Nick Fury Is Making His Ultimate Universe Debut (But Whose Side Is He On?)

As Marvel’s Ultimate Universe winds down it’s first year, a special one-shot will introduce readers to Nick Fury. But there’s a larger question of where his allegiances lie. Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1 wraps up the first year of the new Ultimate Universe, while also setting the stage for the next year of Ultimate storytelling. Two new characters are set to be introduced: Ultimate Wolverine and Nick Fury. The upcoming Ultimate Wolverine creative team of Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappuccio reveal a teaser of their comic, while Ultimates writer Deniz Camp and artist Jonas Scharf peel back the curtain on Nick Fury.

Marvel released covers and preview pages for Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1. Nick Fury’s role in the Maker’s world is revealed, and it appears that Fury is aligned with the evil version of Reed Richards. However, since Nick Fury is known for being a super spy, he could also being a double agent for the Ultimates. With their master’s return imminent, the Maker’s Council convene to discuss the sudden rise of super heroes determined to bring hope to their corrupt universe. Instead of being the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury commands a helicarrier with an open palm as its logo signature. Does it stand for H.A.N.D. or some other nefarious organization? The final page in that part of the story shows Fury entering a meeting with Maker’s Council.

The other half of the story reveals the Maker’s ultimate weapon, the Winter Soldier, aka Ultimate Wolverine. The story serves as a prelude to Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappuccio’s Ultimate Wolverine, the newest ongoing Ultimate series launching this January.

As for the covers, there are a group of variant covers where regular Ultimate series cover artists—Marcho Checchetto (Ultimate Spider-Man), Stefano Caselli (Ultimate Black Panther), Peach Momoko (Ultimate X-Men), and Dike Ruan (Ultimates)—traded off and brought their skills to characters from each other’s series. There’s also a terrifying depiction of the Maker by comic book legend Frank Miller, one-sixth of an epic connecting cover by Josemaria Casanovas that will run across all Ultimate titles, and a spoiler variant cover spotlighting Ultimate Wolverine’s first appearance by the character’s future series artist Alessandro Cappuccio.

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“With Ultimate Universe: One Year In, my goals were simple: Create an entryway for new readers into the Ultimate Universe; reward longtime readers, especially those who have wanted more connective tissue between the Ultimate books; AND set the stage for the next year of stories, as we build towards the return of the Maker,” Camp said. “All this while telling a complete and satisfying one-issue story from the bad guys’ point of view! It’s going to be dark, it’s going to be kind of cruel, and, thanks to Jonas Scharf, it’s going to be beautiful.”

The covers for Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1 are below. The issue goes on sale December 11th.