In the world of comic book publishing, disagreements are almost unavoidable between publishers and readers. Each major publisher manages a vast number of books, each with its unique team of writers contributing their own ideas for the storyline or character development. It’s almost certain that the aspirations of fans, the creative perspectives of different teams, and editorial guidance will collide at times, sometimes resulting in dramatic and enduring conflicts.
Marvel’s most contentious comics span a wide array of timeless comic book debates, including those that stir strong emotions and resistance from fans due to change or graphic content. These controversial Marvel comics often revolve around a surprising shared element: quality writing. As Marvel evolves, its stories increasingly tackle significant issues such as sexual politics, the impact of superpowers, race, ethnicity, personal agency, and consent – topics that naturally provoke controversy.
Revealing a New Black Spider-Man Generated More Talk Than Any New Character in Decades
In the concluding scene of Ultimate Fallout #4, Ultimate Spider-Man removed his mask to unveil a young Black character, which sparked a mix of enthusiastic and critical responses. Three years prior, the announcement of Miles Morales as Spider-Man drew a range of reactions, from immediate concerns about storytelling to overtly racist comments.
Ever since his debut in 2011, Miles Morales has consistently excelled and grown. He’s written numerous series for more than a hundred issues and served as the central character in the blockbuster Spider-Verse series, demonstrating a truth that writers have been trying to convey since the 1960s – being a white resident of Queens is not what defines Spider-Man.
This Storied Run Is a Staggered Tour of Virtually Every Hated X-Men Storyline
As a devoted fan, I can’t help but recall the turbulent period during Chuck Austen’s tenure on the Uncanny X-Men comics, which was famously criticized by his predecessor, Chris Claremont, as “the most controversial figure in comics.” This contentious run, starting from 2002, was met with a wave of fan disapproval due to its erratic character development, overly sentimental drama, and bold alterations to the established canon. These changes led to a significant drop in sales for the title, and while many of these adjustments have since been corrected or undone, Austen’s decision to initiate this narrative shift remains a lasting impact on the X-Men universe.
Criticisms of the Austen period encompass various aspects:
1. The mysterious and unsettling romantic encounters between Angel and Husk, which are problematic due to their significant age difference.
2. The sudden transformation of Nightcrawler from a mutant with mystical origins to an actual demon.
3. Two poorly executed coming-out narratives for Iceman and Northstar.
4. Overly complicated love triangles that lack depth, as well as unpopular romantic pairings in general.
5. The introduction of underdeveloped characters and unwanted mutations that replace established ones.
6. The death of Sammy the Fish Boy, a character who met an untimely end.
7. The overblown, disastrous saga that unfolded around Xorn.
Partially Redeemed, Partially Reviled, Spider-Man’s Clone Saga Was a Flashpoint of Mixed Opinions
Initially criticized for its protracted narrative leading to an unsatisfactory conclusion, Spider-Man’s Clone Saga generated significant controversy due to its decision to substitute Peter Parker as Spider-Man. This led to a clash between two Spider-Men, each convinced they were the genuine article. The saga culminates with one clone being slain by Jackal, while the other realizes he might have been mistaken. The Clone Saga poses the question: What if he was wrong?
The saga, encompassing approximately 200 stories spread across a two-year period of print, ironically started as a means to streamline Spider-Man’s storyline, yet it evolved into an intricate, complex tangle instead. It also featured many disliked redesigns of classic Spidey antagonists and introduced new ones such as Judas Traveller and Kaine, who left fans feeling perplexed due to their inconsistent power fluctuations. However, there were indeed bright spots in the saga, notably the arrival of beloved clone character Ben Reilly. Nevertheless, the overall changes were deemed too drastic and lacked sufficient planning for many readers to fully embrace.
Marvel Made Frank Castle Black For Three Issues. Not “The Punisher.” Frank Castle.
In the story “Final Days,” Kingpin deliberately wreaks havoc on Frank Castle’s life, ultimately resulting in The Punisher being jailed and horrifically disfigured by Jigsaw. After managing to break free, The Punisher seeks help from a plastic surgeon to perform skin grafts and alter his severely scarred visage. However, fans were taken aback and underwhelmed at this development, viewing it as insensitive and inappropriate for introducing Luke Cage into the series in the subsequent issue.
As per writer Mike Baron’s account, this specific plot was dictated by the editorial team. The absence of creative control over the storyline, coupled with significant criticism, likely played a significant role in his immediate exit from the series after the conclusion of the arc, marking an end to his five-year run writing The Punisher. The storyline was quickly wrapped up within three issues under the unusual title “Fade…to White,” where Castle’s skin color returned to normal, and thankfully, it hasn’t been mentioned since.
The Eternal Eros, AKA Starfox, Got MeToo’d Over A Decade Before Hollywood Did
Initially, Starfox went by the name Eros, an eternal being born on Titan alongside his elder brother Thanos. Known for his outgoing personality and love for women, Starfox possesses distinctive abilities that trigger pleasure centers in the brain, granting him control over others effortlessly. The unsettling potential uses of these talents to infringe upon free will were seldom discussed until they were explored in She-Hulk #6 by Slott and Conrad.
