History Comicbook / DarkReign

After ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion2008'', the general public blames ComicBook/IronMan, then director of ComicBook/{{SHIELD}}, for not preventing the AlienInvasion. Meanwhile, ComicBook/SpiderMan's ArchEnemy [[Characters/MarvelComicsNormanOsborn Norman Osborn]], leader of the ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}, gains himself some ''huge'' points in the battle of public opinion, as news networks featured him being a leader in the fight against the Skrulls, and eventually ending the entire conflict by blowing the head off the Skrull queen before any of the assembled heroes could kill her. This televised act of heroism (which may have been staged, depending on whether you believe ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} or not) led The President to dismiss Stark and replace him with Osborn. Norman, very happy with how things went, quickly replaced S.H.I.E.L.D. with his own organization, H.A.M.M.E.R., and formed the Cabal -- an alliance between him, [[Characters/MarvelComicsEmmaFrost Emma Frost]], [[ComicBook/SubMariner Namor]], [[Characters/MarvelComicsLoki Loki]], Characters/TheHood, and [[Characters/MarvelComicsDoctorDoom Doctor Doom]]. He also creates his own, twisted version of ComicBook/TheAvengers -- Comicbook/DarkAvengers, with most of the team members being supervillains in heroes' costumes led by Osborn himself in an Iron Man armor with a Red, White and Blue paint job, under the name of "Iron Patriot". At the same time, he sets up a plan to replace and kill half of his former Thunderbolts teammates, as they might have information that would make him look less appealing to the public at large (the other half joined the Dark Avengers). His allies from The Cabal are plotting against him, many heroes and a few villains want to get rid of him, but Osborn doesn't seem to care -- he has a mysterious ally, somebody who can instill fear even in his fellow members of The Cabal.

''Dark Reign'' started right after ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion2008'' and lasted a year before the GrandFinale four-part event ''ComicBook/{{Siege}}''. It's followed by ''ComicBook/HeroicAge''.

* ChekhovsBoomerang: In his own mini-series, Bullseye got a copy of his old costume as a part of the story's villains' plan to manipulate him. Later, when Osborn ordered him to go after Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}, Lester dressed in that costume.

* DebateAndSwitch: This storyline was the tool to undo all the changes of ''Comicbook/CivilWar2006'': a morally gray situation is turned into a full morally black-and-white situation, so that the heroes can easily "win" and return to the previous status quo. And Stamford? [[AngstWhatAngst Fine, thanks]].

** To a lesser extent than ''Comicbook/CivilWar2006'', but still there all the same: The ''ComicBook/DarkAvengers'' series and a few others have Norman Osborn buying into his own hype and genuinely opposing menaces he regards as threats to America and the status quo, while tie-ins like ''ComicBook/DarkXMen'' and ''Captain America Reborn'' show him PuttingOnTheReich and working hard to put the ComicBook/RedSkull into Captain America's body.

** In-story, it's an intentional evocation of the Stamford Incident that kicked off ''Comicbook/CivilWar2006''.

* NonindicativeName: There are three Avengers teams out there: the ComicBook/DarkAvengers (legally sanctioned, led by Iron Patriot), the Comicbook/NewAvengers (outlaws resisting the Registration Act, led by Luke Cage) and the ComicBook/MightyAvengers (international, led by Henry Pym). However, none of them actually used those names in-story. They all called themselves "The Avengers". When they had to make reference to one of the other groups, they said things like "Pym's Avengers", "Osborn's Avengers", "the false Avengers", etc.

[[caption-width-right:350: ComicBook/NormanOsborn: [[BlatantLies A man you can trust]].]]

Creator/MarvelComics' non-{{Crossover}} (read: a [[TheVerse verse]]-wide storyline described by Creator/JoeQuesada as [[WordOfGod "it's not a crossover, just what's happening in the]] Franchise/MarvelUniverse") which follows the aftermath of ComicBook/SecretInvasion. It's a CrisisCrossover-sized event, but is not a crossover in the common meaning of the word - comics were not tied to a strict plot, but were showing multiple heroes dealing with a VillainWithGoodPublicity becoming one of the most powerful men in the United States.

