Category: Features

DC’s ‘Black Adam’: Who is Isis?

Black Adam is quite possibly one of the most anticipated DC movies in development and is already living up to the hype with the addition of some of DC’s most iconic characters. With such a rich library to pick from, the film will introduce those from the Justice Society and the Black Marvel Family. The hierarchy of power in the DC universe is about to change and Black Adam won’t let anything stand in between him and protecting the kingdom that he’s called home for thousands of years.

Based on a character played by Joanna Cameron from the Shazam!/Isis Hour, Adrianna Tomaz, once a slave, was a gift to Black Adam from the infamous Intergang, a group of mercs powered up by stolen Apokolips technology. Adam quickly cut these mercenaries down and freed Adrianna who quickly became critical of the way Adam was running Kahndaq and how he could be doing things better. Adam quickly fell for Adrianna and the two would wed in a ceremony officiated by Shazam, with many prominent members of the Shazamly in attendance such as Mary Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr, Uncle Dudley, and of course Tawky Tawny.

Adrianna was given the the amulet of Isis after being approved by now sitting wizard, Captain Marvel. The amulet once belonged to Queen Pharaoh Hatshepsut, a previous champion of the wizard. The amulet of Isis, once in hand and the words “I am Isis” are spoken, allowed he or she who wore it to be instilled with the powers of the goddess Isis: speed, strength, wisdom, flight, and the ability to control nature. Together Adam and Adrianna traveled throughout the Middle East freeing the enslaved and searching for Adrianna’s lost brother, Amon, after the two were separated in enslavement. Amon would soon become bestowed with powers similar to Adam and Tomaz, donning the name Osiris.

A much more watered down version of the character named Zari, played by Tala Ashe, has become a series regular on Legends of Tomorrow wielding a similar amulet that allows her to control wind, the character is a hacker from the future who joined the legends to save her brother. Sarah Shahi has been cast in Black Adam and will play the powerful love interest herself.

October 15, 2020
Connecting Imaginary Dots: Tyler Dean Flores Joins the Cast of ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’

CONNECTING IMAGINARY DOTS ARE PIECES WE WRITE HERE THAT ALLOW US TO BE WHAT WE ALL TRULY ARE: FANS. THESE SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS SCOOPS, EXCLUSIVES OR FACTS; JUST SPECULATION ABOUT THE THINGS FOR WHICH WE ALL SHARE A GREAT PASSION.

Much of the cast of the Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier has been working in Prague for the past week or so and evidence suggests that we might be able to add one more to their number in the person of actor Tyler Dean Flores. An up and comer with under a dozen film or TV appearances, Flores might actually be the answer to a question I’ve been working on for nearly a year! Let’s take a look at the evidence and get into how he might be the missing puzzle piece I’ve been searching for.

Last night, an Instagram follower first alerted me to the possibility of Flores having joined the cast by sharing some recent Instagram photos that seemed to indicate that Flores was spending some time with Erin Kellyman, an actress whose now confirmed role in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier was first revealed by Murphy’s Multiverse in a Connecting Imaginary Dots feature, and some other cast members.

A quick check of Twitter showed that the same information had been noticed by Screen Rant’s Cooper Hood. Some further investigation of Flores’ social media turned up another solid piece of evidence when the actor revealed he was, in fact, working in Prague, though he would not reveal the project.

I’d say on it’s own the cumulative social media evidence presents a pretty solid case for the Harlem native having joined the cast but there’s one more dot to connect here and, in doing so, it solves one of my longest standing mysteries around the series. Late last Fall/early last Winter, a casting call was shared for me that indicated Marvel Studios was searching for an Hispanic/Latinx actor to play a supporting role in the series. I couldn’t dig up the communications to find the date, but I know it was around the time we broke the news that Adepero Oduye has joined the series. I know that some other “scoopers” and one Hollywood trade were also in possession of the info and trying to find out who had landed to role as well. Seeing Flores hanging out in Prague with the rest of the cast gives me at least a small level of confidence that he is the actor who landed the role and, if the sizes of the roles of some of the other actors he has been working with are anything to go by, Flores’ role might extend beyond this series…perhaps as a member of the Thunderbolts. Of course none of this is confirmed at this point, so the evidence has to speak for itself, but in this case, I think it makes a pretty compelling case.

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is currently filming and is now expected to stream on Disney Plus sometime in early 2021.

October 15, 2020
10 Comics That Could Use The Film and TV Treatment

With the release of the Invincible trailer reminding us that there are still many amazing comics out there that haven’t been picked up by major production companies, here is a list of ten non-Marvel and non-DC properties that would make for great projects either for the big or small screen. I tried to keep it a bit varied, both in terms of tone and genre, with books that left their mark when I first read them.

