story:

They sold the series as "what if Peter never got his powers?" (a question that Dan Slott had already answered but is still interesting enough for other writers to explore with other approaches), but the changes in the character here go far beyond simply not having been bitten by the spider, to the point where I feel like this is a different character. This IS NOT Peter Parker.

Stating that Peter not only knew his parents but was raised by them until he was 15 was a terrible mistake, they have terribly distorted the family dynamic with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May who should be his real nuclear family and not his extended family.

Speaking of, Uncle Ben shouldn't be alive either because the crook would have shot him whether Peter became Spider-Man or not.

And how does this "Peter Parker" become Spider-Man or why? That's the main problem of this thing.

"A family man jaded of his ordinary life, one night finds a hologram that tells him he could be a superhero..."

I think I've seen this before... in a Pixar movie.

Whatever.

Peter Parker was willing to give up his perfect life just to feel excitement again. "Power and responsibility" huh?

What would Earth-616 Peter think of this guy?

Yes, Peter Parker is married to Mary Jane, that's nice, that's what we have wanted for a long time. I should feel pleased, right? Well, I'm not. If you think that will be enough to manipulate me into telling myself that this book is good, you are wrong. I didn't fall for Renew Your Vows, I'm not falling for this.

The Spider-Marriage isn't enough to sell me a Spider-Man book because the Spider-Marriage alone isn't enough to make a good Spider-Man story.

The marriage to MJ is here, but the rest of the elements that make Spider-Man "amazing" ARE NOT. more

I want to give my initial honest reaction to reading this highly-anticipated comic book. Let me also state for the record that I was really looking forward to this new series and hoping we would actually get a decent Spidey story for a change. I gave up on Zeb Wells’ Not-Amazing Spider-Man last year. I was all Rek-Rapped out! So, how is Ultimate Spider-Man issue #1?

Short answer: pretty boring with a serious lack of Spider-Man! There is a LOT of talking in this comic. Pages and pages of it. Why use one dialog balloon when three will do? And the majority of the talking is between characters other than Peter Parker. Sure, it’s nice to spend time with Ben Parker and J. Jonah Jameson, but I’m here for Peter.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with set-up when it’s done well, but I’m telling you, some of these pages were a struggle to get through. It’s never a good sign when you find yourself flipping ahead to check how many pages are left. I kept waiting for something to happen. There is so little action or excitement in this comic until the last couple of pages and by then it’s almost too late to save it. Looking at this through positive spectacles, it hopefully means that issue #2 will be much better.

Full Review on my BLOG: https://wakizashireviews.wordpress.com/2024/01/10/ultimate-spider-man-1-january-2024-review/ more

Good start

Not big into current comics recently, but I felt I had to pick this up.

Was not disappointed whatsoever.

I pray for the day that mainstream heroes are allowed to evolve into new configurations like this, innovative status quos that stay true to the heart and history of the character.

Very hyped to see where this one goes.