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Friday 4 December 2020

MARCH ON ULTIMATUM (2006-2008)

Little did we know when Ultimate Power began that it'd be considered one of the lead-in event for the first ever line-wide crossover in the Ultimate Universe (but then it did take fourteen months to produce nine issues, so that might not have been the original intention!). Secrets of the Ultimate Universe are about to be revealed and Earth-1610 will literally never be the same (or some might say 'as good') again. Writer Jeph Loeb is about to reveal himself to be the worst villain the Ultimate Universe has ever faced.

The truth about mutants and the death of a hero will bring about an ULTIMATUM...
Related Events: The stories featured in these issues all impact Ultimatum in some way, but can largely be read separately. The X-Men/FF Annuals are the only actual crossover. Issues marked with an asterisk are the essential chapters of 'March on Ultimatum'. If you only want to pick up those key chapters, they're the issues to go for. 
  • Ultimate Power #1-7 (tie-in) *
  • Ultimate Power #8-9 *
  • Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #3
  • Ultimates 3 #1-5 *
  • Ultimate X-Men #94-97
  • Ultimate Origins #1-5 *
  • Ultimate Captain America Annual #1
  • Ultimate Hulk Annual #1
  • Ultimate X-Men/Ultimate Fantastic Four Annual #1
  • Ultimate Fantastic Four/Ultimate X-Men Annual #1
Ultimate Power #1 (tie-in) *
On Earth-1610 (better known as the Ultimate Universe), the Fantastic Four prevent the all-female Serpent Squad from stealing the Serpent Crown from Project PEGASUS, but the Thing loses a piece of his rocky hide in the fight. Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) promises to find a cure for his friend's condition and, ignoring Nick Fury's orders, sends probes into other universes to gain information that might fix him. A day or so later, the Baxter Building comes under attack from a group of superhumans no one's ever seen before...

Ultimate Power #2 (tie-in) *
The Squadron Supreme aren't fully aligned with the reality they've found themselves in and don't appear to be speaking English, but are obviously angry. Spider-Man and Kitty Pryde arrive spot the attack and join the fight against the Squadron, calling the Ultimates and X-Men in for help. As the Squadron adjust to this new universe, they're able to explain that they're here to arrest Reed Richards for destroying their world...

Ultimate Power #3 (tie-in) *
One of Reed's probes made it to Earth-31916 (aka the Supreme Power Universe) and brought spores with it that killed somewhere in the region of ten million people. Learning the probe came from Earth-1610, Arcanna Jones magically transported the Squadron to that reality. Horrified, Reed surrenders and is magically transported back to Earth-31916. But Nick Fury plans to get him back...

Ultimate Power #4 (tie-in) *
Thor uses his hammer to transport the SHIELD Helicarrier to the Squadron's universe where they immediately run into Hyperion. Kitty Pryde discovers Nick Fury secretly conversing with someone aboard the Helicarrier. Reed Richards is handed over to super-genius Emil Burbank to begin working on a way to counter the ever-growing spores, but Burbank electrocutes Reed...

Ultimate Power #5 (tie-in) *
Thor, the Invisible Woman and the Human Torch battle it out with Hyperion over Washington. Spider-Man figures Fury's up to no good and warns Captain America. The rest of the Ultimates, X-Men and Fantastic Four butt heads with the Squadron Supreme again...

Ultimate Power #6 (tie-in)
The fight between the Ultimate Universe heroes and the Squadron Supreme gets brutal. Emil Burbank gasses Reed Richards. And Nick Fury's secret ally stands revealed as Doctor Doom!

Ultimate Power #7 (tie-in) *
Doom seems to have fought and beaten just about everybody. Nick Fury confesses to Spider-Man that he asked Doom to tinker with Reed Richards' probes so that the data they pick up will come to SHIELD first. While everyone's blaming Fury and Doom, Emil Burbank tells Reed that he was the one who unleashed the spores on his own world in an attempt to kill Hyperion while making it look like they came from the probe. Nick Fury decides to unleash the Hulk. And the Scarlet Witch accidentally transports another Squadron Supreme (the originals from Earth-712) to the Supreme Power Universe where they threaten to arrest Reed Richards...