BLACK SCIENCE (2013-2019, 43 issues)

Both Marvel and DC seem to be diving headfirst into their own Multiverses in the coming years, with WandaVision, the Doctor Strange sequel, and The Flash. But it’ll be hard to top what Black Science achieved in that regard for six straight years.

Here we follow Grant McKay, a member of the Anarchist League of Scientists, his family, and his team of scientists and military personnel as they try to maneuver through a seemingly infinite number of universes (the “Eververse”) tapped into following the creation of the device they call “the Pillar”. These “Dimensionauts” have then to deal with a malfunctioning Pillar, that much like we saw in Quantum Leap, throws them into random worlds challenging them every step of the way, as they try to make their way back home, and back to each other.

Why it could work: I have a hard time trying to figure out if this project would lend itself to TV or cinema. Its visual spectacle deserves the biggest screen possible, but the storyline would make for an enthralling series through several seasons. What I do know is that the best stories, with the most fantastic premises, are only as good as the human elements presented to the audience. And Black Science is not only one of the best science-fiction stories I’ve ever read but also one of the most human, with all our dreams and flaws painstakingly presented, where family and friendships are the centers of one’s universe. And sometimes you just need to fight your way to get to them. What is more relatable than that?

THE MASSIVE (2012-2014, 30 issues)

After an earth-shattering event, we follow the environmentalist crew of the ship The Kapital as they search the world for their missing sister ship, The Massive. With the world falling apart, we question what is there still to fight for, what is there to protect but the ability to rise above it all, as the tides did to dry ground.

Why it could work: The biggest challenge we face as a species is for how long can we keep our planet our home. Earth won’t die, nature will adapt, we just have to make sure we are along for the ride. This book isn’t that optimistic as it shows us the worst-case scenario, where not only our home but our humanity is gone. At a time when every help in addressing global warming is a welcome one, that alone would make this a relevant show by making us look in the mirror at a time when everything we see is still avoidable.

PAPER GIRLS (2015-2019, 30 issues)

Stranger Things meets Back to the Future. A coming-of-age story about a group of four 12-year-old girls that due to unforeseen circumstances become involved in a war between two factions of time travelers. Unlike most other books and movies, here they have no problem in meeting up with their past and future selves, as they need any help they can get trying to get back home to 1988 while saving the world at the same time.

Why it could work: Stranger Things was and still is, a phenomenon. But this show has the potential of going a step further in the cultural zeitgeist. Meshing 80s nostalgia with any other era’s they happen to choose (Time Travel!!) while keeping that Goonies vibe and throwing in Generation X and Y growing pains, it is something that can work on so many levels, on so many demographics, that in the world we live in of constant reboots and sequels it quite baffling that we haven’t yet gotten the chance to get this original project going.

THE PAYBACKS (2015-2016, 8 issues)

A superhero comic with a twist. When heroes borrow money to finance their gadgets and genetic enhancements, there comes a time when that money must be paid back in full. When that doesn’t happen, it’s time to call The Paybacks, a team of bankrupt superheroes that work as repo men in order to pay their own debts. But this time, the hunters become the prey, and someone is coming to collect.

Why it could work: Superhero stories rule the world. This isn’t necessarily a good thing, but from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the hottest streaming show right now (The Boys), it’s hard to say otherwise. So, right off the bat, this shows would seem like a safe bet. It would work as a sort of middle-ground between the more mainstream superhero movies and the TV-MA we sometimes get, a different take on the superhero gig where things aren’t as black and white as in other projects, but a lot lighter than being choked to death by a giant penis.

PUNK ROCK JESUS (2012-2013, 6 issues)

What if we could bring Jesus back to life through cloning? With the discovery of a sample of his DNA, that’s exactly what the entertainment company OPHIS did. But to make matters worse, they decided to raise him inside a Reality TV show with the entire world watching. Like many teenagers, most in far better circumstances, he rebels and turns to punk rock, with great religious and political consequences.

Why it could work: Back in 2003 Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code took the world by storm as it tried to put into question centuries-old dogmas. Most people aren’t really big fans of reading, but that didn’t stop it from becoming a worldwide phenomenon that transcended reading habits and got everybody talking about the what-ifs Brown presented. A TV show that brought that same sort of discussions to an even more mainstream audience through an engaging storyline filled with modern cultural references would dominate our cultural climate, especially in the times we live in where everything can be a reason for outrage.

