Marvel Legacy


Marvel Legacy is a 2017–18 relaunch of a line of American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is concurrent with All-New, All-Different Marvel and Marvel NOW! 2.0.

Publication history

On April 22, 2017, Marvel Legacy was announced by Marvel Comics at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo. The goal of the Legacy initiative is to bring a greater focus to Marvel's core superheroes, unlike recent relaunches such as Marvel NOW! which gave prominence to newer and younger heroes. Marvel Entertainment's chief creative officer Joe Quesada stated that company was embracing their roots with the creation of this new comic book line. Marvel Comics' editor-in-chief Axel Alonso noted that the relaunch was about reminding readers of the company's rich history by highlighting the connections between characters and reintroducing some iconic characters.
The relaunch began in September 2017 following the conclusion of the Secret Empire and Generations storylines, with the release of a 50-page one-shot titled Marvel Legacy #1. Writer Jason Aaron and artist Esad Ribić are collaborating on the opening issue and laying the narrative groundwork for the line. The issue will introduce the first super hero team of Avengers that were active in the year 1,000,000 BC. The story will span the history of the Marvel Universe and explore the connection between the prehistoric Avengers and their present-day counterparts. The issue will see the return of a fan-favourite character into active service. Quesada teased the cover artwork for the opening issue, hinting at the possible return of Bruce Banner as Hulk, Tony Stark as Iron Man, Thor Odinson reclaiming the hammer Mjolnir, and the appearance of other superheroes in their classic costumes.
The series also saw the return of the original Wolverine after his initial death with the character to show up in three Marvel Legacy titles: Captain America, The Amazing Spider-Man and The Mighty Thor all with Marvel Cinematic Universe-style post credits scenes at the end, he will also show up alongside Captain Marvel and Star-Lord as one of the holders of the Infinity Stones in a crossover event. In addition, the original Jean Grey will also return in her own 5 issue limited series titled Phoenix Resurrection: The Return of Jean Grey in December followed by X-Men Red which sees Jean Grey establish her own team of X-Men that consist of All-New Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Namor the Sub-Mariner, Gabby, Trinary, and Gentle, and later by the Cajun Mutant Gambit. Marvel Legacy #1 has also brought Franklin and Valeria Richards back to the Marvel Universe. Marvel Two-In-One has been revived by the company with the latest team-up with Thing's best friend Human Torch being the guest in the storyline "Fate of the Four" which will focus on both heroes trying to solve the mystery of Reed and Sue's disappearances hinting at a possible Fantastic Four reunion.
Following the release of Marvel Legacy #1, many Marvel comic series will revert to their classic cumulative numbering system. For their relaunching series, Marvel created a new and consistent cover design that aimed to recapture their work from the 1980s and 1990s. Marvel will release limited quantities of lenticular covers for their Marvel Legacy titles that pay homage to older covers. They are also reintroducing elements such as the Marvel Value Stamp—a collectable clip-and-save program—and the self-published fanzine FOOM. Marvel is including three page primer stories in select Legacy titles to provide background information on their characters for new readers. Written by Robbie Thompson and illustrated by Mark Bagley, the primer stories will cover classic moments from Marvel's comics.
The Legacy initiative was succeeded by Fresh Start, another line-wide relaunch by Marvel Comics in mid 2018.

