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.
The events of the series built the foundation of Marvel's company-wide "Legacy" relaunch of comic books, which saw the return of several classic superheroes in more prominent positions.
[3] 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.
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.
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.
[5] 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.
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.
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 his aunt May's cancer.
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.
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.
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.
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.
[20] Blair Marnell of IGN gave it an 8.3 writing, "[Generations: The Phoenix] feels like it should have been an issue or two from the actual Jean Grey ongoing series.
"[21] Justin Partridge of Newsarama gave it a 5 and wrote, "The life of Jean Grey is a complex one, and [Generations: The Phoenix] #1 doesn't do much to make it simpler.
If you are a Wolverine fan, this is a must-read issue that delivers an emotional, character-driven story that won't leave a dry eye in the house.
[29] Schedeen gave it an 8.0 and said, "It's unclear exactly how much the events of this issue will impact the ongoing Hawkeye series, but it proves there's still plenty of potential left to mine in the Kate/Clint dynamic.
"[30] Calamia gave it an 8 writing, "[Generations: The Archers] #1 is a fun issue that reestablishes Kate's relationship with her mentor, and reminds us why these two characters work so well together.
"[33] Calamia gave it a 4 writing, "[Generations: The Iron] has a few nice goodies with the appearances of The Next Avengers and Sorcerer Supreme Tony Stark, but this still isn't enough for the book's $4.99 price tag.
"[38] Pierce Lydon of Newsarama gave it a 7 writing, "A story like this one, while light and seemingly inconsequential, could definitely affect the relationship that Carol and Kamala have moving forward and this lays the groundwork for some of that.
[40] Schedeen gave it a 7.1 and said, "[Generations: The Spiders] ranks among the more disappointing chapters of the series, as it fails to add much to the Peter/Miles dynamic even with the shift in time period.
But thankfully, he's teamed up with an artist who is so talented that he's able to turn this painterly script into a work of art, making [Generations: The Spiders] definitely a book to watch.
This issue reads like the proper finale to that long run, offering the closure to Sam Wilson's tenure as Cap that Secret Empire didn't.
Hell, it may not be for anybody, but at least now Sam and Steve can dust off their old costumes and see what the future holds for them beyond the Vanishing Points, Secret Empires, and Hydra-Steves of the world.