Imperial's Impact: Reshaping Marvel's Cosmic Heroes

In 2025, Marvel Comics is set to launch one of its most ambitious projects yet with the new series, *Imperial*. Spearheaded by the visionary writer Jonathan Hickman, famous for groundbreaking works like House of X and the new Ultimate Universe, *Imperial* promises to redefine the cosmic landscape of the Marvel Universe. This series is poised to shake up the status quo for beloved characters such as Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy, introducing fresh narratives and dynamics.

To delve deeper into what *Imperial* has in store, IGN had the opportunity to interview Hickman via email. Below, you can explore an exclusive preview in our slideshow gallery, followed by insights from the creator himself.

Marvel's Imperial #1 Preview Gallery

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When asked about the origins of *Imperial*, Hickman shared that the timing felt right to revisit Marvel's cosmic realm. "I think it was simply time to revisit this corner of the Marvel Universe," Hickman 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."

Drawing comparisons to the successful relaunch of the Ultimate line, Hickman discussed the strategy behind *Imperial*. "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," he explained. "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."

Hickman also highlighted a key difference: "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 some might draw parallels to the 2006 *Annihilation* crossover, Hickman clarified the distinctions: "No. Simply because that's an invasion story and this isn't anything like that," he said. "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."

*Imperial* also ties into Hickman's previous work, such as the "Hunt for Xavier" crossover in the X-Men line, which saw the resurrection of the former Shi'ar Empress Lilandra and her reunion with Charles Xavier. Additionally, the series introduces the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, a concept first teased in 2015's *Secret Wars* and later explored in Ta-Nehisi Coates' *Black Panther* series. However, Hickman noted that *Imperial* is not as tightly connected to his past works as one might think: "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 brings a cosmic twist to the Hulk family, with preview art showing Hulk and She-Hulk returning to the war-torn world of Sakaar, reminiscent of the 2006 *Planet Hulk* storyline. Hickman hinted at the timing: "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 art duties between Federico Vicentini and Iban Coello. "Both of those guys are crushing it," he said. "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 scheduled for release on June 4, 2025.