Marvel’s problems don’t end on screen – here’s the MCU complaint you might not be aware of

For a lot of people, the Marvel Studios logo at the beginning of their movies and shows is the closest they’ve ever gotten to reading a comic book.

You might not know this, but for almost twenty years, Marvel Comics editors have been trying to fix a problem – and they might have unintentionally made things worse.

If you ask someone who reads comics regularly about the current scene, they’ll probably tell you DC is doing really well, Marvel is struggling to come up with fresh ideas, and both are being overshadowed by the huge success of manga.

All three of these subjects are complex, but today we’ll look at how Marvel Comics seems to be struggling, and how that relates to the Marvel movies also losing some popularity. It’s a case of both being negatively affected by having achieved so much success in the first place.

But how did we get here? And more importantly, how do we get back?

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Let’s remember 2012, the year the first Avengers movie came out and became a huge success, exceeding everyone’s hopes.

The bold plan to connect four major movies in a follow-up event worked incredibly well, and it fundamentally altered the landscape of Hollywood filmmaking. However, beyond its massive costs, the Marvel Cinematic Universe also relied heavily on combining its properties for marketing and storytelling.

This term refers to how companies owned by the same parent organization work together, almost like a carefully composed symphony. It explains why you often see brands like Dairy Milk and Oreos paired up in promotions – Kraft is a key player in this strategy.

In the realm of comic books, synergy across mediums isn’t a new concept.

After the 2002 Spider-Man movie removed Peter Parker’s mechanical web-shooters, the character gained the ability to create webs organically. This change aligned the film version with the portrayal by actor Tobey Maguire.

The current Spider-Man storyline seems to be revisiting the ‘Man-Spider’ plot, creating a connection to earlier events.

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe became a massive and hugely successful franchise, many comic book readers began to see its impact as a change – and for some, a disruption – to the traditional comic book landscape.

Starting in 2012, Marvel Comics began making changes to its characters and storylines – including altering past events and character traits – to align more closely with the stories told in its movies and TV shows.

During the peak of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s popularity (roughly up until late 2019), fans were generally willing to accept creative choices, even if they bothered dedicated followers of those characters – who now often feel like early warning signs of larger problems.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe saw some big shifts: Nick Fury was replaced by his son, bringing a change in actors; James Gunn revamped the Guardians of the Galaxy team; and a surprising reveal showed that Magneto isn’t actually Wanda and Pietro’s father, which caused quite a stir (and pleased soap opera writers).

Between 2014 and 2017, a significant conflict shook up the Marvel Universe, impacting two of its most popular groups, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, as a result of what seemed like a disagreement between the companies involved.

Looking back, it’s hard to believe Marvel didn’t own the rights to these characters from the start. For a long time, they were stuck over at 20th Century Fox, who’d snagged them years before the Marvel Cinematic Universe even existed. And honestly, Fox’s attempts to bring those characters to life were…well, let’s just say inconsistent.

During this time, there was a renewed push to maintain ownership of key franchises. Despite the unsuccessful ‘Fant4stic’ reboot (and its unusual spelling on the poster), the rights weren’t lost. Meanwhile, the ‘X-Men’ series continued with the successful prequel films ‘Days of Future Past’ and ‘Apocalypse’.

According to reports from industry news site Bleeding Cool, Marvel Comics’ CEO Ike Perlmutter, who focused on the business side of things, strongly opposed the idea of supporting these projects or preparing for any potential future changes.

Once it was obvious Fox wasn’t going to give up the rights to either franchise, Perlmutter made the decision to cancel the long-running Fantastic Four comic book series.

The X-Men were too successful and made too much money to cancel, but Marvel Studios began prioritizing the Inhumans instead – another group of people with superpowers, though organized differently.

Kamala Khan, a teenager from New Jersey, emerged as Marvel’s leading Muslim character when she unexpectedly gained superpowers through her Inhuman heritage. Interestingly, her story takes a dramatically ironic turn later on.