After ComicBook/SecretInvasion, the general public blames ComicBook/IronMan, then director of ComicBook/{{SHIELD}}, for not preventing the AlienInvasion. Meanwhile, ComicBook/SpiderMan's Arch Enemy ComicBook/NormanOsborn, leader of the ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}, gains himself some ''huge'' points in the battle of public opinion, as news networks featured him being a leader in the fight against the Skrulls, and eventually ending the entire conflict by blowing the head off the Skrull queen before any of the assembled heroes could kill her. This televised act of heroism (which may have been staged, depending on whether you believe ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} or not) led The President to dismiss Stark and replace him with Osborn. Norman, very happy with how things went, quickly replaced S.H.I.E.L.D. with his own organization, H.A.M.M.E.R., and formed the Cabal - an alliance between him, ComicBook/EmmaFrost, [[ComicBook/SubMariner Namor]], Comicbook/{{Loki}}, ComicBook/TheHood, and ComicBook/DoctorDoom. He also creates his own, twisted version of ComicBook/TheAvengers - Comicbook/DarkAvengers, with most of the team members being supervillains in heroes' costumes led by Osborn himself in an Iron Man armor with a Red, White and Blue paint job, under the name of "Iron Patriot". At the same time, he sets up a plan to replace and kill half of his former Thunderbolts teammates, as they might have information that would make him look less appealing to the public at large (the other half joined the Dark Avengers). His allies from The Cabal are plotting against him, many heroes and a few villains want to get rid of him, but Osborn doesn't seem to care -- he has a mysterious ally, somebody who can instill fear even in his fellow members of The Cabal.

Dark Reign spawned several tie-ins, but some plot points are also being resolved in titles not officially marked as such. Due to this, fans still consider everything which deals with Norman or any other member of Cabal as a part of the event.

Dark Reign started right after ComicBook/SecretInvasion and lasted a year before the GrandFinale four-part event ''ComicBook/{{Siege}}''. It's followed by ComicBook/HeroicAge.

* ComicBook/AgentsOfAtlas
* ComicBook/BlackPanther
* ComicBook/DarkAvengers
* ComicBook/ThePunisher
* ComicBook/SecretWarriors
* ComicBook/SpiderWoman
* [[ComicBook/SWORD2009 S.W.O.R.D.]]
* Vengeance of ComicBook/MoonKnight
* ComicBook/WarMachine
* [[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderMan1999 The Amazing Spider-Man]]
* ComicBook/AvengersTheInitiative
* ComicBook/CaptainAmerica
* ComicBook/CaptainBritainAndMI13
* Dark Wolverine
* ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}
* ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}
* ComicBook/{{Hulk|2008}}
* ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules
* ComicBook/IronMan
* ComicBook/MightyAvengers
* ComicBook/MsMarvel
* ComicBook/NewAvengers
* Skaar Son of Hulk
* [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]]
* ComicBook/UncannyXMen & ComicBook/XMenLegacy
* ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} Origins

* All-New Savage ComicBook/SheHulk
* ComicBook/CaptainAmerica: Reborn
* Dark Avengers: ComicBook/{{Ares|Marvel}}
* Dark Reign: ComicBook/{{Elektra}}
* Dark Reign: ComicBook/{{FantasticFour}}
* Dark Reign: ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}
* Dark Reign: Lethal Legion
* Dark Reign: Mister Negative
* Dark Reign: The Hood
* Dark Reign: The Sinister ComicBook/SpiderMan
* Dark Reign: ComicBook/YoungAvengers
* Dark Reign: Zodiac
* ComicBook/DarkXMen: The Beginning & Dark X-Men
* Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural
* New Avengers: The Reunion
* Skrull Kill Krew
* The Torch
* Timestorm 2009–2099
* Dark Reign: The List

* AbusiveParents: While Ares has been cunning to the point that he let Nick Fury take care of his son (which was what Phobos wanted) because he was afraid he would start to abuse him emotionally or physically, right now his son from ancient times is hellbent on revenge for the merciless neglect ''he'' received.

** ComicBook/NormanOsborn attempts to murder his son Harry and frame someone else for it [[KickTheDog because losing a son will win him sympathy points with the public.]]
* AllThereInTheManual / GuideDangIt: For many people, [[spoiler:the way the Void was defeated and killed at the end of Siege]] was idiotic. It does make a lot more sense if you had read ComicBook/DarkAvengers... and ''every single'' interview with Creator/BrianMichaelBendis published between the end of ComicBook/SecretInvasion and Siege issue four.

* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: Does being turned into the big bang to create a new frikkin' ''dimension'' count? [[spoiler:If so, then Wasp.]] While Dan Slott expressing his annoyance with the end of ComicBook/SecretInvasion led to some hints of possible alternate dimension solutions coming into play, pretty much ''nobody'' expected [[spoiler:for her to actually ''be'' the dimension in question.]]

