10 Most Overrated Marvel Stories That Don’t Hold Up Over Time

For decades, Marvel has consistently redefined what a shared superhero universe could be. Their comics from the Silver Age revolutionized the genre, and they’ve continued to publish some of the best-selling superhero comics ever since. These compelling stories have successfully transitioned to the big screen, establishing Marvel’s superheroes as globally recognized icons. A key to their success has been consistently pairing talented creators with the appropriate projects, which has greatly benefited readers. Marvel is known for its high quality, and many of their stories are considered to be among the greatest comic books ever written.

Naturally, not every story remains beloved over time. Some Marvel stories were highly regarded for years, but revisiting them now shows they weren’t as good as people remembered. These ten Marvel stories were once thought to be exceptional, but they haven’t aged well and don’t hold up anymore.

10) “Old Man Logan”

“Old Man Logan” is often called a Wolverine classic, but it probably doesn’t quite live up to that reputation. Written by Mark Millar and illustrated by Steve McNiven, the story is set in a future where the bad guys have taken over. Wolverine, manipulated by Mysterio, tragically killed the X-Men and now lives as a peaceful man in the Hulk’s territory. He’s given one final job by Hawkeye, using the payment to settle a debt with the Hulk Gang, leading the two heroes on a journey across the country. “Old Man Logan” boasts fantastic artwork and a well-developed world, but the plot itself feels somewhat predictable. It’s essentially a Wolverine version of the film Unforgiven – enjoyable, but not groundbreaking.

9) “Spider-Verse”

“Spider-Verse” is well-known, largely because it established the Spider-Verse concept that inspired the fantastic films. However, the story itself isn’t quite as groundbreaking as people often say. It’s essentially a team-up comic, and while it features some exciting moments, it doesn’t offer anything truly new. There are certainly some memorable parts, and the initial Spider-Gwen stories are particularly good, but ultimately it’s a typical story about heroes from different universes teaming up. Dan Slott is a talented Spider-Man writer, but there are many other Spider-Man stories he’s written that are even better (such as Superior Spider-Man, “Big Time”, or “Spider-Island”).

8) “X of Swords”

The Krakoa Era offered a lot for X-Men fans, though it wasn’t without its problems. While the initial period was very popular, the ending didn’t resonate as well. Even the beginning, however, wasn’t perfect, which brings us to the first large-scale Krakoa storyline, “X of Swords”. This story involved a conflict between the mutants of Krakoa and those of Arakko, all while demonic powers in Amenth loomed threateningly. The story’s pacing is a significant issue; the first half is slow and uneventful, and the second half surprised many readers, but not in a good way. While some enjoyed it at the time, looking back shows that much of the positive reaction came from the overall excitement surrounding the early days of Krakoa, rather than the strength of the story itself.

7) Civil War

Civil War is a significant but flawed story in the history of early 2000s Marvel comics. While undeniably important, it suffers from relying on characters acting out of line with their established personalities. Though it features impressive action and unexpected moments, it doesn’t quite live up to the hype. Generally, Marvel’s large-scale events haven’t held up over time, and Civil War has arguably suffered more than most. It remains a key part of Marvel’s past, but a closer look reveals its weaknesses. Despite still having a dedicated fanbase and some redeeming qualities, it isn’t the all-time great story some remember.

6) House of M

As a fan, I remember House of M being a huge deal when it came out in the ’00s. It brought the X-Men and the Avengers together to try and handle Scarlet Witch losing control, which ended up creating a completely new world and, sadly, seemingly wiping out a whole race. It was written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Olivier Coipel. Honestly, though, looking back, I found it to be one of the most drawn-out and boring event comics ever. The story just doesn’t move at a good pace, there’s very little action across its eight issues, and it really hurt the X-Men comics in my opinion. House of M happened when Bendis was super popular, and a lot of people loved it at the time. But for me, it’s always been a long, slow, and ultimately boring read.

