Category: Features

Connecting Imaginary Dots: A Tale of Two Hawkeyes

Sadly, everything is still heavily delayed without any official update when we could expect the MCU’s first foray into Disney+. To build up some hype again, I watched the short documentary Expanding the Universe. It offered our first look at the future of Marvel Studios. While being mesmerized by the visuals to showcase the various shows, I was curious about some small statements about the shows. The short video gives us a brief rundown of last year’s SDCC panel. Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige invites the actors to the stage and talks about what you can expect from the shows. The segment on Hawkeye piqued my interest the most. A lot of focus since the event was set on the inspiration from Matt Fraction‘s amazing run and the introduction of Kate Bishop. What I somehow managed to forget was that Feige points out that we will explore Clint’s time as Ronin. It’s an interesting aspect of the character that wasn’t fully explored in Avengers: Endgame so it made sense to include. Yet, how does it connect to the strong focus set with the introduction of Kate Bishop? Let’s start connecting some of those imaginary dots on how the show may tackle this storyline.

What We Know So Far

Let’s start off with what we know from Avengers: Endgame. Hawkeye spent many years killing criminals after he lost his family to the snap. It wasn’t until Natasha found him in Japan that his violent rage found its end. We don’t get much in-universe explanation on where this persona came from. Going by the Japanese origins of the name, it would point to him having been active in Japan for quite some time. This would be supported by the Yakuza recognizing him instantly. He also seems to speak Japanese fluently but this could also be due to his training with SHIELD. This is all the information we get on Ronin, as he returns to his original mantle once he rejoins the Avengers. Naturally, there is an entire story to tell that offers us a glimpse into his past.

If we look at the comics for a minute, Clint is only the second person to hold the title of Ronin. The mantle was originally carried by Maya Lopez, who is also known as Echo and has close ties to Daredevil. In the comics, she was adopted by the Kingpin after he killed her small-time criminal father. She started off as a villain to Daredevil before turning over a new leaf. This character is noteworthy as a casting call was sent out for a character that closely resembles Echo. The only thing missing was which show she would make an appearance in. Now, looking at the character’s history, Hawkeye would be fitting through the Ronin connection. The casting states that she would be between 18 to 20, so it’s uncertain if she will be in a flashback or the present day. There is a chance that the upcoming Disney+ series might tell the story with two potential protégés.

Now, the question remains how she would fit into the overarching story that seems to focus on Kate Bishop. While we got some visuals showing both of them, we barely know anything about the show. The only info we have is that it will be heavily inspired by Fraction‘s run. Bishop has an interesting history in the comics. She grew up with an estranged father, who worked with a villain named El Matador. After being saved by the Avengers, she was impressed by Hawkeye because he didn’t have any powers. She became part of the Young Avengers and inofficially took over his mantle. At the time, Clint was dead so it wasn’t until his revival that she would officially receive it. So, she was operating as Hawkeye without his involvement for some time before the actual “passing of the torch” even started.

No Rest for the Archer

The clear goal of the Hawkeye series seems to focus on the passing of the torch. Let’s take the character’s comic origins and what we know to potentially put the story together. Clint Barton has tried to retire quite often throughout the MCU. All he wanted was a quiet life with his family on their farm. Somehow, destiny always arrived and pulled him back into the fold. So, the only way he can finally free himself of this responsibility is to pass it on to someone else. People wondered why they went the Kate Bishop route if we saw him training his oldest daughter how to use the bow. He most likely doesn’t want his daughter to go through this and keep her safe, especially after what happened in Endgame. So, he tries to at least break away from it one last time even if he knows that his luck will just get him dragged back in. To his dismay, he was exactly right about that.

Someone is using his Hawkeye moniker as a vigilante. As everyone assumes Clint is involved, he once again gets pulled back in when a small-time mafia starts attacking him. He gets his family to safety and has to briefly use an apartment to hide out in New York City. On a stakeout, he runs into the person using his moniker and the culprit that got him into this mess. Naturally, this turns out to be Kate Bishop, who wants to take over his mantle. He takes her under his wing, as they try to end the mafia’s career. They start to bond and he sees her as a daughter throughout the series. The tracksuit mafia starts getting taken down by a rival mafia throughout the series. This one is led by a young Maya Lopez under the guise of Ronin, who is the adoptive daughter of the local kingpin.

Echo from the Past

Clint sees the name as a call for him to repent. His killing spree as Ronin still haunts him to this day. To some extend, he always knew that someone would try to take their revenge on him. What unfolds, is a last-ditch effort for him to make up for his mistakes and maybe even save the young woman from this life of crime. His own past as an influence, he does his best to make things right. Yet, Lopez doesn’t wear the Ronin mask as a sign of revenge but admiration. Little did she know that it was Clint that wore the mask of the killer she admired.

There is, however, one person that is using his identity to take revenge. At least, that was the original plan. It was Kate’s father that was involved with one of Clint’s past mistakes. The mafia used her father’s warehouse as cover for their operations. Ronin killed them but was unable to save him. She blamed the man named Ronin for his death. Used her time to research carefully who he truly is before she stumbled upon his real identity. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to do it anymore once she got to know Clint. He ends up passing on the mantle of Hawkeye to her while also giving Maya a second lease on life. That way, she can strive to echo the things he wasn’t able to do. Something that would stick with her as she continues her own journey once she meets another devil vigilante Finally, Clint could return home to his family with the weight of the Avengers off of his shoulder.

Hawkeye’s Potential

This is just an idea of how they could be integrating the Ronin backstory into the overall narrative of Hawkeye. It would play on the concept of Hawkeye’s regret of his time as Ronin and the legacy it left behind. Through this, they can explore what it means to pass on the torch, especially when it happens without your direct influence. It would allow for a parallel between Kate and Maya, as two people affected by the same person’s actions. Ronin and Hawkeye are two sides of the same coin. This way, Clint is forced to face both versions of his past. Especially with Kate, he also comes to understand his imperfections.