At the time, many Marvel comic readers believed characters connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe were being favored in the comics, but the editors consistently denied this was happening.

Back in 2014, Marvel Comics’ Tom Brevoort playfully responded to some fan theories on Tumblr, suggesting the speculation was so far-fetched it was like readers thought they could read minds.

However, this trend of prioritizing current Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) characters extended beyond comics. The 2017 video game Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite removed popular, established characters like Wolverine, Magneto, and Storm, replacing them with a lineup mostly featuring those from the MCU.

In that same year, well-known writer Jonathan Hickman publicly shared in an interview with the website Newsarama (which is no longer active) that Marvel had stopped publishing Fantastic Four due to a dispute with Fox.

He explained that they realized about a year beforehand Marvel would no longer be publishing the Fantastic Four comics after 2015.

Marvel claimed the cancellation of Fantastic Four was because of poor sales. The comic book reappeared in the summer of 2018, which happened to coincide with ongoing talks about the Disney/Fox merger that eventually took place. However, this timing could simply be chance.

By May 2019, Avengers: Endgame had become a massive hit, breaking box office records worldwide and earning nearly $2.8 billion – making it one of the highest-grossing films ever.

Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios, is widely considered one of Hollywood’s most successful producers. He built the Marvel Cinematic Universe into a hugely popular franchise that continues to thrive, even after releasing its 22nd film.

The recent Disney and Fox merger – finalized just two months prior – opened up exciting new possibilities. It brought characters like the X-Men and Fantastic Four back to Marvel Studios, and combined with the existing agreement with Sony for Spider-Man, essentially finished building out the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The upcoming launch of Disney+ also fueled this feeling of growth, offering fresh ways to tell stories within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, like high-quality limited series (though these would later present some challenges).

Since there was still a lot of work ahead, Feige received a major promotion in October. He went from overseeing just Marvel’s movies as president of Marvel Studios to becoming chief creative officer of all of Marvel Entertainment, which includes comics, television, streaming content, and animation.

Many fans rejoiced when Kevin Feige, seen as the champion of creative vision, effectively won a power struggle with former Marvel Television head Victor Perlmutter. Perlmutter was later let go during a company reorganization in March 2023, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

Following his decisions to exclude the X-Men and Fantastic Four, Perlmutter became unpopular with fans. According to Bob Iger’s memoir, as reported by Variety, Perlmutter’s team opposed approving the first Marvel Cinematic Universe films with female and Black leads.

I spoke with Ike and asked him to have his team remove any obstacles. I then gave the go-ahead to start production on both Black Panther and Captain Marvel, as I wrote.

Unlike previous leaders, Feige oversaw many successful Marvel movie and TV adaptations, becoming a popular figure with fans. However, after more than six years, some comic book readers have grown indifferent to the seemingly endless stream of content now being produced.

According to a source familiar with Marvel Comics, Marvel Studios hasn’t interfered with the creative decisions of comic book writers and artists since Kevin Feige became Chief Creative Officer. The studio now lets the editorial team decide whether to incorporate elements from their films and TV shows into the comics.

According to Marvel’s editor-in-chief, CB Cebulski, Marvel Studios can be thought of as a body, with Disney+ acting as the brain, games and animation as the arms, and consumer products like clothing and bedding as the legs. He sees Marvel Comics as the vital core – the heart – of everything.

He explained that it’s a collaborative process – ideas flow back and forth. If a game or movie introduces a great character or concept, and the comic team likes it, they can absolutely incorporate it into the comics. There are no limits to where good ideas can come from.

If we follow this comparison, it’s possible to think of an issue in one area of the Marvel universe as a serious infection that could threaten everything.

In late 2023, when Cebulski made this comment, symptoms were flaring.

That year proved difficult for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with several projects like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Marvels, and the Secret Invasion Disney+ series failing to impress critics or audiences. This didn’t offer much hope for a turnaround.

After five months back as Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger revealed that Marvel would be making fewer movies and TV shows. He admitted that the franchise hadn’t been performing as well and that the quality had become uneven since focusing heavily on the Disney+ streaming service.