Ultimate Power #8 *
The four-way fight between the Ultimate heroes, the two Squadron Supremes and Doctor Doom ends with the Thing learning Doom is a robot, Earth-712's Nighthawk claiming he's met Captain America before (though he's actually thinking of Captain America from Earth-616) and the Hulk being unleashed with Spider-Man being given the role of his conscience...

Ultimate Power #9 *
Everyone stops fighting each other and team-up to take on the awesome power of the Hulk. The Scarlet Witch and the two Arcannas transport the Earth-712 Squadron back home. The Invisible Woman, the Thing and Spider-Man combines their powers to defeat the Hulk by blinding, suffocating and punching him. Emil Burbank's plan is revealed to everyone present, but for some reason that's not enough for the Squadron Supreme. Spider-Man and the Ultimates hand Nick Fury over to stand trial in Supreme Power Universe. The Squadron's Princess Zarda decides to come back to Earth-1610 to make sure they don't launch any more probes for a while, promising to return.

Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #3
Mary Jane Watson is avoiding Peter Parker until she finds out the school news team are looking to unmask Spider-Man. Everyone knows he goes to Midtown High, but who is he? Police Captain Frank Quaid asks Spider-Man for help in trying to capture the mastermind behind  a series of robberies. It's a new bad guy they've dubbed 'Mysterio'. Spidey and the NYPD attempt to capture him in his warehouse hideout, but Mysterio escapes and blows his warehouse to smithereens. Spider-Man and the cops barely survive, but Spidey discovers there's a mole in the police department. Later, Pete and MJ reconcile when he finds out she was scared he'd leave her for wanting to hold off on sex, even though she was the one who brought it up. He reassures her he's happy to wait and they hope to get married one day. Back at the warehouse ruins, Mysterio decides to set his sights on Spider-Man.
Ultimates 3 #1 *
Valkyrie was once the powerless member of Hank Pym's Defenders, but now she displays Asgardian powers and has joined the Ultimates alongside the Black Panther. Hawkeye has taken to wearing a target on his head to represent his suicidal tendencies. Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch appear to be in an openly sexal relationship, despite being siblings. The team now use Tony Stark's mansion as a headquarters, rather than the Triskelion

A sex tape is released featuring Tony Stark and the traitorous Black Widow (before she was killed, obviously). Then Venom attacks the mansion only to be melted by a lightning bolt from Thor. Soon after, someone shoots the Scarlet Witch dead with a bullet designed to chase her DNA. TO top it off, Hank Pym is discovered by the Wasp after he's taken an overdose...
Ultimates 3 #2 *
Hawkeye goes after Spider-Man with all guns blazing in an effort to find out why Venom attacked the Ultimates. Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutant Supremacy attack the mansion and steal the Scarlet Witch's body. Wolverine shows up just too late to actually be of any help...

Ultimates 3 #3 *
Hawkeye starts a fight with Wolverine who, despite this, offers his help in locating Magneto and returning the Scarlet Witch's body to the Ultimates. Wolverine explains he once had sex with the Scarlet Witch's mother. Wolverine accompanies the Black Panther, Hawkeye, Valkyrie and Thor to the Savage Land where they team up with residents Ka-Zar and Shanna. Back in New York, Iron Man attacks the Wasp and unmasks to reveal a robotic visage.
Ultimates 3 #4 *
Ka-Zar and his people have lived in the Savage Land for years, biding their time as they build up enough numbers to assault Magneto. Joined by the Ultimates and Wolverine they rush into conflict with the Brotherhood, discovering Quicksilver has returned to his father's side. In New York, Hank Pym recovers from his overdose and dons his Ant-Man gear, attacking Captain America, who also turns out to be a robot. Now Ant-Man and the Wasp are on the run, but soon discover their true enemy beneath the mansion is one of the Project Ultron robots Pym created for the government...
Ultimates 3 #5 *
Ultron was created by Hank Pym as a sample of his proposed next generation of super soldiers, but the Scarlet Witch gave Ultron sentience and he fell in love with her. He then leaked Tony Stark's sex tape, created an android Venom to attack the Ultimates, somehow made Pym take an overdose and killed the Witch when he realised she'd never return her affection. Now, as Yellowjacket, he has created robotic Ultimates to rival the originals and plans to let the humans and mutants wipe each other out so that robots can rule. The robot Ultimates head to the Savage Land and attack Magneto. Steve Rogers is revealed to be under the Black Panther mask. Ant-Man grows to giant-size and rips Ultron's head off.