SEVEN TO ETERNITY (2016-PRESENT, 13 issues, so far)

A Lord of the Rings-style epic, set in a fantasy world filled with wonder, demons, witches, and Gods. We follow Adam Osidis, along with an order of magical warriors, on his quest to free the world of the God of Whispers’ enchantment that keeps everybody engulfed in despair and suspicion. He must then choose between doing what’s right, and following his own heart’s desires.

Why it could work: This sort of fantasy epics have proven to have an audience, no matter the times we live in. The Lord of the Rings was as relevant at the beginning of the 20th century as it had been when JRR Tolkien first wrote the novel almost 50 years earlier. Game of Thrones became a cultural juggernaut for the entirety of its run and people are still clamoring for George RR Martin to finish the books. Seven to Eternity, unlike Thrones, has an ending within sight, and with a much less grounded setting, it would seem to be able to fill a thematic void The Witcher also managed to tap into.

SHIRTLESS BEAR FIGHTER (2017, 5 issues)

There’s really not much to say about this series that isn’t in its title. He’s a brawny bearded guy raised in the forest by bears. He’s shirtless (and sometimes naked). He likes to punch bears because they betrayed him. And he loves flapjacks. While not being innovating in any shape or form, this book has the potential to become the most entertaining 10-minute cartoon episode you’ll watch all day. Every day.

Why it could work: In a world where short-form content gets all the views (unless you’re called Quibi), a cartoon with short episodes but with above-average laughs-per-second could go The Simpsons‘ way as they rose beyond The Tracey Ullman Show. Production costs should be low and being able to share it through social networks daily could help it grow beyond expectations. I mean, who wouldn’t like to see a (sometimes) naked lumberjack-type throw some bear-punches?

THESE SAVAGE SHORES (2018-2019, 5 issues)

Ever since it came out, if anyone asks me for a non-Marvel, non-DC comic to try out, this is my only answer. And with the right director, it would make for an amazing full-length motion picture.

Set in the seventeen hundreds, as the British look into establishing themselves as an influential economic power in India, working behind the scenes to try and manipulate local rulers into wars only they would benefit from. This faraway territory also served as an escape for whoever needed to run away from western civilization, expecting never to be seen again. But when that someone is a monster that thinks of this as merely a new playground on which to feast, it’s hard to remain both unnoticed and unscathed. After all, there are monsters everywhere.

Why it could work: Movies are supposed to transport us to different realities with a familiar starting point to help us identify with the events to come. This story, while not taking us to outer space or the far future, makes us connect with a period and location left mostly untapped in western film productions that still manages to keep you at the edge of your seat. Taking familiar horror elements and reshaping their food-chain status when faced with new foes can help audiences get away from the familiar tropes and dive into a new world of possibilities when it comes to fantastical beings.

THE WAKE (2013-2014, 10 issues)

This would make for an incredible couple of movies, as the story itself is already pretty much divided into two parts, one set in the present, the other in the far future. Think The Abyss meets Waterworld. We follow a team of scientists as they discover an aggressive new species locked away in the oceans below us since ancient times. This unstoppable alpha predator knows no rest and quickly conquers the planet, leaving little room for humanity to thrive.

Why it could work: This is the blockbuster of the bunch. And there is always room for another one of those. The scope of the story and the incredible visuals lends themselves to an incredible cinematic experience and having the first movie end on such a sour note would make the anticipation for the sequel mimic what people felt in-between Infinity War and Endgame.

WE STAND ON GUARD (2015, 6 issues)

Independence Day meets Red Dawn. One hundred years in the future, Canada relies on a group of freedom fighters to protect its territory from a foreign threat. The United States of America. And so the USA becomes the faceless enemy, the technologically superior foe with the skewed ideals, looking to steal the natural resources it’s lacking (due to intentional oversight) from a more refined society.

Why it could work: Growing up with mostly American-centered movies, there is always something refreshing when the USA (that like all other countries in the world, isn’t always on the right side of history) is shown as the antagonist. As in Dances with Wolves, we experience an invasion through a new perspective, making us question the authority behind military force, and how with great power comes great responsibility.

(I can’t believe I just wrote that.)

BONUS: DEADLY CLASS (2014-PRESENT, 44 issues, so far)

I ended up wanting an extra stop on the list to get Deadly Class in here. Unlike the other series, this one has already been adapted to the small screen, having premiered in late 2018 on SyFy. It only lasted one season, being canceled after 10 episodes, but it was glorious and it deserved a second go. It’s set in the 80s and its plot revolves around Marcus, a disenfranchised orphan who enters a school for assassins, where the kids of the world’s most dangerous criminals look to live up to their families standards. But Marcus doesn’t care about any of that. All he wants is to try and kill the man he holds responsible for his parent’s death. President Ronald Reagan.

