SPOILERS FOR MARVEL LEGACY INCOMING!!! TURN BACK IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED!!!!

Marvel Legacy is Marvel’s rebranding attempt since they have almost universally angered their fan base and split them into two different factions: the old-school fans that just want to see their favorite heroes again, and the new-school fans that want to see the legacy characters flourish and develop aside from these big events every other month. They cornered themselves and had to move very carefully to not anger anyone… But they didn’t.

Legacy characters are the characters that take over the mantle as that specific hero, like the new Thor is Jane Foster instead of the original Odinson Thor, Sam Wilson Captain America instead of Steve Rogers as Captain America etc. The legacy of the characters carry on through these new heroes. Some work fantastic as the previously mentioned Thor and Captain America and the new Ghost Rider, but some fall flat and don’t live up to the previous hero, such as Riri Williams as Iron Man. I personally like the majority of legacy heroes. I don’t really hate any of them (except Riri, she’s pretty bad). Some legacy heroes have already made it into the MCU, like Robbie Reyes as Ghost Rider and Scott Lang as Ant Man. There is nothing wrong with legacy characters, just the execution of some.

Marvel Legacy suffers from not knowing what it wants to do. The narrator talks all about how legacy characters are the future, and that legacy is insanely important to the universe as a whole, but then immediately cuts to Sam Wilson saying that this is his last mission and that he doesn’t want to be Captain America anymore. Well, which one was it? Are they important to Marvel or not? Tony Stark’s body went missing so he’s probably coming back, Steve Rogers is coming back as Captain America for real this time, and Jane Foster has been dying of cancer since the start of her run as Thor. It just ended up confusing the audience and they need to choose one path or the other. Stick with them or cut them out. Now, Marvel Legacy has a promise to the fans that a fan favorite character is returning in the issue. That character is to no one’s surprise Wolverine. If you didn’t know Wolverine has been dead for a few years now in the comics. This would normally be a welcome resurrection because he is a beloved character and an icon for Marvel, but it was possibly the least thought out one they could’ve possibly done. Now we have three Wolverines running around. X-23 is now the All New All Different Wolverine, Old Man Logan was retconned into the canon, and now we have regular Wolverine back from the dead. Now the problem could be solved by taking away one of them. Old Man Logan can go back to his time, or Laura can give up the name of Wolverine. BUT, both of these books are some of Marvel’s best selling books out there right now. Laura’s Wolverine is selling more than almost all of the other legacy characters and Old Man Logan is still in the 40,000 range of units sold. So to cancel one or even both of these books would be a horrible decision on Marvel’s part.

Marvel Legacy should have been more precise in what message they wanted to convey. If they were going to resurrect a character or characters, they should’ve done Bruce Banner, or Tony Stark, or reveal that Captain Marvel was a skrull for the past couple of years and that’s why she has been acting bad. Something to get us excited and also works as an apology. Like how DC rebirth did. DC rebirth was everything that Marvel Legacy is trying to be. DC apologized to the fans for the new 52 since no one liked the dark stories that they were putting the characters through. They noticed and responded by bringing the hope back into these beloved heroes. Marvel Legacy should’ve been the cast returning to their roots, like they promised. Marvel just fell short on this one. Nuff said.