Hawkeye fires a weapon at Magneto in an effort to kill him, but Quicksilver jumps in and dies to protect his father. With both his children dead, Magneto swears revenge on humanity. Quicksilver's dead body somehow sheds a tear. Several days later, the head of Ultron is reclaimed by his true creator, Doctor Doom.
Ultimate X-Men #94
Alpha Flight attack the X-Men and reclaim their former teammate, Northstar. Devastated that his boyfriend's been kidnapped, Colossus gives chase. Wolverine discovers Alpha Flight are using the power-enhancing drug, Banshee, to power up. Phoenix learns Colossus' only mutant power is metal skin and he's been using Banshee all this time to give himself the strength to carry his own body. Dazzler, Nightcrawler, Angel and Rogue also take Banshee to help Colossus. Cyclops decides to keep tabs the souped-up group group and agrees to join them...

Ultimate X-Men #95
The Banshee gives the X-Men secondary and tertiary mutations. Cyclops pretends to pump a shot into his neck, but he's forced to take it for real during the clash with Alpha Flight. He gains full control of his optic blasts, flight and more aggression. Northstar is killed in battle and dies in Colossus' arms. Elsewhere, Wolverine tests positive for Banshee use, which he refutes.
Ultimate X-Men #96
Wolverine turns to Peter Parker who discovers the source of the Banshee is Wolverine himself. The fight between Colossus' X-Men and Alpha Flight jumps from Genosha to Siberia, until Alpha Flight are largely defeated. The non-Banshee-powered X-Men catch up with their former teammates and try to bring them down.! Wolverine brings the fight to a close when he claws out Colossus' heart...

Ultimate X-Men #97
Years earlier, Professor X (Charles Xavier) used a sample of Banshee, briefly gaining Wolverine's powers. In the present, Colossus is still alive and rips Wolverine's leg off. Northstar is revealed to be alive, but paralysed. Phoenix has to force Cyclops to give up the Banshee when addiction sets in. Colossus and Wolverine heal up and Wolverine pays Xavier a visit and learns his fried Dr Moira MacTaggert was the one creating and selling Banshee. Wolverine tries to blow her up, but she's later found by Quicksilver (who is also very much alive) who reveals Magneto was the funding the creation of Banshee.
Ultimate Origins #1 *
When Spider-Man first clashed with the Hulk, Bruce Banner warned him that it's all connected. During World War II, James Howlett (a young Wolverine), Fisk (the Kingpin's grandfather) and Nick Fury were arrested when they tried to steal from half-destroyed Sicilian homes, rather than performing their duties as Allied soldiers. Fury was selected by Doctor Erskine to be a human guinea pig for the Super Soldier Program, aka Project: Rebirth. Despite all odds, Fury survived and became the first American super soldier, but he escaped and disappeared before Erskine could experiment further. Dr. Abraham Cornelius' experiments with the human genome unleashes new abilities, differing for each individual. As the first test subject, James Howlett becomes the first mutant - Mutant Zero. A mysterious stone pillar watches events unfold...

