The imprint started with Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley's Ultimate Spider-Man #1 in 2000 as an attempt to create a modern Marvel Universe from the ground up, attracting new readers who might have been intimidated by the decades long history of the existing Marvel titles not entirely dissimilar to the goals of DC's impending "The New 52" line wide relaunch.
In the interim years, the Ultimate Universe has taken on its own distinct history, and is currently a place very different from the old school Marvel Universe. So if you're looking to get on board with the new Ultimate Comics series and are unfamiliar with the lay of the land or maybe just lost track along the way and Marvel Wiki and Marvel.com and Ultimate Marvel .com will have you covered, with the rundown of 10 of the most important differences between the Ultimate Universe and the classic Marvel Universe.