Warning: SPOILERS for Venom #20
Marvel Comics has countless parallel universes, offering endless re-imaginings of iconic heroes and alternative story lines. So many, that the prime Earth that readers know was named Earth-616. While the original universe may have been created by the Silver Surfer, that multiverse came to an abrupt end during the events of 2015's Secret Wars II, when different Marvel universes began collapsing in on one another. Earth was the incursion point, where worlds collided and were destroyed, until only two worlds remained: Earth-616 and another universe that had ongoing series, and a dedicated fan base -- the Ultimate universe. Now, in Venom #20, Marvel has teased the return of The Ultimate Marvel Universe.
The Ultimate universe was a line of comics that was launched in 2000 in an effort to retell popular stories to a new generation of readers. This universe heavily influenced the MCU, but was seemingly ended during the Secret Wars II. In the fallout of the event, some characters like Miles Morales (Spider-Man) and the Maker (evil Reed Richards) managed to survive their dead universe, and joined Earth-616. The continuation of Earth-616 has always been assumed -- even more-so with the recent reveal that the true future for Earth-616 is the 2099 timeline. But evidence of the Ultimate universe was all but erased, until now.
Since the event, readers have seen Ultimate characters cross over into the main universe, but it was assumed the ultimate universe was destroyed forever. In Marvel Legacy #1, it was revealed that the the Fantastic Family were off in the newly remade cosmos since the end of the Secret Wars II event -- remaking the multiverse, using their son Franklin Richards' powers.
In Venom # 20 the Maker has been on a secret mission -- referred to as Project Oversight, to find his way home to his Ultimate universe. In the recent Absolute Carnage story arc, readers saw the Maker helping Venom in his fight against Carnage for unknown reasons. Now we know why: The Maker has been working on experiments to open a dimensional rift back to his universe.
While he was successful in opening the rift, he discovered that a human body cannot handle the strain of traveling across multiple rifts. During his experiments opening dimensional rifts, he discovered something was able to come through the rift from his world -- the Ultimate universe symbiote. Although severely damaged, the symbiote is intact, fully capable of surviving a dimensional rift -- as if they were designed for such travel.
This is the most evidence that Marvel has dropped that the Ultimate universe is alive and well, since Spider-Men II. The universe was possibly recreated by Franklin Richards, or somehow survived the Secret Wars. Whether the universe is the same as readers remember, or if a relaunch of the line of comics is immanent remains to be seen. However, one thing can be rest assured -- all fans are hoping for an Ultimate comeback... and not just to see Spider-man and Kitty Pryde dating again.
Venom #20 is available now at your local comic book shop, or direct from Marvel Comics.