Even with everything going on, Marvel kept trying to connect their stories. We saw Kang the Conqueror become a bigger threat in the ‘Timeless’ and ‘Avengers’ comics – which was a bit strange considering the news about Jonathan Majors at the time. And the ‘Secret Invasion’ event, while not a huge hit with fans, played out as a major crisis within the Marvel universe itself.

In 2025, Marvel Comics created a year-long story arc where Doctor Doom conquered the world. However, the timing didn’t quite work out as planned because the ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ event was delayed by seven months.

The new Avengers comic book event, Armageddon, begins in Latveria, the country ruled by Doctor Doom. Interestingly, Doom himself is nowhere to be seen in the initial storyline, even though Robert Downey Jr. will soon portray him in a future project.

The upcoming comic crossover will feature Red Hulk and Sam Wilson, continuing a long-standing rivalry that began when their comic book counterparts met alongside the release of the Captain America: Brave New World movie in January 2025.

According to a source with Marvel Comics, Red Hulk’s significant part in the ‘Armageddon’ storyline wasn’t influenced by the character’s recent appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Writer Chip Zdarsky made the decision to feature Red Hulk independently.

However, Brevoort recently stated that it simply makes sense for the publishing side to work with Marvel Studios, though he emphasized they don’t follow a strict, highly organized plan.

He explained on the Word Balloon podcast that when something is being adapted, it’s important to capitalize on the current cultural trends.

We don’t simply copy trends from movies, TV, or animation. We create our plans while keeping those things in mind, and we look for opportunities to work with them when it feels natural and beneficial.

It’s true that Marvel’s comics aren’t always exactly like what you see in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They’ve taken risks with different approaches, like their scary Hulk stories (‘Immortal’ and ‘Infernal’) and the ‘Ultimate’ line, which reimagined characters in a completely different world.

These comics were generally seen as unusual for the publisher, which usually preferred to stick to familiar ground. Some titles, like those featuring TVA, Wiccan, and ‘Thunderbolts’ (later rebranded as New Avengers), even closely resembled projects from the publisher’s live-action division, mirroring a marketing strategy used in a recent film.

Look, as Cebulski explained it to me, the way Marvel’s telling stories now is all about making comics welcoming for fans who discovered the universe through the movies, Disney+ shows, or even video games. They want it to be easy for newcomers to jump right in and enjoy the world they already know and love.

The big question is whether people who enjoy movies and TV shows based on comics are actually becoming regular comic book readers. Unfortunately, it’s hard to get a clear answer because comic book sales numbers aren’t reported in a straightforward way.

Industry tracker ICv2 reports that North American comic book sales were flat between 2016 and 2018. This happened while the Marvel Cinematic Universe was thriving, and cross-promotion between the films and comics (like with the ‘Civil War II’ and ‘Infinity Wars’ storylines) was actively being used.

While the market saw a solid 11% growth in 2019, reaching $1.21 billion, it was still less than half of the $2.79 billion earned by Avengers: Endgame. This suggests people aren’t dramatically shifting their movie-watching habits.

That October, Variety magazine reported that comic books generated only modest income for Marvel. They surprisingly framed the art form as simply a testing ground for TV and movie ideas – much like a tech company developing new products.

The comic book market saw a huge increase during the pandemic, nearly doubling in size by 2022. This growth was largely driven by the popularity of manga and strong sales of graphic novels for children (according to Publishers Weekly).

Although we don’t have complete sales figures, it’s not always clear how much Marvel’s success in theaters impacts the number of people reading its comics.

Marvel’s attempts to attract new readers have unfortunately upset many of its longtime fans – a sentiment easily found on comic book discussion boards, as anyone who visits them can see.

As early as February 2015, IGN writer Jesse Schedeen cautioned that Marvel’s comics risked becoming stale and predictable if they focused too much on characters connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

After more than ten years, the constant focus on the same familiar characters is just one sign of a larger problem. Many believe Marvel Comics is now less innovative than DC Comics, its main rival.

