Joshua Hale Fialkov will take on the Ultimate X-Men for the "Cataclysm" event.
With writer Brian Wood leaving "Ultimate Comics X-Men" after his current "World War X" arc, a new writer will step in to shepherd the Ultimate Universe's premiere mutant team through the upcoming "Cataclysm" event: "Ultimate Comics Ultimates" and "Hunger" scribe Joshua Hale Fialkov.
During an interview with Nerdist, Fialkov and fellow Ultimate Universe craftsman Brian Michael Bendis discussed what "Cataclysm" means for the Ultimate U, along with solicitations for what seem to be three new miniseries centered around each of the Ultimate line's main titles: "Cataclysm: Ultimate Spider-Man" #1, "Cataclysm: Ultimate X-Men" #1 and "Cataclysm: Ultimates" #1. Fialkov implied on his Tumblr that the series will take the place of the current "Ultimate Comics X-Men" title, saying "I'm writing 'Ultimate Comics X-Men'" with the solicitation for the first issue of "Cataclysm: Ultimate X-Men" #1.
"What I can promise you is a very important, heart-wrenching story for the Ultimate Universe," Bendis told Nerdist. "As has always been our best foot forward in the Ultimate Universe, our best stories have always been the ones where you, the reader, go, 'Wow, I've never seen that before.' It's literally filled with things that will elicit that response. I'm only being vague about the ending because I don't want to spoil what hopefully will be something people haven't seen before and will be exciting for people. For longtime Ultimate Universe fans, there's a lot there for you that's been building for a while, and, if you've just stumbled in and out, it's a big giant Marvel Universe story and it's pretty important to all these characters going forward."
"I mean, look, I love the Ultimate Universe and I just got here," Fialkov continued. "My luck is not great -- I'll be honest. If I was estimating based on my own personal success and situations I've also found myself in, most likely I'll be homeless and begging on the street like, 'I did'Ultimate X-Men!' Anybody? Please!' I'll show them all! I killed everybody! It's so weird to talk about these books because we're supposed to tease the end of the universe but we're also not supposed to say we're ending the universe. You can tease it, but don't play it -- what the hell does that mean? The gist of it is that everyone's dead. Things will never be the same."
"Cataclysm" spins out of the events of "Age of Ultron", which saw the Marvel Universe's version of Galactus transported to the Ultimate Universe. Fialkov currently deals with the fallout of the plot point in the "Hunger" miniseries, which serves as a precursor to "Cataclysm." It's likely more details will come to light when Marvel releases its November solicitations later this month.
Check out the covers and solicitation for "Cataclysm" and its tie-in #1 issues below.
CATACLYSM: THE ULTIMATES' LAST STAND #1
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS | Penciled by MARK BAGLEY | Cover by MARK BAGLEY
THE BIGGEST ULTIMATE EVENT YET! MARVEL'S GALACTUS VS. THE ULTIMATES
• AGE OF ULTRON ripped a hole into the Ultimate Universe
• GALACTUS came through...hungry
• Is this the last stand of the Ultimate heroes?
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99
CATACLYSM: THE ULTIMATES' LAST STAND #2
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS | Penciled by MARK BAGLEY | Cover by MARK BAGLEY | Variant Cover by GABRIEL HARDMAN
• The ULTIMATES discover where GALACTUS has come from
• If they send the WORLD DESTROYER back to where he came from all that will do is create more destruction and havoc
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99
CATACLYSM: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS | Cover & Art by DAVID MARQUEZ | Variant Cover by GABRIEL HARDMAN
• MILES MORALES learned the meaning of having great responsibility and put his costume back on after mourning the tragic death of his mother
• Now he stands to lose his entire world as a cosmic threat descends on earth
• Can SPIDER-MAN and his friends, CLOAK & DAGGER and SPIDER-WOMAN make a difference in the face of apocalypse?
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99
CATACLYSM: ULTIMATE X-MEN #1 (WITH DIGITAL CODE)
Written by JOSH HALE FIALKOV | Penciled by ALVARO MARTINEZ | Cover by MARIUS SIERGIEJEW | Variant Cover by GABRIEL HARDMAN
• The mutants just survived a war between themselves that almost destroyed both sides
• As GALACTUS threatens to eat the world, a secret weapon is put in place to stop him
• But will it be the thing that finally wipes all of mutant kind out of existence?
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99
CATACLYSM: ULTIMATES #1 (WITH DIGITAL CODE)
Written by JOSH HALE FIALKOV | Penciled by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO |Cover by MUKESH SINGH | Variant Cover by GABRIEL HARDMAN
• NICK FURY has defied the odds all his life and is no stranger to extinction level events
• It's time to save the world again...at any cost!
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99