Marvel Comics is particularly known for its large-scale events in recent decades. While Marvel pioneered the concept of event comics with titles like 1982’s Marvel Super Heroes Contest of Champions, these events truly became a regular part of their publishing strategy in the 21st century. They now serve as a way to refresh the entire Marvel line and deliver epic crossovers and battles. Though many Marvel events are fantastic, not every one achieves blockbuster status.
As a longtime Marvel fan, I’ve seen a lot of their big events, and honestly, some have been real disappointments. It’s not that they were bad necessarily, but some just had so much potential that went completely unrealized. I’ve been thinking about the worst offenders, and there are seven events in particular that really stand out as infamous failures – stories that started with a lot of hype but ultimately didn’t deliver.
7) Return of Wolverine
Wolverine is a hugely popular Marvel character, and like many other major heroes, he was killed off in 2014. He remained dead for five years, until the 2019 comic Return of Wolverine by Charles Soule, Steve McNiven, and Declan Shalvey. While Return of Wolverine has a reputation for being disappointing, it didn’t have to be. The story seemed to try and honor classic Wolverine themes, but ended up feeling generic and unoriginal. Fans deserved a more creative return for such a beloved character, as almost any other story would have been an improvement. The comic features fantastic artwork, but it’s unfortunately paired with a predictable and uninspired plot.
6) Infinity Wars
Marvel Comics is now heavily influenced by the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and this has become a significant issue. A prime example is the comic series Infinity Wars by Gerry Duggan and Mike Deodato. It was clearly designed to capitalize on the popularity of the Avengers: Infinity War movie and draw movie fans into comic book shops, but it sacrificed a good storyline in the process. The story revolves around a character named Requiem and her search for the Infinity Stones, with a team of heroes trying to stop her – it quickly becomes a complicated, multiversal tale that many remember only from the Funko Pop figures released in 2018. Infinity Wars could have been much stronger as a smaller, *Guardians of the Galaxyfocused story, but its attempt to be a massive event ultimately led to it being largely forgotten.
5) Secret Wars II
Following the massive success of Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, a sequel, Secret Wars II, was created by Jim Shooter and Al Milgrom. However, it didn’t live up to the original. The story centers around a powerful being, known as the One From Beyond, who takes the form of the Beyonder to understand those who previously defeated him. At times, the story is a humorous look at someone trying to fit into a new world, and these moments are among the best. While the character of Molecule Man also offered potential, the narrative gets bogged down in large-scale battles and predictable plot twists. The story would have been stronger if it had focused more on the Beyonder’s personal journey, with Molecule Man’s story developing alongside it, eventually leading to a clash with the heroes. Unfortunately, it ended up feeling like just another standard event comic.
4) Civil War II
The comic event Civil War II felt like a tie-in to the Captain America: Civil War movie, aimed at fans who also read comics. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by David Marquez, it centered around a disagreement between Iron Man and Captain Marvel regarding Ulysses, an Inhuman who could predict the future. The story largely mirrored the plot of the original Civil War and the film Minority Report, with Captain Marvel taking on a role similar to Captain America – or, more accurately, the antagonistic role typically associated with Iron Man in the first Civil War. Many readers felt this portrayal damaged Carol Danvers’ character, and the event as a whole was considered dull due to its imbalanced perspective and lack of exciting action. A more even-handed approach and a stronger action writer could have significantly improved the story.
3) Infinity Crusade
The Infinity Gauntlet storyline is considered a Marvel masterpiece, and Infinity War was also a huge success. Unfortunately, the final chapter of that story arc was a letdown. Creators Jim Starlin and Ron Lim introduced a powerful goddess, intended to represent a god-like being within Adam Warlock, but the story ultimately revolved around heroes fighting each other while under mind control. While fans had high hopes, the final result didn’t live up to expectations. It’s difficult to say what could have improved the story, but fans felt it didn’t deliver on its potential.
2) Secret Empire
Nick Spencer’s Secret Empire, with art by Steve McNiven and a team of other talented artists, unfortunately didn’t live up to its potential. While it aimed to conclude the storyline involving Hydra and Captain America, the series was a disappointment. The story suffered from poor pacing, a jarring mix of artistic styles, and ultimately felt disjointed. An unnecessary extra issue only compounded the pacing problems. Despite a strong build-up, Secret Empire ended up feeling both overly long and strangely rushed, a messy conclusion to what could have been a great story.
1) House of M
The comic book event House of M is widely considered a misstep, especially considering its importance in Marvel’s overall story. Created by Brian Michael Bendis and Olivier Coipel, the 8-part series focused on the Avengers and X-Men dealing with the Scarlet Witch, who unintentionally reshaped reality to favor mutants. While it ultimately led to the loss of mutant powers, the story itself is slow-paced, lacks compelling world-building, and feels like it needed a different writer and more action. Despite being popular with some fans initially, House of M remains a flawed and disappointing story that shouldn’t have been as problematic as it was.
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2026-05-03 17:13