What Marvel crossover changed the company most and why?

[mandog]

What Marvel crossover changed the company most and why?

I'm thinking The whole Onslaught(sp) crossover. that seems to be the one that altered Marvel the most. Something like Infinity Gauntlet just happened and everything went back to normal as soon as it was over.

I do think when its all said and done Civil War will be the one with the greatest impact.

[Expletive Deleted]

None of 'em.

Current escapades aside, very few crossovers have changed anything more than minor details in significant ways. Sure, a few characters get bumped off and a few more get revamps, but that's about it.

The heroes "killed" in Onslaught were back a year later. The Kree Empire, blown up in Operation: Galactic Storm, has basically been restored. Zero sum, in the long run.

That said, I suppose "changed the company" is pretty subjective. I'm sure some folks think Mady Pryor dying and Illyana Rasputin de-aged in Inferno count as earth-shattering.

[Nonentity]

None of 'em.

Current escapades aside, very few crossovers have changed anything more than minor details in significant ways. Sure, a few characters get bumped off and a few more get revamps, but that's about it.

The heroes "killed" in Onslaught were back a year later. The Kree Empire, blown up in Operation: Galactic Storm, has basically been restored. Zero sum, in the long run.

That said, I suppose "changed the company" is pretty subjective. I'm sure some folks think Mady Pryor dying and Illyana Rasputin de-aged in Inferno count as earth-shattering.

Nail - head.

Marvel hasn't really had an event comparable to, say, Crisis on Infinite Earths, where the landscape was just permanently altered. Take Infinity Gauntlet (one of my favorite stories) for example - half the universe is destroyed, but by issue six, everyone is all better.

However, if we talk about "changing the company" in a more literal sense, then you could mention the original Secret Wars, and how it ushered in the idea of the "event" that supposedly would shake things up, and the legacy it left.

[mandog]

However, if we talk about "changing the company" in a more literal sense, then you could mention the original Secret Wars, and how it ushered in the idea of the "event" that supposedly would shake things up, and the legacy it left.

Right on, I'll give you that.

[cable guy]

I guess I'd have to go with the Onslaught storyline.

[steve2275]

does hom count?

[NightMage]

I guess I'd have to go with the Onslaught storyline.

Hate to say this but the Onslaught storyline turned out to be such a pile of horse manure that it doesn't even merit mention as "changing the MU landscape." I mean, they went alternate universe for like a year, then went back to the status quo.

[aeastwic]

Hate to say this but the Onslaught storyline turned out to be such a pile of horse manure that it doesn't even merit mention as "changing the MU landscape." I mean, they went alternate universe for like a year, then went back to the status quo.


Yes, but it did give them the chance to get rid of a lot of crap 90s stuff they were stuck with...

Teen Tony Stark
Screwed up Avengers

to name 2.

[DMike]

It did give us the Thunderbolts, though that's not particularly Earth-shattering.

[Starkicker]

Secret Wars and maybe even Secret Wars II.
It showed that company wide events work. It was fun and exciting and didn't blow up the universe like Crisis, nothing really changed after it was just a good time.
Most of the books tied into the event in some way, often with good results. I seem to remember liking the Secret Wars II tie in issues more than the series itself.
I think the sucesss of these 80's series is what planted the seeds for so many 90's crossovers that didn't work.

[Agentum]

To be true the big event crossovers in Marvel never seems to leave anything when they are over, at least not for a long time.

[Gargus]

Eh you see someone die here or there (and eventually revived in some fashion) or the occasional reprocussion like spidermans symbiote costume in secret wars have long lasting results. But with marvel events they are forgotten 6 months later.

I guess thats how they stay in continuitity is they have events but dont change much overall in the grand scheme of things. It goes back to business as usuall. I mean DC does make changes, of course we all know how messed up the dc universe is when you try to piece it together.

House of m has probablly had the biggest impact and even that isnt that widespread. Outside of mutant mini series or x-titles there is little mention of it.

Maybe civil war will shake things up but Im pretty sure after its done you wont see many changes.

[the Hornet]

At the end of the day, all the changes in major cross overs never last fully. Even COIE, where many changes were later undone or ignored. Example, after COEI there was a rule that Superman was the only Krptionian. But later, we got back Supergirl and Krypto. And now IC looks to have changed that further.

However, most crossovers do bring a change or impact the comics in some way. Marvel is no exception. Some examples -

Secret War - Spidey black costume, Thing leaves the FF, She-Hulk joins.

Acts of Vengeance - Avengers Island no more.

X-Tiction Agenda - Rahne altered, leads Havok to leadership, X-Men return to the school.

X-Cutioner's Song - MLF defeated, Legacy Virus, Cable's origin (almost).

Crossing - Ugh, Teen Tony, WAsp changes, classics return.

Onslaught - Heroes Reborn, Heroes then return to a new classic era (Avengers mainly under Busiek).

Disassembled - Wanda, Vision, classic team no more. All new, all difference Avengers and style

HOM - less mutants

[Nick MB]

Avengers Disassembled has so far had a huge effect (New Avengers), how long it'll last is anyone's guess. But has lasted longer than the effects of most of them.

[marshal99]

Onslaught easily because it erased what happened in that crap storyline "The Crossing" . If there was no onslaught event , the real tony stark would still be dead , the avengers would still have timeplaced alternate teen tony , bug wasp , etc.

[Weapon Ick]

I'd like to say that because of HOM Wolverine gets his memories back and that is very signifigant. In Secret Wars Spider-Man gets his black costume which leads to Venom.

Those are two cross-overs that fundementally alter Marvel's most profitable charater's realities.