Ultimate Origins #2 *
In 1942, Project: Rebirth turned frail Steve Rogers into the second Super Soldier. Dr Erskine was shot by a Nazi and Rogers went on to become Captain America. In the present day, SHIELD Director Carol Danvers brings the Fantastic Four along when she's alerted to weird goings on at Project PEGASUS. The Project houses any and all bizarre artefacts SHIELD hasn't been able to make sense of. Now a pillar that's been sat that since World War II has just lit up and it seems to be watching...
Ultimate Origins #3 *
Twenty-seven years ago, young Magneto freed James Howlett from the Weapon X project after learning how scientists like his own mother had created mutants. He killed her and began gathering an army, starting with the telepathic Charles Xavier. Sixteen years ago, Magneto, his wife Magda Lehnsherr and more mutants set up a new civilisation in the Savage Land. He uses his powers to create the school of Xavier's dreams. And the whole time, they're watched. In the present, pillars pop up at the Xavier School for Gifted Children, Tony Stark's mansion, the Triskelion and the Baxter Building...

Ultimate Origins #4 *
Years ago, Nick Fury returned to the US Army having barely aged due to the experiment at Project: Rebirth. An explosion in Kuwait almost killed him and cost him an eye. He found himself saved by James Howlett. A year later, Fury was given the job of restarting Project: Rebirth and recreate the Super Soldier Program. Fury gave his team of scientists - Franklin Storm, Richard Parker, Bruce Banner and Hank Pym - a starting point: a vial of his own blood. A drunken Banner made a breakthrough and tried out his formula on himself, transforming into the Hulk for the first time. Hulk went on a rampage, accidentally killing Richard Parker and his visiting wife, Mary Parker. The raging beast stood over the orphaned infant Peter Parker and transformed back into Banner, horrified by his own actions. Fury knocked out Banner and picked up the baby. In the present, the pillar communicates through the Invisible Woman and introduces itself as a Watcher named Uatu.

Ultimate Origins #5 *
Years ago, Nick Fury and his squad of SHIELD agents located the Weapon X facility, learned the truth about mutants, killed chief scientist Malcolm Colcord and blew the facility to hell. On his way out, Fury saved a boy named T'Challa Udaku who Colcord had been experimenting on. The truth about mutants needed to remain a secret or war would break out between the species. Some time after, Magneto and Xavier had a falling out. Magneto sent a metal spear through Xavier's spine, costing him the use of his legs. In the present, having witnessed all the events leading up to the moment, Uatu warns the Fantastic Four that devastation will soon be coming. He doesn't know what form it'll take, but it's coming. He selects a herald to help humanity through the devastation and into a new age. And out of everyone on the planet, he picks a teenager called Rick Jones...

Ultimate Captain America Annual #1
Years ago, T'Challa Udaku fought a panther for the right to become the Wakanda's Black Panther, hoping to usurp his brother's right to the title. The panther almost killed T'Challa and his brother M'Baku Udaku brought his lacerated body home and their desperate father turned to America for help. T'Challa was handed over to the Weapon X Program where he was healed and given little claws that pop out between his knuckles, though he remained mute. Nick Fury changed the deal, telling T'Chaka Udaku that the new Black Panther was now American property and would never return home. Fury handed the Black Panther over to Captain America for training. Cap learned SHIELD were keeping the Panther against his will and set up a ruse, sending him home to Wakanda while Cap disguises himself as the Black Panther, joining the Ultimates as their newest member. The ruse was uncovered after Ultron's attack.

Ultimate Hulk Annual #1
Captain America has given the task of keeping Zarda in check she she decided to stay on Earth-1610. She reluctantly takes Cap's advice to travel across America in the hopes it'll calm her self-righteous attitude and desire to kill. Zarda runs into a very naked Hulk in Kansas. Once they're done trying to kill each other, the pair of them have pancakes and have sex in a filthy motel.
This teenage fantasy was brought to you by Jeph Loeb.
Ultimate X-Men/Ultimate Fantastic Four Annual #1
The X-Men of a future timeline (Earth-81122) come back in time to kill modern-day Reed Richards, facing off against the Fantastic Four. With Reed captured, the FF turn to the modern-day X-Men for help. They return to the Baxter Building to find the future X-Men gone and one of their number - Captain America (actually a future Scott Summers) - murdered by future Sentinels (robot Wolverines). Only future Shadowcat remains and decides to help the Fantastic Four travel twenty years into the future to rescue Reed. The captive Reed learns Phoenix is his son, Franklin Richards. He manages to escape the X-Men's clutches only to run into the future Fantastic Four...