Ongoing series

In June and July 2017, Marvel revealed the 54 series that make up the Marvel Legacy initiative.
TitleLegacy Starting #WriterArtistStorylineRef.
All-New Wolverine#25–35Tom TaylorJuann CabalOrphans of X #25–30 Old Woman Laura #33-35
Amazing Spider-Man#789–801 Annual 42Dan SlottStuart ImmonenFall of Parker #789–791, Venom Inc. #792–793, Threat Level: Red #794–796, Go Down Swinging #797–800
Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows#13-23Jody HouserNick Roche8 Years Later #13–15, Fast Times At Midtown High #16–18 Parker Summer Vacation #19 Weird Science #20-23
America#8–12Gabby RiveraJoe QuinonesExterminatrix 8–10
Astonishing X-Men#7-17 Annual #1Charles SoulePhil NotoA Man Called X 7-12 Until Our Hearts Stop 13-14
Avengers#672–690Mark WaidJesús SaizWorlds Collide 672–674 Avengers No Surrender 675-690
Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider#10-25Peter DavidWill SlineyThe Slingers Return 10–13, Bad To The Bone 14, Damnation 15–17
Black Bolt#8–12Saladin AhmedChristian WardThe Midnight King Returns to Earth 8–11
Black Panther#166–172 Annual 1Ta-Nehisi CoatesLeonard KirkKlaw Stands Supreme166–172
Cable#150-159Ed BrissonJon MalinThe Newer Mutants 150–154 Past Fears 155-159
Captain America#695–704Mark WaidChris SamneeHome of the Brave 695–697 Out of Time 698-700 Promised Land 701-704
Captain Marvel#125–129Margaret StohlMichele BandiniDark Origin 125–129
Champions#13-27 Annual #1Mark WaidHumberto RamosWorlds Collide 13–15, Champion for a day 16–18 Northern Lights 19-21
Daredevil#595-612 Annual #1Charles SouleStefano LandiniMayor Fisk 595–600 Mayor Murdock 601-605
Defenders#6–10Brian Michael BendisDavid MarquezKIngpins of New York 6–10
Despicable Deadpool#287–300Gerry DugganScott KoblishDeadpool Kills Cable 287–291 Bucket List 292-296 The Marvel Universe Kills Deadpool 297-300
Doctor Strange#381–390Donny CatesSteve DitkoLoki: Sorcerer Supreme 381–385 Damnation 386-389
Falcon#1-8Rodney BarnesJoshua CassaraTake Flight 1–5 Vampires in Brooklyn 6-8
Generation X#85–87Christina StrainAmilcar PinnaSurvival of the Fittest 85–87
Guardians of the Galaxy#146–150Gerry DugganMarcus ToInfinity Quest 146–150
Hawkeye#13–16Kelly ThompsonLeonardo RomeroFamily Reunion 13–16
Iceman#6–11Sina GraceRobert GillChampions Reassembled 6–7 Iceman vs. Iceman 8 Apocalypse Seed 9-10
Incredible Hulk#709–717Greg PakGreg LandReturn to Planet Hulk 709–713 World War Hulk 714-717
Invincible Iron Man#593–600Brian Michael BendisStefano CaselliThe Search for Tony Stark 593–600
Iron Fist#73-80Ed BrissonMike PerkinsSabretooth: Round Two 73–77 Damnation 78-80
Jean Grey#8–11Dennis HopelessVictor IbanezPysch War 8–11
Jessica Jones#13-18Brian Michael BendisMichael GaydosReturn of the Purple Man 13–17 The Big Goodbye 18
Luke Cage#166–170David F. WalkerNelson BlakeCaged! 166–170
Marvel 2-in-One#1-12 Annual 1Chip ZdarskyJim CheungThe Fate of the Four 1–6 Next of kin 7-10
Mighty Thor#700–706Jason AaronRussell DautermanThe Death of Mighty Thor 700–706
Monsters Unleashed#7-12Cullen BunnAndrea BroccardoAnd Lo There Came... A Poison! 7–8 Learning curve 9-12
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur#25-47Brandon MontclareNatacha BustosFantastic Three 25–30 Save Our School 32-36
Moon Knight#188-200Max BemisJacen BurrowsCrazy Runs in the Family 188–193
