History RevisitingTheRoots / MarvelUniverse

!!Comic Books

!!Films

!!Live-Action TV

!!Western Animation

* The 2008 miniseries ''ComicBook/SubMariner: The Depths'' was an attempt at bringing Namor back to his original Golden Age roots, where he was a murderous VillainProtagonist instead of the JerkAss [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor Revolving Door]] AntiHero he's best known as today. The mini-series was basically a horror story and PsychologicalThriller rather than a superhero tale, with Namor depicted in a manner similar to Franchise/{{Godzilla}} or the shark from ''Film/{{Jaws}}''. Curiously, Namor [[spoiler: saves Dr. Stein]] at the end and brings him back to the surface, rather than killing him. It's implied that Namor did this because [[spoiler: Stein is famous for providing rational explanations for unsolved mysteries, such as the Yeti, and ultimately he does so with Atlantis, declaring that it doesn't exist even though it does, with footage of it being recorded.]]

** ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'': The mainstream Magneto started as a completely evil villain with no redeeming qualities. He was turned into a morally complex, ambiguous figure later on. Here, he's back to the roots, as nothing more than a repugnant mutant supremacist and genocidal maniac.

* ''ComicBook/{{Civil War|2006}}'': InUniverse. The Thing doesn't want to take sides, and leaves the United States, moving to France. Once in Paris, a local superhero team request his help for a grave crisis. So what now? A secret government agency that turns against its people? A multinational conspiracy? A war between superheroes? No, it's the "empereur le monde souterrain", a French expy of the Mole Man, who threatens to destroy Paris with his underground rocky creatures. Like in YeGoodeOldeDays of BlackAndWhiteMorality of UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks. Sick of the mess back home, Ben is very happy to help them fight such an old-school and straightforward threat.

** During the nineties, there were some attempts to fit the Avengers into UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks. The Wasp turned into a freak monster, Iron Man a time displaced freak, many members with leather jackets, a X-Men tone, Deathcry... the fandom did not rejoice. Marvel tried to fix it with ComicBook/HeroesReborn: it was like trying to extinguish the fire with oil. Finally, the Avengers became once more a viable comic book with Kurt Busiek and George Perez, who took a "back to the roots" angle and ignored the nineties stuff.

* ''Comicbook/{{Civil War|2006}}'': InUniverse. The Thing doesn't want to take sides, and leaves the United States, moving to France. Once in Paris, a local superhero team request his help for a grave crisis. So what now? A secret government agency that turns against its people? A multinational conspiracy? A war between superheroes? No, it's the "empereur le monde souterrain", a French expy of the Mole Man, who threatens to destroy Paris with his underground rocky creatures. Like in YeGoodeOldeDays of BlackAndWhiteMorality of UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks. Sick of the mess back home, Ben is very happy to help them fight such an old-school and straightforward threat.

* The first two seasons of ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution'' are essentially this for the ''Franchise/XMen'' mythos, returning to the original premise of the comics: a HighSchool drama about teenage mutants learning to control their powers while [[ComingOfAgeStory dealing with the typical struggles of growing up]].

* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': Creator/AlEwing's ''The ComicBook/ImmortalHulk''; not only is [[Characters/MarvelComicsBruceBanner Bruce Banner]] WalkingTheEarth once again, but the book revisits the horror tone of the earliest Hulk comics. Instead of the "wounded child" or "bar-room brawler" interpretations, this Hulk is a smirking monster who enjoys taunting people about their unspeakable desires. And he only hulks out at night. [[spoiler:Additionally, it was retconned that the Immortal Hulk is the true form of the Devil Hulk--and relevant to this trope, the Devil/Immortal Hulk is actually the Hulk seen in Banner's first few appearances.]] On a similar note Betty gets her Red She Hulk form fused with her Harpy form — a transformation not seen since the 70s.

** ''ComicBook/SpiderGwen'': Earth-65's Peter acts much more like the Creator/SteveDitko Era Peter Parker than the more recognizable characterization that he would come to be associated with. Without becoming Spider-Man and the [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatResponsibility traumatic lesson]] that Uncle Ben's death taught him, Peter is much more awkward and inwardly misanthropic than his more heroic 616 counterpart and his bitterness leads to tragedy.