From Hunter S. Thompson-style road trips to comic book stores, from severed heads to punk rock, it’s all there, as we explore the ethos and aspirations of the late 80s counterculture. It’s a shame we’ll never get to see what was to come in the following seasons on the small screen, but we’ll always have the unbelievable source material created by Rick Remender and Wes Craig to dive into, the way it was always meant to be experienced.

Why it could work: Just go and watch the first season because.. it did work. If you like it, and since we won’t get more episodes out of it, go read the comics. Seriously.

October 13, 2020
Black Panther May Have Been ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ First DLC Character

Marvel’s Avengers players are starving for content. So far, we only got the Mega Hive as post-launch addition with more on the way. Just recently, the community manager took to Reddit to share that they are taking current concerns seriously. It was a necessary touch to give players some reassurance. They did confirm we would receive a confirmation for the timings by next week. To build up to that moment, I’ve been rewatching old War Table videos. My goal was to get a feeling for what the plans may have been for the game. As such, I just felt like playing around with a theory as we wait for the official reveal of future content by the developer Crystal Dynamics.

The game’s release kicked off with quite a few bugs, so a delay is part of the course in the Games-as-a-Service model. Yet, we wouldn’t get our first real addition until the end of October with Kate Bishop. The reveal trailer at the time included a brief tribute to Chadwick Boseman with the info that Black Panther would not be included as originally planned. I started wondering when they planned to reveal him, as we haven’t heard anything about the character in over a month. I was rewatching the War Table that gave us our first DLC reveal, and something caught my eye while going through the initial reveal for Hawkeye. His symbol was the second among the four.

Every Avenger has a unique symbol in the game, which is used in the character select menu. It seemed like initially, they were planning to reveal four characters at one point. Optimistically speaking, maybe they planned on four DLC characters for 2020. There is no confirmation for that, but it could’ve been a monthly release once the game was made available. Still, what we are focusing on is the placement of Hawkeye’s symbol.

This visual would confirm he was always going to be the second addition. A month later, we learned Kate Bishop would be our first official post-launch character. As mentioned previously, Black Panther seemed to have a larger role in that War Table’s reveal until he was delayed. Both Bishop and Hawkeye’s operations are confirmed as a double feature so he may have been the third DLC character. Yet, something doesn’t quite add up once you take a closer look at later showcases of the video. If you rewatch the brief tease of Bishop’s operation, you’ll notice a similarity between hers and Clint Barton’s. The unique symbol is identical to the one we saw during Hawkeye’s reveal.

The initial reveal video showed something more akin to the Fraction comic’s bullseye logo. Even early leaks seemed to reveal a unique logo for potential echo characters like War Machine. So, it would’ve made sense for her bullseye visual to be Kate Bishop’s unique design. Even if the Hawkeye stories are a double-feature, why give characters one-of-a-kind visuals if they aren’t the operations? In reality, we never actually saw her symbol transition into an in-game design. It was just a visual flair during the video to call back to the comics. It also opens up the question of how character selection would include both characters. Crystal Dynamics might be giving you the option to chose Hawkeye with an additional choice between the variations. If this is the case, why is Hawkeye’s symbol the second one if both characters share it in-game?

It seemed that Black Panther was going to be an aspect of the first character reveal. At one point, he may have been the first DLC in the game. It may also explain why Kate’s DLC release is delayed until the end of October. There is also the addition of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Substation Zero operation will lead to Kate’s storyline. It will introduce us to the Tachyon Rifts that will play an important role in the Avengers Initiative campaign. So, if Black Panther was going to be the first released, his story may have built up towards these rifts. The delay also could mean that some parts of the story had to be rewritten or adapted, which added to the current content delays.

Keep in mind, this is nothing more than a theory but it is an interesting one with the information that was originally given by the developers. In some way, maybe the lack of a release date for Kate Bishop may also be caused by the upcoming Disney+ show. Marvel Studios confirmed her inclusion in Hawkeye, so they were forced to wait for the official reveal of the actress to build upon that hype. The synergy between Marvel’s ventures is great for the shows but may have also added to the issues that plagued the game’s release. No matter what may have been the reason, it is interesting how these things come together.

Source: Reddit, YouTube

October 12, 2020
Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Widow’: Who is Rick Mason?

As Marvel Studios has once again postponed Black Widow‘s release, it gives us some time to brush up on our comic history. The film will focus on Natasha Romanoff’s history with the Red Room. It is a top-secret Soviet institute that turned young women into elite assassins. Of course, Natasha was once a member before joining S.H.I.E.L.D. at an unknown point. The upcoming film will dive deep into the various characters from her past who all may have deep ties with the secret organization. So, let’s use this opportunity to dive deep into the various characters in 400 words or less.

