Giant Guy's right -- the difference is, almost a decade has passed. But it's got nothing to do with Joe Q. "learning a thing or two", as that implies that cancelling Hidden Years was a "rookie mistake". It wasn't. It was part of a strategy, which worked for them at the time -- and now they're following a different strategy. Which, after eight years, they're certainly allowed to do.

In 2000, the Bill Jemas era was just beginning and Marvel was pruning all sorts of things, refocusing their characters with a more "street-level" view and cutting away lots of the standard comic tropes -- notably, complicated backstory. A series set in the past certainly qualified.

But in 2008, Marvel has a different market to deal with, and has returned to embracing the bloated, complicated multiple comic universes that Jemas shunned ... we've seen a billion miniseries fleshing out characters' origins, and several different "universes" co-existing (regular Marvel, Ultimate Comics, Marvel Adventures, etc.). The strategy right now seems to be to flood the market.

Comics are cyclical. I expect in another few years we'll see another contraction and refocusing as comics try to redfine themselves past "men in tights with complicated backstories punch each other". Then a few years after that it'll return to four-color fun. Such is the way of things...

-Jeph!
STILL TROLLING