There are other directions they could take this story. They could also go down the route that Kate and Maya are rivals trying to be picked as Clint’s successor. I also didn’t touch upon exploring the origin of Ronin, which could be a factor in the story. They could even make some connections between Hawkeye’s story and Daredevil to expand the mythology. If this story takes place in New York City, they could tease his existence without being forced to explore it. There are also rumors of Clint’s brother Trickshot making an appearance. Perhaps the Ronin character is connected to his time with the circus. Maybe they spent a lot of time in Japan before he was found by SHIELD. Speaking of, we don’t know if his history with the spy organization will also play a key factor in this story. Whatever they have planned, we can’t wait to see what direction they will take when it is released on Disney+.

August 12, 2020
‘STARGIRL’ Review: 1.12 “Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E., Part 1”

Stargirl season 1 is nearing its much anticipated finale and while the first part to this season’s conclusion works, it’s essentially just used to make the payoff in the real even more unique. The first part doesn’t completely let you down as it features some of the best fights to date and some great character moments. But the pressure is on and the JSA doesn’t have long before the ISA’s master plan is executed. Stargirl season 1 has been an absolute treat and is was definitely a shining star in entertainment this year when many things are being delayed and unable to shoot. Stargirl landed an early renewal for its sophomore season but will be leaving ‘DC Universe’ in favor of the CW network.

We’re finally treated to the return of Sportsmaster and Tigress back in action, two of the best fighters in the bunch, whose fight scenes in ‘JSA’ were some of the best fights of the series. The showdown between Tigress and Stargirl in the Dugan/Whitmore home was almost flawless, Tigress agility and fighting style against Courtney and the staff essentially fighting as two separate entities that work best when they’re together is incredibly exciting to watch and never gets old. The brawl between Sportsmaster and Pat was a bit more one sided, as Pat takes quite the beat down from crusher. Pat is able to hold his own well, especially since he’s out of the suit, but Sportsmaster definitely caught him slacking on multiple occasions during this altercation. It was towards the end of this fight that Pat is able to gain the upper hand with a surprise assist from Mike, who was able to sneak up on Sportsmaster with a power drill. Finally bringing every family member into the loop, Mike is welcomed to the world of the new JSA, while not exactly a member it definitely made things a lot more clear for the youngest member of the family. After both failing to put down their assigned targets, Principal Bowin, The latest Fiddler is sent to set the two straight but not long after is killed by Tigress for questioning the pair’s parenting of their daughter Artemis, a questionable response but not one that would be totally unlike Tigress. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Bowin’s son pick up the Fiddle, as ‘Stargirl’ kinda has a thing for legacy characters.

Finally after a season long wait, we know what the ISA has been up to in Blue Valley and just how they plan to enact their sinister plot, but is it that sinister? When Beth is able to crack into the details of the ISA’s plan they’re shocked to see that their one true goal is to truly make a better world and combat Global Warming and discrimination against race, religion, and sexuality, making some of the team question if they’re truly on the right side. It’s not until Beth is able to dig deeper and discover the ISA plants to use Brainwaves psychic abilities and Dr.Ito’s satellite to broadcast Brainwaves abilities across the united states and control the minds of those with fully developed minds among one-hundred million people. But twenty-five percent of that target will be able to fight back against the reprogramming ultimately causing their brains to shutdown and killing them. Towards the end the JSA realizes that the plan has already been set into motion, and the thirty minutes they thought they had is the time it’ll take to complete the brainwashing and usher in a new and better America.

Splitting up and making their way through the tunnels beneath Blue Valley, the much anticipated final showdown between the JSA and ISA will finally take place and will determine the fate of america as they know it, and with the plan already taking affect on Pat and Sir Justin, how will the team be able to stop the satellite when they’re busy enough throwing down with those closest to them. While working mostly as a setup for the finale, ‘Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Pt 1’ offers up important character moments and sets up a surely stellar final episode to this season.

August 12, 2020
Wunmi Mosaku, the Time Variance Authority and ‘LOKI’

If you’ve never read an installment of Connecting Imaginary Dots, allow me to explain the idea. Connecting Imaginary Dots was the title I came up with for my speculation pieces when I was writing at MCU Exchange. These types of pieces basically allow me to unload a bunch of junk that’s circulating in my brain in a way that should never be confused for things I actually expect to happen. I basically take a bunch of facts that are almost always entirely unrelated and do my best to connect the dots with by stretching my imagination. In the past these types of pieces have resulted in me theorizing that the Spider-Man sequel which became Far From Home might end up being a team-up outing of Spidey and Hulk in the Savage Land; however, I also wrote one theorizing that Sterling K. Brown would be playing the father of Erik Killmonger in Black Panther LOOOOOONG before anyone else was considering it and one in which I theorized that Annette Bening was actually Mar-Vell when everyone else still thought Jude Law was playing the character. The bottom line is this: these are fun spec pieces that allow me to just be a fan. With that out of the way…

We are already aware that the Disney Plus Marvel Studios streaming series Loki will introduce the Time Variance Authority (TVA) to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Through set photos published by Just Jared back in March, we know that actress Wunmi Mosaku will be working with the TVA in some capacity. Additionally, according to IMDB (and yes I am well aware that it cannot always be counted on for legitimate information), a stunt woman worked 3 episodes as a stunt double for a character called simply “B15.” Taken independently, these are some interesting tidbits but that’s not what we do here and that’s not why these features are called “Connecting Imaginary Dots”, so here it goes…

After waking from a fever dream the other night, I decided that the dots here lead to the conclusion that Wunmi Mosaku will be playing a TVA Chronomonitor (though I’m not sure they’ll be using that title in Loki) labeled B15. For those rightly asking “What in theeeee hell is a Chronomonitor?”, here’s what you need to know. The massive halls of the TVA headquarters (The Halls of Chronometry) are filled with employees known as Chronomonitors, beings who are responsible for monitoring divergent timelines. In the comics, Chronomonitors are created on every occasion where a timeline “bifurcates” and it becomes their duty to monitor said timeline. These monitors even have the power/authority/responsibility to further split their timeline should events take place that they deem important enough to create another divergent timeline; of course such an act would also create an opening for another Chronomonitor, so you can imagine there are quite a lot of them…and there are, as you can see in the pictures below. When Chronomonitors locate disruptive entities within their timelines, they alert the Minutemen (the TVA’s time cops) to clean up the mess. We know the Minutemen are appearing in Loki so having the Chronomonitors makes sense as well (it’s also entirely possible that Marvel Studios has combined the two types of characters in an effort to simplify what might be a confusing plot device in the first place). Given the size of the role (at least 3 episodes), I’d say this particular Chronomonitor is pretty important. My guess here is that Mosaku’s Chronomonitor has been tasked with monitoring the bifurcation that occurred when Hulk smashed Tony’s face after descending the stairs, allowing the Tesseract to end up in Loki’s possession.