Rick Mason is a mercenary who specialized in non-lethal combat against superhumans. His father was the criminal inventor Phineas Mason, who is better known as the Tinkerer. He was briefly part of S.H.I.E.L.D., MI-6, and even the Russian intelligence. Mason’s freelance work is under the codename The Agent, where he works for the highest bidder. We first got introduced to the character in Marvel Graphic Novel #57 back in 1990. Since, he was hired to kill a CIA mole, take on renegade China agents, and even took out a quintet of powered mercenaries. Mason even took on The Corporation as his father was forced to work for them. This job led to him fighting alongside Luke Cage and another agent, Dakota North, who was sent by his own father to take down the organization. In reality, he sent them to save his son.

The character will have a role in the upcoming Black Widow film, who seems to have a romantic interest in her. He will be played by O-T Fagbenle and is currently the frontrunner to be Taskmaster’s secret identity. Mason might be the furthest departure from the comics. We saw the Tinkerer in Spider-Man: Homecoming, so he won’t be his son in this incarnation. He was mentioned as an agent, who has some history as part of S.H.I.E.L.D., which would fit the depiction of Taskmaster in various media. He was a member of the spy organization in the Ultimate Spider-Man animated series and the recently released Marvel’s Avengers. There is also a good chance that these loose connections are a red herring to keep us guessing on who the iconic villain may turn out to be. He hasn’t been featured in trailers so far, so anything is possible.

October 12, 2020
REVIEW: X of Swords #1-5 is Hickman at his Most Hickman-est

I’m an unabashed fan of Jonathan Hickman’s work in comics. His work, both at Marvel Comics and as an indie creator, has always left me entertained, confused and made me walk away thinking deeply and often coming back to reread issues on multiple occasions. I was thrilled to find out that not only would Hickman be writing X-Men books but also that he was going to be “Head of X”, meaning that he’d be overseeing the entire X-line and that we were about to go on a long journey with one of the best longform narrators in comics.

One of the things Hickman has proven very adept at doing during his tenure with Marvel Comics is subtly reworking and expanding the mythology around some of the publisher’s most popular and well-established characters and he certainly didn’t hold back in doing that when he launched this X-line with dual titles House of X and Powers of X, establishing an incredible series of events and placing Moira McTaggert right in the middle of the very convoluted history (and future) of the X-Men. HoX and PoX launched the first two waves of X-books, all of which have landed more punches than they’ve missed for me, which have been building up to the Hickman’s first big X-event: X of Swords. The line-wide event has just kicked off and I’ve caught up on the first 5 issues of the 22-issue event. Is X of Swords off to a strong start? I have some thoughts!

The first title, X of Swords: Creation, came out swinging and set up perhaps Hickman’s most ambitious and far-reaching work at Marvel to this point. Hickman has spent a good deal of time in Dawn of X rewriting the history of Krakoa, reestablishing the importance of Otherworld and continuing to add to the already impressive personal history of one of Marvel’s most fascinating characters, Apocalypse. Hickman has always been a master world builder and his efforts during Dawn of X might well top any of his work at Marvel to this point. As usual for me, I’ve had to work through multiple rereads of multiple issues to try to get a handle on the disparate threads that are now weaving together in X of Swords but after finishing the first 5 issues of the event, I feel it is safe to say it was time well spent and that we might be in the opening act not only of one of Hickman’s best but also one of Marvel Comics best event-style arcs ever.

Obviously this isn’t just Hickman at work here, though the narrative is certainly his concoction, and the group of writers who have been working to set up the chess board for this event have done a great job of telling their own stories while staying aligned with Hickman’s vision. Specific to this review, the works of Gerry Duggan (Cable and Maruauders), Benjamin Percy (X-Force and Wolverine), Leah Williams (X-Factor) and though her book wasn’t one of the first five issues of the event, Tini Howard (Excalibur). Of the group, Howard’s exquisite Excalibur book has laid much of the foundation for the first 5 parts of the event, bringing Otherworld to the forefront of not just the line of X-books but potentially the entire Marvel Universe. The amount of planning that had to have gone into this is staggering and, I imagine, on par with the 2007-08 Messiah Complex event under the direction of Christopher Yost, yet the team has made it work incredibly well.

