Following a series of global crises involving gamma mutations, advanced technology, mythological beings, mutants, and hidden kingdoms, Colonel Nick Fury Sr. realizes that no single hero can protect Earth from every threat. He launches the Ultimates Initiative, assembling an unprecedented team of extraordinary individuals from across the world. Before the heroes can truly unite, a terrifying new danger emerges. Within A.I.M., Dr. George Tarleton completes a forbidden experiment using stolen gamma research, alien technology, and psychic energy. The experiment transforms him into M.O.D.O.K., a hyper-intelligent being whose enormous mind becomes both his greatest weapon and his greatest curse. At the center of Tarleton's plans is a frightened teenager named Rick Jones, whose mysterious cosmic psychic bond links him to an unimaginable source of energy. Tarleton intends to exploit Rick's connection to reshape humanity according to his own vision. Forced together despite their differences, the Ultimates must become more than a collection of heroes. They must become a family capable of protecting Earth from threats unlike anything the world has ever seen.
