This version of Peter is a happily married, middle-aged father of two with a receding hairline. His wife is none other than Mary Jane, and his two children are named Ricard and May. And despite his older age, this Peter has yet to become Spider-Man.classic Amazing Spider-Man comics and focused on a teenaged Peter Parker, the new volume veers in a completely different direction.

Marvel’s new Ultimate line is built on the foundation of 2023’s Ultimate Invasion. In that series, The Maker (an evil version of Reed Richards from the classic Ultimate Universe) traveled to Earth-6160 and set about systematically preventing the emergence of the world’s heroes. He prevented Peter from being bitten by the radioactive spider as a teen. The Maker’s goal was to create a global society he could control, and for a time, it worked. But with The Maker out of commission now, Earth’s heroes have a second chance at the lives stolen from them.

In a twist arguably even more significant than Peter being a married father of two, it turns out this new series is set in a world where Uncle Ben is still alive. Because Peter never became Spidey as a teen, the sequence of events that led to Uncle Ben being murdered never played out, either. Peter’s adoptive father is still alive and well decades later.

What’s more, Ben Parker is shown to be a high-ranking editor on the Daily Bugle staff, running the newspaper alongside J. Jonah Jameson. JJJ himself shows a strong fatherly affection for Peter, who has made a career as a journalist rather than simply scraping by selling photos of Spider-Man.

In this universe, Aunt May is the one who died, though her death is a recent tragedy. As seen in December’s Ultimate Universe #1, Manhattan was the site of a devastating explosion when Iron Man (who is attempting to undo the damage caused by The Maker) was attacked by The Maker’s Council. Thousands perished in the blast, which was framed in the media as a terrorist attack caused by Iron Man himself. Aunt May was among those killed, and both Peter and Ben attend a public eulogy led by none other than Catholic priest Matthew Murdock.

This subplot speaks to what appear to be the two most important themes of the series. For one thing, Peter has always wrestled with the relationship between great power and great responsibility in every incarnation of the Spider-Man mythos. But responsibility means something very different to an aging family man and white-collar worker than it does a wide-eyed, superhuman teenager.

For another, the new Ultimate Universe seems to be built squarely around the importance of freedom and truth in an age dominated by lies. Those in power tell one story about the world and why it is the way it is, but the reality is far different. Peter has taken the safe route by remaining at the Bugle, but what happens as he uncovers the truth about the attack on New York? Does he risk his family’s security and safety to expose The Maker’s Council?

The New Green Goblin

Any Spider-Man is only as good as his villains, and the new series wastes no time before introducing the most important Spidey rogue of them all. Green Goblin makes his debut in issue #1, launching a surprise attack on Fisk after the Kingpin leaves the meeting at the Daily Bugle. This version of Green Goblin seems visually inspired by the 2002 Spider-Man movie, as he’s wearing an armored suit rather than a more traditional Goblin costume. However, we have yet to learn which character is underneath the mask.

Spider-Man’s New Origin

Ultimate Spider-Man #1 wraps up by showing us the new origin of Spidey in this universe. Throughout the issue, Peter alludes to something that kept him awake the previous night. Moreover, he’s spent years of his life burdened by the sense that his life is supposed to be different. He then tells MJ, “I need to change.”

In the final pages of this issue, we learn that Peter received a package from Iron Man sent before Tony Stark traveled into the safety of the future. The package contains information about the life Peter was supposed to have led before The Maker intervened, along with the radioactive spider. Peter heads to the roof of his apartment building and sets the spider free, allowing himself to be bitten.

Contrary to so many versions of the traditional Spider-Man origin story, becoming Spidey is a choice this Peter Parker willingly makes. He understands the potential consequences of becoming a superhero and moves forward anyway. Again, he’s a hero who has to weigh his responsibility to the world at large with the need to protect his family. Expect that to be a major point of conflict as this new series unfolds.