5) X-Men (Vol. 2) #1-3

X-Men (Vol. 2) #1-3 is a very famous X-Men story. The first issue is the best-selling comic book of all time, and this three-part story by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee represents Claremont’s final work as the X-Men writer after 17 years. Published as “Mutant Genesis”, it’s an enjoyable read, featuring some of Jim Lee’s best artwork from his time with the team. It provides new readers with a lot of background information about the X-Men and Magneto-making it ideal for newcomers, even today. It also introduced what many consider the most popular X-Men team ever. Despite its popularity, the story isn’t a masterpiece. The conclusion feels a bit flat, and it lacks significant depth. While it’s a great entry point for new fans, it doesn’t quite rank among the greatest X-Men stories ever told.

4) Secret Invasion

I have to say, while I appreciate the ambition of Secret Invasion by Brian Michael Bendis and Leinil Yu, I don’t think it quite lived up to the hype. The Skrulls’ infiltration had been brewing for so long, built up over years of comics, and this eight-issue series was meant to be the big payoff. Sadly, it just didn’t really work for me – though the art is fantastic. It reminded me a lot of House of M, struggling with a slow pace, a lack of real action, and relying too much on twists for shock value. Honestly, it felt like the story was just spinning its wheels for the first five issues; it needed to keep the Avengers sidelined to make the plot function, but it stalled things too much. I will admit the ending is pretty good and it does lead directly into what I think is the strongest part of Bendis’s run on the Avengers, but even that couldn’t fully rescue what ultimately felt like a mediocre story. It’s a shame, because the potential was definitely there.

3) “Breakout”

Brian Michael Bendis’s New Avengers doesn’t really live up to the hype, and that became clear right from the start. “Breakout,” co-written by Bendis and David Finch, assembled the initial New Avengers team and perfectly illustrates the weaknesses of his run on the Avengers titles. The story begins with a prison break at the Raft, bringing together a group of heroes who quickly realize there’s a larger scheme at play, eventually leading them to the Savage Land and a surprising conspiracy. The story suffers from slow pacing and uninspired action sequences – hallmarks of Bendis’s comics at the time – and feels scattered in its focus. It also marks the beginning of a frustrating habit of his: ending each issue on a cliffhanger during an action scene, then skipping over the resolution to start the next issue *after* the fight concludes. While “Breakout” features some strong artwork and a few enjoyable moments, it ultimately isn’t a particularly compelling Avengers story.

2) “Guardian Devil”

As a big comic book fan, I remember when “Guardian Devil” by Kevin Smith, Joe Quesada, and Jimmy Palmiotti came out in the late ‘90s. It was a huge hit and really brought a lot of new readers to Daredevil. Everyone was excited to see Smith get a chance to write for Marvel, and it kicked off the whole Marvel Knights imprint. The story centers around Daredevil being entrusted with a baby who *might* be the Antichrist, and how he copes with that-it leads to a pretty shocking twist and a battle that really alters his life. The artwork is fantastic, and there’s definitely some classic Smith-style dialogue. However, honestly, the story feels a little unfulfilling to me. And, unfortunately, it uses the tired trope of ‘fridging’ Karen Page, who’d been Daredevil’s love interest for decades. While “Guardian Devil” is a decent read, it feels like it tries to do *too* much, running off in so many directions that it never quite gels. If you’re looking for a good starting point with Daredevil, there are honestly a lot of better stories out there.

1) Infinity Gauntlet

Infinity Gauntlet, created by Jim Starlin, George Perez, and Ron Lim, is certainly a good story. It’s a wonderful introduction to the cosmic side of Marvel and features some incredibly exciting battle sequences. The final portion of the book is truly excellent – a fast-paced and visually appealing experience. However, the initial three issues move very slowly, spending too much time on setup and relying on characters who haven’t appeared in years. The main issue with the story is the contrast in speed between the first and second halves. Despite this, it’s still a must-read for any Marvel enthusiast, and a particularly strong story for Thanos, but it doesn’t quite live up to the hype of being the greatest Marvel event of all time, as some claim.

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2025-10-04 15:15