Ms. Marvel#25-38G. Willow WilsonNico LeonTeenage Wasteland 25–28 Something New 29-30 Ratio 32-34
Old Man Logan#31-50Ed BrissonMike DeodatoThe Scarlet Samurai 31–33 Moon Over Madripoor 34-35 Moving Target 36-38 Glob Loves,Man Kills 39-40 Logan the Hunted 41-42 Bullseye Returns 43-45
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man#297-313Chip ZdarskyAdam KubertMost Wanted 297–299, Amazing Fantasy 301–303 No More 304-305 Coming Home 306-307 Spider-Geddon 311-313
The Punisher#218-228Matthew RosenbergGuiu VilanovaFrank Castle: War Machine 218–223 Punisher War Criminal 224-228
Royals#9–12Al EwingJavier RodríguezFire From Heaven 9–12
Secret Warriors#8–12Matthew RosenbergJavier Garrón and Will RobsonVs Mister Sinister 8–12
She-Hulk#159–163Mariko TamakiJahnoy LindsayJen Walters Must Die 159–163
Spider-Gwen#25-34Jason LatourRobbi RodriguezGwenom 25–31 The Life of Gwen Stacy 30-33
Spider-Man#234–#240 Annual 1Brian Michael BendisOscar BazalduaSinister Six Reborn 234–239
Spider-Man/Deadpool #23-50Robbie ThompsonChris BachaloArms Race 23-31, Oldies 26, 29, 32 Area 14 27-28, 30
Tales of Suspense#100-104Matthew RosenbergTravel ForemanRed Ledger 100-104
Thanos#13–18 Annual 1Donny CatesGeoff ShawThanos Wins 13–18
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl#27-50Ryan NorthErica HendersonThe Forbidden Pla-Nut 27–30
The Unbelievable Gwenpool#21–25Christopher HastingsIrene StrychalskiDoom Sees You 21–23 Lost in the Plot 24-25
U.S.Avengers#11–12Al EwingPaco MedinaCannonball Run 11–12
Uncanny Avengers#28–30Jim ZubSean IzaakseStars and Garters 28–30
Venom#155–165Mike CostaMark BagleyLethal Protector 155–158 Venom Inc. 159-160 Tangled Webs 161 Poison X 162-163 The Nativity 164-165
Weapon X#12-27Greg PakYildiray CinarNuke-Clear War 12–14 Happy Birthday,Old Man Logan 15-16 Sabretooth's in Charge 17-19 If He Dies,He Dies 20-21 Weapon X-Force 22-23
X-Men: Blue#13-36 Annual 1Cullen BunnJorge MolinaMojo Worldwide #13–15
Cross Time Capers #16–20 Poison X 21-22 Cry Havok 23-28 Search for Jimmy Hudson 29-30 Kings and Queens 31-32 Surviving the Experience 33-36
X-Men: Gold#13-36 Annual 2Marc GuggenheimJorge MolinaMojo Worldwide #13–15
The Negative Zone War
#16–20 Brotherhood 21-22 Cruel and Unusual 23-25 'Til Death Do Us part 26-30 Prestige Dark 31-32 Godwar 33-35
X-Men: Red#1-11 Annual #1Tom TaylorMahmud AsrarThe Hate Machine 1-11

Legacy One-shots

In addition to their ongoing series, Marvel planned reviving six cancelled comic book series along with their classic numbering as special one-shots that will be available in November and December 2017. However, Dazzler #43 which was planned, was not released with the other one-shots and was to be released in June 2018 as Dazzler: X Song.
TitleIssueWriterArtistStorylineRef.
Darkhawk#51Chad Bowers and Chris SimsKev WalkerThe Return
Dazzler: X Song#1Magdalene VisaggioLaura Braga
Master of Kung Fu#126CM PunkDalibor TalajićShang Chi's Day Off
Not Brand Echh#14Nick Spencer and
Christopher Hastings
Jay FosgittForbush Man Returns!
Power Pack#63Devin K. GraysonMarika CrestaWhere is Power Pack?
Silver Sable and the Wild Pack#36Christa FaustPaulo SiqueiraSilver and Bold

Limited Series and One-Shots

Reception

According to Diamond Comic Distributors, Marvel Legacy #1 was the biggest selling comic book title of 2017.