Category: Features

Why ‘Vision Quest’ Would Be The Perfect ‘WandaVision’ Spin-Off

Earlier today, it got revealed that Marvel Studios is starting to develop spin-offs for their various Disney+ shows. Hawkeye hasn’t even aired, but the newly introduced character Echo is already getting her series. Of course, this makes you wonder what other characters may potentially get a continuation on the streaming platform. Well, the more I thought about it, I came to realize that WandaVision offers a jumping-off point for a classic storyline that barely even gets scratched in the series. As such, we might see a series inspired by the title of the 1989 comic-run, Vision Quest. It would follow White Vision’s travel of accepting his true identity after the finale.

The original storyline by John Byrne introduced a kidnapped and memory-wiped version of the Synthezoid. It was the storyline where the true identity of their children got revealed. We covered this aspect in the first released series by Marvel Studios. So, the upcoming series would pick up after the bout of philosophy. After discussing the classic philosophy of the Boat of Theseus, the two distinct versions of Vision start to bond over their existence. In a way, the version that Wanda created through her grief shares his memories with White Vision, and he declares: “I am Vision” before jetting off into the sky.

The spin-off would take place directly afterward. We see White Vision waking up anew in an unknown world. Even with his memories restored, he is uncertain what to make of his existence, so he sets out to retrace his steps. He travels the world realizing how much has changed. It creates a disconnect between the memories he has and his urge to feel a connection with them. Sokovia is just a crater, but he isn’t there for the former city. Vision visits the forest where he had his last confrontation with his creator, Ultron. He starts to retrace his steps and recovers the bot that got left behind at that time. Only remnants are left, but it reveals that Ultron was still active in the empty shell.

Together, they start to travel the world as they discuss the two opposing views of where the world is heading. They travel to New York City, where they see the former Avengers Tower in its new design from Spider-Man: Far From Home. They both start questioning how much the world has changed and if they can find a home in it. Unlike other series, his story is more of a philosophical discussion on his existence. The conflict with Ultron comes from him questioning if Vision even is a personality. Unlike his WandaVision counterpart, he is trying to find the emotions hidden within the memories he has made. He ends up forming a bond with the remnant of Ultron as they start to uncover their humanity through each other’s company. If Marvel Studios really needs a villain, they could include Hayward trying to regain his former possession. Yet, I believe that this series doesn’t have to run for long, but would be a perfect short intermission before Vision makes his next major appearance.

March 22, 2021
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Episode 1 Recap

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March 21, 2021
What The First Episode of ‘The Falcon & The Winter Soldier’ Says About Being A Black Man

My Friday morning routines since the new year have consisted of me waking up before my soon-to-be threenager, sitting up in bed, and watching the latest episode of WandaVision. Marvel delivered literal magic with that show, but attention has now rightfully shifted to what comes next as we barrel through Phase 4. We have the time-hopping adventure starring the 2012 version of the God of Mischief, a Secret Invasion subtly set up by the end of the aforementioned trip through Westview, a Black Widow movie still on the way, and an animated What If…? series that may give us even more information about the MCU’s multiverse all headed our way through the summer.

However, as WandaVision dealt with a very self-contained story within Wanda’s reality post-Blip The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is the first time we are really on the ground on this Earth that has now had a few months to adjust to 5 billion people returning and is seemingly back up and running enough to where a Captain America memorial has been unveiled and groups trying to restore the world to a Pre-Blip status quo have been able to mobilize pretty effectively. There are a lot of questions that came out of the first episode, especially when it pertains to an easter egg of Shawn Bradley-like size and whether a non-Accords supporting Sam has his own rogue army personnel working with him considering WandaVision told us the Accords were still in place, but there’s also our main characters dealing with the trauma that accompanies not just them being snapped away and then coming back: no, they’re each also dealing with the subsequent loss of their best friend and the consequences of what it meant to leave behind a past that didn’t suit you anymore.

With Bucky, that trauma has manifested itself in the form of a list he keeps to make amends. As a therapist, I can tell you this is not a bad tool to use: I’ve recommended it for kids who feel they have let down their parents, but it eventually morphs into a lesson about how no matter how much we try to make amends the person we really have to make amends with is ourselves. We’ll talk more about that as the series goes on.

