Fresh Start

Fresh Start emerged in 2018 as Marvel Comics' publishing follow-up to Marvel Legacy. Marvel used the label to coordinate a broad set of new launches and relaunches across its superhero line rather than to establish a separate publishing company or continuity independent of the wider Marvel Universe. Its principal commercial and editorial purpose was to create accessible starting points for readers while reasserting the importance of characters whose roles had recently been occupied by successors or alternate versions. The initiative's most visible fictional change was the restoration of several classic identities. Tony Stark returned to Iron Man after his armor had been used by other characters; Steve Rogers resumed the Captain America identity after Sam Wilson's period as Captain America; Logan again became Wolverine after Laura Kinney's tenure; Odinson reclaimed Thor after Jane Foster's Mighty Thor stories; and Bruce Banner returned as the Hulk after his death and the intervening appearance of Amadeus Cho as the Totally Awesome Hulk. These reversions did not erase the importance of the successor characters. Instead, they repositioned them within a broader Marvel publishing environment while placing the historically dominant versions at the center of flagship marketing. Fresh Start also restored major team and relationship elements. The Fantastic Four returned to regular Marvel publication after the team had been broken up following Secret Wars. Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson resumed their relationship, marking a significant change after the continuity consequences of One More Day. A new West Coast Avengers series broadened the line with a cast combining established heroes, younger characters, and unconventional Marvel personalities. Promotional imagery featuring Jessica Jones and Miles Morales was also interpreted as confirmation that Marvel intended to retain characters associated with more recent creative eras, including work by creators who had moved to other publishers. Marvel supported the initiative with Marvel Universe Magazine, a sampler issued on April 18, 2018. Like the earlier Marvel Legacy sampler, it provided previews of upcoming number-one issues and helped communicate the shape of the new publishing program. Fresh Start involved numerous creative-team changes, including departures of writers from titles they had previously developed and the arrival of other writers on major series. The program covered ongoing books, events, limited series, one-shots, digital originals, and digital-first material later collected in print. The relaunch was not universally welcomed. Critics argued that Marvel had announced major publishing resets too frequently since 2012 and that the successive labels often produced less change than their marketing suggested. Another criticism held that Fresh Start appeared to favor characters with strong film or television visibility and might represent a retreat from efforts to foreground diverse female, Black, Asian, and LGBT characters. These criticisms concerned editorial direction and representation rather than a legal or corporate scandal. By 2022, commentary characterized Fresh Start as one of the longest-running Marvel publishing eras of its recent cycle. Analysis using Google search data suggested that interest in the label was below the peaks associated with Marvel Legacy and Marvel NOW!, although the analysis expressly warned that search behavior was not a proxy for quality or sales. The available material does not identify a formal announcement ending Fresh Start. It also records later speculation that the era would soon conclude without establishing that such a conclusion occurred. Accordingly, the brand's precise current status remains uncertain.

• 2022

  Fresh Start noted for unusual longevity

  [1]Fresh Start (comics)en.wikipedia.org

  Commentary described the era as unusually long-running among recent Marvel publishing initiatives and compared its online search visibility with earlier labels.

• 2019

  X-Men line later receives a separate Dawn of X relaunch

  [1]Fresh Start (comics)en.wikipedia.org

  The X-Men publishing line was subsequently reorganized through the Dawn of X initiative, including six new titles.

• 2018

  Fresh Start relaunch announced

  [1]Fresh Start (comics)en.wikipedia.org

  Marvel introduced Fresh Start as the publishing initiative following Marvel Legacy, with new series, creative changes, and the return of several classic hero identities.

• 2018

  Marvel Universe Magazine published

  [1]Fresh Start (comics)en.wikipedia.org

  A promotional sampler released on April 18 previewed upcoming Fresh Start number-one issues and related Marvel publishing projects.

A line-wide Marvel Comics relaunch centered on accessible entry points, renewed emphasis on classic hero identities, restored flagship properties, and a mixture of established and newer characters.

• Promotional comic-book sampler · 2018

  Marvel Universe Magazine

  A sampler publication released on April 18, 2018, to introduce and preview forthcoming Fresh Start series. It performed a marketing and reader-orientation role similar to Marvel Legacy #1 by presenting material from multiple upcoming projects in one publication.

• Ongoing superhero comics · 2018

  Fresh Start ongoing series

  The core of the initiative consisted of ongoing Marvel superhero titles launched or refreshed with new number-one issues, creative teams, and renewed emphasis on established characters. The program included both returning flagship properties and books centered on newer or successor characters.

• Limited series and crossover publications · 2018

  Fresh Start limited and event series

  Fresh Start also encompassed finite storylines, event publications, and one-shot comics. These formats allowed Marvel to promote discrete story arcs and characters within the broader relaunch without treating every publication as a continuing monthly series.

• Digital comics · 2018

  Digital originals and Infinity Comics

  The wider Fresh Start-era program included digital-first Marvel comics released through Marvel Unlimited, including weekly vertical-format Infinity Comics and digital miniseries that could later be collected in print. These formats extended Marvel's publishing offer beyond conventional paginated periodicals.

• 2018Fresh Start relaunch campaign

  United States · International Marvel publishing markets

  Marvel promoted a coordinated publishing reset through announcements, teaser imagery, new number-one issues, returning flagship identities, and the Marvel Universe Magazine sampler.

  Outcome. The initiative established a new recognizable phase of Marvel publishing and remained in use for several years, although commentators debated its distinctiveness and audience impact.

  Source

• 2018

  Recenter flagship characters under their classic identitiesStrategy

  Background

  Several major Marvel heroes had recently been replaced, temporarily absent, or represented by successor characters in the wake of storylines such as Civil War II and Secret Wars.

  Action taken

  Marvel restored Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Logan, Odinson, and Bruce Banner to the Iron Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Thor, and Hulk roles, respectively, while continuing to publish stories involving successor characters.

  Aftermath

  The decision made familiar versions of Marvel's best-known heroes central to the relaunch and became a major focus of both its marketing and its critical reception.

  Source

• 2018

  Launch a coordinated line of new and refreshed publicationsProduct launch

  Background

  Marvel sought to provide new reader entry points after the Marvel Legacy publishing phase.

  Action taken

  The company introduced new number-one issues, changed creative teams, restored the Fantastic Four, and supported ongoing, limited, event, one-shot, and digital formats under the Fresh Start banner.

  Aftermath

  Fresh Start became a durable publishing label, though critics questioned whether recurring relaunches delivered sufficiently substantial changes.

  Source

1. 1Fresh Start (comics)en.wikipedia.org