Chronomonitors are not named, but given a “letter-number” label, so B15 is right in line with how one might refer to them in the comics or in the Loki series. Now in all honesty, there’s not anywhere near enough evidence here to truly make claim that Mosaku is playing B15 and it’s unclear if any other Chronomonitors will be playing a role as large as Mosaku’s. That begs the question just how many Chronomonitors are we going to see in Loki which would be a direct result of just how much mischief the Prince of Lies can cause. We’ll find out when Loki hits Disney Plus in 2021!

August 12, 2020
‘STARGIRL’ Review: 1.11 “Shining Knight”

Still reeling from the death of Henry King Jr, in ‘Shining Knight’ the JSA takes time to regroup and plan out their next course of action, that is until a delirious Shining knight aka Sir Justin stumbles into Pat’s auto garage. This episode did a good job of really grounding the team, it helped teach them all what they were really getting into and will push the team to really come together and finish the Injustice Society off once and for all. But even though its title ‘Shining Knight’ the real shining star of this episode is Courtney, and her relationship with her dad and Pat.

One of the biggest unanswered question we’ve had this season was that of the mysterious janitor, many eagle eyed fans of the comics automatically picked up on it quickly, from the Medieval tone in his voice to the pegasus baseball cap, or maybe the inconspicuous sword in his closet. Sir Justin was an old friend of Pat, both of them having fought alongside each other as members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory, also being the only two known surviving members. Justin had become somewhat marooned in Blue Valley, muttering thing about coming here to slay dragons, presumably referring to Dr. Ito aka the Dragon King. But something is off with Justin, when he enters the garage he sees what believes to be an old friend but the next second he’s about to hack and slash at what he thinks is Dragon King, its not until Pat can get through to that he really begins to remember who he is and why he came to Blue Valley and what does he know about what the ISA has been doing in Blue Valley?

Courtney’s drive and inspiration to honor the legacy and bring in a new age of JSA members came from the thought that she was the daughter of the late Sylvester Pemberton, aka Starman, but no matter what, Pat would always deny the theory. In the previous episode, Barb attempted to reach out to the man who she knew to be Courtney’s father, Sam Kurtis, a deadbeat who in the comics is a low ranking member of the Royal Flush Gang and is in fact the father of Courtney Whitmore. As Courtney was about to leave for school a knock at the door stops the family in their tracks, upon opening its revealed to none other than Courtney’s father Sam. denying the fact that its really him, Sam manages to convince her to get breakfast with him so he could “make up for lost time.” This all ends up being some elaborate ruse in order to butter Courtney up and fill her head with fantasies of her coming to visit him and to think that she would really see her father again after he left, just so he could get that locket that he had given her oh so many years ago. With that locket went the last real connection Courtney had to her biological father.

With the locket gone Courtney’s last true connection her father was gone, for so long she held

The theory of Starman being her father inspired and comforted her. She no longer felt like she was abandoned and that she had that legacy to hold onto and it filled the hole in heart that she had carried for so long; to see that all fade away from her when her real father was on his way out was absolutely heartbreaking, like someone took the cosmic staff and snapped it over their knee. To see Pat really step into the father figure role in Courtney’s life was one of the strongest moments of the show. When he punched Sam and told him not to show his face around again, was when Sam lost all connection to Courtney: he wasn’t her father anymore. The legacy of Starman really did give Courtney a father: without it her and Pat never would’ve gotten so close and Courtney may have never been able to fill that hole in her heart. Courtney’s final attempt to work the staff almost ends in a teary eyed goodbye to her alter ego but isn’t until Pat is able encourage one last time that the staff is given the assurance that Courtney is the real deal, shining brighter than it ever had before and confirming that you don’t have to have a legacy to be someone.

August 12, 2020
Lego and Data Leaks Have Revealed ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ DLC Characters
All eyes are on Square-Enix’s ambitious service-based Avengers. We are only one month away from its official release. The Beta this weekend finally gave people a feeling for how it plays. Some of their business practices have also been shrouded in controversies. No matter where one stands on the issue, it still will be a game to keep an eye out for. If the developers can keep their promises, we could see a game with an ever-growing roster of iconic characters. Even before the official launch, they confirmed that Hawkeye would appear as their first DLC character post-launch. No exact info is given but there is an interesting visual tease of what we can expect. In the July War Table, they confirmed the DLC concept to be titled the “Avengers Initiative” that would take continue beyond the “Reassemble” storyline of the game. Keen eyes will notice that they have added four distinctive placeholders for the icons.

The odd thing is, Hawkeye is described as the first DLC release but is placed as the second. So, the obvious reason could be that Spider-Man will be the first official post-launch character. He is exclusive to the PlayStation and the deal wasn’t official at the time. Still hoping that there is a chance it is a timed exclusive, as it would be a waste not to share this experience with everyone. Hopefully, we get a bit more information on those plans shortly before launch. Now, the only question remains who are the other characters? There might be a chance that this was already spoiled back in April through the leak of the Lego sets for the game.

https://twitter.com/Jsig212James/status/1255240570601078787?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1255240570601078787%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vg247.com%2F2020%2F04%2F29%2Fmarvels-avengers-new-characters-lego%2F

Lego sets haven’t always been the most reliable source. Many might remember the Iron Man 3 set that had the Mandarin shooting at our titular hero in a scorpion wagon. Naturally, this never took place in the film but the characters were always the common link between the sets and films. What captures our attention is that two months before the M.O.D.O.K. reveal, we see him included in one of the sets alongside our first DLC character. So, the characters that stand out as potential future inclusions would be War Machine, Captain Marvel, and Black Panther. There is also just a good chance they have brief cameos in the story. and there are no definite plans for now. Well, that was until a recent data mining leak from the Avengers Beta was posted on Reddit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MarvelAvengersProject/comments/i69bpa/kate_bishop_she_hulk_and_war_machine_references/