What Worked Well:

Pretty much everything. The biggest payoff comes in the form of the latest chapter of the history of Apocalypse. We’ve seen bits and pieces of his past brought to light over the past several months, but the opening salvo of X of Swords clarifies what has to be one of the most shocking retcons in recent memory and something that has been a looming mystery since we were teased with this Sinister Secret all the way back in Powers of X #2:

“For years, this fittest-of-all mutant has routinely surrounded himself with a particular-numbered entourage. These hangers-on stick around for a while until they are eventually replaced with newer, more exciting members. What most people don’t know is that if the original members returned, these pretenders would be dropped so fast their heads would spin.”

As we learned from Krakoa itself (via Cypher), Krokoa is half of a whole with its other half, Arrako, having been separated in an ancient war when the Twilight Sword opened a rift in reality allowing an army of demons to pour through. Here Apocalypse and his original horsemen made a stand against the horde, saving Earth but at the cost of Arrako and the Horsemen being lost in another dimension that Apocalypse was unable to access until now. All of Apocalype’s machinations to this point have been about him finding a way to access Otherworld and then finding his way back to Arrako and now we know why: the original Four Horsemen are the children of Apocalypse, his true heirs and his actions cost him the life of their mother and doomed them to an eternal battle. Once reunited, it isn’t long before Apocalypse is betrayed by his children and the Summoner of Arrako forcing the X-Men to rush to his side and setting in motion the ambitious “contest of champions” that will pit 10 X-Men against 10 Swordbearers of Arrako with the fate of not just mutantkind but mankind at stake! For the first time in a long time, Apocalypse isn’t the one in charge of the game board, finding himself and his nation bending to the will of Saturnyne, the ruler of Otherworld. It’s here where it hit me that this event seems to truly be written for hardcore fans of the X-Men who have poured not only through the Dawn of X books but also the 6 decades worth of stories that came before. Seeing a character like Saturnyne become a major power player by establishing a tournament, the repercussions of which will almost certainly be felt throughout the larger Marvel universe, seems incredibly satisfying as someone who has been a fan of X-books since the early 80s.

I loved the verses recited by Polaris that hint at who the X-Men’s Swordbearers will be and much of what we saw in the first 5 issues (and will see for the next several more, I assume) is the individual journeys of those Swordbearers as they work to acquire their blades and find their way to the circle of Santo (I made that up). While some of the X-Men Swordbearers were predictable before the start (Magik and Wolverine were in the “oh yeah for sure” category for me) and another became obvious in his solo book (Cable), others were more of a surprise and, of course, we get to meet some new and memorable characters on the other side of the contest, such as Solem who has already become an incredibly intriguing character. Through the first five issues, Marauders #13 and the connected narrative of Wolverine #6 and X-Force #13 detail the events of two characters, Storm and Wolverine, in pursuit of the blades they’ll need to join the contest. Both characters are forced to confront their pasts (Strom must infiltrate Wakanda and Wolverine must go back to Hell) in order to acquire their blades. Storm’s tale was especially enjoyable as it allowed readers to revisit her past both as Queen of Wakanda and as a master thief while finding a way to add to the already well-developed history of Wakanda by introducing the Skybreaker blade. If these two stories are the template for what we can expect over the next several weeks as the other key figures gather their swords, we’re in for a treat. These stories are a great reminder of a constant theme in this review: it’s not JUST the mutant nation of Krakoa at risk here.

And finally it’s the emergence of a true threat to the mutants that gives this event the promise of true stakes which then makes it worth reading. Since Hickman established the mutant resurrection protocols with the HoX/PoX relaunch, death has simply become an obstacle to mutantkind and one that is easily overcome. The death of Santo in Otherworld, however, changed the rules of the game as it was revealed that dying in Otherworld, the Nexus of all Realities, means that resurrection is a crap shoot as the “new” Santo was an amalgamation of all Santos (that’s some serious Hickman-ness). So while these brave heroes prepare this tournament, their lives are now truly on the line as they fight for everything they just established.

The first 5 issues are truly Hickman at his most Hickman-est: weaving together multiple threads of complex world building, revealing secret histories of characters and places we thought we knew and quickly establishing that pretty much everything we thought we knew was wrong. It also goes ties back to one of his constant Marvel mantra: everything dies.

What Didn’t Work Well:

It’s hard to give something a fair review when you don’t have anything negative to say. To me this is the type of event story telling I love. It’s complex, layered, requires a lot of prior knowledge and sets up many potential new arcs even as it deals with ones that have been ongoing for some time. By nature then it includes a lot of moving parts and a ton of characters and could, for those reasons, be really off-putting to someone who hasn’t been keeping up. So it probably isn’t the ideal jumping on point if you’re looking to dig into X-books but more of a gift to the hardcore X-fans.

