Ultimate Spider-Man (2000)
reading order guide
Story by Brian Michael Bendis
We’ve got you covered with a complete list of must-read issues, commentary, and where to start.
Modern
Why should you
read it
Ultimate Spider-Man was created to bring in a new generation of readers who were turned off by the overwhelming history and complexity of The Amazing Spider-Man by the 1990s. What no one expected was that this bold, fresh reimagining would explode in popularity, sparking the creation of the Ultimate universe, offering a thrilling, modern take on Spider-Man that captivated fans like never before!
Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) Reading Order Guide
Complete List of Issues with Unlimited Reading Links
| Comics | Unlimited links |
|---|---|
| Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) #1-133 | Read on Marvel's Site |
| Ultimatum Spider-Man Requiem (2009) #1-2 | Read on Marvel's Site |
| Ultimate Spider-Man (2009) #134-160 | Read on Marvel's Site |
| Ultimate Fallout Comic (2011) #1-2, #6 | Read on Marvel's Site |
Comments & Additional Info
To clarify, this series follows a Spider-Man from an alternate universe (not the main one), so many classic stories from The Amazing Spider-Man were reimagined for a new generation.
You'll notice there are two main volumes: Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) and Ultimate Spider-Man (2009). The second volume exists because of the Ultimatum event, which took place at the end of the 2000 series. In this event, Magneto reversed the Earth's poles in an attempt to wipe out humanity, leading to several controversial superhero deaths.
Besides the series included in the reading order, there are a few others you could read, but I don’t recommend them:
• Ultimate Marvel Team-Up (2001) #1-16: Many of its stories were later disregarded (for example, the Ultimate Fantastic Four were reintroduced in a completely different way).
• Ultimate Six (2003) #1-7: The artwork is quite distracting and, in my opinion, not great. Nonetheless, the story itself is somewhat interesting, featuring the Sinister Six breaking out of an S.H.I.E.L.D. prison to blackmail the U.S. president.
• Ultimatum (2009) #1-5: As mentioned earlier, this event led to several controversial superhero deaths.
• Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates (2011) #1-6: Spider-Man only appears briefly in one issue. The story focuses on the Ultimates (basically a more ruthless version of the Avengers), so unless you're interested in them, I wouldn’t recommend it.
You'll notice there are two main volumes: Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) and Ultimate Spider-Man (2009). The second volume exists because of the Ultimatum event, which took place at the end of the 2000 series. In this event, Magneto reversed the Earth's poles in an attempt to wipe out humanity, leading to several controversial superhero deaths.
Besides the series included in the reading order, there are a few others you could read, but I don’t recommend them:
• Ultimate Marvel Team-Up (2001) #1-16: Many of its stories were later disregarded (for example, the Ultimate Fantastic Four were reintroduced in a completely different way).
• Ultimate Six (2003) #1-7: The artwork is quite distracting and, in my opinion, not great. Nonetheless, the story itself is somewhat interesting, featuring the Sinister Six breaking out of an S.H.I.E.L.D. prison to blackmail the U.S. president.
• Ultimatum (2009) #1-5: As mentioned earlier, this event led to several controversial superhero deaths.
• Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates (2011) #1-6: Spider-Man only appears briefly in one issue. The story focuses on the Ultimates (basically a more ruthless version of the Avengers), so unless you're interested in them, I wouldn’t recommend it.