In 2025, Marvel is set to launch one of its most ambitious comic book projects yet with *Imperial*, a series crafted by the visionary Jonathan Hickman. Known for transformative works such as *House of X* and *the new Ultimate Universe*, Hickman is poised to redefine the landscape for Marvel's cosmic heroes, including Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy. To shed light on how *Imperial* will reshape the cosmic narrative, IGN had the opportunity to interview Hickman via email. Dive into an exclusive preview in the slideshow gallery below, and continue reading for more insights.
Marvel's Imperial #1 Preview Gallery
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The genesis of *Imperial* stems from a timely revisit to Marvel's cosmic universe. Hickman shared with IGN, “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 inspiration from the successful launch of the new Ultimate line, Hickman sees *Imperial* as a similar venture but with distinct differences. He explained, “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.” He added, “The big difference, obviously, is that this 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 might draw parallels between *Imperial* and the 2006 *Annihilation* crossover due to its impact on the cosmic status quo, Hickman clarifies, “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 prior Marvel works, such as the “Hunt for Xavier” crossover in the X-Men line, which led to the resurrection of the former Shi’ar Empress Lilandra and her reunion with Charles Xavier. It also features the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, a concept introduced during 2015’s *Secret Wars* and further explored in Ta-Nehisi Coates’ *Black Panther* series. However, 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 sees the Hulk family returning to the cosmic scene, revisiting the wartorn world of Sakaar from the 2006 *Planet Hulk* storyline. Hickman teases, “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.”
On the creative front, *Imperial* is a collaborative effort between artists Federico Vicentini and Iban Coello. Hickman praised their work, saying, “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.
