In 2025, Marvel is set to launch one of its most ambitious projects yet with the new comic series, Imperial. Spearheaded by the visionary Jonathan Hickman, known for his transformative work on House of X and the new Ultimate Universe, Imperial aims to redefine the landscape for Marvel's cosmic heroes such as Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy. This new series is poised to introduce a fresh status quo, and IGN had the opportunity to delve into this exciting development through an exclusive email interview with Hickman himself. Take a look at the exclusive preview in the slideshow gallery below, and dive deeper into what Imperial has in store.
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. As Hickman shares, "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 emphasizes the strategy behind Imperial. 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." However, he clarifies a key difference: "Imperial 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 may draw comparisons to the 2006 Annihilation crossover, Hickman dismisses any direct similarities, stating, "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."
Imperial builds on elements from Hickman's previous works, such as the "Hunt for Xavier" crossover in the X-Men line, which paved the way for the resurrection of Shi'ar Empress Lilandra and her reunion with Charles Xavier. Additionally, the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, first teased in 2015’s Secret Wars, plays a significant role. Despite these connections, Hickman notes, "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. Sure, there’s some of that in there, but not as much as some people might expect."
The series also takes a cosmic turn with the Hulk family, returning to the war-torn world of Sakaar, a nod to the iconic 2006 Planet Hulk storyline. Hickman hints at the timing, 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."
The artistic direction of Imperial is split between Federico Vicentini and Iban Coello. Hickman praises their work, stating, "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 slated for release on June 4, 2025.
For 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.