This leak showcases the data set-up for the characters “hero card”. Those that played the Beta might know that each character has a unique season pass. It lets you unlock costumes or goodies throughout the game. Every one of the main six is present in this list alongside some other additions. If you look closely the list contains Hawkeye titled “Clint Barton” rather than his superhero moniker. Alongside him, there are also the following characters that have not officially been revealed yet:
- Kate Bishop
- She-Hulk
- War Machine
At first, one could just assume these are character-specific cards for the user profiles. Yet, the first line in the programming reveals that there is a War Machine specific Emote. Thinking back at the Lego set, he is also present alongside M.O.D.O.K. as a character. Also, why is Clint included not as Hawkeye but by his actual name? The only reason would be to include a secondary character that shares the same moniker and logo to avoid confusion.

Going by this, there is a good chance we will see these characters in a way that resembles the Super Smash Bros. echo fighters. Iron Man and War Machine are very similar in their basic design and attacks. So, instead of creating him from scratch, they can easily add him as a clone character. His skill tree can be pretty similar with a few new additions that fit the character. War Machine has his shoulder turret, which is included in the Lego set, that is used in a special attack. Personally, this is a great idea to round out the cast and keep a consistent stream of updates. Not every character can be unique so why not just use what is available. The hero card would confirm it’s not just an extra reskin, as these characters deserve some attention.

The additional point is that it could verify the Lego set as a reliable source for the DLC. This would point to Captain Marvel and Black Panther as the last two teased additions to the game. There is only one loose end that feels like it was forgotten. At E3 2019, there was a tease of the inclusion of Ant-Man. It seemed like he would be the first DLC character in how it was built-up. We know he is included in the game’s story but that was it. He also didn’t get a big logo reveal like the Hawkeye trailer. Perhaps he was initially going to be included but was postponed for some unknown reason. He could also be the reason why he is only placed second. Fan-demand for Barton was huge so they postponed Ant-Man’s inclusion. Whatever it may end up being, this is the fun aspect of this game. It includes references to Daisy Johnson and Spider-Man, so who knows how far in advance they mapped it out. Here’s hoping we some kind of confirmation or, as I point out in my Beta deep dive, a roadmap of where this game is heading. The above overview could be used as a template to offer some more details. Well see if this gets confirmed but it is quite exciting to think how much will be added in the future.

Source: IGN, Twitter, Reddit, YouTube
August 11, 2020
Physical vs Digital Media: What’s Really at Stake

This past weekend Disney drove yet another stake through the hearts of physical media proponents. By planning to cease production on live-action 4K Blu-rays the company will now be counting solely on Disney+, its 9-month old streaming platform, to provide audiences access to past, and future, Disney releases in their highest quality.

For the time being, only mega-franchises like the MCU and Star Wars will be safe from this decision. By drawing the line on what are mostly $1 billion-dollar movies (10 of the last 16 movies from these two cinematic universes have reached that box office milestone) Disney, as the bottom line oriented company that it is, is acknowledging that there just isn’t that much demand for physical copies of non-major-event movies anymore. Viewers are now full-on embracing streaming as their primary access point to entertainment content, leading to it becoming the *only* access point, and that should leave us wondering what this paradigm shift could bring to the future of cultural content as a whole.

The usual discussions dwell on the advantages and disadvantages of relying on the internet to purchase and, most times, enjoy the content to it’s fullest. It’s clearly convenient and oftentimes cheaper to buy digital content through iTunes, ComiXology, or several other online stores. It doesn’t take up space around the house, you can easily get remote access to it on vacation, upgrades and troubleshooting are only a click away, and so on.

On the other hand, you don’t need internet access to watch a Blu-ray movie (not to mention that streaming still doesn’t really surpass the physical disk performance quality) and you don’t even need a portable screen to read a book. It’s also far easier to lend someone your favorite comic on paperback or have your kids find the first CD you ever bought around the house and giving it a listen if it’s not just remotely stored in your iTunes library.

These are all valid points and it all comes down to a lifestyle choice. Some people value some stuff more than others, that shouldn’t be up for discussion. The real conversation should be focussing on a much broader scope.

We are all products of our time, of the events we lived through. Of the books we read, the movies we watched and the songs we listened to. The ability to keep those experiences unadulterated and as close as possible, not only as fond memories but as something you can go back to whenever you want to, shouldn’t be taken lightly. By deciding to keep everything online, and not on our shelves, we are giving away our responsibilities to being the guardians of the culture that “made” us and that we constantly look forward to passing along to the people that matter the most to us. By keeping everything online, and not on our shelves, companies will now have the possibility to limit the access or even tamper with said content almost at will, in a way that may lead to them not respecting both the author’s vision and the audience’s experience.

Even the worst movies and books should deserve the same treatment we give to what we might consider being the highest of art forms. They can be either praised or ignored, but never defaced. With a mostly digital future, we are relinquishing the little power we still have when it comes to the preservation of the content that means the most to us.

A society that doesn’t remember is ultimately a society that doesn’t move forward. These are our memories, and I hope they’ll always remain a part of both our present and our future.

August 11, 2020
What I Heard This Week: Marvel Studios is Kraving Joel Kinnaman

Every now and then I come across some information the veracity of which can be confirmed by a second source. What happens FAR more often is that I come across some information that, while believable and from trustworthy sources, cannot be confirmed by other sources for various reasons (sometimes they just don’t want to tell me yes!). For example, a couple of months ago I got word about updated start dates for Sony’s Uncharted and Spider-Man 3 and how Tom Holland might have to juggle those schedules. As you know, Uncharted got going just as I reported and Comicbook.com later verified the planned start date for Spidey 3.

Before you go on, understand that despite everything I said above, this story should not be considered a scoop or an exclusive or anything more than just a rumor at this point because I cannot, at the moment, find a second source to confirm what I’m sharing here. That said, this checks a lot of boxes and is exactly the kind of thing I would want someone to share with me should they have heard something like it. So…here we go.

