At its core, DC’s upcoming crossover between its primary heroes and those of the Watchmen universe, is a clash that involves the ideas of hope colliding with that of pessimism. It’s an ideal match-up, one which shines a spotlight on DC’s recent efforts to restore their heroes towards a brighter status quo in the wake of last year’s Rebirth event, against the more dystopian themes created by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons in Watchmen.

Snyder’s run on Batman looks to be coming to a temporary end though. With Metal currently unfolding as Batman faces his worst fears made real in the form of a league of evil Dark Knights, Snyder is hoping to create an ending for his Batman in Batman: Last Knight. At the New York Comic Con, Snyder spoke about how Grant Morrison once advised that he give his superheroes “a birth and a death.”

Imagine having your godhood stripped away from you, flung into the far reaches of the universe and forced into a gladiatorial arena where you have to fight for your life against a gigantic green steroid rage-monster? That would suck. Wait, that’s exactly what happens in Thor: Ragnarok? Ummm….hey look at this nice action figure of Chris Hemsworth. That’s worth a smile, right?

What is the grand plan of a god who can and has seen all possible outcomes of his actions? That’s the question that Doomsday Clock will hopefully answer when Doctor Manhattan finally makes his presence known.

Marvel may be looking to the future by dipping back into it’s past with Legacy this week, but it’s also tidying up its universe before its main attraction returns. One of the casualties of the new heroic age on the way? An Iron Man far more…infamous than previous holders of the title. This week saw Victor Von Doom’s solo series come to an end. After a year of action, intrigue and a global manhunt for the most wanted former supervillain alive, Doom finally found the entity responsible for pulling his strings.

Who was Vader in the days after his fall from grace? What kind of journey did the Jedi formerly known as Anakin Skywalker embark on that turned him into the feared right hand of the Emperor of the galaxy? That’s the story that’s currently unfolding in the latest Darth Vader series from Marvel, where the newest apprentice to the Dark Side has managed to obtain a new lightsaber that he has corrupted with his own hate and anger.

DC would pull its reboot trick again with last year’s Rebirth, as flicking that switch on and off again is something that the Distinguished Competition has mastered over the years. It’s also a trick that Marvel needs to desperately become experts at, as the last couple of years haven’t been kind. Marvel Legacy is meant to be that switch, as heroes new and old return to the fold.

Marvel is getting ready to resurrect another major player this week in Marvel: Legacy. You might want to close this post if you feel like avoiding some spoilers.