Imperial (2025 comic book)

Imperial is an American science fiction/space opera comic book limited series written by Jonathan Hickman and drawn by Federico Vicentini and Iban Coello, and was published by Marvel Comics on June 4, 2025.^[1]

Imperial is a comic book limited series written by Marvel Comics long-time writer Jonathan Hickman, and drawn by Stormbreakers artists Federico Vicentini and Iban Coello, and is set in the Marvel Universe, detailing the "Marvel Cosmic" set of concepts and characters.^[2]

Featured characters will include Hulk, She-Hulk, Amadeus Cho, Black Panther, Professor X, the Nova Corps, the Guardians of the Galaxy, among others.^[3]

During the "X-Manhunt" event, Professor X retires from the X-Men after escaping from Graymalkin Prison in order to resurrect his wife Lilandra Neramani and save their daughter Xandra who is on the run from the Shi'ar.^[4]

Two mysterious players sit at a table and move pieces in a game of Sharrat, as they discuss the opening moves of a larger contest.

Somewhere in the galaxy, Bruce Banner, Jennifer Walters, and Amadeus Cho travel to planet Sakaar en Nevo upon learning that Hulk's son, Hiro-Kala, was murdered. Upon arriving at Sakaar, the Hulks find that Hiro-Kala was poisoned. By the customs of Sakaar En Nevo, Hiro-Kala's marriages have been annulled, launching his wives and their families into competition for the throne. Demanding to seek answers, the Hulks go to the Galactic Council forensic scientists, learning that two specialized poisons worked in tandem to slay Hiro-Kala.

Inside the Fulcrum City-Station, Peter Quill stands with his father, Emperor J'son, next to his sister Victoria's body, frozen in cryogenesis to slow the effects of a mystery poison that is being investigated. In the station's lower levels, Quill finds Nova drinking in a bar filled with intergalactic warriors. There's a tense energy between them as Nova asks his old teammate what he wants. J'son discusses the upcoming Council session with other representatives, concerned over the non-committal silence of the Wakandans, whose resources are vital to the production of stargates. Nova and Quill watch retired Imperial Guardsmen duke it out in the arena, as Quill asks Nova to leave retirement and investigate the deaths. He refuses the offer, declining work from Quill's father, who is a criminal. In the room containing the sleeping Empress Victoria, scientists inform her father that while they cannot stop the poisons, they have identified their creators.

Emperor J'son summons the Galactic Council about the threat of regicide, with five council members mysteriously poisoned. Announcing the deceased and their manner of death, he points the blame at the Kree-Skrull Alliance. Emperor Hulkling and his advisors are completely unaware of the poison's creation. Still, a representative from their Ministry of Science confirms that they were contracted by other Council parties to recreate the poison. Before the scientist can reveal more, a sniper assassin disguised as Wakandan Hatut Zeraze kills the scientists and targets the members of the Council, including J'son. Amadeus locates the shooter and sends Hulk, who finds the gunman replete in Wakandan armaments. The sniper throws a grenade, breaking the dome above the meeting chamber and causing the assembly to be pulled into the vacuum of space. He escapes from the immediate area as the Superguardian Oracle states that the stargates are locked down, trapping the assassin in the system, and requests Hulk's help in saving those he can. However, Hulking and his consort are missing. With J'son killed, Quill takes the lead as Spartax regent.

After the incident, the Kree Accusers and Shi'ar Imperial Guards find the evidence tracing back to Wakanda and bullets made of vibranium. Thus, the Galactic Council declares war against Wakanda.

The Galactic armada prepares to unleash its attack on Wakandan Prime. The Kree/Skrull forces led by Ronan the Accuser began breaching the vibranium shield. At the same time, the Shi'ar Imperial Guard infiltrated the royal palace and captured Shuri, disguised as Black Panther. With Shuri captured, T'Challa sets his next move with M'Baku to neutralize the armanda. A few minutes later, Quill and Nova interrogate Shuri, accusing her people of the assassination plot, before she asks to see their evidence. T'Challa utilizes the planet's shield's weapon function to immobilize the enemy fleet and moves his forces to subdue their attackers. Soon to be boarded, Gladiator uses the K'lyon's still intact communication systems to contact Majestrix Xandra. While she insists that her ship is on the way to offer aid, Gladiator and her guardian, former ruler Deathbird, insist she escape and continue to live even while the Superguardians face death.

T'Challa and his Hatut Zeraze board a Rigellian Man-Of-War to fight against the army, where he is confronted with Hulk and Amadeus. Shuri exonerates the evidence gathered against Wakanda and deduces that the entire incident is a ruse, and the vibranium bullets used by a sniper are inauthentic. However, the Skrulls, who are heavily loyal to Queen Veranke, began attacking the Galactic Councils within, with Shi'ar rebels led by Superguardian Electron plotting a coup against Xandra. Shuri, Nova, and Quill quickly escaped the Skrulls and boarded Quill's ship to the Wakandan Stargate. Shuri realizes their mission is to destroy the gate, and they rush to escape before the device explodes. Gladiator, still unable to contact Xandra and Deathbird, begins to see the danger they are all in as the forces of the Council are trapped in Wakandan airspace.

The mysterious player, who is revealed to be the Grandmaster, sits victoriously at the game board.

After bypassing the damaged stargates to Fulcrum, Quill, Shuri, and Nova decide to travel to Planet Xandar, the capital of the Nova Empire. Before making a warp jump, Quill reports the update to the citizens of Fulcrum City about the current war. Hulking and Wiccan have both survived after an assassin's attack and remain stranded in space until Wiccan realizes he has Nova's contact. Upon arriving at Xandar, Nova reveals that Xandar was left in ruins after suffering from ongoing conflicts and invasions. Nova informs them that Nova Corp has created the Xandarian Worldmind, an enhanced technological helmet that allows him to gain access to global consciousness and restore his status. Still, it may come with a cost, both economically and culturally, to Xandar. As Nova wears the Worldmind, he manages to reconnect with the system and identify the perpetrator.

One year ago, the Grandmaster made an appointment with his contender Maximus the Mad on Kal Lak'Thunn. During the play of the game of Sharrat, the Grandmaster informs Maximus that he had observed the innovation between the Global Councils can be instigated into war by allowing the Skrull scientists to create poison to assassinate council members, manipulating D'Ken Neramani's son, Superguardian Electron, to stage a coup against Empress Xandra, encouraging Veranke's followers who oppose the union to sabotage the Kree/Skrull alliance, and framing Wakandans for their valuable resources of vibranium used for weaponry. After destroying the stargate, the Council will meet their downfall, and the Grandmaster will declare victory. However, Maximus reveals that the Grandmaster had neglected to observe that one key player, who plays his part in winning the game against his contender, is his brother: Black Bolt, ruler of the Inhumans. After defeating the Grandmaster, Black Bolt and Maximus teleport away with Lockjaw to restore the empire.

According to Hickman, the end of Imperial will mark the start of a new line of "Marvel Cosmic" comic books which is similarly to what he did with the X-Men's Krakoan Age with House of X and Powers of X, as well as the Ultimate Universe with Ultimate Invasion.^[5]

The initial list features:

• Planet She-Hulk (November 2025)
• Nova: Centurion (November 2025)
• Black Panther: Intergalactic (December 2025)
• Exiles (Winter 2026)
• Imperial Guardians (Winter 2026)