The Negative Zone is a largely uninhabited pocket universe that exhibits a number of unusual properties. All matter in the Zone is negatively charged, causing matter from the positive-matter universe to explode violently when it passes into the Negative Zone. Because of this, travel into the Negative Zone is difficult, although not impossible; Reed Richards has built a number of temporary portals to the Zone. There are also a handful of natural passageways between the universes; The Crunch energy cascade is believed to be a siphon that draws energy from the Negative Zone.

While mostly uninhabited, the Negative Zone is capable of supporting life and is home to a number of alien races, notably the insectoid Arthrosians, the brutish Baluurians and the Opposing Force-wielding Seekers. Recently, all or most of these races have been conquered by Annihilus and have joined forces to invade the positive-matter universe as the Annihilation Wave.

Notable locations

• Arthros: Home of Annihilus and the starting point of the Annihilation Wave.
• Ataraxia: A planet of living machines; a place of perfect architecture and beauty. Annihilus destroyed the Ataraxian race; Praxagora is the sole survivor.
• Baluur: Home to the brutal Baluurian race and their overlord Blastaar.
• The Distortion Area: A sphere of unstable space-time accessible from many parts of Earth.
• Tyanna: Home of the Tyannans, the only indigenous race of the Negative Zone, Tyanna lies at the vortex of the Crossroads of Infinity.
• UX-73 Prison Planetoid: A mining facility where prisoners act as slave labour while scientists work on super-weapons for the Wave. A group of heroes from the positive-matter universe overthrew the jailers and now control this facility.