As a huge comic book fan, it’s been awesome seeing Marvel and DC take some real risks lately. They’ve both had a lot of success by completely rethinking their classic characters and creating these unexpected, almost rebellious, alternate worlds – like Marvel’s ‘Ultimate’ series and DC’s ‘Absolute’ comics. It’s breathed new life into stories I thought I knew!

These projects, which intentionally break from traditional comic book formulas, are proving popular with readers, suggesting that comics don’t need to closely follow well-known adaptations to be successful.

The Ultimate line of comics has offered a refreshing alternative for readers who felt the main ‘616’ universe (most of the regular titles) was being handled in a rather ordinary way.

Even popular characters like Spider-Man, Venom, and the X-Men have had disappointing comic book storylines recently. Meanwhile, comics featuring lesser-known characters often don’t last beyond 10 issues before being cancelled or starting over.

It’s a situation that starkly contrasts with life at DC Comics right now.

Marie Javins, the current editor-in-chief, has received a lot of positive feedback for allowing creators significant freedom with both the Absolute line and the main DC universe. This hands-off approach has let artists interpret characters in their own way, resulting in strong reviews.

Writer Skottie Young recently shared on the Off Panel podcast that he was glad his new Lobo comic series didn’t have to match the portrayal of the character seen in this summer’s Supergirl movie with Jason Momoa.

He explained his main concern was avoiding creative interference. “I really don’t want to begin a project by constantly relying on feedback or direction from anyone involved in the Hollywood side of things,” he said. “I enjoy those movies and shows, but it’s incredibly difficult to create a good comic book when too many people are trying to control the process.”

Thankfully, that wasn’t how things turned out. “I’m amazed they allowed me to include some of the material and dialogue in the first issue,” Young explained.

DC generally sells fewer comics each month than Marvel, largely because Marvel releases a higher volume of titles. However, recent reports suggest DC’s sales surpassed Marvel’s towards the end of last year.

As a DC fan, I was so excited to hear that they really crushed it in the last part of 2025! Apparently, they were number one, according to ICv2. What helped them get there? It seems like their fancy ‘Absolute’ editions, the super cool DC KO event, and those really affordable, smaller ‘Compact Comics’ collections were a huge hit with fans like me.

It’s pointless to constantly compare Marvel and DC – why not enjoy them both? – but it’s clear that one company is currently having more success with its plans than the other.

People aren’t just enjoying the misfortune of others or blindly supporting a rival; they’re truly let down, and that’s why they’re voicing their concerns.

Marvel fans might not have as much new content to look forward to right now. However, in the long run, the source material that inspires many of today’s comics – the stories often adapted for movies and TV – could also be affected if Marvel stops creating so many original ideas.

One of the most debated examples of how the Marvel Cinematic Universe tries to connect its stories involves the character Kamala Khan, also known as Ms. Marvel, who is generally portrayed as very positive and good-natured.

The teenage girl developed amazing powers when a dormant gene within her – a trait common to a group known as Inhumans, who were becoming increasingly popular as a potential replacement for the X-Men in comics – was unexpectedly activated.

As many predicted, Disney eventually bought Fox, bringing the X-Men characters under the same ownership. Unfortunately, the Inhumans didn’t fare as well, receiving a short-lived and poorly supported TV series that effectively ended their momentum.

By the time Marvel introduced Ms. Marvel into the MCU, the Inhumans were essentially absent from live-action films and shows. The only exception was a brief appearance by Black Bolt in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and even that didn’t end well for his character.

As a result, Kamala’s powers were revealed to be caused by her mutant gene instead.

It’s quite a twist that a character initially designed to compete with the X-Men and their group of young, unusual heroes ended up joining them instead. This decision also caused significant conflict and chaos throughout Marvel’s comic book world.

The two versions of Kamala Khan – from the comics and the live-action TV show – recently diverged significantly, creating a big difference between them, especially considering her possible future role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the ‘Secret Wars’ storyline.