It appears that Marvel Studios is looking for a Joel Kinnaman-type for an unspecified role in the upcoming Untitled Spider-Man Sequel. Given all the rumors and speculation around what Spidey 3 will likely be about and what villains we are likely to see in it, it’s incredibly easy to make yourself believe that the studio wants this Kinnaman-type for a major role and one that fans are dying to see introduced in the film: Kraven…and I’ll be damned if Kinnaman isn’t perfect for it.

Keep in mind that when studios say they want a “Kinnaman-type” or “Allison Brie-type” that is NOT an indication that that’s the actor they’ve settled on. Those phrases are there to give the various casting agencies an idea of which of their people they should be putting up for the role or checking with to see if they’re available, interested, etc.

So what is a Joel Kinnaman-type and what does it tell us? It gives us a lot of info, to be honest. It means they’re looking for a Caucasian, probably 30-45, who is big (think physically imposing) but who can act as well. They don’t just want muscle here; they want someone who has some experience as a lead because this is likely a character they’re going to develop over the course of the film like they did with Michael Keaton’s Vulture and Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio. So while they may not get Kinnaman for the role, you can see why he’s the “type” they want. He’s 6’2″, has a lean physique and has packed on muscle for several roles (see Altered Carbon), has a ton of experience (including work on CBMs) and, much like Kraven, has traveled the world.

Kinnaman is the guy I never knew I wanted as Kraven until I made this connection, but I want to urge caution one more time before signing off. As exciting as this is, there are too many questions around it to take it as fact. Is the role actually Kraven? It’s unknown but when you start piecing things together it sure seems like it. Would they actually be able to land Kinnaman? I don’t follow him too closely, but it seems like he may have an opening in his schedule this Fall/Winter. Marvel Studios scored big with both Spidey villain castings; Kinnaman would make it a hat trick.

As always, we’ll be working here at Murphy’s Multiverse to find actual EVIDENCE of this, so until then take this as nothing more than a wild rumor that will get you way more excited than you have any reason to be…and cross your fingers that you get to see Kinnaman as Kraven when Spider-Man 3 comes to theaters in December of 2021.

August 10, 2020
‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Beta: Promising or Worrying?
It has been a steep hill for Square-Enix’s ambitious Avengers project. People have been quite jaded by service-based games. The controversies surrounding Anthem, Fallout 76, and Final Fantasy XIV played a big part in that. They were sold as the next major AAA game that would keep players invested for many years. Yet, they ended up never delivering on their promises. As such, by the time they were able to solve these issues most players have already stopped playing. So, it is rather risky for a massive IP like Marvel to enter such a market, especially when facing their own set of controversies surrounding exclusivity deals. Now, all eyes are on the first closed Beta for PlayStation per-orders. This could determine if the game will deliver on its promises and offer a good first look at what is to come.

Avengers Assemble

The game’s story looks promising as a single-player experience, especially the reveal trailer for M.O.D.O.K. which hyped me up for what it could offer. A misstep, however, was their marketing only focusing on A-Day. This created this feeling of a lack of content that wasn’t addressed until a video in June. It is unsure how much of the game will be story-based missions, but they have been a bit more transparent. Why is it important? This will probably be a major selling point. Unlike other service-games, this IP already has years worth of potential story content and characters. If most of the missions just consist of dialogue without any animations, it could undersell the work put into it. The Beta throws us into a shortened version of A-Day, the search for Jarvis and Nick Fury. This highlighted a bit more of the story that was hidden up until this point and seemed quite promising. A personal highlight was the battle against Abomination that offered a great set-piece and teased the potential of future boss fights. Hopefully, they will stay true to their statement and continue the story even beyond AIM.

The War Zone missions you unlock after the story are limited. They do show a bit of variety, even if there could be more. We get character missions, like Hulk’s “Condition: Green.” Here we have to infiltrate a gamma-lab to avoid it becoming a weapon. Sadly, there weren’t any animations to give this mission more life. We got some voice-over from various characters but didn’t actually see much of the villain of this vision. Maybe it’s due to this being a Beta but I really hope they give character-specific stories more attention. Don’t want them to be just another War Zone mission with some extra dialogue. Another highlight was “To Tame a Titan.” After you infiltrated an AIM facility, you see something looming in the distance only for you to realize it’s a boss battle against a giant Warbot. There was some actual build up to this moment. Hope to see more of this in the game.

Most of the other missions consisted of combat. Sometimes they add variety by having siege-like areas you need to secure. After a few missions, however, you did start to notice the same corridor repeating. It’s a Beta, so they probably limited the environments and game styles. Still, they will need to offer some variety to truly give the game legs. Luckily, open areas did give you freedom to find secret little missions that offered some additional incentive. If they do have to reuse assets, it would be good if they space it out accordingly. Would be best to avoid a constant feeling of déjà-vu.

Focus on Character

Let’s talk about the playable characters. As soon as you unlock the Helicarrier, you have access to four characters. The Beta lets you play Ms. Marvel, Hulk, Iron Man, and Black Widow. Thor and Captain America are only playable during A-Day as a short tease of what they offer. Thor plays a lot like Kratos from God of War with how he uses his hammer. Captain America seems to take some inspiration from the Batman Arkham Games in how he in combat. Even if they do feel unique and play different, the controls are standardized. Each character has a light and heavy attack. They can dodge and even counter enemies to avoid damage. Everyone has a third-person targeting function that depends on the character’s unique abilities. If you play right, you can even juggle enemies to create some interesting combos that fit your play style. Their approach is especially highlighted through the gear system. It is a bit too much like Destiny‘s design. So, you’ll probably invest resources to upgrade an item only to find a better one shortly after. The cool idea though is that you can add special effects to attacks. For example, Iron Man can use his beam to shrink enemies through Pym tech.

