Comics Fans! Is it time for Marvel Comics to have it's own version of Crisis on Infinite Earths?

Question

The Marvel Universe is almost starting to remind me of DC's with it's multiverse. I'm starting to see camps of people who prefer Ultimate Marvel or Original Marvel universe. Since the sixties Marvel has added a lot of different versions of it's universe. Is it time for the ultimate reboot? DC did it in 1985 with the Crisis, is it time for Marvel to follow in it's footsteps and have it's own version to reboot it's characters and universe? Or, should it stay the same and keep going? Your thoughts?

I've read some interesting views so far. Let me add something. Does anyone know of any continuity problems in Marvel, great or small, that need addressing before something should be done like a "Crisis"? Are there any potential problems that could cause continuity issues like with the use or overuse of retcons?

Answer 1

No. There is no need for a reboot. Much of Marvel revolves around the Multiverse. Entire teams (like the Exiles) concern themselves with the multiverse as a whole and not with a simple single universe. Plus you have alternate planes of existence like the negative zone which also exist because of the Multiverse (which works different then DC's did).

As for Ultimate Marvel. It is not nessicarily tied to the same places that 616 (classic) Marvel is. Besides without a multiverse places like "Marvel Zombies", "Age of Apocalypse", and "Phoenix: Warsong" are gone. Some of these are gret places that still have stories to be told.

And finally, DC has reversed it's "no Multiverse" rule. That was what the whole "Infinite Crisis" was about.

I would like to point out that Marvel tried a "psuedo-reboot" with Heroes Reborn. It didn't work out so well.... (if you ask me)
Great question, though!

Answer 2

You have to remember the Theory of Conservation of Parallel Worlds, which states: “Parallel worlds cannot be created or destroyed, but may be transferred between publishers.”

Many people did not realize that Marvel only began with their ‘mainstream’ Marvel Earth (Earth 616) and the alternate histories (Marvel 1620) and such until after Dc had already had the Crisis and got rid of their alternate Earths.

Are you seriously recommending that Marvel just dump all the Earths they GOT FROM DC IN THE CLEARANCE SALE…?

(Sometimes it seems that Marvel is picking through DC’s trash and reheating the leftovers, doesn’t it…?)

I foresaw this happening. As soon as they started using the TimeCops theme (Time Variance Authority agents) and the Fantastic Four began skidding off across the time zones, I realized that they had decided to take this ball and run with it; thinking that they were safe, for a while, from being accused of childish mimicry and unoriginality.

For a while now, I have anticipated that Marvel was going to do the equivalent of a ‘cornfield meet’ (buying two old locomotives and having them crash into one another on a stretch of track) with their universe, as a promotional stunt.

Look at what’s been happening with the Civil War storyline. Either the writers or the editors at Marvel have become so politicized – and I don’t know which party or action committee was paying them – that it was just a warmed-over series of news events and headlines that were fairly predictable.

Marvel is ALREADY playing around with the Ultimates. These are the characters; not the way they are, and not the way Marvel could change them to be by any reasonable process (even for the comics! Which is saying a lot.), but an extreme, hyped up version.

If the Ultimates prove more interesting that the ‘mainstream’ (which seems to be the consensus so far) then why would Marvel keep trying to paint themselves OUT OF the corner they’ve painted themselves INTO with Civil War?

Their only alternative is to do a ‘reboot’ (such as the reboot of Superman) WITHOUT a ‘Crisis’, and start everything over again new.

Well, they already have the new start with the Ultimates, which may just be their way of testing the waters, to see if ‘you, the readers’ will demand that they stop the foolishness and give us back the original characters.

So, what will happen? The whole untenable Civil- War-triggered ‘Initiative’ may simply vanish without resolution and the Ultimates may take over the numbering of the old titles with no visible seams.

Presto! The solution to continuity problems! Just ignore them!

What? I hear you howl. What about this storyline, or the original version of my favorite character…?

Sorry. As everybody must surely realize by now, Marvel is in business to make money. That means dropping losers and walking away from challenges if they are not fiscally necessary. They’re not doing it for love… not the way we are fond of the characters we grew up with. It’s a business. The bottom line is all that counts to them.

It really is too bad. They could have been contenders, instead of, let’s face it, what they actually are….

4 APR 07, 1359 hrs, GMT.

Answer 3

Marvel has have it own version of Crisis on Infinite Earths, but it was entitled House of M in addition to that Marvel also put out the Civil War Saga and the The Exiles series does work along side of some other alternative reality of the Marvel Universe, such as the Mutant X Unvierse, the Ultimate Marvel Universe, the What if Universe and many more.

Answer 4

Continuity in a shared universe is either a blessing or a curse, usually depending on how well the writers know their characters. The fact is, if you are that worried about things like whether or not Wolverine's crazy history is perfectly in sync over the course of hundreds of writer's different story arcs, you are missing the point. The point is, is the story good?, and is it true to the character? The only reason any universe needs these reboots is because sometimes the writers get too crazy. But in my opinion, I don't think DC needed the last three major continuity "events" and I don't think Marvel should ever have one.

Answer 5

D.C.s attempts at continuity renovation (Crisis, Zero Hour, Infinite Crisis) were, at best, marginally successful; how many re-booted characters have had most of thier history resurface since? A lot.

Marvel is a different animal than D.C., and thier seperate universes have always been seperate for the most part. With the exception of 'Exiles', no single team travels to alternate dimensions on a regular basis as the JLA did. Sure, alternate universes resulted from thier actions ('Days of Future Past', et al) but high-profile characters like Spider-Man or the Hulk mainly stay in thier own backyards.

I don't think a 'Crisis' event would work for Marvel. Readers would be more confused during and in the aftermath, which was a problem D.C. had.

So... no.

jdk

Answer 6

DC's multiverse idea were seperate stories but still able to interact in possible story links. The Ultimate lines are a seperate world, closer to DC's Elseworlds titles. Would ultimate spider man meet regular spider man?
Crisis was done to clean up & streamline the continuity. There's no reason for Marvel to do that with their's since there are no continuity issues or crossover possibilities.

Answer 7

No Marvel is doing fine just the way it is

Answer 8

Quack Jack
and zgunbar
have the perfect answers.

haha..
Dang! I was going to try for best answer here too!

Answer 9

They should do it. And reboot some of the characters.

Answer 10

man, its been a long time since ive read it, but didnt they already do that in secret wars?