As readers anticipate the return of the Ultimate Marvel Universe, fans of that era are eagerly anticipating which characters from that world – including Ultimate Spider-Man – could be returning. Marvel recently announced the impending release of Ultimate Invasion, a four-issue series that will see Marvel revisit its Ultimate Universe. The return of the Ultimate Universe guarantees the return of many heroes who were pivotal during that era of Marvel, though most readers aren’t expecting a return from that universe’s version of Peter Parker, following his tragic death.
His death was chronicled in the 2011 Death of Spider-Man story arc, where Peter is critically wounded in a battle with Green Goblin and the Ultimate Six. Following an explosion and a bullet meant for Captain America, Spider-Man dies surrounded by his closest friends and family. The death was notable not only for making national news at the time but for marking the debut of Miles Morales, who replaces Peter Parker as Spider-Man.
Ultimate Spider-Man is Still Alive And Could Return
Most people think this officially marked the end for the original Spider-Man in the Ultimate Universe, but on the contrary, it instead opens up an entirely new chapter. It’s revealed in 2104’s Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez that, sometime after his death, Peter wakes up to discover that a side effect of his powers is immortality. Initially, he decides to ride off into the sunset to better understand his resurrection before deciding to live a quiet life with Mary-Jane, leaving the reins of the Spidey mantle to Miles. However, 2017’s Spider-Men II by Brian Michael Bendis, Sara Pichelli, and Mark Bagley sees Peter return to the mantle and becoming a staple of the Ultimates.
The highly publicized death of Spider-Man happened not long before the end of the Ultimate Universe as a whole. As such, that might explain why his resurrection sometime thereafter may have gone so under the radar. With his death and the death of the Ultimate Universe coming in such quick succession to each other, the popular impression from many fans is that Ultimate Spider-Man stayed dead when in this reality, he would still be living his best life.
With Peter Parker’s Ultimate Spider-Man being alive in his universe, this greatly increases his chances of returning for Marvel’s Ultimate Invasion event. The storyline could either make a break the happy ending that audiences last saw from him, but above all else, it will update readers on his life in the time since. In many ways, Ultimate Spider-Man was the leading face of the Ultimate Marvel Universe, and it would only be fitting to see him return along with it.
Ultimate Invasion #1 will be available on June 21 from Marvel Comics.