With Sam, he was handed a symbol that was created by Howard Stark, the father of dearly-departed Tony Stark, and was carried by Steve Rogers. In a lot of ways, Sam Wilson is the amalgamation of Stark and Rogers in the MCU in that he represents their combined strengths (Tony’s ingenuity as evidenced when he is working on Redwing plus Steve’s desire to do what he feels is right even if it’s unpopular as evidenced by his willingness to give up the shield) and none of their weaknesses. Sam emerging from the Blip and not being able to save his family’s business is evident of Stark emerging from the cave and losing his father’s company to Stane in Iron Man, and the way he doesn’t understand how things work financially in this new world mirrors Rogers’s awakening in Times Square in The First Avenger. However, there is one distinguishing characteristic that is very evident in episode one.

Sam is a Black man in the MCU in the same way Anthony Mackie is a Black man in the Marvel universe in the aftermath of the death of Chadwick Boseman. Sam was denied a bank loan: as his sister painfully mentions, things have a way of tightening up when it comes to loans for Black folks. The banker tries to shush that away and highlights Sam’s heroics, but those heroics don’t allow for the loan to go through. The gentleman from the Smithsonian, upon receiving the shield from Sam, tells Sam he is doing the right thing: in The First Avenger, the Army cannot wait to push Steve’s face and the shield to sell bonds to pay for a world war despite Steve not being allowed on the battlefield. Think about that: Steve never fired a bullet until he found out Bucky was behind enemy lines and was still able to earn a living, but Sam just helped save the entire universe during an alien invasion yet somehow he isn’t qualified to be Captain America!? Rhodey seems to understand what’s happening, as a Black man also set to follow the legacy of a white man battling demons in bottles, and tries to counsel Sam out of giving up the shield but Sam’s decision seems made up.

After Chadwick Boseman’s death, Anthony Mackie now has the highest-profile role in the MCU for a Black man. Chadwick was the King of Wakanda and was positioned to assume the mantle of leader of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, at least one of them, and now that will inevitably fall to the MCU’s new Captain America. For a guy who has taken so many twists and turns in his career, Mackie’s time in the spotlight syncs up eerily with the timing of Marvel needing a new face of their most successful franchises: as it stands the Avengers and Captain America films, respectively, are Marvel’s most lucrative and critically-acclaimed respectively, and they’re both set to be led by Falcon. Sam’s inability to get a bank loan is something many Black folks are familiar with as much as we are familiar with us grinding and finally getting the opportunity to lead. We’ve also heard folks brought in to lead us talked about in terms like the Smithsonian dude described the man with the most punchable face: the new Captain America.

Real American values, he said.

Somebody real white, we heard.

Nick Spencer, take a bow.

Sam Wilson? This IS America.

March 20, 2021
How ‘The Flash’ Could Introduce Val-Zod as Superman

When it comes to live-action shared universes, DC has had a rough time getting the ball rolling. Whether you love the adaptions or not, their attempt at a cinematic universe has been a wild ride. Each film has felt as if it was a massive departure from the previous, as each one tackled different tones and themes. In the past few years, the restructuring of the universe has been immeasurable. They lost their caped crusader and possibly their Superman. Even with Henry Cavill campaigning for his return, there have been talks of a rebooted Superman franchise within the DCEU, specifically with a Black Superman, Val-Zod, taking the reigns.

The character is a recent addition to the DC Multiverse. Val-Zod got introduced in 2014’s Earth 2 #19 by Tom Taylor, Nicola Scott, and Robson Rocha. The character is, of course, one of the last known surviving Kryptonians in his universe. He joined Kal-El and Kara on their way to Earth, but his pod would continue to travel much longer before it eventually reached the new home planet. Vals time in space would lead him to become agoraphobic, so he spent his time on Earth refusing to step outside. Val would be found by the Wonders of The World, Earth-2’s Justice League, who would help him overcome his fears and eventually have him join up with the team and take up the mantle of Superman.

