Marvel Legacy #1

Written by Jason Aaron

Penciled by Chris Samnee, Russell Dauterman, Jim Cheung, Alex Maleev, and Esad Ribic
Cover by Joe Quesada
Published Sep 27, 2017

   One million years ago, a caveman sees and tries to pick up Thor's hammer. He's shooed by Lord Odin, an Asguardian Thor predecessor and mocked for losing it by the Phoenix. There an ancient pack of Avengers assemble and discuss what their future battle plans hold. They've encountered a Celestial and being the warring savages they appear to be, they all storm the monster to kill it..

LEEEEEEEEROOOOOY JENKINS!

    Apparently all a dream in the mind of a confused Robbie Reyes, he's awakened by Cape Town cops that he later flees. Later he's attacked by Starbrand, who seems hellbent to keep him from discovering something. Obviously angered by this, Ghost Rider along with his car attacks.

I see you, Car!

   Meanwhile in Jotunheim, Loki tricks a pack of Front Giants to steal something for him. Though they're clearly skeptical, they agree to do his bidding. The facility they plan to attack is used by SHIELD to apparently store dangerous artifacts. Barely before they can even identify what crate to protect, the Jotens attack them, who are quickly met face to face with the present day Avengers. Thor and Falcon fight them while a tardy Ironheart gets to the party a little late. 

Sorry I'm late. I got here as soon as I felt like it.

    Next up, in a series of single pages, a news report details the fact Captain America is still missing, and we see him on the run in a diner. Meanwhile in Asgardia, a still exiled Thor drinks himself into a stupor while a nearby future watcher jumps off a rainbow bridge in apparent fear. At a Stark Facility, Mary Jane Watson is briefed on the sudden missing comatose Tony Stark. Finally back in Africa, Starbrand and Ghost Rider continue to fight. With Starbrand's prophetic ramblings of the first host and a cursed world, Ghost Rider still tries to get the best of him.

What's WITH this guy?!

   Not far from there, a bored SHIELD detail watches over a few archaeologists when an explosion incinerates most of them. Starbrand lays in the crater while the command is given to keep digging. Meanwhile Deadpool is shot through a bathroom stall during his arrest for the murder of Phil Coulson, Doctor Strange mentions to Iron Fist that his mystic shrubbery has thwarted a robbery while a dejected Norman Osborne walks away, and finally Wasp Nadia Pym helps to comfort a confused and rattled Jarvis. 

That's enough for us, Wong. Let's disappear.

   Back at the SHIELD facility, the Avengers keep battling the Jotuns. As it appears they've bested most of them, the group begins to relax and fails to notice one of them happening upon Loki's mystery crate. He picks it up and runs with it while the Thing and Human Torch reminisce on a building top. A one page teases the Black Panther's intergalactic empire of Wakanda while an Alpha Flight station picks up a far off signal calling for the return of the Hulk. 

You see what happens when you're not around?!

   At the sight of the dig, Ghost Rider has Starbrand enchained while he gets the upperhand. It doesn't take long though for the demon to hit him with his famed penance stare. Starbrand is overwhelmed with pain. The protector continues spouting ominous warnings before exploding. Reyes returns to human form and drives away, just a little more freaked out than before. At the digsite, the archaeologists have reached something incredible. It quickly turns to fear though as the outstretched hand of the re-awakened Celestial moves to crush them. It calls to summon the final host to cleanse them all.

Disco!

   Meanwhile the Avengers ziptie the Front Giants while the one that got away keeps running. He's suddenly run over by a beer truck, who's driver gets out and walks towards the warrior. Over threats, the resurrected Wolverine claws the Joten down while back at his Canadian grave, Jean Gray walks to find the tomb clearly destroyed. Logan walks to the case and over beers, opens it up and in probably one of the most anticipated images in comics, holds an Infinity Stone.

Uh oh. Now you're all in big, BIG trouble!

   Aboard the Milano, we quickly see Gamora announcing another stone has been found while on earth, Loki embraces the awakened Celestial. The unseen narrator continues talking about legacies over various images of the book until finally we see who the speaker is. Valeria and Franklin Richards, the children or Mister Fantastic continue exploring the worlds created by the events of Secret Wars. Closing her eyes and imagining a way home, she flies away while a Fantastic Four logo hovers in the corner of the page. With that, this long issue is concluded.

Wait - I see a universe where Disney gets the FF rights back from Fox! LET'S GO!

   This book is huge. Not just literally, because yes it is that... at nearly 50 pages of artwork...  But because it ushers in a new age in these character's histories. It took Marvel Now, Secret Wars, and Secret Empire to finally arc over here, and it's pretty clear that a return to roots in many forms is on the horizon. Obviously being an X-Men buff, the coolest thing to me was seeing Logan with an Infinity Stone, but nearly the entire Marvel Universe was at least somehow addressed, if anything by at least a mention. Now trying to figure out what this all means - that's going to be the tricky part. One thing is for sure though.. It's gonna be awesome. I give this one a 10/10.

If you like this review, check out my video of it HERE.

You can also buy my physical copy of this book HERE.

Like comics? Check out my ebay wares HERE

Follow me at facebook, twitter, or instagram as well.