Marvel Legacy: Who Is the Returning Character?

At C2E2, Marvel Comics announced plans for a fresh publishing initiative called Marvel Legacy.

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Marvel Legacy seems poised to push the Marvel Universe back towards its roots and to set the publisher up to tell sweeping new stories with its biggest, most iconic characters.

However, it won’t just be the iconic characters running around the Marvel Universe currently who get a classic revamp. Marvel has promised that Marvel Legacy #1, the one-shot comic that kicks off the Marvel Legacy initiative, will feature the return of a “Marvel mainstay.”

Marvel did not offer any more hints than that concerning the identity of this returning characters, which means that we are left to speculate.

Here are five characters that could return to the Marvel Universe in Marvel Legacy #1.

Wolverine

Marvel Comics has been giving the X-Men a big push lately, as seen in the ResurrXion relaunch and with the sudden reemergence of X-Men merchandise. Capping all of that off with the literal resurrection of the X-Men’s most popular character would put quite the exclamation point on that push.

Logan, the original Wolverine, had been dead since 2014. Wolverine lost his mutant healing factor and when his enemies found out that made sport of hunting Logan down. Wolverine ended up encased in adamantium, the very metal that coated his bones and claws.

The problem with this idea is that there is no shortage of Wolverines in the Marvel Universe right now. Laura Kinney, Wolverine’s female clone who formerly went by X-23, has taken over as Wolverine. Old Man Logan, a version of Wolverine from a dystopian alternate reality, is operating in Wolverine’s place on the X-Men. Even Jimmy Hudson, the son of the Logan from the Ultimate Marvel universe who himself became Wolverine after his father died, has made his way into the main Marvel Universe. If he returns, it is unclear where he would fit into the larger Marvel universe.

Hulk

Bruce Banner thought he was cured and freed from the rages of the Hulk. He’ll never no for sure. During the events of Civil War II, the Avengers confronted Banner about the possibility of him Hulking out. Hawkeye, believing he could see the change coming in Banner’s eyes, killed Banner from a distance with a an arrow specially designed by Banner himself to kill even the Hulk.

The Hulk returning in Marvel Legacy would make a statement. Banner was killed during a moment when Marvel’s heroes were at each others’ throats. His return could signal return to happier days.

On the other, Bruce Banner is the Hulk, and the Hulk is sometimes as much of a threat as he is an ally. To have the Hulk return to kick off Marvel Legacy might not send the clearest message.

Iron Man

Tony Stark was another casualty of Civil War II. Iron Man and Captain Marvel led the two sides of the Second Superhero Civil War. The final battle of that war was fought in Washington DC. Iron Man and Captain Marvel went at each other with everything they had, and Captain Marvel dealt Tony Stark a near fatal blow. It is only through some modifications that Tony made to his own body, modifications that even another genius like Beast can’t understand, that Tony is now in a coma and not dead.

Like with the Hulk, returning Tony Stark to the Marvel Universe would send a message about the tense days of Civil War II and the divisiveness in the superhero community being in the past, especially if Tony and Carol Danvers make amends. Tony Stark was ever the futurist so it’s hard to think of a better character to lead the Marvel Universe into a new era.

However, despite being comatose, Tony Stark has been active in the Marvel Universe. He copied his memories and personality into a virtual AI to help Iron Heart, Riri Williams, continue carrying on without him. The virtual AI was even piloting an Iron Man armor on its own in Secret Empire #0, with all of the other Avengers treating it like it was Tony Stark. This could mean that fans would feel cheated by Tony’s return, seeing it as something of a half-measure.

Captain America

Captain America is currently very active in the Marvel Universe. In fact, he’s the new head of Hydra and trying to take over the world, even replace the world with a different version of itself, in Secret Empire.

Captain America is featured very prominently on the cover of Marvel Legacy #1, and he’s wearing his classic costume. Perhaps the returning mainstay of the Marvel universe is the Captain America fans knew and loved who wasn’t a secret sleeper agent for Hydra.

Following Secret Empire, it seems likely that part of Marvel Legacy will mean returning Captain America to his heroic glory. However, after all of the terrible things Captain America has done as an agent of Hydra, it’s hard to see a way that Marvel can easily redeem Steve Rogers as he is now.

Would be easier to replace him? Bring an uncorrupted version of Captain America out of time, perhaps even have him fight his sinister self? Fans would likely welcome Captain America’s return to form, but like with Iron Man, this could feel like something of a half-measure.

Fantastic Four

No return could make more of a statement about Marvel Legacy than the return of the Fantastic Four. No Fantastic Four comic has been published since before the events of Secret Wars in 2015. The Thing and Human Torch are still active in the Marvel Universe, running until recently with the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers respectively, but Reed and Sue Richards and their children never returned to the Marvel Universe after Battleworld was destroyed.

The Richards exist outside of time, rebuilding the Marvel universe and repairing the damage caused by Secret Wars, but they have not appeared in a Marvel comic book in two years. Some characters within the Marvel universe have even openly wondered about why no one talks about the Fantastic Four anymore.

Fantastic Four is the title that launched the Marvel universe. The return of Sue and Reed, the Fantastic Four reforming, and the launch of a new Fantastic Four comic would be a perfect way for Marvel to signal a return to its roots. The Fantastic Four are its roots.