In 2025, Marvel's comic book landscape will be reshaped by the ambitious new series, *Imperial*, helmed by the visionary writer Jonathan Hickman. Known for his transformative work on *House of X* and the new Ultimate Universe, Hickman is set to redefine the status quo for Marvel's cosmic heroes, including Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy. To shed light on how *Imperial* will revolutionize the cosmic narrative, IGN had the opportunity to discuss the project with 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 perfect alignment of timing and interest. 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."

The success of the new Ultimate line over the past two years has set a benchmark that *Imperial* aims to meet. When asked about the similarities between the two initiatives, 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 distinguished *Imperial* from the Ultimate line, stating, "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 *Imperial* draws comparisons to the 2006 *Annihilation* crossover, 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 previous Marvel work, such as the "Hunt for Xavier" crossover in the X-Men line, which set the stage for Imperial by resurrecting the former Shi’ar Empress Lilandra and reuniting her with Charles Xavier. The series also introduces the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, a concept first teased in 2015’s Secret Wars. Despite these connections, Hickman emphasizes that Imperial is not overly reliant on his past narratives: "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."

*Imperial* also marks a significant shift for the Hulk family, returning them to the war-torn world of Sakaar, reminiscent of 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."

The creative team behind *Imperial* includes artists Federico Vicentini and Iban Coello. Hickman praises their contributions, 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 set to launch on June 4, 2025. For more on the world of comics, explore what you should read in this year’s FCBD lineup, and don't miss our exclusive interview with the writers of TMNT: The Last Ronin II.