At this point, I began to see ties for what’s to come in the future of the DC Universe, and of course, it all leads to the eventual solo outing of the Scarlet Speedster. His upcoming solo film will explore the multiverse, as it takes some inspiration from Flashpoint. So far, we know that Michael Keaton returns as Batman and Sasha Calle joined as Supergirl. Now, we believed that these films would introduce the version of Gotham from 1989’s Batman, where Barry would meet the present-day versions of those heroes. While that would be quite the blast from the past, I feel, as if the creatives may be taking a different approach. When Barry first broke the dimensional barriers, he ended up on Earth-2. There he met Jay Garrick, the golden age Flash in Flash #123. So, why wouldn’t they take a similar approach?

So, how does Val-Zod ft into this story? Well, perhaps they are retconning Keaton‘s Batman to be from Earth-2. Barry tries to undo what he has unleashed, similar to Flashpoint, as this version of the Caped Crusader tries to help his new-found friend. This film would act as the introduction to Val-Zod, Earth-2’s version of the Man of Tomorrow. In the comics, Lois Lane’s version of Red Tornado helped him overcome his fears and leave his home. Flash could easily take her place in the story as they uncover the most powerful being in the universe cowering in his apartment. Barry’s insecurities make him the perfect ally to support Val-Zod. When we meet Barry, he isn’t even the Flash, yet he’s just a guy wrapped up in space gear using his speed to help out now and then. The two could help each other come into their own and accept their destiny. By the end of the film. they both proudly wear the emblems of the heroes that came before them.

March 20, 2021
How Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes Will Help Each Other Grow in “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier”

We don’t get to see the titular characters of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier interact with each other at any point during the show’s premiere, but the episode definitely lays the groundwork for their respective arcs in the series, as well as how they will intersect.

As hinted at in the show’s trailers, Sam Wilson’s arc appears to be that of learning to accept the shield as given to him by Steve Rogers and taking his place as Captain America. We already knew from Avengers: Endgame that Sam had difficulty seeing the shield as his own, but as it turns out that feeling runs much deeper than many fans anticipated. The first episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier throws a curveball at the audience pretty early on, as Sam voluntarily turns the shield over to the authorities six months after Steve passed it on to him.

It’s likely that many factors – such as the pressure to live up to his old friend’s legacy and the added implications behind a Black man carrying the shield – were behind this decision. But beyond the scene at the Smithsonian with Rhodey, we don’t get to hear much about it in this episode. Instead, the remainder of Sam’s screentime after giving up the shield is focused on his personal life. He spends time with his sister Sarah and her two children – the nephews he missed out on seeing grow up during the five years he was Blipped – and his passion for keeping the legacy of his parents alive and not wanting to lose the family business is evident.

Bucky Barnes, on the other hand, doesn’t have a family, and the closest thing he had to one is now out of the picture. This not only makes him the only (known) Super Soldier on Earth, but also the only person with the experience of growing up nearly a century prior to present day but not having the life experience of the few other living people who also did. Basically, he’s a man with no real place in the world.

Between all of this and the decades of torture he faced from HYDRA during his Winter Soldier days, Bucky is extremely resistant to trust or develop a meaningful relationship with anyone. The closest he gets in this episode is the man he meets for lunch once a week, but even that turns out to be a reminder of his past since, as he discovers towards the end of the premiere, he murdered the man’s son while he was still the Winter Soldier.

Our two leads are living very separate lives during this first episode. It’s inevitable, though, that they’ll come together sooner rather than later (the series is only six episodes long, after all) and there’s a good chance the announcement of the new Captain America is going to be the event that sets this reunion into motion. There was one brief moment in this episode, though, that likely foreshadows the result of both characters’ arcs.

When Bucky’s therapist demands to see his phone (something that would probably never happen in real life, by the way) she mentions that Sam has sent him multiple texts that he has not replied to. While the content of these messages is unknown, their existence tells us that Sam is trying to reach out to Bucky and maybe make sure that he’s okay, just like he does with his sister in this episode, and just like he does for Steve and Natasha in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Despite the prevalent scenes in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s marketing featuring its two leads claiming they’re not friends, only co-workers, I highly suspect this will change by the end of the series. Bucky has been set up for an arc where he learns that there are people he can trust, and Sam is obviously going to be one of those people. But Bucky learning to trust again isn’t only going to serve his own arc, but Sam’s as well. Steve Rogers was chosen for the experiment that resulted in him becoming the original Captain America because Dr. Erskine deemed him as “not a perfect soldier, but a good man.” This is also a great description for Sam Wilson; he’s not a supersoldier, but he truly cares about people and is willing to go to bat for what he believes is right. Once he realizes that – and possibly succeeds in convincing others of it as well – he will be ready to accept the shield, and all that comes with it.

