Imperial's Impact: Reshaping Marvel's Cosmic Heroes

In 2025, Marvel's latest ambitious venture, Imperial, emerges as a significant addition to their comic book lineup, spearheaded by the visionary writer Jonathan Hickman. Known for transforming Marvel's storytelling landscape with projects like House of X and the new Ultimate Universe, Hickman is set to redefine the cosmic realm, focusing on heroes such as Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy. This series promises to introduce a fresh status quo, reshaping the universe in exciting new ways.

To delve deeper into how Imperial will transform the cosmic landscape, IGN had the opportunity to discuss the project via email with Hickman himself. Below, you can explore an exclusive preview gallery, and continue reading for more insights into this groundbreaking series.

Marvel's Imperial #1 Preview Gallery

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The genesis of Imperial stems from a timely opportunity to revisit Marvel's cosmic universe. Hickman shared with IGN, "I think it was simply time to revisit this corner of the Marvel Universe. 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."

Drawing parallels with the successful launch of the new Ultimate line, Hickman sees Imperial as a similar initiative but with distinct differences. He explains, "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."

He further clarifies the unique approach of Imperial, stating, "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."

While Imperial may evoke memories of the 2006 Annihilation crossover, Hickman dismisses direct comparisons, noting, "No. Simply because that’s an invasion story and this isn’t anything like that. 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."

Although Imperial builds on elements from Hickman's previous works, such as the "Hunt for Xavier" crossover and the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, he emphasizes that the series is not overly reliant on his past narratives. "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," Hickman reveals. "Sure, there’s some of that in there, but not as much as some people might expect."

The series also marks a significant shift for the Hulk family, returning to the war-torn world of Sakaar, reminiscent of the 2006 Planet Hulk storyline. Hickman teases, "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."

Regarding the artistic direction, Imperial is a collaborative effort between artists Federico Vicentini and Iban Coello. Hickman praises their contributions, saying, "Both of those guys are crushing it. 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 set to hit the shelves on June 4, 2025.