Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man relaunch features an older Spidey with a family

Fans have finally gotten their first look at the new Ultimate Spider-Man and the surprise marriage and kids he’s bringing to the title. 

Since the announcement of Ultimate Spider-Man’s relaunch at NYCC, fans have been dying to know one thing: just who the hell is the new Spider-Man, anyway? 

Logic would dictate it would be an update of the original Ultimate Spider-Man, where Peter was again a high school-aged student. However, the rebooted Ultimate Universe has already thrown that out the window, with The Maker preventing the younger Peter from being bitten by the Spider. 

Ahead of January’s relaunch, though, Marvel has made the surprise reveal of the all-new Ultimate Spider-Man…and his kids. 

Marvel reveals Ultimate Spider-Man and Mary-Jane are the “ultimate couple”

In a press release from Marvel Comics, it was revealed the title will, in fact, star a brand new, older version of Peter Parker. This Peter will be happily married to Mary-Jane Watson and, in a surprising addition, will feature the pair’s kids. 

“When we decided that we were going to do a book about an older Peter Parker becoming Spider-Man, we really wanted to lean into him starting his super hero life from a very different place than what’s traditionally expected,” writer Jonathan Hickman explained. “Peter and MJ being married is one of many decisions we made that underline this being quite a ‘different’ kind of Spider-man story.”

That Peter and MJ are married with children will surely pique fans’ interest. The two, once one of comics’ longest-lasting pairs, famously sold their marriage to the devil to save Aunt May in 2007’s One More Day. 

One More Day rebooted Spider-Man’s timeline and ended his marriage, with MJ becoming a supporting character again. Many stories have teased a reconciliation, but to this day, Marvel has enforced the separation. 

Fans did have some hint of what a married Spider-Man with kids would look like in one alternate universe story, Renew Your Vows, in which Peter and MJ were happily married with a daughter. The three regularly operated as costumed vigilantes, even popping up in Spider-Verse events. 

Ultimate Peter Parker finally settles down

Settling down with kids is a huge twist for Ultimate Spider-Man. Though he was still an awkward nerd, Ultimate Peter Parker was something of a casanova compared to his 616 Universe counterpart, having long-standing romantic relationships with Mary-Jane Watson, Gwen Stacy, and Kitty Pryde.

Peter always seemed destined to reconcile with Mary Jane, but he ultimately died in the event Death of Spider-Man. His death paved the way for Miles Morales, who would become the primary Spider-Man for the remainder of the Ultimate Universe. Though a revival was teased, Ultimate Peter Parker was erased from existence entirely following Secret Wars.

As of this writing, little is known about the nature of the new Peter Parker or his family. However, the released covers do paint the picture of a much more stable Peter and MJ than fans have seen in over a decade. 

Ultimate Spider-Man #1 releases January 10 from Marvel Comics. For more Spider-Man news, be sure to follow all of Dexerto’s coverage.