I guess the joke about “custody of Bucky” coming along with the Captain America shield just might actually ring true after all.

March 19, 2021
‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ Rolling Credits Tease 2 Major Character Appearances

Marvel Studios The Falcon and The Winter Soldier has finally premiered and while the episode itself introduced some pretty great new characters to the MCU. Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres seems set to be Sam’s man-in-the-chair throughout the series and we met the group that appears to be the series’ main antagonists, the Flag-Smashers, comprised of Erin Kellyman’s Karli Morgenthau, Desmond Chiam’s Dovich, Indya Bussey’s Dee Dee and Dani Deette’s Gigi. We also got a couple of cameos from returning characters with Batroc and Rhodey showing up to remind us just how vast this connected universe has become over the last 13 years. And on any other day, message boards and social media would be abuzz with theories about how any or all of those characters are going to play into the series; however, in this case, it’s a couple of characters referenced in the episode’s end credits (not even in the typical Marvel Studios mid-credits/post-credits reveals!) that deserve the attention.

Obviously, there are spoilers below so if you haven’t see the episode yet, please proceed at your own risk.

During the end credits to episode one, we are treated to references to 2 characters who will certainly have a MAJOR impact on the series: Isaiah Bradley and the mysterious Power Broker. First at 43:31, we see a shot of actor Carl Lumbly as part of a case file brought up from a search log. That shot proceeds a frame at 43:54 that includes the words “POWERBROKER WATCHING” alongside a couple of vials of what is most definitely Super Soldier serum (if the blue color didn’t give it away, you can put it together with the fact that Chiam’s Dovich is clearly juiced up). While it’s surprising that Marvel Studios reveals these characters, who do not appear within the run time of the episode, it’s also an incredibly tantalizing tease of what’s to come.

Late last January, we collected some evidence that suggested that we might just see Isaiah Bradley in this series. Our suspicions were furthered when Lumbly was announced as part of the cast just about one month later. Even at 69 years old, Lumbly is still a physically imposing man who fits the bill as Bradley. Given how the series will explore what it would mean for a Black man to take on the mantle of Captain America in modern times, it always made a ton of sense for Marvel Studios to find a way to work Bradley, a Black man who took on the mantle in the past, to meet up with Sam while he struggles to make the choice. The search log for Lumbly’s character names him “subject #02656” and mentions experimentation. Given everything we know about the series, this is the last bit of evidence we need to know that Bradley will appear in the series. And as we mentioned here, Isaiah Bradley showing up in the series opens the door for his grandson, Eli Bradley, a member of the Young Avengers, to enter the MCU as well. Just a couple of months ago we connected some more imaginary dots that lead us to believe actor Elijah Richardson had been cast as Eli Bradley, and right now the evidence is definitely all pointing to that coming to fruition as well.

The inclusion of the Power Broker (and the tease that this character is the one who is juicing up the Flag-Smashers) is equally exciting. Back in August, we explored how the Power Broker would fit really well into The Falcon and The Winter Soldier given both the themes surrounding Steve’s legacy, the Super Soldier serum and the fact that the mid-1980’s Captain America run by Marvel Comics legend Mark Gruenwald was a major source of inspiration for the show and that many of the characters from that run, including John Walker, were making their MCU debuts here. This end credits tease confirms the impending arrival of the Power Broker in the series while still shrouding the identity of the character in mystery (I will tell you that the correct identity of the Power Broker is in the article linked above, however).

For a studio that prides itself on its ability to keep secrets, Marvel Studios has let the proverbial cats out of their bags here with these two teases. Of course there’s still the beauty of watching it play out and the mystery around who the Power Broker is and why he or she is doing what he or she is doing for us all to enjoy and watch unfold over the next 5 episodes.