*** Bullseye for ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}, Venom for ComicBook/SpiderMan, Daken for ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}, Moonstone for ComicBook/MsMarvel, Noh-Varr for ComicBook/{{Captain Marvel|MarvelComics}}. Also possibly Iron Patriot (ComicBook/NormanOsborn) for ComicBook/IronMan ''and'' ComicBook/CaptainAmerica. And by proxy, Ares for ComicBook/TheMightyThor (since they're both, you know, gods and all).

* DarkestHour: This was the DarkestHour of the Franchise/MarvelUniverse: Osborn was in control and the superhero community was either still too divided from ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' to effectively counter Osborn, recovering from being kidnapped by the Skrulls, or actively on the run from Osborn. Additionally, most of its traditional leadership was unavailable: Thor was dealing with being exiled from Asgard, Iron Man was on the run and wracked with guilt over his actions, and Captain America was dead.

* DebateAndSwitch: This storyline was the tool to undo all the changes of ''Comicbook/CivilWar'': a morally gray situation is turned into a full morally black-and-white situation, so that the heroes can easily "win" and return to the previous status quo. And Stamford? [[AngstWhatAngst Fine, thanks]].

** To a lesser extent than ''Comicbook/CivilWar'', but still there all the same: The ''ComicBook/DarkAvengers'' series and a few others have Norman Osborn buying into his own hype and genuinely opposing menaces he regards as threats to America and the status quo, while tie-ins like ''ComicBook/DarkXMen'' and ''Captain America Reborn'' show him PuttingOnTheReich and working hard to put the ComicBook/RedSkull into Captain America's body.

** In-story, it's an intentional evocation of the Stamford Incident that kicked off ''Comicbook/CivilWar''.

** Also, Maria Hill sometimes. Maybe it's because she's an ActionGirl who had been drilled on to act fiercely as director of the post-ComicBook/CivilWar S.H.I.E.L.D., but she absolutely '''didn't need''' (and '''didn't have any power''', to boot) to issue a prison order to Speed when he came to deliver a spare armor to a recovering Stark so he could go up to Asgard and fight Norman in the Siege.

* ReedRichardsIsUseless: And after ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'' he got tired of it, went to look for an AlternateUniverse where he wasn't, and it inspired him to start working to solve ''everything''. Unfortunately, this is still making him useless in a sense, as while he's busy with this, the rest of the team is having to deal with Osborn.

** Though they are undermined by the fact that he is ''ComicBook/NormanOsborn'', and is not exactly the person who should be complaining about other people being unstable or insane. ''Especially'' after this storyline, where his CharacterArc consisted of one long VillainousBreakdown brought on by his denial about how he is, at the end of the day, a psychopathic supervillain, and one who is mentally ill on top of that.

** One of the last pages of ''[[GrandFinale Siege]]'' shows the skyline of New York, as a digitally written "[[spoiler:Superhero Registration Act thrown out]]" scrolls on a building. It almost seems the panel originally had confetti in it, really. Just add confetti and you'll have evidence that most of the writers had really ''had enough'' of the bucketload of crap Creator/JoeQuesada has put the Franchise/MarvelUniverse through. But since Quesada (as you can see in his comments about ''Siege'' in the pages of the miniseries itself) was so ''proud'' of the whole [[FromACertainPointOfView epic]] saga made up of the various [[StoryArc Story Arcs]] (''ComicBook/AvengersDisassembled'', ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' - and by extension, given it was exactly what Quesada was aiming at, ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' - ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'' and now this), maybe he himself demanded the confetti to be removed.

* UnwittingPawn: [[spoiler:After pulling off a major GambitRoulette in ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'', this quickly becomes Norman Osborn's role over the course of the storyline, as every other member of the Cabal betrays him for their own purposes by the end.]] It's rather strongly foreshadowed from the beginning, though, and doesn't really lead to VillainDecay since, as a Spidey villain, even though he's totally out of his league he's still punching above his weight.

--->'''Osborn:''' ''I'' owe (you)...? After all I've ''done'' for you people?! Do you have ''any'' idea who I ''am?'' All you people ever do is ''take, take, take!'' And it's ''never enough!'' ''I'm ComicBook/NormanOsborn!'' I saved this ''miserable planet'' and ''everyone on it!'' '''''You owe me your lives! Every worthless last one of you!'''''

** One of the last pages of ''[[GrandFinale Siege]]'' shows the skyline of New York, as a digitally written "[[spoiler:Superhero Registration Act thrown out]]" scrolls on a building. It almost seems the panel originally had confetti in it, really. Just add confetti and you'll have evidence that most of the writers had really ''had enough'' of the bucketload of crap Creator/JoeQuesada has put the MarvelUniverse through. But since Quesada (as you can see in his comments about ''Siege'' in the pages of the miniseries itself) was so ''proud'' of the whole [[FromACertainPointOfView epic]] saga made up of the various [[StoryArc Story Arcs]] (''ComicBook/AvengersDisassembled'', ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' - and by extension, given it was exactly what Quesada was aiming at, ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' - ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'' and now this), maybe he himself demanded the confetti to be removed.

