Chris Hemsworth's Thor looks worried at the presence of Marvel's Doctor Doom
Marvel's style of storytelling is evolving, but some fans are having trouble adjusting. There are valid concerns worth voicing about the publisher's new creative approach, but is it also fair for Marvel to ask for patience from readers? Let's consider both sides of the argument and see where we land.
More and more, Marvel creators are talking in terms of"acts." Author Al Ewing calls his current Mortal Thor series the second act in a larger story. Phillip Kennedy Johnson says the same about Infernal Hulk. Call them"sagas," or"trilogies," or whatever you prefer, but in any case, Marvel is stealthily redefining what a"run" of a comic means. Marvel's Long-Term Storytelling Plans Are At Odds With Fans' Single-Issue Expectations Marvel Is Playing The Long Game, But Are Comic Readers Too Short-Sighted? Right now, Marvel is investing more effort into long-term storytelling. That's the short version. But what does that mean, exactly? How can it be a positive thing for Marvel stories? Or, how can it go wrong? And, perhaps the biggest question: how much do fans need to adapt to Marvel's new way of doing things? Let's start by looking at a few different examples of long-term Marvel storytelling. First, there's Jed McKay's Avengers, which just wrapped up with issue #36. That's a healthy lifespan for an ongoing series by modern Marvel standards, and part of its longevity involved McKay's ambitious overarching plotline, which took three years to play out. Then there's Marvel's rebooted Ultimate Universe, which is currently in its Endgame after three years of concentrated storytelling. Another ambitious, and unique, storytelling effort that has received mixed reactions from readers. Finally, we have to look at what Marvel is doing with its Thor and Hulk books, because those represent the true next stage of Marvel Comics. Marvel's Experimentation With Years-Long Sagas Has Had Its Ups & Downs So Far Avengers, X-Men, Hulk, Thor; All Marvel's Major Franchises Are Taking The Long View Long-term storytelling starts with a plan. A two-year plan, or three-year, or five. It starts with an outline. It starts with a vision of where a story will end. After that, it's about methodically working toward that vision, step-by-step. But here's where we hit a snag: how much trust and patience can the long-term storyteller afford to ask for from their reader? Comics are, by and large, a monthly medium. On average, a comic book issue is between 20–30 pages. Comics are designed for short-term gratification. Using them to incrementally further an ongoing story is tricky business. Marvel's Ultimate line of comics has demonstrated both the potential, and potential drawbacks, of leaning into long-term plotting. Related 5 New Year’s Resolutions Marvel Fans Are Begging for in 2026 The New Year is a great time for Marvel Comics to make some promises. Posts 5 By Derek Faraci Deniz Camp's The Ultimates consistently struck the balance between keeping readers entertained on an issue-by-issue basis, while also using each issue to forward the book's larger arc. Titles like Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate Wolverine weren't as successful, at least when it comes to Marvel fans' receptions. There's a good chance these runs will be looked on more kindly in retrospect. Yet for the hardcore fans who commit to reading Marvel books every month, they haven't been entirely satisfying. And while critics often look at this as a problem for Marvel, it might be more accurate to say it is part of the birth pains of a new era. The Ongoing "Hulk" And "Thor" Multi-Part Sagas Are The Future Of Marvel Storytelling Can Marvel Fans Get Used To It? Jed McKay's Avengers looks like a more conventional long-term comic story. Its extended 36-issue run is divided into smaller arcs. There are detours and side quests along the way toward the conclusion of its greater arc. Meanwhile, McKay's contemporaries, like Al Ewing and Phillip Kennedy Johnson, are pioneering a new way of doing things. Johnson's Incredible Hulk run began in 2023, the same year as Ewing's Immortal Thor, and the same year as McKay's Avengers. Johnson's Hulk lasted 30 issues; Immortal Thor ran for 25. Except both of these series are being treated as the first acts of even bigger, more ambitious ongoing storylines. That changes how these writers tackle individual issues even more than we saw with Avengers or the Ultimate books. It requires more patience from Marvel fans, but each individual issue still has to earn that patience, and justify itself as more than just a piece of a larger puzzle. Again, tricky. Because these parallel imperatives often clash. You Can't Judge A Story In The Middle Of Its "Second Act," At Least Marvel Is Gambling On That Marvel Is Letting Its Creators Cook; Readers Need To Accept That Al Ewing's current Thor saga is maybe the best example of the ups and downs of longer-term plotting at Marvel right now. Immortal Thor was consistently praised by readers throughout its run. Why? Because each issue was satisfying on its own, while also pushing the story forward. By contrast, its follow-up, Mortal Thor, has been a slow burn so far. Subscribe to the newsletter for deeper Marvel sagas insight Curious how Marvel's shift to multi-act sagas affects the comics you follow? Subscribing to the newsletter delivers focused analysis and context on long-term storytelling strategies, so you can better evaluate each run's risks and rewards. Get Updates By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Immortal Thor ended with a huge paradigm reset for the hero. As the"second act" of its story, Mortal Thor has had to slow down the pace and devote its early issues to re-establishing itself, and to laying groundwork for its ongoing arc. Unfortunately, that has tested fans' patience, even with all the good will Immortal Thor built up among readers. Related Marvel Is Removing Thor from Its Continuity, And I Know What's Next For the God of Thunder Yes, it's true - Marvel is removing Thor and the Asgardian gods from its official continuity. Here's what's next for the God of Thunder. Posts 34 By Robert Wood So, how can Marvel creators and fans meet in the middle? Marvel needs to continue to perfect its multi-year, multi-act storytelling. At the same time, Marvel fans need to accept that comic issues function differently than they used to. Some are more about set-up, while others give readers their much-needed payoff. The current era of Thor, and Hulk, as well as franchises like X-Men and Iron Man, are building toward bigger things. 2026 is a pivotal year for the publisher, because it is going to set up an even more massive 2027 and beyond. Let's just hope Marvel fans stick with it to be rewarded in the end. Avengers: Doomsday Like Follow Followed Superhero Action Sci-Fi Release Date December 18, 2026 Director Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Writers Stephen McFeely, Michael Waldron, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee Cast See All Avengers: Doomsday is the fifth Avengers film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will bring together heroes, new and old, to face off against Victor von Doom - played by the returning Robert Downey Jr. The upcoming film notably marks the beginning of Phase 6 of the MCU.
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