Alex Ross’ Fantastic Four: Full Circle, which brought the iconic artist back to drawing interiors for a new take on a classic Stan Lee and Jack Kirby story, was one of the most lauded graphic novels in years. And now, Ross is back with a brand new book: Marvel Dimensions, a 112-page graphic novel from Abrams ComicArts and Marvel Comics, which will hit stores this September.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, unlike Full Circle, Marvel Dimensions is much more experimental and will introduce up to 200 characters — or at least, as the title indicates, variations of classic characters. That includes the origins of characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Wolverine, and Iron Man, as well as weird twists and turns — and even a 32-page traditional comic book in the center of the graphic novel that is “key” to the storyline.
“It’s meant to be as bonkers a ride for the reader as it could possibly be,” Ross told THR. “You’re getting one kind of entertainment, and then it changes on you midstream and then you’re getting a different art style suddenly, and then you’re wondering, ‘Where’s this going?’ And then the format changes within the book itself, a mid-book format change. All these things hopefully seem to unify and combine and come back together, but it’s meant to be a wild ride that is throwing everything plus the kitchen sink at you.”
Part of the purpose of the weirdness? Way back in the late ’90s, early 2000s, Ross did a series of tabloid-sized origin books for DC heroes, and he didn’t want to repeat that for Marvel. Those books would be Superman: Peace on Earth, Batman: War on Crime, Shazam! Power of Hope, and Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth, by the way.
“This is my longest work to date that I have written and drawn myself,” Ross added in a press release provided to Comic Book Club. “Dimensions is like a combination of my most famous works, Marvels and Kingdom Come, where my love of comics history and ambitious world-building collide.”
“It goes without saying that Alex is a once-in-a-generation artist and a storytelling master, and this book showcases that on all fronts,” said C.B. Cebulski, Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief. “We’re thrilled to continue working with Abrams and Alex to bring his vision and legendary talent to the page, and we can’t wait for fans to dive into the masterpiece he’s created.”
Anywho, Ross has been working on the book for 18 months, with about half the book painted, the other half pen and ink. And this in the middle of a big year for Ross as Kingdom Come — which was recently the subject of a documentary that premiered at San Diego Comic-Con — turns 30 this year. It’s clear, though, that the artist is ready to show off even more dimensions (you get it) in the future.
Marvel Dimensions hits stores on September 1, 2026.
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