Ultimate Fantastic Four/Ultimate X-Men Annual #1
The future FF (Sue Storm, Ben Grimm in a robot suit, Namor and Firestar) convince Reed Richards to come with them to the N-Zone to end the threat of mutants once and for all. The modern FF and X-Men travel to the future to rescue their Reed only to discover future Reed Richards is still alive and is disguising himself as Nihil after being trapped by evil future Sue in the N-Zone. The past and future X-Men and Fantastic Four members clash until Wolverine ends the threat of the Wolverine Sentinels by killing the future Wolverine. The future heroes are freed from their N-Zone prison and Reed takes future Sue's powers away. After returning to the present, Reed decides he's going to propose to the Invisible Woman. 
Squadron Supreme #1-8 (2008-2009) 
Nick Fury starts up a version of SHIELD on Earth-31916.

Ultimatum #1 (2009) 
Hank Pym takes on the Yellowjacket identity; Magneto begins his all-out assault on humanity and causes global devastation during ULTIMATUM.

Ultimate Spider-Man #130 (2009) 
Spider-Man comes face-to-face the Hulk again during ULTIMATUM.

Ultimate X-Men #98 (2009) 
Rogue heads up a team to go after Alpha Flight; John Wraith is revealed to be under the Vindicator mask during ULTIMATUM.

Ultimatum #2-5 (2009) 
Magneto kills Professor X; Power Princess returns to the Ultimates; Wasp and Yellowjacket don't get a chance to restart their manage as they're both killed; Nick Fury returns to Earth-1610; Phoenix reveals the truth about mutantkind's origins to Magneto; Dr Malcolm Colcord's fate is revealed; Cyclops is killed before he can get a chance to learn to control his powers; Wolverine is killed by Magneto; Magneto's war on humanity ends with his death; Quicksilver vows to carry on his father's legacy during ULTIMATUM.

Ultimatum - Fantastic Four: Requiem #1 (2009) 
Reed Richards proposes to Sue Storm, but is rejected; the Fantastic Four disband during ULTIMATUM.

Ultimatum: X-Men Requiem #1 (2009) 
Jean Grey reveals she's lost her Phoenix powers; the X-Men disband during ULTIMATUM.

Ultimate Spider-Man #1 (2009) 
Mysterio kills the Kingpin (Wilson Fisk); Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson are revealed to have broken up and Peter has started dating Gwen StacyJessica Jones claims to have changed her mind about wanting to unmask Spider-Man; Mysterio creates a Spider-Slayer which is destroyed by the Shroud; Mysterio blows up his own hideout again to avoid capture.

Ultimate Avengers #1 (2009)
Hawkeye pulls himself back together.

Ultimate Spider-Man #7-8 (2010)
Uatu continues to guide Rick Jones, transforming him into Nova; the Serpent Squad make another attempt to steal the Serpent Crown.

Ultimate Enemy #1-4 (2010) 
The Thing loses more of his rocky hide until he sheds it completely, returning to human form of Ben Grimm but displaying new powers during ULTIMATE DOOMSDAY.

Ultimate Mystery #1-4 (2010)
Reed Richards is revealed to have become a villain during ULTIMATE DOOMSDAY.

Ultimate Doom #1-4 (2011)
Reed Richards is revealed to have stolen artefacts from Project Pegasus; Reed reveals that Sue Storm's rejection and the destruction caused by Magneto drastically changed his world-view during ULTIMATE DOOMSDAY.

Ultimate New Ultimates #1-5 (2010-2011) 
Power Princess , Ka-Zar, Shanna and the real Black Panther join the Ultimates; the Defenders steal Mjolnir, making the Ultimates suspicious of Valkyrie; Valkyrie is killed by Loki, though she gets a chance to have her revenge on him; Power Princess returns to Earth-31916.

