Everything that was wrong with "Heroes Reborn" in a single image
Heroes Reborn was a 1996-1997 crossover story arc among comic-book series published by the American company Marvel Comics. During this one-year, multi-title story arc, Marvel temporarily outsourced the production of several of its most famous comic books to the studios of its popular former employees Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld.Following the apparent deaths of The Avengers, Fantastic Four, and Doctor Doom battling Onslaught in Onslaught: Marvel Universe, they were "reborn" and certain aspects of their earlier stories were expanded with the intent of telling their adventures anew for modern generations. This was eventually explained, in-story, as their having been transported into a pocket universe by Franklin Richards, the near-omnipotent, psychic son of Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman, to save them, where they lived in the so-called "Franklin-verse", oblivious to what had happened to them. Once the contract for the titles expired, the heroes were brought back to the mainstream Marvel Universe in the miniseries Heroes Reborn: The Return.Doctor Doom returned to this universe in a series of one shots and found it in ruins with supervillains running rampant. He eventually managed to bring this Earth into the main Marvel Universe on the position of Counter Earth.An Onslaught Reborn miniseries featured an alternate version of the Heroes Reborn universe.
Amnesia Danger: Captain America. Heroes Reborn started with him as an ordinary family man with a loving wife and son — who dreamed of World War II battlefields each night. He eventually learned that SHIELD had mindwiped him to keep him under control, and that his wife and son were Life Model Decoy robots.
Brother-Sister Incest: When an alternate version of the Heroes Reborn universe's Rikki Barnes is stranded in the mainline Marvel Universe, she meets John Barnes, an alternate version of her brother. Unlike her real brother, who was a criminal, a wannabe Neo-Nazi, and a rather unpleasant person in general, MU!John was kind and helpful. Seeing this as a chance to have the kind of caring brother-sister relationship she never had with her real brother, Rikki befriended John. Unfortunately, this John never had a sister, and he misinterpreted Rikki's intentions. He eventually tried to kiss her. When the shocked Rikki tries to tell him that she couldn't love him that way, John doesn't take it well. At all.
Fantastic Voyage Plot: As in The Kree Skrull War, Henry Pym made a voyage inside the Vision, to repair him. But, being a 90's comic book, it was hardly fantastic.
Fifth Week Event: Although Heroes Reborn was only scheduled for twelve issues, each title had a thirteenth issue inserted that was an Intercontinuity Crossover with Wildstorm's characters, called "World War III". The Heroes Reborn Earth was also the subject of another Fifth Week Event in 2000.
Going to Give It More Energy: The defeat of Galactus. But Galactus consumes planets, and a mere group of super powered beings are supposed to be capable of generating even more than that, exponentially more than that? Clearly Sci-Fi Writers Have No Sense of Scale.
Informed Ability: Captain America's leadership. They all praise it, they are all amazed by it, but consider the results. He unleashed a barbaric berserker with super-strength to the world. He can't get Hawkeye and Swordman to follow his command. He let Kang escape. He attacked Hulk... and you may imagine how does that end. Thor, unable to kill, left the team... and he let him go (who began a brawl at some random bar, something that anyone would have guessed it would happen in the immediate future). By not giving room to Hawkeye, he made him resented, a thing that Loki exploited. He did not notice that Hellcat was missing, which led to a disaster. And so on, and so on... Perhaps putting Hawkeye in command wasn't such a bad idea after all: it seems unlikely he could do it worse.
Leeroy Jenkins: Captain America, of all people. An archeology expedition found Thor trapped in amber, and called the Avengers. Captain America rushed to the attack, to liberate him... and only after they do so, he stops to reconsider if liberating a superpowerful berserker from the Viking age was really a good idea.
Loads and Loads of Characters: Things began simple and ordered, with a small sample of characters and each one with an origin story, and then Walt Simonson began to introduce old villains by loads, all taken from out of nowhere. And yet, that was actually the case. Realizing the nature of the universe, Loki was summoning reflections of characters from the "main" universe, to contribute to his master plan.
Loki: The answer, my dear Executioner, is that we are not Asgardians, but projections of someone's wild imagination. But, like Pinocchio, I intend to become a real boy!
The Swordsman is sure that he had seen Mantis, Kang's lover, before. In the main continuity, she was his girlfriend, and Kang tried to abduct her many times during The Celestial Madonna Saga
Henry Pym reduced his size and got into the Vision, to see what was malfunctioning in him. He's sure he did something like that before... he did, during The Kree Skrull War
New Powers as the Plot Demands: When things began, Henry Pym and Janet Van Dyne had no super powers, they were just a scientist and his wife. Pym tested a particle to reduce his size and get inside the Vision... and Janet, when she need it, reduced to wasp size, with no reason or explanation. May be explained with the change of writers, as Pym was already Ant-Man when Simonson replaced the disgraced Liefeld, and perhaps he was not informed of this change at the new universe (he must had thought that he working with Pym and Wasp of always)
One-Winged Angel: Loki becomes all-powerful, and a giant. Justified in his case, after all he's the son of giants.
Revisiting The Roots: "Heroes Reborn" made many controversial changes, and Walter Simonson tried to make thing a bit "right" again. Captain America took out the wings from the front of his mask, which were not right for some reason, and retrieved the classic big "A". As for Thor, Simonson's favourite character turned into a berserker, he brought instead the "real" Thor, who appears as a second character. Also counts for the Avengers resigning their work as agents of SHIELD (which was a new concept by then) and being again a super hero team on their own.
Summon Bigger Fish: So, Loki became a giant and is walking in the city, Godzilla-style. Who can stop him? Of course, a giant Odin!
First mentioned by the Vision. Thor does not understand his "magic" entrance, so he explains that it's not magic but science. Loki gets rid of him with a magic bolt, and finally gets defeated by a spell of the Scarlet Witch. Magic 1, Technology 0.
Kang captured the Avengers, but nothing can keep Mjolnir out of Thor's hands, no even the XXX century technology. Magic 2, Technology 0.
Agatha Harkness appears at the Avengers mansion, and requests to see the Scarlet Witch. The robot in the door does not allow her to pass... so she simply goes intangible and pass. Magic 3, Technology 0.
Loki gets inside Kang's ship, ignoring his defenses, and absorbs Kang and Mantis without problem. Magic 4, Technology 0.
Loki gets in the helicarrier's cells, ignoring the guards at the door, and absorbs Modok. Magic 5, Technology 0. Angered by that disappearance, Nick Fury doubles the guards, both inside and outside the cell... and all guards fall unconscious when he absorbs the next pack of prisoners. Magic 6, Technology 0.
Henry Pym realizes the magical use of the Vision done by Loki, and makes him explode, foiling his scheme. Magic 6, Technology 1.
The Avengers trick Loki into lowering the shield of his source of power, greatly reducing it, and the big shots from the helicarrier take him down. Counts as a "6", so it's magic 6, Technology 7. Game, set and match for technology!
Ultimate Universe: Before Marvel's Ultimate Universe proper, Heroes Reborn was meant as an example of this trope.
Well Done Son Guy: Who would have thought Loki would be this type of guy? When he became an invincible giant, he called his father's name, in a "look what I have achieved" stance. Of course, when we talk about Loki's father, we don't talk about Odin, but Ymir, the frost giant.
What Could Possibly Go Wrong?: With his new arrows, allies and element of surprise, Hawkeye was taking the Avengers down one by one, and pointed that "This is just too easy!". Cue for Captain America attacking him from the back, getting the bow out of his hands.
0 reviews