Imperial to Overhaul Marvel's Cosmic Heroes

In 2025, Marvel Comics will launch one of its most ambitious and expansive projects yet with *Imperial*, a series spearheaded by the visionary writer Jonathan Hickman. Known for his transformative work on *House of X* and *the new Ultimate Universe*, Hickman's *Imperial* promises to redefine the status quo for Marvel’s cosmic heroes, including Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy. This new series is poised to reshape the cosmic landscape of the Marvel Universe in a way that will captivate fans and newcomers alike.

To gain deeper insights into how *Imperial* will revolutionize the cosmic playing field, IGN conducted an exclusive email interview with Hickman. Below, you can explore a sneak peek of *Imperial #1* in our slideshow gallery, followed by more detailed information about the project.

Marvel's Imperial #1 Preview Gallery

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Curious about the genesis of *Imperial*, we asked Hickman if this was a story he was eager to tell or if Marvel approached him to replicate the success of *Krakoa* and *Ultimate Invasion*. Hickman shared that 2025 was the perfect moment to re-examine Marvel’s cosmic lineup.

“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.”

The success of the new Ultimate line over the past two years has set a benchmark, and *Imperial* aims to follow a similar approach as the foundation for a new line of cosmic books. When asked about the parallels and lessons from launching the Ultimate Universe, Hickman provided insight into his strategy:

“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,” Hickman said. “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 added, “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* evokes memories of the 2006 *Annihilation* crossover, which significantly shifted the balance of power in Marvel’s cosmic realm, Hickman clarifies the distinctions between the two:

“No. Simply because that’s an invasion story and this isn’t anything like that,” Hickman 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 builds on elements from Hickman’s previous Marvel works. For instance, the "Hunt for Xavier" crossover in the X-Men line, which addressed unresolved issues from the Krakoan era, set the stage for *Imperial* by resurrecting the former Shi’ar Empress Lilandra and reuniting her with Charles Xavier to rescue their daughter Xandra. Additionally, the series introduces the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, first hinted at during 2015’s *Secret Wars* and later expanded in Ta-Nehisi Coates’ *Black Panther* series.

Despite these connections, Hickman notes that *Imperial* isn't solely 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 said. “Sure, there’s some of that in there, but not as much as some people might expect.”

*Imperial* also marks a return to the cosmic realm for the Hulk family. The preview art suggests a revisit to the war-torn planet Sakaar, echoing the 2006 *Planet Hulk* storyline. Hickman hints at the significance of this return:

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.”

Finally, we inquired about the decision to feature two artists, Federico Vicentini and Iban Coello, for *Imperial*. Hickman praised their contributions:

“Both of those guys are crushing it,” Hickman 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 slated for release on June 4, 2025.