Here is a quick rundown of the four main playable characters and how they differ from each other:
- Kamala Khan a.k.a. Ms. Marvel gets the most spotlight in this game. She is the easiest to start with, mostly because she gets the most gear in the story missions. Her attacks take down a wide area thanks to her stretching abilities. You can also target your punch to take enemies out from the distance. The best part is that after upgrading you can even grab them. She also uses her stretching powers to maneuver the environment. It is a great touch even if it isn’t always as responsive as it should be.
- Hulk is really heavy in comparison to the others. He is the only one that can cling unto specific walls. What is odd is that he can only jump off of those areas instead of the classic wall running mechanic. Given his focus on combat, he cannot block attacks. Instead, he uses his rage to heal and take less damage. These kinds of small changes fit the characters and force you to change your approach with each character.
- Iron Man‘s heavy attacks are his iconic beams. The action meter decreases with each use, so you cannot spam them. You can’t just camp out enemies while hovering over them. When you dash from a hover you will end in the flying animation. It is sadly very restrictive and needs some practice to get right, especially shooting while flying is difficult due to a lack of a lock-on function. It probably is the one thing I hope they expand in the future. Still, you can instantly switch between flying, fighting, and hovering which handles great.
- Black Widow is a fun character to play but could be fleshed out more. She can pull out her guns at any time to take down enemies from a distance. Found myself switching quite a bit when I was low on health. Sadly, no stealth functions to hide from enemies. Her special ability to cloak is mostly so you can avoid a few hits. So, you can’t sneak up bad guys to take them down instantly. Would like to see them use her unique abilities in interesting ways for unique mission types potentially.
Question of Villainy

You get to try out these abilities on a variety of enemy types. At first glance, it could seem like you are just pounding away on damage sponges (won’t deny that some are). AIM’s focus on tech allowed them to add some diversity to the enemy types. You have your classic enemies with guns, staffs, and shield. Some also have their own abilities to use against you. there are turrets and drones are there to distract you. We see some variations of comic enemies like the Adaptoids. Then there are also heavy types like the Aliens-inspired mech suits, spider-mechs, and the before-mentioned giant Warbot. The Beta probably showcases some enemies from later in the story. I do hope we get some more surprises in enemy types in the full game.

Yes, they do recycle throughout the Beta but depending on the mission they also have unique properties. These are similar to how your own upgrades. This adds some nice world building to what happened after the Avengers disbanded. In the “Condition: Green” mission, most enemies are infused with gamma radiation. These return while facing villains with cryo weapons. So, you have to avoid getting frozen and being poisoned. It’s a small touch but it does mix up battles in an interesting way to make you strategize a bit more. In my mind, this keeps it from just being a button-smasher as you need to pay attention to what is happening. You can easily get ganged up while focusing on one specific enemy. That got me killed more often than I am willing to confess throughout my playtime.

The only thing that stands out is that all enemies so far are AIM’s goons and robots. We barely spend time with the mercenaries, so hope they will also return. Marvel has such a large world to be inspired by. It would be a waste to just focus on one singular organization. We could see a mission suddenly interrupted by HYDRA or even Flag-Smasher’s ULTIMATUM. We get to visit New York City for a bit, so they could introduce minor villains for special missions. You could play as Kamala Khan trying to race the Hood through the city after a robbery. The advantage of this IP is that the different characters from the comics can help create unique mission types to avoid repetition. The multiplayer’s function should not limit what is possible with this game.

Room for Potential

In the end, it’s still a Beta that only reflects a small portion of the actual game. There are some noticeable bugs. A personal favorite was Kamala’s hair just vanishing into thin air during a cut scene. Didn’t even realize it was here until it was over. The multiplayer aspect faced some connection issues. It is nowhere as bad as it could be in a Beta. My only major gripe was that twice I got kicked out due to a connection error. I was playing with AI companions, so there was no reason for it. If this happens in the actual game, I hope your party just gets replaced with AI. Imagining a two hour mission being interrupted at the last second would be infuriating. Overall, the game has some rough edges but with the service-concept, I believe this can be fixed easily. The developer Crystal Dynamics has been very on point listening to player feedback. This is one of the reasons why Hawkeye was announced as the first DLC character. Still, here are some things I noticed while playing the game that I hope will be updated sooner rather than later:
- The menus need a complete overhaul. It was the only thing that really bothered me throughout the game. There are a lot of different menus with additional sub-menus that just become disorienting. For example, they could just turn the collectibles could just be added into the Helicarrier as a special museum area. Could add a Stan Lee cameo as a silent SHIELD agent, who works there. Would give it a bit more flair and a sense of progression. I noticed that the character card wasn’t in the War Table stream, so it might just be for the Beta. I just think a lot of functions that aren’t necessary for missions should be added to the base.
- Speaking of menus, the start menu is quite bland. Instead of just starting the game with a click of my controller, I have to select a button. It is just an unnecessary additional step in my opinion. The update page could be kept on the main page as a notification menu. The marketplace I think would work better as an actual shop in the Helicarrier. I know, it’s probably there so they can entice people when starting to game but it’s very lackluster.
- I think this is due to the Beta skipping a lot of sequences but some important information is just revealed very late. It is one of the reasons I kept dying throughout the second mission. I didn’t know that there are healing containers, or that there were any benefits to going into rage mode. I didn’t realize willpower was the game’s name for health. The counter was only revealed around two to three hours into playing, which would’ve saved my life countless times. Hope that the actual A-Day mission spreads this out much better.
- The dynamic camera is a great idea on paper. It makes a lot of action sequences look great but it becomes quite disorienting at times. Motion blur especially adds to that. Sometimes when a lot is happening it just goes crazy. I noticed especially with Hulk this to be the case. It starts shacking every time he slams to the ground. Maybe just an option to change it a bit would be helpful.
- Levels are a bit strange in this. I think they only really add to the skill tree. The character card also has levels but I couldn’t unlock anything. I don’t know if you get more willpower through it. I think it should add to your stats in addition to the gear. Whatever it does and how the character card works (outside of paying to unlock in advance) just wasn’t well communicated in the game.
- It would be good to add the length of the mission in the War Zone briefing. If you want to just jump in for a quick mission, you might accidentally end up in one that lasts about 30 minutes to even two hours.
- Also, I hope they rename the difficulty settings, as “Challenge II” or “Challenge III” doesn’t really say anything. I would love to see threat levels such as “Venom” or “Thanos” as an indicator and to add to the world-building of the game.
- This is more a personal pet-peeve but I think the character’s health meter should be in the bottom left corner. Most of the action is below and it just feels unnatural to constantly look up. Also, it is a waste that their power bar only includes an almost unrecognizable icon. Why not make the symbol a unique aspect of the character (Kamala’s is drawn, Hulk’s is punched into the screen) to just add some flair to the HUD. It being placed in the corner with the various meters coming out of it. As of now with the menu design, it feels very by-the-numbers and could use some spice.
Great Potential