* ComicBook/{{Punisher}}

* ComicBook/SWORD2020

* ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk

After ComicBook/SecretInvasion, the general public blames ComicBook/IronMan, then director of ComicBook/{{SHIELD}}, for not preventing the AlienInvasion. Meanwhile, Franchise/SpiderMan's Arch Enemy ComicBook/NormanOsborn, leader of the ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}, gains himself some ''huge'' points in the battle of public opinion, as news networks featured him being a leader in the fight against the Skrulls, and eventually ending the entire conflict by blowing the head off the Skrull queen before any of the assembled heroes could kill her. This televised act of heroism (which may have been staged, depending on whether you believe ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} or not) led The President to dismiss Stark and replace him with Osborn. Norman, very happy with how things went, quickly replaced S.H.I.E.L.D. with his own organization, H.A.M.M.E.R., and formed the Cabal - an alliance between him, ComicBook/EmmaFrost, [[ComicBook/SubMariner Namor]], Comicbook/{{Loki}}, ComicBook/TheHood, and ComicBook/DoctorDoom. He also creates his own, twisted version of ComicBook/TheAvengers - Comicbook/DarkAvengers, with most of the team members being supervillains in heroes' costumes led by Osborn himself in an Iron Man armor with a Red, White and Blue paint job, under the name of "Iron Patriot". At the same time, he sets up a plan to replace and kill half of his former Thunderbolts teammates, as they might have information that would make him look less appealing to the public at large (the other half joined the Dark Avengers). His allies from The Cabal are plotting against him, many heroes and a few villains want to get rid of him, but Osborn doesn't seem to care -- he has a mysterious ally, somebody who can instill fear even in his fellow members of The Cabal.

* The Amazing ComicBook/SpiderMan

After ComicBook/SecretInvasion, the general public blames ComicBook/IronMan, then director of ComicBook/{{SHIELD}}, for not preventing the AlienInvasion. Meanwhile, Franchise/SpiderMan's Arch Enemy ComicBook/NormanOsborn, leader of the ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}, gains himself some ''huge'' points in the battle of public opinion, as news networks featured him being a leader in the fight against the Skrulls, and eventually ending the entire conflict by blowing the head off the Skrull queen before any of the assembled heroes could kill her. This televised act of heroism (which may have been staged, depending on whether you believe ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} or not) led The President to dismiss Stark and replace him with Osborn. Norman, very happy with how things went, quickly replaced S.H.I.E.L.D. with his own organization, H.A.M.M.E.R., and formed the Cabal - an alliance between him, ComicBook/EmmaFrost, [[ComicBook/SubMariner Namor]], Comicbook/{{Loki}}, ComicBook/TheHood, and ComicBook/DoctorDoom. He also creates his own, twisted version of the ComicBook/TheAvengers - Comicbook/DarkAvengers, with most of the team members being supervillains in heroes' costumes led by Osborn himself in an Iron Man armor with a Red, White and Blue paint job, under the name of "Iron Patriot". At the same time, he sets up a plan to replace and kill half of his former Thunderbolts teammates, as they might have information that would make him look less appealing to the public at large (the other half joined the Dark Avengers). His allies from The Cabal are plotting against him, many heroes and a few villains want to get rid of him, but Osborn doesn't seem to care -- he has a mysterious ally, somebody who can instill fear even in his fellow members of The Cabal.

* Dark X-Men: The Beginning & Dark X-Men

** Dark X-Men for ComicBook/XMen

** To a lesser extent than ''Comicbook/CivilWar'', but still there all the same: The ''ComicBook/DarkAvengers'' series and a few others have Norman Osborn buying into his own hype and genuinely opposing menaces he regards as threats to America and the status quo, while tie-ins like ''Dark X-Men'' and ''Captain America Reborn'' show him PuttingOnTheReich and working hard to put the ComicBook/RedSkull into Captain America's body.

%%** CriticalResearchFailure: The writers seem to have forgotten that Osborn has a HealingFactor and is thus damn hard to kill, particularly since Clint's grand plan seems to have been simply to shoot Norman with an arrow. It also ignores the fact that Clint has historically been more against killing than even Captain America, making him the one who opts to try and kill Norman out of character. Though, Brian Michael Bendis' take on Hawkeye generally tends to be rather kill-happy.