Ultimate X #4-5 (2011) 
Firestar (Liz Allen) tries to return to a normal life by going back to school; Scarlet Witch appears to be alive again; Quicksilver forms a new Brotherhood.

Ultimate Spider-Man #155-160 (2011) 
Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson get back together; Peter Parker dies in front of Mary Jane after a battle with the Green Goblin; Peter's secret identity becomes public after his death during DEATH OF SPIDER-MAN.

Ultimate Fallout #4-5 (2011) 
The truth about the origin of the mutant race becomes public knowledge; Hank Pym's other robot, the Vision, returns; the 'resurrected' Scarlet WItch is revealed to be Quicksilver's hallucination during DEATH OF SPIDER-MAN.

Ultimate Comics: Ultimates #1 (2011)
Reed Richards takes on a new identity as the Maker during THE REPUBLIC IS BURNING.

Ultimate Comics: X-Men #7 (2012) 
Apocalypse uses the Scarlet Witch's image to convince Quicksilver to head to Egypt.

Spider-Men #1-5 (2012) 
'Mysterio' is revealed to be an android controlled by the Mysterio of Earth-616; Earth-616's Mysterio is imprisoned by Nick Fury on Earth-1610.

Ultimate Wolverine #1-4 (2013) 
Magda Lensherr (aka The Witch - Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch's mother) is revealed to be alive; Quicksilver learns Jimmy Hudson (Wolverine's son) is his half-brother.

Ultimate Comics: Ultimates #27-29 (2013) 
Uatu and the Watchers are revealed to have been created as a side-effect of the Infinity Gems usage; Quicksilver spends the last moments of his life confessing his sins at the Scarlet Witch's grave after Kang mortality wounds him.

Hunger #4 (2013) 
Rick Jones becomes Captain Marvel; further devastation comes to Earth when Galactus of Earth-616 merges with Gah Lak Tus with the intention of consuming the planet during CATACLYSM.

Cataclysm: The Ultimates' Last Stand #2-5 (2014) 
The Ultimates question Mysterio to learn about Earth-616's Galactus when he arrives in the Ultimate Universe; Mysterio explains that Reed Richards has consistently repelled Galactus' attacks, leading to the Ultimate Universe's Reed Richards being brought in to advise; as Captain Marvel, Rick Jones helps save the Earth from Galactus during CATACLYSM.

Ultimate FF #1-3 (2014) 
The real Doctor Doom returns; the 'Doom' dealt with by Nick Fury is revealed to be an impostor (Mary Storm) during ULTIMATE MARVEL NOW!

New Avengers #24 (2014) 
The Squadron Supreme (including Power Princess) of Earth-31916 are revealed to have been slain by Earth-616's Cabal during TIME RUNS OUT.

Secret Wars #1 (2105) 
The Ultimate Universe is destroyed by an incursion during SECRET WARS.

Spider-Men II #5 (2018)
Earth-1610 is revealed to have been restored.

Venom #26 (2020)
After spending time on Earth-616 following the destruction of Earth-1610, Reed Richards returned to Earth-1610 and discovered much of it in ruins.
See how this story fits into the wider Marvel Multiverse continuity:
Ultimate Power
Ultimate Power #1-9.

Ultimates 3: Who Killed the Scarlet Witch?
Ultimatum Hardcover
Both include... 
Ultimates 3 #1-5

Ultimate X-Men vol.9 Hardcover
Ultimate X-Men vol.19: Absolute Power
Both include...
Ultimate X-Men #94-97

Ultimate Origins
Ultimate Origins #1-5.

Ultimatum: March on Ultimatum
Ultimate Captain America Annual #1
Ultimate Fantastic Four/Ultimate X-Men Annual #1
Ultimate Hulk Annual #1
Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #3
Ultimate X-Men/Ultimate Fantastic Four Annual #1

Ultimate Spider-Man vol.9 Hardcover
Ultimate Spider-Man vol.22: Ultimatum
Ultimatum: Spider-Man
All include...
Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #3

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