Possibly the hottest Free Comic Book Day comic of 2024 is Free Comic Book Day 2024: Spider-Man & The Ultimate Universe. Available in comic shops nationwide, this issue offers three stories for free: the first features Spider-Man, the second features the Ultimates, and the third Venom. Featuring some of Marvel’s best artists, this is a wild and fun issue, especially if you’re hopeful about the future of the Ultimate Universe.
The first story is by Zeb Wells and Ryan Stegman (with inks by JP Mayer and colors by Sonia Oback) titled “Target Peter Parker.” If you’re familiar with Chuck E. Cheese and its animatronic characters, you’ll get the general joke of this story. Peter takes Shay on a date here, thinking it’s a black-tie restaurant, only to discover obnoxious singing robots on the stage. Stegman crushes on art in this story, with dynamic in-your-face moments. Wells does a fabulous job with the singing at the start and the rhyming when the robots go haywire.
This is more of a one-note action scene, although it does hint at Norman Osborn’s inevitable turn to evil. The trope of Peter leaving loved ones behind to switch into Spider-Man is used, giving the story a bit of a familiar flair, but the art is great fun and there’s good quips thrown in.
Next up is Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri’s Ultimates story “Forgotten Marvels.” This story delivers some intriguing info on the team, as well as the state of heroes in the world. If you don’t know, The Maker has effectively erased most heroes from existing, or as this issue shows, possibly taken them out himself. A few key heroes are noted as off the board, including Sentry. One might assume Wolverine is also another, although it’s a bit too vague to be sure.
An unlettered page from the FCBD comic.
Credit: Marvel
Camp does a great job with this tale as far as the dynamic between Iron Lad, Dr. Doom, and Captain America. One can see Cap has a bit of a harder edge in how he talks down to the other two and their inability to fight hand in hand. They face The Maker’s secret super-police who really doesn’t want them poking around in his forgotten hero museum. The impact of the story feels important as a key future Ultimates member is revealed.
Art by Frigeri is solid in this story, particularly the fight choreography. Captain America wields the shield and chucks it as good as ever. It’ll get your pulse up for sure.
Closing out the issue is a teaser for “Venom War” by Al Ewing and Iban Coello. More of a short teaser than a tale in itself, this story catches readers up to speed on Dylan and a possible reason why the war is coming. Eddie is going to be a major threat as he wears a familiar supervillain look. It appears time travel is a huge component of the tale as well.
Overall, you can’t beat the Free Comic Book Day 2024: Spider-Man & The Ultimate Universe #1. Packed with little moments and great art, it’s free and definitely a must have if you’re heading to the comic shops today.
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