The narrative revolves around a woman from Earth filing sexual assault allegations against Starfox after an encounter with him. The book delicately tackles this sensitive issue, giving thought to the complex dynamics between victims, perpetrators, and the perspective of Jennifer, a female character in the story. Despite its sensationalist nature, the author, Slott, appears keen on examining the intricate layers and political implications surrounding issues of consent and female empowerment.
Pairing Siblings Wanda and Pietro Together Was A Wild and Widely Derided Choice For the Ultimate Universe
The initial Marvel Universe known as Ultimate Universe faced a gradual yet painful fall, with “Ultimates 3: Who Murdered the Scarlet Witch?” being one of the last three miniseries for this alternate universe. With time running short on Earth-1610, the character Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch, is brutally killed. The remaining X-Men then take up the task of detective work to find the culprit. This investigation leads to some surprising and downright peculiar findings about Wanda’s connection with her brother, Quicksilver.
As a dedicated gamer of Marvel comics, I’ve noticed some major differences between the primary Earth-616 and the Ultimate’s Earth-1610, but none have left fans scratching their heads quite like Jeph Loeb pairing Pietro and Wanda. While their troubled past under their abusive father serves as a basis for their complex bond, this romantic connection felt out of place and added little to the storyline other than making readers uncomfortable. This is just one example of many questionable decisions that ultimately led to the premature demise of the original Ultimates Universe.
The Crossing revealed that Iron Man Worked For Kang All Along
Could it be possible that Captain America’s shocking “Hail Hydra” moment wasn’t a clone trick? Instead, let’s consider the scenario suggested by Bob Harras and Terry Kavanagh years ago – one where an Avenger might secretly work as a double-agent. The comic series, “Avengers: The Crossing,” presents a different twist to this idea; Iron Man was revealed to have spent years secretly working against the team in a complex plot that eventually led to his death and the recruitment of his 19-year-old self onto the Avengers team through time travel.
Both spectators and experts alike deemed the twist underwhelming and implausible, pointing out noticeable inconsistencies and poor narrative development that couldn’t sustain such a significant revelation. The subsequent storylines intentionally undid the main repercussions of Avengers: The Crossing, with the fallout from Onslaught restoring Tony Stark to his adult form and Mr Fantastic merging him with the original version in Avengers: Forever to essentially erase past events.
The Incredibly Gory Conclusion of the First Ultimate Universe Was Critically Panned
Despite some positive aspects, the comic series “Ultimatum” is generally considered a disappointing end to the Marvel Ultimate Universe that many fans loved. Initially, it gained a lot of attention and sold well, but it quickly became a subject of debate due to its excessive violence and inconsistent character development. The creative team, led by Loeb, seemed determined to kill off all the major characters in a way that was over-the-top and destructive, which ended up turning off their fans instead.
Among the most distressing scenes is when Blob consumes The Wasp and subsequently has his head bitten by Ant-Man, Magneto breaking Dr. Xavier’s neck, Cyclops getting shot in the head, Dormammu killing Doctor Strange, and numerous other heart-wrenching events. The impact of “Ultimatum” on the Ultimate Universe was so profoundly negative that it significantly tarnished the series’ reputation. Over time, “Ultimatum” came to be viewed as an overly edgy and inappropriate take on Marvel, leading to a near-decade hiatus for Marvel’s alternate universe before its reemergence in 2023.
Captain Marvel is Coerced, Impregnated, and Then Assaulted By Her Own Son in This Horrendous Bicentennial
In issue #197 of the Avengers comic series, it was unveiled that Carol Danvers, who went by Ms. Marvel at the time, was expecting a baby. There was an unusual element involved as her pregnancy only lasted three days before she delivered a fully-grown child named Marcus. It turned out that Marcus was the son of Immortus. He had the power to send Danvers into Limbo, control her thoughts, and impregnate her with himself.
Rather than presenting a thought-provoking Grandfather Paradox for our 200th issue, this tangled, misogynistic mess was largely met with disdain. To make matters worse, at the end of the issue, Danvers leaves the team to willingly become Marcus’ wife in Limbo. The following year, after Marcus’ demise, it was revealed that she had been essentially kidnapped under mind control, and she justifiably reproaches the Avengers for their role in her mistreatment. The words of lead writer James Shooter sum up the situation perfectly: “Avengers #200 is a disgrace.
“One More Day” Ruined a Romance That Had Been Building and Blossoming for Over Forty Years.
In “One More Day,” instead of killing Spider-Man, a bullet intended for him tragically hits his dear Aunt May. Overwhelmed by grief, Spider-Man encounters Mephisto, who is like the devil in the Marvel Universe. He proposes a deal: save Aunt May at the cost of erasing his marriage with Mary Jane Watson from existence. It’s not about divorce; rather, it means that their marriage and all associated memories will be wiped out. Fans felt this decision, which seemingly rewrote years of storytelling, was awkwardly executed and a clumsy retcon in the comic book series.
Most other questionable plotlines from this collection have either been revised or didn’t occur within the primary narrative at all. However, “One More Day” stands out as it has persisted in Marvel’s continuity despite widespread fan disapproval of the storyline. Much acclaim for Hickman’s popular “Ultimate Spider-Man” revolves around its portrayal of Peter and MJ as a mature, married couple, which reflects the strong desire among fans to witness these characters evolving in a stable partnership.
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2025-05-25 07:01