What is Marvel Comics' Ruins? Exploring the alternate dystopian universe

Ruins was just one of those Marvel comics that put a different spin on the mainline Marvel universe, and did something very unique and innovative with its premise. In the same vein as What If...?, Ruins was also all about taking these iconic characters and putting them in alternate scenarios, just to see what would happen.

The universe of Ruins itself was one of Marvel's bleaker words. It was a dystopian nightmare that really made our heroes seem miserable, and it was quite interesting to read. So, with that being said, let's explore just what the world of Ruins is all about.

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Exploring the dystopian nightmare that is Marvel's Ruins

Comic cover (Image via Marvel Comics)

Marvel's Ruins was a comic series written by Warren Ellis with art provided by Cliff Nielsen and Terese Nielsen. The comic takes place in Earth-9591, which showcased a dystopian universe that was devoid of all hope, and a very different version of our superheroes that comes off as shocking.

Writer Warren Ellis created this alternate universe as a parody of that of Earth-616. Some of our favorite superheroes' origins have completely changed, and they are completely bleak and devoid of anything that makes them even remotely the characters that we know and love.

Ruins Comic cover (Image via Marvel Comics)

In this universe, Ben Grimm, for example, doesn't get on the spaceship with Reed Richards. Rather, Victor Von Doom does. This results in the entire crew dying. It's very heavily implied here that this is the moment that caused the entire universe to shift. But many even believe that Captain America teaching Nick Fury cannibalism during World War II (yes, that is an actual thing that happens here) is what might have caused it to take such a weird turn.

The mutants in this world are beings that have some really painful side-effects to their powers. The entirety of the X-Men is kept in a prison by President X. Peter Parker after getting bit by a radioactive spider doesn't really end up getting his normal powers, but something worse. Parker in this universe ends up developing a very deadly rash that gives his body quite the abysmal form.

Bruce Banner, after coming into contact with Gamma Radiation, doesn't turn into the Incredible Hulk, but rather develops green tumors all over his body. Matt Murdock never became the Daredevil in this universe. Rather, the accident that blinds him ends up killing him. Even the Avengers perish in this universe while leading a secession.

Silver Surfer's arc is quite tragic as well. It shows that he travels to deep space and loses his mind. Just so that he could feel what it was like to breathe air once again, he tears open his chest and dies, which causes the cosmic power to bleed out.

All of this is seen through the eyes of Phil Sheldon. Sheldon in this alternate dystopian universe is just someone who wants to find out how his world went so horribly wrong. The book sees him travel the country and try to find out the truth as he gets to know about these highly powered individuals. Phil Sheldon has quite the profound quote in the book as well, which reads:

"Death is everywhere. It's falling on us all. Let me find an answer before I go. Let me show them all how this happened. Please don't let me die in this place."

Sadly, Sheldon passes away in the comics as he gets the same disease as Peter Parker.

If you want a story that explores alternate versions of your favorite Marvel characters, then Marvel Ruins is for you.