So, Secret Empire happened…Wasn’t that something? I mean, yeah…Black Widow’s dead so that sucks. A lot. In so many tone deaf and sloppy ways. Cap Hydra’s, whatever. Look, Marvel’s been promising a lot with the new direction of the company’s comic book division (one of its currently least profitable divisions) with one word: Legacy. This week Marvel begins delivering on its promise. As the solicit claims, “It’s everything you’ve been longing for – and more!” I really hope so.
It’s not like Marvel Legacy #1 is without some attractive elements. First, lets start with the creators, who are a badass team. Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic are A-list creators. They’ve accomplished great things together on Thor: God of Thunder (one of the best Thor sagas every, that’s right I said it!). Plus, they’re damn good in their own rights with work like Aaron’s Image title, Southern Bastards, or Ribic’s work on one of Marvel’s other big events, Secret Wars. It’s hard to think of two creators right now at Marvel I trust more to tell a compelling story. Will it be everything we want it to be? I guess that will depend on what you want.
Marvel’s legacy will go back to the dawn of the human race. With badass primal versions of Thor, Phoenix, Black Panther, and others. We’re being promised a return we’ve been waiting for and a return that we’ve been dreading. The return I’ve been waiting for is quality and a respect for readers. The return I’ve been dreading is one of empty promises and inaccessible storytelling. The greatest legacy Marvel has had is being a world comprised of compelling characters who represent all of us and the struggles we go through in our daily lives. We all have had the ol’ Parker luck. We all have dreaded our past like Wolverine. All of us have aspired to be as courageous in the face of the changing world like Captain America. And we’ve all wanted to envision a better future like Tony Stark. And we’ve all struggled to overcome our demons, insecurities, addictions, and self-doubt as they’ve struggled.
That would be a return to Marvel’s legacy that I’m hoping for. Will this be the first step in that direction? I’m going to take it and see where I end up. I hope you’ll come with me. Because one thing we are not, as a community of readers and fans, is alone.
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