* Creator/AlEwing's ''The ComicBook/ImmortalHulk''; not only is Bruce Banner WalkingTheEarth once again, but the book revisits the horror tone of the earliest Hulk comics. Instead of the "wounded child" or "bar-room brawler" interpretations, this Hulk is a smirking monster who enjoys taunting people about their unspeakable desires. And he only hulks out at night. [[spoiler:Additionally, it was retconned that the Immortal Hulk is the true form of the Devil Hulk--and relevant to this trope, the Devil/Immortal Hulk is actually the Hulk seen in Banner's first few appearances.]] On a similar note Betty gets her Red She Hulk form fused with her Harpy form — a transformation not seen since the 70s.

* ''ComicBook/FantasticFour2022'' is the very definition of this, being one massive call back to the classical lighthearted Creator/StanLee and Creator/JackKirby days when the four were cosmic adventurers and explorers rather than some paramilitary force like the Avengers. The SugarWiki/AwesomeArt by Creator/AlexRoss even makes constant references to Kirby’s art style and techniques.
* ''ComicBook/ThePunisherWelcomeBackFrank'': No surveillance, no weird ammo, no strange techs, no partners... this is a return to the basics: Punisher, guns and petty criminals. In fact, this story undid the previous status of Punisher [[AudienceAlienatingEra as a supernatural celestial enforcer]] (which got him cancelled), and turned him into a "normal" character once more.
* ''ComicBook/CaptainMarvelKellyThompson ''intentionally calls back to the 70s and 80s Creator/ChrisClaremont era when ComicBook/CarolDanvers was a '''far''' less messed up and flawed heroine as ComicBook/MsMarvel rather than the unsympathetic ConflictBall she became after her 2012 relaunch as Captain Marvel. The same run brings back her Binary persona, her war with the Brood and her troubled rivalry/friendship with ComicBook/{{Rogue}} whom she had barely interacted with upon taking the Captain Marvel title.
* ''ComicBook/AntMan2022'' and ''ComicBook/Wasp2023'' by Creator/AlEwing, both throw-back runs, celebrating the fun and 60s-70s NarmCharm the titular shrinking characters once exemplified after decades of incredibly depressing DarkerAndEdgier storylines and character changes. The former series in particular undoes the FallenHero status of Hank and separates him from ComicBook/{{Ultron}} completely as well as literally harkening back to the time where he was just a ScienceHero with ant-buddies and an ActionGirlfriend. The Wasp series even brings back Pilai the antagonist of Janet’s very first appearance.

* ''ComicBook/SpiderGwen'': Earth-65's Peter acts much more like the Creator/SteveDitko Era Peter Parker than the more recognizable characterization that he would come to be associated with. Without becoming Spider-Man and the [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatResponsibility traumatic lesson]] that Uncle Ben's death taught him, Peter is much more awkward and inwardly misanthropic than his more heroic 616 counterpart and his bitterness leads to tragedy.

* ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderMan2018'' is a massive case of this overlapping with SalvagedStory. After the post ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' comics and Creator/DanSlott era reduced Spidey for years into an immature selfish JerkassWoobie who gave even ComicBook/IronMan a run for his money in the self-destructive, impulsive ManChild department. Nick Spencer casts off all the baggage of the post ''[=OMD=]'' era bringing Peter back to the loveable and sympathetic NiceGuy and TheEveryman hero he was for decades as Marvel’s poster boy. Likewise Mary Jane was rewritten to be the supportive and cool girlfriend rather the selfish and nagging character she’s been for ages. Tragically after Nick Spencer left and Zeb Wells took over all the DarkerAndEdgier CharacterDerailment returned and was dialled up to 11, thanks in part to the same editorial meddling as ''One More Day''.

* ''ComicBook/WarOfTheRealms'': The X-Men tie-in focuses on the former members of ''ComicBook/NewMutants'', namely through their connection to their legendary trip to Asgard where Dani Moonstar became a Valkyrie.

RevisitingTheRoots in this series.

* ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer'' is a massive case of this overlapping with SalvagedStory. After the post ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' comics and Creator/DanSlott era reduced Spidey for years into an immature selfish JerkassWoobie who gave even ComicBook/IronMan a run for his money in the self-destructive, impulsive ManChild department. Nick Spencer casts off all the baggage of the post ''[=OMD=]'' era bringing Peter back to the loveable and sympathetic NiceGuy and TheEveryman hero he was for decades as Marvel’s poster boy. Likewise Mary Jane was rewritten to be the supportive and cool girlfriend rather the selfish and nagging character she’s been for ages. Tragically after Nick Spencer left and Zeb Wells took over all the DarkerAndEdgier CharacterDerailment returned and was dialled up to 11, thanks in part to the same editorial meddling as ''One More Day''.

