In 1996 something happened that had exciting possibilities - not the storyline itself, but something which back in 1996 conditions weren't right to capitalize on - but they're perfect now.
So picture a storyline taking place right now where the FF, Iron Man, Thor, various Avengers - this time maybe throw in Spidey and Daredevil and maybe some X Men etc - essentially 80% of the most iconic and popular characters in the MU (Wolverine dead and old man Steve Rogers gets a pass). Like Heroes Reborn, most of the iconic Marvels are shunted to an alt universe or somewhere. Don't worry about them - you'll still be able to read about them in their line of comics - ones that took the lessons of HRB and used that folly to create good comics.
What i'm concerned about is this ... who is left in the MU and which heroes can be 'promoted' and shaped to grow their brand and recognizability.
Thanks to the films we are seeing formerly obscurer concepts such as The Guardians stepping up - Rocket Racoon as a break out character! So can this be done in universe - with the 'superstars' off elsewhere and believed dead for at least 2 years worth of comics, who do you give the push to and how?
So first off if you were writing - which of the really big characters do you keep in universe and who do you send away and then which B to Z list heroes do you give their own comic to? What does your remains in 616 Avengers and X teams look like.
So imagine for example, no Cyclops, Wolverine or Storm in the X Men (Don't worry you still get to see them in alt X Men along with a few others - except Wolvy, who is dead still) - who steps up, who gets screen time and a chance to shine?
My picks for shunting off would be Avengers: Iron Man, Thor, Falcon Cap, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Hulk, Black Panther, Spider Man, Luke Cage and Captain Marvel plus maybe a few lesser knowns leaving old man Steve to choose a new 616 Cap and maybe get an old school Vision, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Hercules, Black Knight and a few others team together.
Shunt off a small X team - Cyclops, Storm, Collossus, Rogue and a few younger mutants to give a real mix.
Back in 616 give an X push to Iceman, Nightcrawler and a few others with plenty of screen time for everyone from New Mutants generation to New X Men, focusing on some more and others less but allowing a good 10-14 characters more screen time than they have right now with Cyclops etc dominating it.
Big guns to remain in 616 - Doctor Strange with a new relaunched comic.
I would probably give solo and mini pushes to Quicksilver, Hank Pym, Hercules (Moon Knight comic continues in the alt world) and a new Defenders. Captain Britain and Excalibur - give lesser seen characters more time in team books - Nighthawk, Gargoyle, Stingray, Paladin, a line of Midnight Sons but interacting with the greater MU ...
What would you do?