Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #4

Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #4, released in 2001, was part of an ambitious initiative by Marvel Comics to modernize their core intellectual properties for a new millennium. As a key component of the Ultimate Marvel imprint, this series sought to strip away decades of dense continuity, offering a fresh, accessible entry point for younger readers while maintaining the spirit of the original Stan Lee and Jack Kirby creations. This specific issue features a team-up between Spider-Man and the Hulk, serving as a visceral demonstration of the imprint's grittier, more cinematic aesthetic.

The issue was written by Brian Michael Bendis and features the illustrative work of Phil Hester. Bendis utilized this series to establish the character voice that would define his decade-long tenure at Marvel, focusing on relatable, humanizing dialogue that contrasted sharply with the traditional superhero archetypes of the time. Upon its release, the series was largely praised for its kinetic visual style and its successful role in revitalizing the company's appeal to a mainstream audience, setting the structural foundation for the subsequent launch of the Ultimate Spider-Man ongoing series.