March 19, 2021
Sam Wilson: The Story So Far

As WandaVision has concluded, we quickly transition to this week’s premiere of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier series on Disney+. There’s no time like the present to catch up with the characters that we’ve come to know and love (or even hate). The upcoming series has an extensive cast returning and continuing their stories in the series. Today, we’ll explore the history of the only MCU character who probably gets a neck spasm because he’s always looking to his left, Sam Wilson. It’s time to catch up to the Falcon’s story.

Sam Wilson’s MCU journey begins right at the outset of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Sam meets Steve Rogers as they’re both going through a jog in Washington, D.C., which leads to the iconic “on your left” line. They become fast friends as Sam empathizes with Steve’s history as a soldier, as Sam himself was a veteran of the United States Air Force Pararescueman. He served tours in overseas military actions, and he was selected to test a prototype military wingsuit with his friend Riley, who tragically perished during combat. Later, as Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff are on the run from Hydra, Sam lends his help along with the suit. He then decides to join Cap on his mission to find his old friend.

In Avengers Age Of Ultron, Sam returns in a brief cameo as he attends an Avengers party in celebration of retrieving Loki’s scepter from Hydra. They briefly discuss the search of Barnes. It isn’t until the end that he officially joins the superhero team. He does make a brief appearance in Ant-Man, where he fights Scott Long. By the end of the film, we find out through Luis that Sam is looking for Scott.

We next see him in action alongside the other Avengers, as they are taking down Crossbones. After tragedy strikes and the Sokovia Accords are set into motion, Wilson joins Rogers’s firm stance against them. Once Bucky is suspected of bombing and killing T’Chaka, they track him down as multiple confrontations ensue. Eventually, all three of them get arrested along with the Black Panther, T’Challa. Even after Zemo releases Sam doesn’t trust Bucky but continues showing loyalty to Steve. Sam suggests to Steve that he should recruit Scott Lang to help them out. Wilson takes part in the battle at the Berlin airport. After the fight, he ends up getting arrested. When Tony Stark arrives at the Raft to find out Rogers’s whereabouts, he reluctantly tells him their location.

After Steve breaks out his friends, we see them return in Avengers: Infinity War. Wilson is part of the group that rescues Wanda Maximoff and Vision from Thanos’ children. They return to the Avengers base for the first time in two years, where they finally get to reunite with James Rhodes. Next, he ends up in Wakanda, where he takes part in the battle against Thanos’ army. Even as he does his best, Thanos snaps his fingers, and he gets dusted alongside the rest of them. He doesn’t return until Avengers: Endgame. After dropping an iconic line, Falcon joins the rematch with the Mad Titan. He attends Tony’s funeral and is there when Rogers brings the Infinity Stones back to when they got them.

That isn’t the end of his story so far, as he meets an older version of Steve, who lived out his life with Peggy Carter. With it, he passes on the torch of Captain America to his good friend. We’re left with Sam Wilson holding the shield as his story continues when The Falcon and The Winter Soldier premieres on March 19th on Disney+.

March 18, 2021
Theory Thursday: Mordo’s Role in the “Multiverse of Madness”

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated Marvel movies of Phase 4, coming March 2022. The name of the sequel alone has managed to spark hundreds of thousands of theories regarding its plot and after the WandaVision finale post-credit scene, fans certainly can’t wait to see what Marvel Studios has in store for the film. Helmed by director Sam Raimi, the film already has a star-studded cast with the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Xochitl Gomez. Today, we’ll take a look at Karl Mordo, who was last seen in 2016’s Doctor Strange, and what role he might have to play in the sequel.

When we last saw Mordo, he paid fellow sorcerer, Jonathan Pangborn, a visit in his workshop during the Doctor Strange post-credit sequence. In it, we learn that Mordo had left Kamar Taj many months after the events of the film took place. He talked about how he had a revelation and that the true purpose of a sorcerer was to “twist things out of their proper shape… stealing power… perverting nature.” He absorbs Pangborn’s power and strips him of it before finishing with what he sees wrong with the world: “Too many sorcerers.”

