The summer of blockbusters is upon us, and Marvel is throwing some heavy hitters into the fray this week! Wednesday will see the release of both Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion #1 from Deniz Camp & Cody Ziglar and Imperial #1 from Jonathan Hickman. Incursion, drawn by Jonas Scharf, will see our 616 Miles Morales crossing into The Maker’s new Ultimate Universe for the first time. As if that weren’t enough of a draw, it appears this will also mark the first time most of the Ultimate Marvel characters interact with each other, as each title has been set in a different part of the world thus far.
Hickman’s Imperial has quite the art team, including Iban Coello and Miles Morales:Spider-Man artist Federico Vincentini, and aims to put Cosmic Marvel back in a spotlight it hasn’t seen since the Abnett and Lanning days. Admittedly, I’ve never ventured into the Marvel cosmos (wait, does Hickman/Schiti’s G.O.D.S. series count?), so this will be all new territory for me. What’s piqued my interest in this the reveal of a spinoff series entitled Imperial War: Black Panther, which Hickman is co-writing with Sabertooth scribe Victor Lavalle. Wherever T’Challa goes in the 616, I tend to follow.
Speaking of T’Challa, the debut I’m most curious about is Marvel Knights: The World to Come #1, marking the return of fan-favorite writer Christopher Priest to the world of Wakanda. A world he remade in the image of cool back in 1998’s Marvel Knights Black Panther title, introducing us to the Dora Milaje, Agent Everett Ross, and much of the vibranium-powered tech we associate with Marvel’s premier Black superhero. As if the return of Priest wasn’t enough, he’s also bringing former Marvel EIC Joe Quesada with him! The affair feels a bit bittersweet, as solicits are teasing the death of T’Challa; but I’m just excited to have a Black Panther-starring book on shelves again. And if they’re reviving the Marvel Knights banner, I’m very curious about.. well… the world to come.