These are just improvements I hope to see. In general, I had a blast playing this game. Even though it is just probably 10% of the actual product, I already invested around ten to twelve hours. Each character gives you a new experience and offers some variety. I underestimated how much the skill tree changed my approach to combat as I leveled up. I cannot wait to develop the Helicarrier back to its former glory. Really hope you have a lot of freedom to do so. This is something I have always wanted n a Marvel game. Hope it gets expanded as it continuous to grow. Once you have the Helicarrier built and defeated AIM, maybe you get to build your own Avengers mansion or even a Triskellion. The teased faction concept also sounds like a fun way to expand the world. There is just a lot to be excited about.

While I say that, I do have my worries. The most important thing moving forward is transparency. One of the driving factors for these service games failing was that there was no real communication. All you were stuck with was a bare-bones game with the empty promise of a better future. Avengers already laid the groundwork with the tease of Hawkeye as the first DLC character but how long will we wait? Is this a matter of half a year or a few months? All that is currently in the air.

My hope is that we get a road map. Street Fighter V recently revealed one for their latest season pass, which offered a good overview of what is to come. We don’t need to know the exact release date but just to get a feeling how this game will continue to expand. This game consists of so many elements that you can easily underwhelm your audience. People will stop caring if the story missions you promise are just two pieces of dialogue with re-used assets. There is still a month to go and hopefully another War Table to reveal what the future has in store for us. As of now, I am really excited to get my hands on the game and find out how this game will continue to develop.
August 10, 2020
5 Marvel Comics Events Fit For the MCU

Marvel Comics most recent event series, Empyre, is in the midst of its run and has received mixed reviews to this point. It’s place in the long and storied history of Marvel’s major events will ultimately be determined by how it ends and what impact it has on the future of the line but I’ve already seen a lot of fans speculating how it could tie into the MCU down the road. While we’ll have to wait to see how that goes, let’s look at some other events that could also be great fits for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Secret Wars (2015-16) by Jonathan Hickman

Jonthan Hickman’s work has trended toward the cinematic and Secret Wars is probably the most definitive example of that: it is a story absolutely intended to be adapted to the screen. While a lot of people would argue that a film adaptation of this is over a decade away, I would counter that it might not take quite that long (though I do think the film might benefit from the decade long build up-complicated thoughts, I know). Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness is the first step towards this film becoming a reality and the addition of Disney + as a medium on which to tell additional stories will allow the requisite foundations to be laid.

The story itself is one of Marvel Comics all-time gems: as the Multiverse destroys itself, Doctor Doom saves fragments of each world and creates a new world where things are as he makes them but not everyone has forgotten their past lives. Now I see no road to a film adaptation that doesn’t go through Doom, but the idea of bringing characters from their disparate universes into one created by God Emperor Doom would certainly challenge, if not top, the Infinity Saga. Ten years from now will we see the Doctor Strange sequel as the beginning of the Secret Wars Saga? We could only be so lucky.

The Korvac Saga (1978) by Steve Gerber

One of my all-time favorite events that’s really more of just a long run in Avengers (issues 167-177), The Korvac Saga is a fascinating story that calls into question the nature of good and evil and refuses to give an answer, forcing the reader to look inward for the answer.

Michael Korvac, a spacetime refugee from an alternate universe where the Badoon turned him into a cyborg before he defeated them and tried to destroy Earth, arrives in the 616 universe where he immediately hacks into Galactus’ ship and finds himself loaded up with the Power Cosmic. Basically, Korvac finds himself with the power and knowledge of a god and heads to Earth planning to make it his own, personal paradise. The story, which sees the original 31st century Guardians of the Galaxy team up with the Avengers, forces the reader to think about what they would do should they have to power to truly “heal” the world. Why are the Avengers, a group that have spent their entire collective history fighting against evil, trying to stop Korvac from acting in a way that essentially completes their mission for them by eliminating it?

As I said in the open, the event will make you question your beliefs and might even make you a bit uncomfortable. It would take quite a bit of work to retcon the OG Guardians from hillbilly space pirates to the kind of heroes that they are here, especially Starhawk, but that’s a possibility when you have an entire multiverse of characters at your disposal. So yeah, there are a few things to work out, but this one is absolutely meant for the screen!

Siege (2009-10) by Brian Michael Bendis

As soon as we visited New Asgard in Avengers: Endgame, this one entered the realm of possibilities. Everything about New Asgard fits into the pre-existing politics of the MCU and it isn’t much of a stretch to consider that people are not going to feel good about a group of alien refugees living on Earth, especially if things go south there as I expect they will in Thor: Love and Thunder.

In the comics, Siege sees Norman Osborn, manipulated by Loki, invading Asgard which, at the time, is located in Broxton, Oklahoma. While it is increasingly unlikely we’ll see Osborn involved if Marvel Studios The-One-Above-All decides to adapt this even for the MCU, we can take comfort in knowing that the studio has already adapted some major events with some major changes and it’s worked out ok so far. In this case, I would fully expect General Ross and his Thunderbolts to be the aggressors; at the same time, I could easily be talked into Tom Hiddleston’s unreformed Loki finding his way into the mix, just like the comics. If there’s any reason I could come up with for seeing more of Hiddleston, it would be to see him in a purely evil role and that could be offered to him here.

Siege is a crazy, visceral event with some really memorable panels (Sentry ripping Ares in half is definitely the best example) and it includes a cast of characters that would be tough to assemble on screen in the current MCU, but given just how well it fits thematically, I think it’s got a decent shot of making the jump from page to screen.

Annihilation and Annihilation: Conquest (2006-08) by multiple writers

Annihilation was the comic event that brought me back into the fold as a Cosmic junky and, arguably, elevated Marvel’s Cosmic characters to a new level. It’s hard to follow up something as sprawling as Annihilation, but Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning not only did it but topped it with Annihilation: Conquest, an event that saw the return of Ultron and led to a new version of the Guardians of the Galaxy coming together, the team that ultimately inspired the MCU version that everyone has grown to love.

