In 2025, Marvel is set to launch one of its most ambitious projects yet with the new comic series Imperial. Spearheaded by the visionary writer Jonathan Hickman, known for his transformative work on House of X and the new Ultimate Universe, Imperial promises to redefine the landscape for Marvel's cosmic heroes, including Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy. To understand how Imperial will reshape the cosmic universe, 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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When asked about the genesis of Imperial, Hickman shared that 2025 was the perfect moment to revisit Marvel's cosmic corner. "I think it was simply time to revisit this corner of the Marvel Universe," Hickman told IGN. "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 precedent for Imperial. Hickman sees a direct correlation between the two initiatives, stating, "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 elaborated on the differences, noting, "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 might evoke memories of the 2006 Annihilation crossover, Hickman is quick to highlight the distinctions. "No. Simply because that’s an invasion story and this isn’t anything like that," he explained. "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 by resurrecting the former Shi'ar Empress Lilandra and reuniting her with Charles Xavier to rescue their daughter Xandra. The series also features the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, initially teased in 2015’s Secret Wars and later featured in Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Black Panther series. However, Hickman clarifies that Imperial isn't as closely tied to his previous books as it might appear. "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," he said. "Sure, there’s some of that in there, but not as much as some people might expect."

Imperial also ventures to push the Hulk family into a more cosmic direction, with the preview art indicating a return to the wartorn world of Sakaar from the 2006 Planet Hulk storyline. Hickman hints at the timing, stating, "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."

Regarding the creative team, Hickman praised the work of artists Federico Vicentini and Iban Coello. "Both of those guys are crushing it," he said. "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.