'Marvel Legacy' #1 Review: The Future Is Brighter Than Ever

09/27/2017 01:37 pm EDT

The Marvel Universe has been in need of a fresh start, and Marvel Legacy #1 has the honor and pressure of having to deliver one. So, does it succeed?

Some spoilers incoming for Marvel Legacy #1, so if you haven't read it yet you've been warned.

Marvel Legacy aims to do a lot, even for its hefty 58 pages, and the good news is the book delivers on the majority of occasions. Writer Jason Aaron covers a wide gamut of time and space, with each era or spotlight conveying a tiny sliver of what mysteries and adventures lie ahead.

Take for instance the much publicized Avengers of 1,000,000 B.C. The group kicks off the book with some delightful banter between Odin and Phoenix, as well as Odin and his less-than-cooperative hammer. The other Avengers are interesting as well, though they unfortunately don't get much to do.

The same could be said for the time spent with Iron Fist and Doctor Strange, or The Thing and the Human Torch. These and many others are lovely small moments that get stunted by a drawn-out segment between Starbrand and Ghost Rider.

Now, some of this is likely to pay off elsewhere, and Aaron is skilled at planting seeds in unlikely ways and places. Still, just taken in context as it pertains to this singular issue, it's hard not to just want to turn the page and get to the good stuff, as this fight is pretty one-note and takes up more than a few pages. Truth be told, Ghost Rider on a Mastodon teaming up with Agamotto and the original Iron Fist is way more exciting than anything this fight had to offer.

That said, those pages are pretty at least, as is the rest of Marvel Legacy. There's a bevy of talent involved, and Marvel uses it to give each sector of the universe its own unique feel and style. At times that can lead to a bit of disjointedness, but that isn't the case with Legacy.

Drawn-out fight aside, there's too much good here to let that drag the book down. The issue lays the groundwork for a year or two of stories throughout, but more than that, it lovingly weaves in characters you've genuinely missed, and doesn't forget to give them a reason for returning.

It's hard not to have the feels when Thing tells Johnny, "Spoken like a moron, as usual. Who cares what folks remember or don't. Just as long as we never forget." Johnny's response, "Not on your big ugly life," is the perfect reminder of why fans love these characters, and Jean Grey's sweet moment at Logan's grave only adds to that feeling that you've arrived at a homecoming.

Marvel Legacy #1 sets out to not only set the course for a universe but to remind fans why they loved it in the first place. To that end, it's a rousing success, and things should only get better from here.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars.

Marvel Legacy #1 is in stores now.

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