Home > News > Imperial's Impact: Reshaping Marvel's Cosmic Heroes

Imperial's Impact: Reshaping Marvel's Cosmic Heroes

Author:Kristen Update:May 15,2025

In 2025, Marvel Comics is set to launch one of its most ambitious projects to date with Imperial, a groundbreaking series masterminded by acclaimed writer Jonathan Hickman. Known for his transformative work on series like House of X and the new Ultimate Universe, Hickman aims to redefine the status quo for Marvel's cosmic heroes, including Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy. To delve deeper into how Imperial will shake up the cosmic landscape, IGN conducted an exclusive email interview with Hickman. Explore the preview gallery below and read on for more insights.

Marvel's Imperial #1 Preview Gallery

View 8 Images

When asked about the genesis of Imperial, Hickman shared that the timing felt right for a fresh look at Marvel's cosmic roster. "I think it was simply time to revisit this corner of the Marvel Universe," he told IGN. "That I was available and interested, and that it’s been of ongoing interest to the company, and that the model of launching something like this had just been done with the Ultimate line, all added up to it feeling like this was an opportunity to do Imperial. It’s come together well and I think people are going to enjoy it. It’s a fun book."

The success of the new Ultimate line over the past two years provides a clear blueprint for Imperial, which aims to serve as the cornerstone for a new series of cosmic books. Hickman sees parallels between the two initiatives, noting, "You can, in my opinion, draw a direct line between the two in terms of what we think can succeed with in the current market. A small, tight line of books that readers can invest in and not feel overwhelmed, and where creators can execute their vision for the individual titles without drowning in external continuity seems to be a pretty solid model of how to launch something like this."

However, Imperial differs from the Ultimate line in that it's not set in an alternate universe, thus avoiding the 'real time' aspect. "The big difference, obviously, is that this isn’t set in an alternative Marvel Universe, so we won’t be doing the ‘real time’ aspect of the Ultimate line. Which has its pluses and minuses, but I think most people will be pleased about," Hickman explained.

While Imperial might remind some fans of the 2006 Annihilation crossover, Hickman clarified that the two are distinct. "No. Simply because that’s an invasion story and this isn’t anything like that," he stated. "The ‘what-you-get’ end results might be similar in that all of a sudden there are a bunch of Marvel cosmic books you care about. But plot/story-wise? No."

Despite drawing on elements from his previous Marvel projects, Hickman emphasized that Imperial isn't overly reliant on his past work. "Well, I’m kind of notorious for mining my own continuity inside of the greater Marvel one, but I’d say well over half of this is more like me picking up pieces from a bunch of extended stories that have been done over the years by other creators than me just picking up plot threads from my previous books," he said. "Sure, there’s some of that in there, but not as much as some people might expect."

The series also marks a return to the cosmic realm for the Hulk family, with the preview art showcasing Hulk and She-Hulk's return to the war-torn world of Sakaar, echoing the 2006 Planet Hulk storyline. Hickman hinted at the significance of this setting, saying, "All I’ll say there is we’re coming up on the twentieth anniversary of Planet Hulk and Marvel doesn’t usually let those opportunities pass by."

Finally, Hickman discussed the decision to split the series between artists Federico Vicentini and Iban Coello. "Both of those guys are crushing it," he praised. "I’ve been very pleased and surprised at how they’ve tackled some of the story beats, character designs, and wild locations this thing has. And with the book having a compressed publishing schedule (we actually moved it forward at the beginning of the year), the only way it could be done was for them to tag team it. The trick there is they have to complement each other and that’s clearly the case here."

Imperial #1 is slated for release on June 4, 2025.

PlayFor more on the world of comics, find out what you should read in this year’s FCBD lineup, and check out our exclusive interview with the writers of TMNT: The Last Ronin II.