Generations is a limited ten-issue anthology comic book series published by Marvel Comics that ran from August to September 2017. Each issue, written and drawn by different creative teams, features a different team-up of a classic Marvel superhero with their Modern Age counterpart. The series, first teased in February 2017 with artwork by Alex Ross, immediately follows the events of the "Secret Empire" storyline which concludes with a number of modern heroes being sent through time on a journey of self-discovery. According to Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, the goal of the series was to examine who these heroes are and suggest where they might be heading in the future.
Despite receiving generally favorable reviews from critics, Generations reported underwhelming sales figures over its two-month course. The events of the series built the foundation of Marvel's company-wide "Marvel Legacy" relaunch of comic books, which saw the return of several classic superheroes in more prominent positions.
The 2023 Marvel Cinematic Universe film The Marvels was so-named after the eighth issue of Generations, The Marvels.
Publication history In February 2017, Marvel Comics released an image teasing the debut of Generations, featuring artwork by Alex Ross which depicted a line-up of classic Marvel superheroes with their Modern Age counterparts. The following month, the first details of the series were revealed via the description of the collected hardcover edition listed on Amazon.com. The announcement of the series came following criticism from a contingent of fans who believed that Marvel's growing diversified cast of characters came at the expense of some its long-standing heroes.
The series is a ten issue anthology, featuring a team-up of different incarnations of ten different superheroes, that ran from August to September 2017. Despite the fact that at the time of publication some of the characters listed in the pairings were either dead or incapacitated, Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso insisted that the series is not self-contained and does not take place in an alternate timeline explaining, "These stories do happen, they really count. They really matter. This isn't some alternate reality story... You don't take these characters off the board with the intention to keep them off the board forever. One of the tropes of our medium is characters get a second wind. They die and come back. That's part of the beauty of what we do."
Alonso stated that the ten pairings should "illuminate who they are and indicate where they will be moving in the future." For instance, Brian Michael Bendis, writer of the Iron Man and Spider-Man issues, said Tony Stark could have a lasting influence on Riri Williams because "[she] is at the most impressionable stage of her life," while Peter Parker and Miles Morales, despite being from different backgrounds, have a "spiritual connection" that allowed him to examine the Spider-Man mantra of "with great power, must come great responsibility" from different perspectives. G. Willow Wilson writer of the Ms. Marvel issue, said Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan have a mentor–student relationship, but "at its heart, Ms. Marvel is about growing up, and a big part of growing up is discovering that your idols have feet of clay – and forgiving them for their flaws as you gain an adult understanding of your own." Tom Taylor writer of Wolverine suggested that Laura's experience with Logan could help her move beyond her violent past. In August 2025, Jordan D. White revealed that he had pitched an eleventh issue of the series, Generations: The Gwens, where Gwen Poole would have been transported back in time to the events of "Sins Past" to prevent Norman Osborn from sleeping with Gwen Stacy (prior to the storyline being retconned in Sinister War), implying Poole would have done so by ending up sleeping with Osborn herself instead and becoming Gabriel's and Sarah's mother retroactively.
Issues At the conclusion of the "Secret Empire" storyline, Kobik — the sentient Cosmic Cube — sends a number of heroes on a brief journey of self-discovery through a time portal.
Title Writer Artist Team up Release date Generations: The Strongest Greg Pak Matteo Buffagni Bruce Banner and Amadeus Cho August 2, 2017Amadeus Cho's Hulk is transported back in time and encounters Bruce Banner's Hulk fighting soldiers under the command of General Thunderbolt Ross. After helping Banner destroy a number of unmanned drones, Cho fights Banner to keep him from harming the soldiers. After both Hulks get away and regress back to normal, Cho tries to convince Banner that they are heroes. However, after witnessing Cho nearly lose control in a fight against a sea monster, Banner tells Cho that they are in fact prison guards. Generations: The Phoenix Cullen Bunn RB Silva Jean Grey (young and older) August 9, 2017The teenage time-displaced Jean Grey is transported back in time and encounters her adult self. There, young Grey questions older Grey about the Phoenix Force, which has been hunting her. In response, the older Phoenix-empowered Grey takes them to a planet that is under attack from Galactus. After the duo defeats Galactus, the older Grey tells young Grey that the Phoenix is the protector of life. However, as young Grey is about to respond that the Phoenix is responsible for countless deaths — including her own — Uatu the Watcher appears and warns young Grey that this course of action may cause an irreversible butterfly effect. Young Grey chooses not to reply and is transported back to the future. Generations: The Best Tom Taylor Ramon Rosanas Logan and Laura Kinney August 16, 2017Laura is transported back in time and helps Logan fend off a horde of The Hand's undead ninjas. When the fight is over, Laura and Logan track the ninjas to an airport and discover that Sabretooth hired The Hand to kidnap Logan's foster daughter Amiko Kobayashi as part of an elaborate plan to brainwash