Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Free Comics Book Day: Spider-Man/Ultimate Universe!MCU’s Damage Control is a necessary organization in a world where superheroes and supervillains regularly use the Earth as their battleground. It quickly and discreetly cleans up any messes left behind by a super-brawl, and even investigates the situation to ensure the safety of ‘regular’ civilians. Plus, it acts as a storage house for any sort of ‘super’ remnants or artifacts left behind during any given conflict. It’s a smart and responsible system that would absolutely exist in a realistic world where superhumans are so prevalent – and Marvel Comics’s Ultimate Universe just corrupted it in the most horrific way imaginable.
In the Free Comics Book Day: Spider-Man/Ultimate Universe story titled “Forgotten Marvels” by Deniz Camp and Juan Frigeri, readers are thrown into the newly-established Ultimate Universe of Earth-6160, where the Ultimates have infiltrated their reality’s Damage Control facility. This version of Damage Control was created (like most everything in this world) by the Maker before he was neutralized in the storyline Ultimate Invasion. And what the heroes find in this facility is truly shocking.
On display throughout the many corridors are remnants of heroes who fans will recognize from Earth-616, that were snuffed out before they became a threat to the Maker’s power. Among them are Black Bolt, who was killed as an infant, Sentry, who was reduced to nothing but a tattered costume, a metal skeleton that presumably belonged to Wolverine, and a plaque dedicated to the eradicated Savage Land and its most famous inhabitant, Ka-Zar.
Rather than being an organization dedicated to cleaning up after superheroes, Ultimate Universe’s Damage Control simply eradicated them, and then kept their corpses/proof of their eradication on display in this haunting facility. So, what does this mean for the future of the Ultimate Universe? Well, as far as the Ultimates are concerned, nothing good.
Even with the Maker gone, Damage Control is still operating autonomously with its H.A.N.D. Agents ensuring any superhero left alive is quickly dealt with. The Maker seems to have co-opted the ancient clan of demon-worshiping ninjas upon his initial invasion, giving them the new task of running Damage Control with or without him. This means the heroes that are already confirmed dead in the Ultimate Universe won’t be the only victims of Damage Control, as every hero – potential or active – is in constant danger of being killed by the H.A.N.D.
So far, the only heroes left alive in the Ultimate Universe are the Ultimates, Black Panther (whose existence the Maker is aware of, given his station in Wakanda), the budding mutant population (which is seemingly of little concern to the Marker), and someone the Maker has already made efforts to neutralize: Spider-Man.
The Maker grabbed and cataloged the radioactive spider destined to bite Peter Parker when Pete was in high school. But then, Tony Stark and the Ultimates sent a now 30-something-year-old Peter the spider, which he allowed to bite him to become Spider-Man. In other words, Spider-Man is the only unsanctioned hero aside from the Ultimates themselves operating in the world – and he has no idea what he’s up against.
The Ultimates are prepared to deal with the H.A.N.D., but Spider-Man doesn’t even know they’re a threat, meaning he’s in the most danger of any hero in the Ultimate Universe. However, with the ever-growing catalog of heroes coming back into existence thanks to the Ultimates, Spider-Man soon won’t be alone. He’ll assuredly have to face the horrific dangers the H.A.N.D. represents right alongside these new heroes very soon, which fans got a terrifying preview of with this look at this utterly corrupted version of the MCU’s Damage Control.
Free Comics Book Day: Spider-Man/Ultimate Universe by Marvel Comics is available now.