Following the MCU timeline we’ve prepared, we know that it’s been approximately around 7 years since we’ve seen Mordo. It is possible that during that time, he’s been searching for other sorcerors and possibly absorbing their magic as well. Now, at the time, this ability seemed rather new, but thanks to WandaVision, we know that both sorcerers and witches have the ability to absorb the energy from another magical user, so it is possible that during his time in exile, Mordo could have learned this ability from other persons or means. That plot will certainly carry over into the Doctor Strange sequel, but how exactly is the question.

Marvel Studios has been upping its game in terms of developing more complex antagonists than flat-out villains. What I mean by this is that a lot of the characters that play the role of the “antagonist” to our “protagonist” really present motives that justify their actions and really blur the lines between the standard “good vs evil” motif. Some examples within the MCU are Vulture, Thanos, Killmonger, Baron Zemo, and Agatha Harkness to name a few. I sense that Mordo might do the same in this sequel. Out of all of the characters I mentioned above, Mordo is a character that clearly is a stickler for rules and the “natural order”. Coming into the Multiverse of Madness, I sense Mordo might not play an antagonist to Dr. Strange throughout the whole film, but rather present to us again the team-up dynamic between Strange and Mordo.

Many theorize (myself included) that a world (perhaps even universe) ending event could occur during Multiverse of Madness and Wanda Maximoff aka The Scarlet Witch is at the center of it all. Wanda’s powers at the end of WandaVision have significantly grown since we saw her debut in 2015. Wanda literally had the ability to create her own pocket reality and cast “magic on autopilot” as Agatha Harkness put it. And now that she’s in the possession of the Darkhold, who knows what sort of magic she could learn. The point in case being, whatever Wanda is up to, it’s most likely not going to be good. Especially with that prophecy that Agatha recited regarding the Scarlet Witch. This of course will draw the attention of Dr. Strange who may attempt to put a lock on Wanda and given Mordo’s current goal and interest to stop ALL sorcerors, then at the moment, the two might share a common goal and a common enemy; to stop Wanda Maximoff and make sure that the Scarlet Witch prophecy never comes to pass.

Now, of course, while their interests to stop Wanda align, that doesn’t mean that the two necessarily have the same ideas as to how to stop Wanda. Dr. Strange will probably attempt to help Wanda hone in her powers and pass through her grief in an adequate manner, but Mordo on the other hand might see her as a threat to the natural order and try to stop Wanda Maximoff by any means necessary, including possibly absorbing her power. This goes back to the idea I was mentioning about how Mordo has become a complex character, a character who believes he has the best intentions in the world, but obviously is morally wrong. But for now, we can only wait until Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness drops in theaters in 2022.

March 18, 2021
‘Marvel’s Avengers’: Pitching Non-Marvel Cinematic Universe Skins

Here’s a special something before we get into the article. Today’s Marvel’s Avengers article is a special one, as we are cooperating with the upcoming Assemble for Charity event, which you can follow via Twitter via @AForCharity. It’s a 24-hour Community Livestream that starts on 18th March at 10 AM PT/5 PM GMT. The community is celebrating the release of the next DLC character by supporting the Cancer Fund for Children. I will also be part of the opening event, so be sure to drop by and support a good cause.

You can access the Twitch link by clicking on the following Stream Schedule:

I have been writing about Marvel’s Avengers for some time now. Tomorrow, we’ll finally get the release of the second DLC character, Hawkeye. Clint Barton isn’t alone, as we are also getting quite a lot of content to celebrate the game’s next-gen update. Players will finally be able to revisit the campaign with the push of a button. Anyone who wants to experiment around will be able to do so with the new customizable HARM room. It’s looking to be their biggest update and hopefully only the beginning of a lot more to come. We’ve already talked in-depth about how they could update their endgame content, so I wanted to have some fun with this one. Here are a few ideas for some ways to add unique skins they can add to the game.

Embrace the Avengers’ Media History

We have been focused primarily on getting Marvel Cinematic Universe skins and comic-inspired skins. However, these characters have had quite a few adaptations throughout the years. It would be amazing to see skins inspired by the animated series Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. How about we get even crazier? I would love to see the insane costumes introduced in Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers. They went all out with overdesigning these characters and it would be such an amazing addition to the game.