The two stories are truly massive, drawing in nearly every major Cosmic character, race and entity from Marvel’s vast stable and redefining some of them in ways that fans didn’t even know we needed. From Galactus to the Space Knights to the Shi’ar to the High Evolutionary, these events truly touched all the bases. Should they be adapted to the MCU, Disney + series may be a better fit than trying to squeeze them into a pair of 2.5 hour films and there’s certainly some work to do to get the existing universe from here to there, but it’s all doable and should absolutely be done.

The road to Annihilation begins with the introduction of the Fantastic Four and the Negative Zone, allowing for the cinematic debut of The Living Death Who Walks along with some other key characters. If you’ve read my 5-part Nova series, you know that Richard Rider would have a big part to play in these stories as well and, along with what would certainly be some new members of the Guardians, would bridge the gap to Conquest. The return of James Spader as Ultron there would be a major selling point for fans who felt he didn’t get his just due in Avengers: Age of Ultron and would also help tie the Earth-bound stories to the Cosmic corner. If Marvel Studios has any hopes of correcting course on their Cosmic stories, these two stories should be their North Star.

Rise of the Midnight Sons (1992) by multiple writers

A six-issue event that spanned five different title, Rise of the Midnight Sons brought together nine occult-related characters (also called the Mystic Nine) to take on Lilith, the mother of demons. While we are unlikely to see all nine original comic book members on the team should it appear in the MCU, it certainly seems like Kevin Feige could be lining up an adaptation. The effort to bring Ghost Rider and his associated mythology into the MCU proper, the development of Blade, which is almost certain to stick closer to the source material than the prior iterations, and the rumors some other “horror-based” characters such as Dracula, Werewolf By Night and others all at least give us hope.

The original event, to be honest, is a little all over the place, but that’s what happens sometimes when you have too many cooks in the kitchen and it’s something that could easily be straightened out by the studio. This story could easily be adapted into something nice like, Doctor Strange: The Rise of the Midnight Sons, and work as the same sort of event film for that franchise as Civil War did for Captain America. The big selling point for this is event would be the idea that it would serve as a launch pad for the other characters’ properties by giving them the spotlight in the film. I think we’d be likely to see it do for some characters what Civil War has done for Sam, Bucky, Zemo and Sharon. This one would be a VFX extravaganza, but it’s definitely something that would put butts in seats and be worthy of a few buckets of popcorn.

August 9, 2020
‘DOOM PATROL’ Review: 2.09, “Wax Patrol”

Setting up what was probably supposed to be quite the epic finale, “Wax Patrol” finds the team at the tail end of Dorothy Day, in an abrupt finish, Doom Patrol finishes its second season with a shocking cliffhanger that begs the question, will the team ever truly feel whole again? The finale may not have been what fans wanted but due to the ongoing pandemic it was impossible for them to finish the season, as the safety and health of all involved in the production means much more than something that can definitely be folded into the shows next season. With the success and the praise the past season has mustered I see it as virtually impossible that a third season isn’t put into production as soon as possible.

We open in quaint Milwaukee diner in the year 1969, just as a shy, yet curious Miranda is getting off work. She’s greeted by a lone guitarist just looking to make a living playing what tunes he knows. The man extends an invitation for a date that the reclusive Miranda is unsure about at first but she comes around to the idea after sharing a sandwich with the vagrant musician. The relationship seemingly blossoms between the two and the end up moving in with each other. As primary Miranda believes this could be the best possible situation for them and that they could possibly be happy in one place for once. This of course isn’t the case, following they’re big move in the two decide to have a house warming party, but what Miranda isn’t aware of is that this house warming party is actually just an orgy organized by the one person she had learned to trust, and considering Kay’s traumas revolving around her father this obviously did not fly. After causing quite the ruckus, an understandable ruckus that is, Crazy Jane is born, and is new primary sees it best to get them out of that situation. This leads to the moment briefly mentioned in season 1, as Miranda hurdles herself down the well. Crazy enough its revealed that Miranda is not who she says she is and leads to another giant unanswered question as to who she really is? has father returned? Diane Guerrero does not get enough credit for the work she puts in on this show, slaying every single persona down to the way she speaks, its incredible how she’s able to differentiate them all, and deliver a knockout performance time and time again.

Corralled by a nervous Herschel, The team quickly makes their way to the fairgrounds where

Dorothy day had taken place, one now devoid of people and beginning to melt. This doesn’t make everyone too happy. Cliff, still pissed beyond belief at the Chief, would much rather attend his daughters wedding then give any other ounce of help to Dorothy and Chief. But thanks to Larry’s excellent call to action the gang heads to the fair where they eventually split up and are each greeted by the now loose Candlemaker, who has taken the form of each and everyone of their childhood imaginary friends. Through a fight with a profane and enraged Jesus, to a dance with a paper doll, and a pep talk from a scientific cowboy, each and everyone of them believing to have defeated their imaginary foes is met with the Candlemaker. This leads to the waxing of each and everyone of them, except for Cliff who is given the worst fate, and is blown to pieces and then waxed over.

In the final scenes, Dorothy is seen treading the now waxed fair grounds and sees the chaos and devastation that the Candlemaker has unleashed, the emotion through her perfomance is once again a standout and you can hear the pain Dorothy feels as it pushes through the prosthetic’s upon her face. Dorothy is once again greeted by her mother who ask her the difficult question, Are you girl or are you a woman? Dorothy realizes only she herself can be the one to face the Candlemaker and slides the red boots on. With her father behind and unable to stop her, Dorothy is pulled into the fire.

Doom Patrol Season 2 did what many shows struggle to do, and that is to live up to the previous season. Without stopping for a second Doom Patrol handles the outlandish and the emotion and gives so much depth to what seems like a bunch of silly characters. I don’t believe this season was able to best the first but I also don’t believe it was worse in any way shape or form. I eagerly await a third season renewal that can explore so much more of the rich history behind the Doom Patrol.

August 9, 2020