Ms. Marvel died in The Amazing Spider-Man comic book in May, making the selfless choice to save Mary-Jane Watson. The villain responsible was a minor character named ‘Emissary,’ but he’s not someone you need to remember.

Most comic book fans probably guessed her story wasn’t truly over – death isn’t usually permanent in these universes – but the quick and seamless way Kamala came back really resonated with readers.

Just a couple of days after a touching comic book issue depicted her funeral, Ms. Marvel was surprisingly back in action by July, with the announcement appearing in Entertainment Weekly. The timing of these events was quite unusual.

When Kamala Khan was brought back to life, it happened on the mutant island of Krakoa, and it was discovered she had a unique genetic makeup – a combination of both Inhuman and mutant DNA. It seems likely this development in her story was planned all along.

According to a source with knowledge of Marvel Comics, claims made by comic book writer Cody Ziglar that the film and TV department pushed for Ms. Marvel to be reclassified as a mutant are untrue. The source says there was no such pressure.

Sana Amanat, a co-creator of the character, told Empire that Kamala was initially conceived as a mutant. The idea of her being an Inhuman came later, likely for the reasons we’ve already talked about, though Amanat didn’t provide further details.

After the popularity of the Disney+ show, Marvel Comics editors realized Kamala Khan could be a great addition to the X-Men comics – and they were right. She’s since become a regular character within that part of the Marvel Universe.

The criticism wasn’t really about Kamala having powers, but how she got them. Many felt the way her powers appeared happened too quickly and wasn’t handled with the care a character like her deserved.

This change perfectly shows how Marvel often integrates its movies and streaming shows: not with finesse or a slow build, but by directly and noticeably altering established storylines.

This approach has often felt damaging to the broader story, making it seem like characters and plots are changed simply to fit the needs of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s overall plan.

As a longtime X-Men reader, I have to say the timing of Kamala Khan joining the team coincided with a pretty big shake-up. Just when we were getting used to the really ambitious ‘Krakoan Age’ storyline, it wrapped up surprisingly quickly. It felt like a reset, bringing the X-Men back to a more familiar, classic dynamic. Honestly, while I appreciated the bold experiment, a part of me welcomed the return to basics.

People immediately wondered if this choice was connected to the recent reappearance of the original X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday and the growing possibility of a Marvel Cinematic Universe reboot focused on a classic team lineup.

Of course, that may well be completely wrong.

However, quickly blaming ‘synergy’ for unpopular decisions suggests people don’t believe Marvel’s creative team has full control, and that audiences are growing tired of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Someone familiar with Marvel Comics revealed to TopMob that the company has been developing plans separate from the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the past year or two. These plans are intended to offer readers more variety and innovation, responding to requests for bolder creative choices.

This includes the mysterious Avengers: Armageddon and the top secret projects set to follow it.

Back in September 2022, Marvel editor Jordan D White shared that comic book writers and artists were asked to plan stories five to ten years into the future. The idea was to create exciting content that Marvel Studios could potentially adapt for movies and TV shows later on, as reported by AIPT.

People have been asking if the comic creators are keeping their promises. While it’s not unusual for fans to voice their concerns, there’s a legitimate point being made in this situation.

Marvel Studios is still working to bounce back after a difficult 2023. While ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ has been a big hit, it doesn’t fully make up for the poor performance of three movies released last year: ‘Brave New World’, ‘Thunderbolts*’, and ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’.

With the comics becoming increasingly connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a recent focus on familiar storylines, there’s a risk the comics could become predictable. While collaboration with the MCU has been beneficial, it could also lead to a lack of originality unless creators take more risks and introduce fresh ideas.

You can watch Marvel movies and TV series on Disney+. A Disney+ subscription starts at just £5.99 per month.

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Authors

David Craig writes about TV and streaming dramas and comedies for TopMob. Before that, he contributed to Starburst Magazine, hosted the podcast ‘The Winter King’ for ITVX, and earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Sheffield.

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2026-04-02 10:12