and train her to one day kill Logan. After they defeat Sabretooth, Laura suggests to Logan that he allow himself some happiness by spending time with Amiko and is then transported back to the future. Generations: The Thunder Jason Aaron Mahmud Asrar Odinson and Jane FosterAugust 23, 2017In the past, a young Odinson is called to ancient Egypt by the prayers of Vikings, who have fared into the Nile River and encountered Apocalypse. At the same time, Jane Foster's Thor appears and joins the fight. During the battle, Foster is amazed by how Odinson inspires the Vikings and how they in turn inspire him. When the fight is over, Foster tells Odinson that his love for humanity is what will one day make him worthy to lift Mjolnir before being transported back to the future. Meanwhile, Odin reminisces with the Phoenix Force about their past love affair. Generations: The Archers Kelly Thompson Stefano Raffaele Clint Barton and Kate Bishop August 30, 2017Kate Bishop finds herself in the past on a mysterious island with the world's best marksmen and encounters Clint Barton. After a rocky introduction, Barton explains that he was taken to the island against his will as part of a deadly competition. Barton and Bishop discover that the mastermind behind the competition is Barton's former mentor Swordsman, who was testing Barton's skills. After defeating Swordsman, Bishop realizes that despite Barton's flaws that she is lucky to have Barton as a mentor and is transported back to the future. Generations: The Iron Brian Michael Bendis Marco Rudy Tony Stark and Riri Williams September 6, 2017Riri Williams is transported to a possible future and encounters the children of the Avengers, who take her to see Tony Stark. Stark, now the 126-year-old Sorcerer Supreme, tells Williams that his ultimate goal of world peace has been achieved and that she played a role in creating it. When Williams returns to the past, she immediately goes to her lab to continue inventing. Generations: The Bravest Margaret Stohl Brent Schoonover Mar-Vell and Carol Danvers September 13, 2017Carol Danvers is transported back in time to Mydon, a planet in the Negative Zone that is under attack by Annihilus. Danvers is soon overwhelmed by Annihilus' soldiers but is rescued by Mar-Vell. Danvers returns the favor and saves Mar-Vell while attempting to free a Mydonian civilian aboard Annihilus' mothership. After they defeat Annihilus, Danvers admits to Mar-Vell that despite being loners, they make a good team and is transported back to the future. Generations: The Marvels G. Willow Wilson Paolo Villanelli Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan September 20, 2017Kamala Khan is transported to the past and is mistaken for an intern working at a women's interest magazine, edited by Carol Danvers. Khan arrives just as Barbara Nelson enters negotiations to purchase the publication. Danvers and Khan soon discover that Nelson is actually a Shi'ar exile called Nightscream. After they defeat Nightscream, Khan comes to the realization that although she and Danvers have different methods, their mission is the same. Inspired by her realization, Khan writes a well-received article for the magazine before being transported back to the future. Generations: The Spiders Brian Michael Bendis Ramon Perez Peter Parker and Miles Morales September 27, 2017Miles Morales travels back in time and runs into a young Peter Parker at his university. That evening, Morales goes to Parker's home and finds a distraught Parker. Parker tells Morales how he just survived a near death experience in which Doctor Octopus collapsed a building on top of him while he was searching for a cure for Aunt May's cancer. As they talk, Parker receives a phone call from May's doctor and is relieved to find out that May will be okay. At the same time, Morales learns of the pain and personal sacrifice it takes to be Spider-Man. Generations: The Americas Nick Spencer Paul Renaud Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson September 27, 2017Sam Wilson travels back in time to World War II-era New York City. Wilson, under the name Paul Jefferies, enlists in the military and encounters Steve Rogers on the battlefield. There, Jefferies encourages the newly recruited Rogers to be the symbol that he is meant to be. At the end of the war, Rogers is frozen in suspended animation while Jefferies starts a family, is ordained a minister, and many years later becomes involved in the Civil Rights Movement. After awaking from his hibernation, Rogers reconnects with Jefferies and seeks Jefferies' council from time to time. When Jefferies dies from old age, Wilson awakes in his present body and after meeting with the other heroes who traveled through the time portal returns Captain America's shield to Rogers.
Reception Critical response
Aggregate scores Comic Book Roundup Issue Rating Reviews The Strongest 6.9/10 20 The Phoenix 7.8/10 18 The Best 8.7/10 13 The Thunder 7.9/10 11 The Archers 8.2/10 12 The Iron 5.9/10 8 The Bravest 6.7/10 7 The Marvels 7.9/10 9 The Spiders 7.5/10 7 The Americas 7.9/10 6
According to the review aggregator website Comic Book Roundup, Generations: The Strongest received an average score of 6.9/10 based on 20 reviews from critics. Jesse Schedeen of IGN gave it an 8.2 out of 10 saying, "Generations isn't shaping up to be a particularly groundbreaking series for Marvel. With little background for the premise of this crossover or its ties to Secret Empire and Marvel Legacy, [Generations: The Strongest] simply plays out as a fun, character-driven team-up between two heroes." David Pepose of Newsarama gave it a 3 out of 10 and said, "[This book] isn't a great first impression for Marvel's latest event. There's something to be said for nostalgia, and giving readers a glimpse at beloved characters who might have been temporarily pushed off the stage, and to that end, Pak makes a solid attempt - but unless you're a diehard Hulk fan, this one-shot will likely prove a disappointment."