Ultimate Universe: Phase 1: Foundation Reading Order

This foundational phase of the Ultimate Universe reintroduces iconic Marvel heroes through fresh origin stories and interconnected arcs, establishing a modern, grounded continuity that reshapes familiar legends for a new generation.

Part of

The Ultimate Ultimate Universe timeline

Ultimate Universe: Phase 2: Expansion

Primary collected edition:
Ultimate Spider-Man Omnibus: Volume 1

Ultimate Spider-Man Omnibus: Volume 1 Ultimate Spider-Man Omnibus: Volume 1 cover

Collects: Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) #1-39, #½

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Issue-by-Issue Reading Order

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1 -13EssentialSEP 2000-SEP 2001

Ultimate Spider-Man #1-13

#1: Powerless

#2: Growing Pains

#3: Wannabee

#4: With Great Power

#5: Life Lessons

#6: Big Time Super Hero

#7: Secret Identity

#8: Working Stiff

#9: Meet The Enforcers

#10: The Worst Thing

#11: Discovery

#12: Battle Royal

#13: Confessions

#1-13 collected in:Ultimate Spider-Man: Ultimate Collection: Volume 1

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14 -16RecommendedAPR-MAY 2001

Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #1-3

#1: Spider-Man & Wolverine

#2: Spider-Man & Hulk: Part 1

#3: Spider-Man & Hulk: Part 2

#1-3 collected in:Ultimate Marvel Team-Up Ultimate Collection

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17 -22EssentialFEB-MAY 2001

Ultimate X-Men #1-6

#1: The Tomorrow People: Part 1: Tomorrow People

#2: The Tomorrow People: Part 2: The Enemy Within

#3: The Tomorrow People: Part 3: Warzone

#4: The Tomorrow People: Part 4: Betrayal

#5: The Tomorrow People: Part 5: Killing Fields

#6: The Tomorrow People: Part 6: Invasion

#1-6 collected in:Ultimate X-Men: Ultimate Collection: Volume 1

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23RecommendedJun 2002

Ultimate X-Men #½

Burial Service

# collected in:Ultimate X-Men: Ultimate Collection: Volume 1

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24 -29RecommendedMAY-DEC 2001

Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #4-9

#4: Spider-Man & Iron Man: Part 1

#5: Spider-Man & Iron Man: Part 2

#6: Spider-Man & The Punisher

#7: Spider-Man, The Punisher & Daredevil: Part 1

#8: Spider-Man, The Punisher & Daredevil: Part 2

#9: Spider-Man & Fantastic Four

#4-9 collected in:Ultimate Marvel Team-Up Ultimate Collection

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30 -37EssentialOCT 2001-APR 2002

Ultimate Spider-Man #14-21

#14: Doctor Octopus

#15: Confrontations

#16: Kraven the Hunter

#17: Taking Advantage

#18: The Cycle

#19: Piece of Work

#20: Live

#21: Hunted

#14-21 collected in:Ultimate Spider-Man: Ultimate Collection: Volume 2

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38 -41RecommendedJAN-APR 2002

Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #10-13

#10: Spider-Man & The Man-Thing

#11: Spider-Man & X-Men: Peter Parker's Day Off

#12: Spider-Man & Doctor Strange: Part 1

#13: Spider-Man & Doctor Strange: Part 2

#10-13 collected in:Ultimate Marvel Team-Up Ultimate Collection

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42RecommendedApr 2002

Ultimate Spider-Man #½

[untitled]

# collected in:Ultimate Spider-Man: Ultimate Collection: Volume 3

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43 -50EssentialJUN 2001-FEB 2002

Ultimate X-Men #7-14

#7: Return to Weapon X: Part 1: Return to Weapon X

#8: Return to Weapon X: Part 2: First Strike

#9: Return to Weapon X: Part 3: No Safe Haven

#10: Return to Weapon X: Part 4: In The Heart of Darkness

#11: Return to Weapon X: Part 5: Sins of the Past

#12: Return to Weapon X: Part 6: End Game

#13: Thief in the Night: You Always Remember Your First Love: Part 1

#14: Wild Card: You Always Remember Your First Love: Part 2

#7-12 collected in:Ultimate X-Men: Ultimate Collection: Volume 1

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#13-14 collected in:Ultimate X-Men: Ultimate Collection: Volume 2

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51 -53RecommendedMAY-JUL 2002

Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #14-16

#14: Spider-Man & Black Widow

#15: Spider-Man & The Hands of Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu: Part 1

#16: Spider-Man & The Hands of Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu: Part 2

