Announced today in another of Marvel’s “Next Big Thing” calls, Sam Humphries will be joining Jonathan Hickman on The Ultimates #10, and eventually it will be his book entirely. Also starting on issue #10 will be Luke Ross on art duties, and Kaare Andrews will continue to provide covers, like the one shown here.
If you want tons of details about this book, you’re going to have to wait, because they weren’t giving any out. It’s gonna be big, as The Ultimates is supposed to be, and there could be some cast changes, but that’s about all that’s known. Hickman gave Humphries the gist of where his book is going. Hickman wrote issue #9, but Humphries will take the first pass at #10, where his co-writer will give it a once over and polish. Eventually, Hickman will step away entirely.
As to why he’s going away? Originally, he took the Ultimate Thor gig because he knew it would lead to The Ultimates, which he’s wanted to write since he got to Marvel. He’d never planned on leaving the book, but he was given a “job offer he couldn’t refuse.” Details on what that is will likely follow soon.
I asked about the sort of apprenticeship program Marvel has, where like Hickman and Bendis on Secret Warriors, Humphries is now under Hickman’s tutelage on The Ultimates.
Sam suggests it’s easier to take the pressure of a gig like this with Hickman along to back him up. He can then ignore that pressure and solely focus on making great comics. Hickman pointed out that once again, it’s clear what the path into working for Marvel is; make a great indie comic, through Image or whoever, like Sam, Kieron Gillen, Rick Remender, and Hickman himself, and have that comic impress other creators, and then work with someone at Marvel to make sure you don’t blow it right away when you get to Marvel.
Says Humphries, “It’s intimidating to come on to a book as big in the Marvel firmament as The Ultimates, but I’m loving the opportunity to work with all these amazing characters.”
I was really hoping Hickman would be staying on this for awhile. Hopefully he’s going on to something amazing
Cool hire. Marvel have been making plenty of moves over the last year or so to make me dislike them, but the one area I can’t criticize them is in their acquisition of talent. I dug Our Love is Real and am liking Sacrifice. This is a really interesting hire for mainstream work.
(I almost took back my praise after noticing that Kaare Andrews is still doing covers for this book, but I suppose they can’t all be winners)
It’s one of his better covers though. But it does remain to be seen whether it has anything at all to do with the story itself.
Did you see the Ultimate Spider-Man #8 cover, that’s been advertised in Marvel books this week, yet?
The first time in a long time I’ve screamed ‘Oh My God!’ and not in a good way.
“He’d never planned on leaving the book, but he was given a ‘job offer he couldn’t refuse.’”
Please be Avengers, please be Avengers, please be avengers. #fingerscrossed
If that’s true, there goes my dream for a Jeff Parker’s Avengers title.
Yeah Hickman on Avengers could be neat. But I really want to see Parker do at least one of the titles.
Hickman on Avengers, Parker on New Avengers.
If that happened, I’d be buying 3 times as many Avengers books as I am currently.
I just read Our Love is Real recently, and thought it was pretty awesome, so I’m looking forward to this. Also, Jonathan Hickman was given a “job offer he couldn’t refuse.”? What odds will you give me on that being Avengers once Bendis is gone?
I was very excited when I heard Hickman was taking over the Ultimate title a couples of months, especially after hearing his interview on Wordballoon, and his long term plan he has with the title. But now that he’s leaving, and Sam Humphries is taking over, I might have to bail. Sorry.
I’ll definitely give Humphries a chance, but he’s go big shoes to fill.
This sad cause I really looking forward having three to four hardcovers of Hickman Ultimates on my shelf.
The “apprenticeship program” sounds really interesting, and frankly something of an old style creative tradition that is more than welcome to return. Is this something that Marvel does often or just once in a while?
“Uh…..Yeaaahhhh.”-Axel Alonso
The last two times I can remember it happening are with Brubaker and Fraction on Immortal Iron Fist (which to me, is the best work of both of those creators) and Bendis and Hickman on Secret Warriors. I’m sure it’s happened a few other times in recent years, but I can’t recall.
I think there was Brubaker to Fraction on Uncanny X-Men. And there was definitely a Fraction to Gillen hand-off on UXM.
but do they wear cloaks and speak in ambiguously vague accents? “You are learning the ways of comics my apprentice….”
It’s happened a lot of times.
Bendis/Hickman – Secret Warriors
Brubaker/Fraction – Iron Fist and Uncanny X-Men
Fraction/Remender – Punisher
Remender/Cullen Bunn – Venom
Hickman/Humphries – Ultimates
And others.
its some Padawan learner/ Jedi stuff happening over there. =)
I wish Andrews would draw like Spider-Man Reign ..
Congratulations to Humphries. I am totally loving Sacrifice
Hickman leaves Ultimates
Bendis leaves Avengers
Yes. And?
Never read anything from Humphries but I really hope he has the skill to handle what hickman is building here. I’m honestly kind of disappointed I’m really loving hickman’s vision he is taking the ultimate universe towards and don’t want to see it just turn into a bowl of meh.
What is Humphries’ midi-chlorian count?
Judging by his fro, it has to be really high.
Sam and I have some mutual friends — he’s a super-nice dude! So combine that with the amazing hair, and I’d say he’s good to go.
“Hickman pointed out that once again, it’s clear what the path into working for Marvel is; make a great indie comic, through Image or whoever, like Sam, Kieron Gillen, Rick Remender, and Hickman himself, and have that comic impress other creators, and then work with someone at Marvel to make sure you don’t blow it right away when you get to Marvel.”
So, the antithesis of the Kirkman Manifesto? Does this mean that Bendis was right – you can have your indie cake AND eat your mainstream cake too?
Kirkman didn’t say you couldn’t have your indie cake and eat your mainstream cake too, he said you shouldn’t.