Takeaway:

A well-crafted start to an event that promises big things, X of Swords #1-5 are worth the money and effort you’ve invested so far but might not be for everyone, especially if you’re not up to date on Dawn of X.

October 12, 2020
Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Widow’: Who is Yelena Belova?

As Marvel Studios has once again postponed Black Widow‘s release, it gives us some time to brush up on our comic history. The film will focus on Natasha Romanoff’s history with the Red Room. It is a top-secret Soviet institute that turned young women into elite assassins. Of course, Natasha was once a member before joining S.H.I.E.L.D. at an unknown point. The upcoming film will dive deep into the various characters from her past who all may have deep ties with the secret organization. So, let’s use this opportunity to dive deep into the various characters in 400 words or less.

Yelena is the youngest addition to the comics. She appeared in 1999’s Inhumans Vol. 2 #5. You read that right, she made her debut while Earth and Attilan were at war with each other. She also trained in the Red Room Academy, where she even believes she surpassed Natasha Romanoff. When we first meet her, she is sent to deliver a device that could help Attilan win the invasion. She ended up failing her mission against her bittered rival but learned a valuable lesson. At one point, she was captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. and swapped faces with Nathasha’s. Of course, she was not too happy with this and left the spy life behind her. She made a career as a lingerie model before being dragged back into her old life when she gets wrapped up in the export of stolen medical supplies. She would turn back to her original life which would lead to many confrontations with the Avengers. She would later take on the Black Widow mantle and temporarily join the Thunderbolts.

Marvel Studios managed to get Florence Pugh in the role of Yelena for Black Widow. There were teases that Natasha would potentially pass on the mantle to her before facing her fate in Avengers: Endgame. In the family dynamic teased through the trailers, she is the younger sister. She is very independent and quite confident in her ability. Of course, she was also trained in the Red Room and seems to know quite a bit about Taskmaster. We also get glimpses of her going through a procedure that could pull her towards the evil side. Pugh is a fantastic addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, who hopefully will be around for more future projects.

October 9, 2020
Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Widow’: Who is Melina Vostokoff?

As Marvel Studios has once again postponed Black Widow‘s release, it gives us some time to brush up on our comic history. The film will focus on Natasha Romanoff’s history with the Red Room. It is a top-secret Soviet institute that turned young women into elite assassins. Of course, Natasha was once a member before joining S.H.I.E.L.D. at an unknown point. The upcoming film will dive deep into the various characters from her past who all may have deep ties with the secret organization. So, let’s use this opportunity to dive deep into the various characters in 400 words or less.

Melina Vostokoff is more famous as the assassin Iron Maiden. She made her initial appearance in Marvel Fanfare #11 in 1983. Her name is due to her flexible metal costume that covers her entire body. She was a Russian agent who lived in the shadow of Black Widow during her time working for the government. At one point, she broke off from Russia to work as a freelancer. In one mission, she had the chance to assassinate her once hated rival. She worked alongside others but was the only one able to keep with Natasha only to get interrupted by a S.H.I.E.L.D. team. She would often return to take on the Avengers multiple times. At one point, she joined the female super-criminal army Femizons. Melina also was captured by Thunderbolt’s Joystick during the Superhuman Registration Act.

Rachel Weisz will portray the character in the upcoming Black Widow film. This version of the character will have close ties to the Red Room. She acts as a mother-figure to Natasha alongside David Harbour‘s Alexei Shostakov. It is unsure what her role in the story would be. The character’s villainous nature could point to her betraying the family at some point in the story. It sadly would be a rather dramatic turn given how much Natasha seems to be focusing on reuniting them. There could also be ties to Taskmaster, who currently has taken over control of the Red Room. Sadly, we won’t see her iconic Iron Maid outfit, but maybe they’ll add a tribute to her comic design.

October 9, 2020
Marvel Studios ‘BLACK WIDOW’: Who is Red Guardian?

As Marvel Studios has once again postponed Black Widow‘s release, it gives us some time to brush up on our comic history. The film will focus on Natasha Romanoff’s history with the Red Room. It is a top-secret Soviet institute that turned young women into elite assassins. Of course, Natasha was once a member before joining S.H.I.E.L.D. at an unknown point. The upcoming film will dive deep into the various characters from her past who all may have deep ties with the secret organization. So, let’s use this opportunity to dive deep into the various characters in 400 words or less.