#14-16 collected in:Ultimate Marvel Team-Up Ultimate Collection

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54 -59EssentialMAY-SEP 2002

Ultimate Spider-Man #22-27

#22: Reflections of…

#23: Responsible

#24: Ultimatum

#25: Plasmids

#26: Circles

#27: Illegal

#22-27 collected in:Ultimate Spider-Man: Ultimate Collection: Volume 2

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60EssentialFeb 2002

Ultimate X-Men #15

It Doesn't Have To Be This Way

#15 collected in:Ultimate X-Men: Ultimate Collection: Volume 2

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61 -63EssentialJAN-MAR 2002

The Ultimates #1-3

#1: Super-Human

#2: Big

#3: 21st Century Boy

#1-3 collected in:The Ultimates: Ultimate Collection

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Cover of Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra #1

Cover of Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra #2

Cover of Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra #3

64 -67RecommendedNOV 2002-JAN 2003

Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra #1-4

#1: Part 1

#2: Part 2

#3: Part 3

#4: Part 4

#1-4 collected in:Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra

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68OptionalJul 2002

Ultimate Spider-Man Super Special #1

[untitled]

#1 collected in:Ultimate Marvel Team-Up Ultimate Collection

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69 -73EssentialMAR-JUL 2002

Ultimate X-Men #16-20

#16: World Tour: Part 1

#17: World Tour: Part 2

#18: World Tour: Part 3

#19: World Tour: Part 4

#20: Resignation

#16-20 collected in:Ultimate X-Men: Ultimate Collection: Volume 2

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74 -78EssentialOCT-DEC 2002

Ultimate Spider-Man #28-32

#28: Sidetracked

#29: Stolen Identity

#30: Emergency

#31: Black Van

#32: Just a Guy

#28-32 collected in:Ultimate Spider-Man: Ultimate Collection: Volume 3

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79 -84OptionalNOV 2002-SEP 2003

Ultimate Adventures #1-6

#1: It Ain't Me You're Looking For Babe

#2: Send Lawyers, Guns, And Money…

#3: Orangutans Are Skeptical of Changes in Their Cages

#4: Tin Soldier

#5: What Becomes of All the Little Boys?

#6: Song For Woody, Bob Dylan, 1960

#1-6 collected in:Ultimate Adventures: One Tin Soldier

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85 -94EssentialMAY 2002-MAR 2004

The Ultimates #4-13

#4: Thunder

#5: Hulk Does Manhattan

#6: Giant Man vs The Wasp

#7: Homeland Security

#8: The Experts

#9: Captain America vs Giant Man

#10: Devil In Disguise

#11: The Art of War

#12: Persons of Mass Destruction

#13: How I Learned To Love The Hulk

#4-13 collected in:The Ultimates: Ultimate Collection

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95 -101EssentialDEC 2002-APR 2003

Ultimate Spider-Man #33-39

#33: Origins

#34: Inheritance

#35: Legacy

#36: Today

#37: Still

#38: Father's Pride

#39: Therapy

#33-39 collected in:Ultimate Spider-Man: Ultimate Collection: Volume 3

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102 -106EssentialAUG-NOV 2002

Ultimate X-Men #21-25

#21: Hellfire & Brimstone: Part 1

#22: Hellfire & Brimstone: Part 2

#23: Hellfire & Brimstone: Part 3

#24: Hellfire & Brimstone: Part 4

#25: Hellfire & Brimstone: Part 5

#21-25 collected in:Ultimate X-Men: Ultimate Collection: Volume 2

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107 -110EssentialDEC 2002-FEB 2003

Ultimate War #1-4

#1: The Ultimates vs Ultimate X-Men: Part 1

#2: The Ultimates vs Ultimate X-Men: Part 2

#3: The Ultimates vs Ultimate X-Men: Part 3

#4: The Ultimates vs Ultimate X-Men: Part 4

#1-4 collected in:Ultimate X-Men: Ultimate Collection: Volume 3

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Ultimate Universe: Phase 1: Foundation Reading Order

Event timeline

Primary collected edition:Ultimate Spider-Man Omnibus: Volume 1

Issue-by-Issue Reading Order

Ultimate Spider-Man #1-13

Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #1-3

Ultimate X-Men #1-6

Ultimate X-Men #½

Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #4-9

Ultimate Spider-Man #14-21

Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #10-13

Ultimate Spider-Man #½

Ultimate X-Men #7-14

Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #14-16

Ultimate Spider-Man #22-27

Ultimate X-Men #15

The Ultimates #1-3

Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra #1-4

Ultimate Spider-Man Super Special #1

Ultimate X-Men #16-20

Ultimate Spider-Man #28-32

Ultimate Adventures #1-6

The Ultimates #4-13

Ultimate Spider-Man #33-39

Ultimate X-Men #21-25

Ultimate War #1-4

Primary collected edition:
Ultimate Spider-Man Omnibus: Volume 1