On May 20, it will be the beginning of the end for the Ultimate Universe as we know it. But before Marvel Comics' "Secret Wars: Ultimate End" series lets universe architects Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley wrap the world they created 15 years ago, artist Skottie Young is celebrating the writer's contributions with a new variant cover that just appeared on Reddit.

"What you're going to get a sense of from here on out is that these are not tie-ins in the traditional sense," Bendis recently explained to CBR. "These are very important pieces of the Marvel Universe and for these characters. The tie-ins themselves are actually an event unto themselves. This would be it's own event if there wasn't a 'Secret Wars.' These are gigantic stories and very important, and what comes out the other side is going to be different. These series are setting you up and letting you know what pieces are coming out the other side. That's what I think this first storyline represents. Look how big this is; this is the end of something gigantic we've been working on for 15 years... This isn't the craziest thing that's going to happen.

"The story we're telling with Miles Morales will tie into 'Secret Wars' and tie up a lot of really big pieces with the Ultimate chronology," he added. "You're going to get legitimate closure with a lot of characters. It's very rare that you get this opportunity to wrap it up. It's like television, when you get a final season. That's how I've been writing 'Miles Morales'... Will you see Peter in 'Ultimate End'? Yes you will."

To catch up before the series arrives on May 20, read CBR's "5 Characters We Don't Want To See Meet Their Ultimate End" or check out Bagley's own cover for issue #4.