Marvel Is Merging Two Of Its Most Popular Heroes Into One Character In A New Comic Book Series

Marvel's new "Ultimate" universe has been a success since it launched last year. Set in a similar but different timeline, "Ultimate Marvel" is a great on-ramp for new readers, with higher stakes, wilder experimentation, and a much lighter backlog.

The one-shot "Ultimate Universe: One Year In" #1 is coming this December. Marking the almost one-year anniversary since Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto's "Ultimate Spider-Man" launched in January, "One Year In" will "set the stage" for "Ultimate Marvel," Year Two.

At New York Comic-Con, Marvel confirmed a new hero will be debuting in "One Year In" — Ultimate Wolverine, who will spin-off into an ongoing series come January 2025. "Ultimate Wolverine" will be written by Chris Condon (writer of Western-horror-noir comic "That Texas Blood") and drawn by Alessandro Cappuccio ("Moon Knight"). See the cover for "Ultimate Wolverine" #1 below:

Marvel Comics

The synopsis for "Ultimate Wolverine" reads as such:

"In order to maintain control of their corner of the Maker's world, three members of his council — Magik, Colossus, and Omega Red — deploy their most lethal asset: The Winter Soldier! But WHO is the weapon behind the mask?"

What? Yup, you read that right. It appears the Ultimate Winter Soldier is Logan, not Bucky Barnes; Wolverine and the Winter Soldier are one-and-the-same.

As for the rest of that synopsis; the world of "Ultimate Marvel" was created by the Maker (an evil variant of Reed Richards). He altered history so no superheroes would arise; only those part of his ruling council got powers, and he divided the world up among them. The Rasputin family and Omega Red, naturally, got Russia. See the full "Ultimate Marvel" world map below:

Marvel Comics

This change is evident in Capuccio's Ultimate Wolverine's redesign; the suit is colored red-and-black, with a Soviet Star (like the one etched on the Winter Soldier's bionic arm) stretching across the torso. The look combines Russian iconography while still resembling the classic Wolverine costume. The major change is the mask on the lower half of his face. Condon explained: "If you look at that mask, there's a muzzle on [Wolverine], and that's because he's wild."

Marvel Comics

"Ultimate Marvel" has already changed plenty of classic characters, from combining Reed Richards with Doctor Doom to making Hawkeye Native American. "Ultimate X-Men" (a manga-influenced comic written and drawn by Peach Momoko) is set in Japan, following some schoolgirls who realize they're mutants as they're haunted by the Shadow King.

Mutants are not widespread public knowledge in the "Ultimate" universe, and the only hint of Logan's existence was the glimpse of an Adamantium skeleton on display in the Maker's trophy room. Still, it was only a matter of time before we got "Ultimate Wolverine" — no way would Marvel leave one of its biggest characters out of this party. Nor the Winter Soldier, for that matter.

Since his debut in 2005 during Ed Brubaker's "Captain America" run, the Winter Soldier has been a popular character. Brubaker took something sacrosanct (Bucky Barnes' death, held true since Captain America's revival in 1964's "Avengers" #4), and revised it for the better. It's why "The Winter Soldier" remains widely considered the best "Captain America" comics. If Nu-Bucky was beloved in the comics, his (red) star exploded in 2014 when the Marvel Cinematic Universe adapted "The Winter Soldier."

No-one expected this, but it's not that wild a combination if you think about it. Wolverine and the Winter Soldier have quite similar backstories; men who were experimented on and transformed into a human weapon. The experience left them both with erased memories and metal bionic implants. Thanks to slowed aging/cryogenics, they're also both much older than they look.

Those similarities might be why writer Daniel Way previously had Logan and Bucky square off in "Wolverine" #39. After Wolverine recovered his memories, he remembered how he and the Winter Soldier had an unfriendly history (from long before Logan was an X-Man and while Bucky was still the USSR's brainwashed assassin).

From the solicitations, it seems like Ultimate Wolverine's journey might mirror Bucky's too; a living weapon serving evil masters who rediscovers his humanity, issue-to-issue.

"Ultimate Wolverine" #1 will be available for print and digital purchase on January 15, 2025.