In 2025, Marvel's latest and most ambitious project, *Imperial*, is set to redefine the cosmic landscape of the Marvel Universe. Spearheaded by Jonathan Hickman, the creative genius behind transformative storylines such as House of X and the new Ultimate Universe, *Imperial* promises to bring a fresh status quo to beloved cosmic characters like Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy.
To delve deeper into how *Imperial* will revolutionize the cosmic narrative, IGN conducted an exclusive email interview with Hickman. Below, you can explore a preview gallery of *Imperial #1* and discover more about this groundbreaking series.
Marvel's Imperial #1 Preview Gallery
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The origins of *Imperial* stem from a timely opportunity to revisit Marvel's cosmic heroes. 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 success of the new Ultimate line, *Imperial* aims to establish a concise, engaging set of cosmic books. Hickman noted, “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 further clarified that unlike the Ultimate line, *Imperial* will not follow a real-time narrative, which has its advantages and drawbacks but will likely be welcomed by fans.
While comparisons to the 2006 *Annihilation* crossover were inevitable, Hickman dismissed any direct similarities, stating, “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 Hickman's previous Marvel work, notably the "Hunt for Xavier" crossover in the X-Men line, which saw the resurrection of former Shi’ar Empress Lilandra and her reunion with Charles Xavier to rescue their daughter Xandra. Additionally, the series introduces the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, a concept first hinted at in 2015's *Secret Wars* and later explored in Ta-Nehisi Coates' *Black Panther* series. Despite these connections, Hickman emphasized that *Imperial* isn't heavily tied to his past narratives, explaining, “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 ventures into cosmic territory with the Hulk family, revisiting the wartorn world of Sakaar from the iconic 2006 *Planet Hulk* storyline. Hickman teased, “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.”
In terms of the artistic direction, *Imperial* is a collaboration between artists Federico Vicentini and Iban Coello. Hickman praised their contributions, stating, “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 set to launch 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.