There have also been attempts at adapting the franchise in live-action before. It would be wonderful to have a cheesy outfit inspired by 1977’s The Incredible Hulk. Just imagine the Green Goliath rocking that hairstyle in the game. Some designs are getting sold by Square-Enix that would make for fantastic additions to the game. I am talking about the Variant figures designed by the man behind Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy 7s designs, Tetsuya Nomura. They already own the designs. So, why not bring them into the game? They are just as crazy as those from the previously-mentioned Disc Wars Anime, and it would be a shame not to use them if the game carries the Square-Enix logo

A Hero’s Final Fantasy

Speaking of Square-Enix, it wouldn’t be too surprising to think that they would have the possibility to utilize the iconic designs from their historic gaming library. I would love to see the Avengers in Final Fantasy or other famous franchise-inspired outfits. Steve Rogers would look great in Cloud’s costume from last year’s remake. How about Iron Man’s armor inspired by Automata‘s machines? Who wouldn’t want to see a Deus Ex outfit for Clint? Crystal Dynamics has its flagship franchise that they can use for inspiration. Black Widow would look fantastic in a Tomb Raider-inspired costume. These are just some ideas off of the top of my head. Of course, they should focus on Marvel adaptations, but I think they can start expanding to add something special.

Freaky Friday

Here’s a simple yet hilarious idea for a future skin update. Wouldn’t it be hilarious if the different Avengers members swapped costumes? I could imagine Captain America wearing an Iron Man-inspired armor that got made from a cheap carton. It would be the perfect joke costume for Halloween. Hulk running around with a mini bow on his back would be hilarious. CD could even throw in a special emote of him trying to grab it on his back unsuccessfully. I mainly got the idea while thinking back when Tom Hiddleston and Charlie Cox dressed up as their respective characters during a convention. Just like the other skins, these are some simple ideas that would add something special to the game as it starts to expand.

March 17, 2021
Bucky Barnes: The Story So Far

James Buchanan Barnes is no stranger to a fight. He’s about to embark on another one in the upcoming The Falcon and The Winter Soldier series premiering this week on Disney+. Let’s take a look back at his complicated and sometimes horrid history within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers grow up together as best friends. he was always there to help the weaker Rogers when it came t handling bullies. During a double date, Bucky reveals that he’s enlisting in the army. While fighting in the 107th infantry, he is captured by Armin Zola unaware of Steve’s transformation into Captain America. When he found out about his friends’ torture, he heads out to help him, where he uncovered strange experiments were being done to him. In a mission to capture the German scientist, Barnes gets caught in the ambush and plummets to his presumed death.

It isn’t until Captain America, the Winter Soldier that we are introduced to the Winter Soldier. Bucky survived the fall from the train but lost his left arm in the process. He was found by the Soviet Union and HYDRA, who experimented on him. They gave him superhuman strength and a cybernetic arm. Over the next fifty years, he was their number one assassin, eliminating anyone who posed a threat. Steve confronts him and can reawaken Bucky’s consciousness. He went into hiding ever since until he was framed for the bombing of the UN in Vienna two years later.

He becomes the catalyst of Captain America: Civil War, as Zemo uses him to get his hands on the whereabouts of proto-Super Soldiers in Siberia. He used a secret code implanted into Bucky’s mind that activates his murderous side. It turns out, the wild goose chase with the Avengers was all to unveil secret footage of him killing Stark’s parents to rip the Avengers apart from the inside. Stark attempts his life, where he teams up with Rogers to stop him. In fear of the programming within his mind, he has frozen again in Wakanda so that no one can manipulate him again.

After taking some time to recover, Bucky joins the group of former Avengers to aid them in a battle against Thano’s army in Avengers: Infinity War. He battles alongside Steve and Rocket Raccoon, who tries to buy his new Wakandan arm. Unfortunately, Thanos achieves his goal of gaining all of the stones and snaps half of all life out of existence. Bucky happens to be one of the people who fade from existence. It isn’t until five years later that Bucky is resurrected and participates in the final battle against Thanos. After the war has finally been won, he says farewell to his old friend in a somber moment before allowing Sam Wilson to take

How does Bucky live in a world without Captain America? More importantly, can he? Will his time as the Winter Soldier continues to haunt him? These questions and more will be answered as The Falcon And The Winter Soldier commences on March 19th on Disney+

March 17, 2021