** ''ComicBook/JasonAaronsAvengers'' was a big call back to TheEighties era of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes where the Avengers would go on massive {{spectacle}} space adventures and fight various universal and multiversal threats like Celestials in pure high octane RuleOfCool superhero action. Naturally there’s a lot [[BrokenBase discourse]] especially from the camp who prefer grounded and “nuanced” Avengers stories over whether this was a sound decision or not. The same run to dismay of a good number of fans temporarily reduces ComicBook/SheHulk to a savage orgress… exactly how she was when she debuted in 1979.

* Creator/AlEwing's ''The ComicBook/ImmortalHulk''; not only is Bruce Banner WalkingTheEarth once again, but the book revisits the horror tone of the earliest Hulk comics. Instead of the "wounded child" or "bar-room brawler" interpretations, this Hulk is a smirking monster who enjoys taunting people about their unspeakable desires. And he only hulks out at night. [[spoiler:Additionally, it was retconned that the Immortal Hulk is the true form of the Devil Hulk--and relevant to this trope, the Devil/Immortal Hulk is actually the Hulk seen in Banner's first few appearances.]]
* ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'': During the nineties, there were some attempts to fit the Avengers into UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks. The Wasp turned into a freak monster, Iron Man a time displaced freak, many members with leather jackets, a X-Men tone, Deathcry... the fandom did not rejoice. Marvel tried to fix it with ComicBook/HeroesReborn: it was like trying to extinguish the fire with oil. Finally, the Avengers became once more a viable comic book with Kurt Busiek and George Perez, who took a "back to the roots" angle and ignored the nineties stuff.

* ''ComicBook/XMen''

* ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'': From time to time, an element that was changed for the adaption, suddenly tilts back to the way it was (or is) in the regular Marvel Universe. For example, the Avengers began as a group of super-powered agents of SHIELD, and stayed that way for the first two arcs... and at the end of the second, they are a group of superheroes working on their own, financed by the wealth of Tony Stark (precisely their usual status in the Marvel Universe, at least before the contemporary Civil War). The Scarlet Witch donned her classic suit, Thor is shown to actually be a god from Asgard and not just a lunatic, and some topics that were initially avoided for being too fantastic (such as aliens and time-travel) finally got their space.

* ''ComicBook/ThePunisherWelcomeBackFrank'': No surveillance, no weird ammo, no strange techs, no partners... this is a return to the basics: Punisher, guns and petty criminals. In fact, this story undid the previous status of Punisher [[DorkAge as a supernatural celestial enforcer]] (which got him cancelled), and turned him into a "normal" character once more.

* ''Comicbook/{{Civil War|2006}}'': InUniverse. The Thing doesn't want to take sides, and leaves the United States, moving to France. Once in Paris, a local superhero team request his help for a grave crisis. So what now? A secret government agency that turns against its people? A multinational conspiracy? A war between superheroes? No, it's the "empereur le monde souterrain", a French expy of the Mole Man, who threatens to destroy Paris with his underground rocky creatures. Like in YeGoodeOldeDays of BlackAndWhiteMorality of UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks.

* ''Comicbook/CivilWar'': InUniverse. The Thing doesn't want to take sides, and leaves the United States, moving to France. Once in Paris, a local superhero team request his help for a grave crisis. So what now? A secret government agency that turns against its people? A multinational conspiracy? A war between superheroes? No, it's the "empereur le monde souterrain", a French expy of the Mole Man, who threatens to destroy Paris with his underground rocky creatures. Like in YeGoodeOldeDays of BlackAndWhiteMorality of UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks.

* ''Franchise/XMen''

* ''ComicBook/SpiderGwen'': Earth-65's Peter acts much more like the Creator/SteveDitko Era Peter Parker than the more recognizable characterization that he would come to be associated with. Without becoming Spider-Man and the [[ComesGreatResponsibility traumatic lesson]] that Uncle Ben's death taught him, Peter is much more awkward and inwardly misanthropic than his more heroic 616 counterpart and his bitterness leads to tragedy.