It is easy to call Red Guardian a carbon copy of Captain America. It ironically is also the point of his character. The character first appeared in The Avengers #43. Roy Thomas and John Buscema created him as the Soviet’s answer to the iconic American hero. Alexi Alanovich Shostakov was a successful pilot that was presented as a hero by Soviet media. He ended up marrying the famous ballerina, Natasha Romanova. They both started working for the KGB as a result of his acclaims. He was enrolled in a secret mission that was kept top-secret. They told Natasha he had perished in an experimental rocket testing, which would be her inspiration to become the spy we all know and love. Alexi, however, was a changed man after his training. The now much crueler and ruthless person. In a conflict with the Red Chinese, the Russians used the opportunity to test out if their copy could keep up with the original. Many others would take on the mantle. In total, seven people held the Red Guardian title.

Stranger Things‘ David Harbour will portray Alexei Shostakov’s version of the iconic hero. They have changed the roles this time around, as Alexei will act as a father figure rather than her former husband. By the time Natasha returns to Russia, he seems to have been trapped in a Gulag for some time. He also is highlighted as a flawed individual that is trying to get his makeshift family back together. We also get a look at him potentially having some abilities, so he might have the same serum that was used on Winter Soldier. It will be interesting if we explore his history to showcase the parallels between him and Steve Rogers.

October 9, 2020
Marvel Studios’ Fail-safe: Spider-Man Enters the Multiverse

The announcement of Electro joining Spider-Man 3 had everyone theorizing. Is he the same character we meet in The Amazing Spider-Man 2? If so, why did he announce that he won’t be blue this time? There were a lot of hints pointing to this potentially being a live-action adaptation of the Spider-Verse. Yet, it could just be that they are reintroducing Electro with the same actor to build-up to the Sinister Six. Just yesterday, it could’ve gone anyway. Well, I did say that was what we thought yesterday. Now, we know that Benedict Cumberbatch will join the upcoming Spidey threequel. Now, it is hard to deny that there is some Multiverse aspect in play. I am not here to discuss the story implications, our very own Superhero Theorist will tackle that. In my case, I want to write about the reason this is happening. In my view, this storyline may be the result of Sony’s latest deal to keep the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in Marvel Studios’ hands.

Let’s return to last year when the world was less chaotic. In a sudden twist, Sony announced they will not renew their contract with Marvel Studios. Marvel Studios’ president Kevin Feige would only remain as a consulting producer rather than have full control. Negotiations fell through, and it seemed like Sony Pictures was taking back their creative rights. Luckily, they managed to come to an agreement that would let Marvel Studios finish the trilogy. It even includes an additional cameo. For now, there are no more plans for Spider-Man within the MCU. This could very well be his last appearance for some time if no new contract is finalized. Funn enough, Kevin Feige may have already hinted at the character’s development last year.

He also happens to be the only hero with the superpower to cross cinematic universes, so as Sony continues to develop their own Spidey-verse you never know what surprises the future might hold.

Doctor Strange’s involvement in the unnamed Spider-Man sequel may have strong ties to this contract. Today’s news would also confirm that the additional cameo will be in Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness. If no new deal is reached for the character’s return tot he MCU, it is a risk for Marvel Studios to set up future appearances and sequels. They might be trying to set-up a storyline that could keep the door open for a future return. If there is no new deal, Spidey’s absence makes sense in-universe. As such, they aren’t closing the door on a future contract but are wary of it potentially falling apart again. As Feige mentions, he can cross cinematic universes, so he is not ruling out a return in some form.

Why does this matter? Well, Sony wants to develop its franchise surrounding Spidey’s expansive cast of character. They’ve already started with a Venom film that already has a sequel underway. It is noticeable that this film did not have any references to Spider-Man or his larger universe. It wasn’t until the Morbius trailer that we got any connections. It revealed a short sequence that features Michael Keaton‘s Vulture. There was also an image of Spider-Man graffiti with Murderer painted over it. At face value, this is an obvious connection to the ending of Spider-Man: Far From Home. Yet, someone chose an image with the costume from the original Sam Raimi trilogy. It wasn’t even from the film but ripped straight out of PlayStation’s Spider-Man game.

There is one more thing that adds to the confusion. Spider-Woman director Olivia Wilde let slip that she is in contact with Kevin Feige while developing the film. So, it seems like some cooperation is happening behind the scenes. The way it’s mentioned, it sounds like a consulting position. It seems odd he is her first reference point. There is a chance that we could see some of Sony’s characters officially being part of the MCU as they expand the contract beyond just the titular web-head. I doubt we will see Morbius in Blade, but there seems to be some kind of connection. The Strange reveal today would lean on this being an alternative universe with similar set-ups just without the Avengers. Whatever it may be, this storyline seems to be the result of that contract and the uncertainty of the future. Feige wants the character’s trilogy to end on a high-note while keeping the potential of sequels open. Hopefully, they will find some agreement as the franchises continue to grow.

Source: Variety

October 8, 2020