** ComicBook/IronMan, who in a subversion of this trope, DID Screw things up big time and pretty much brought all of his troubles upon him. [[ComicBook/SpiderWoman Jessica Drew]], because the Skrulls' [[spoiler:leader was disguised as her, and even some heroes think she might still be the Skrull Queen.]] Not exactly an easy reputation to live down, especially when in the past she's been a member of HYDRA, a terrorist/spy group.

** ComicBook/IronMan, who in a subversion of this trope, DID fuck things up big time and pretty much brought all of his troubles upon him. [[ComicBook/SpiderWoman Jessica Drew]], because the Skrulls' [[spoiler:leader was disguised as her, and even some heroes think she might still be the Skrull Queen.]] Not exactly an easy reputation to live down, especially when in the past she's been a member of HYDRA, a terrorist/spy group.

** Wonder Man - when he went on TV and said that America ''deserved'' Norman Osborn as their top hero, as far as his response to Hawkeye denouncing Norman on live television/outed the Dark Avengers as bad guys, his career was effectively deepsixed by the public backlash and he was denounced as crazy by David Letterman of all people.

* ComicBook/{{SWORD}}

*** For that matter, beating the crap out of him on live camera in the first place. Prior public embarrassments may have been the result of people getting hold of information meant to remain secret, but the fact that Norman ignored Hand's warnings about the camera crew in the vicinity means this one's ''all'' on him.

* ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} and the ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}

* BadassBookworm: [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk Bruce Banner]], after [[DePower losing his powers]], proved himself to have so many levels of [[ScienceHero scientific]] [[{{Chessmaster}} manipulative]] badass that Osborn plotted a scheme to turn him back into Hulk, because a giant green monster would be '''less''' dangerous.

** Explained in ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules'' as resurrection having become ''literally'' random chance, represented by casino games, thanks to assorted gods of the dead either having been destroyed or having abandoned their positions. Multiple heroes (including the recently offed Wasp), villains, and civilians are gambling for either an afterlife or a second chance, and in a joke harking back to the Creator/GeoffJohns run on the Avengers, and ''Avengers Disassembled'', Jack of Hearts wins his resurrection while Herc and Cho are visiting (though he has yet to actually return).

'''[[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules Hercules]]:''' Of course not. I'll do it. ''[kicks Sentry in the nuts]''

* [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]]

* BadassBoast: Quicksilver, while fighting with Mister X, please note that every dash equals Mister X being punched.

*** Bullseye for ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}, Venom for ComicBook/SpiderMan, Daken for ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}, Moonstone for ComicBook/MsMarvel, Noh-Varr for ComicBook/CaptainMarVell. Also possibly Iron Patriot (ComicBook/NormanOsborn) for ComicBook/IronMan ''and'' ComicBook/CaptainAmerica. And by proxy, Ares for ComicBook/TheMightyThor (since they're both, you know, gods and all).

* Dark Avengers: ComicBook/{{Ares}}

** Reed Richards in ''Mighty Avengers''. The yea or nay decision on whether to give Bill Foster's tech to Pym should have been ''Ben's'', since Bill willed it to him, but Reed bulled his way into being the one to make the call, and then had to be a jackass to Pym on top of it and get snide when Sue called him on said jackassery.

* NotSoDifferent: Despite that Ares and War Machine are almost complete {{Foil}}s for each other, the former consider the latter as his champion and believes they are quite similar deep inside.

* FamousLastWords:
-->[[spoiler:'''Ares:''' ''[to Sentry]'']] I thought us friends. My mistake.

* BigBad: Norman Osborn.

* IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim: Spidey delivered it at least twice to Clint Barton and once to [[spoiler:Harry Osborn]]. Clint, however, has the balls to respond by pointing out how much misery Norman's been able to cause because of Peter's moral high horse.

* TooDumbToLive: The whole premise of Dark Reign is the United States government giving [[AxeCrazy Norman Osborn]], who is known to have been the Green Goblin, authority over superhuman affairs, who in turn demonizes and makes outlaws of the superhero community save the Fantastic Four. While the government's stupidity could be accepted, the fact is that the American public actually embraced Osborn and joined in the demonizing of the superheros. It really makes one wonder why the heroes don't just let Galactus eat the planet.

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Norman of course. Whenever he's in front of a camera he manages to make the public buy him as a respectful guy instead of the psychotic, manipulating jerk he was and did not cease to be.rrrrrrr

** [[spoiler:Pregnant Lily]] reappears in ''Ms. Marvel'', but mostly because Brian Reed is using this comic in his efforts to join ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' writing staff.