Category: Features

The Many Personalities of ‘Moon Knight’

Marvel Studios’ first 2022 project is set to introduce the titular Moon Knight to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even though its trailer quickly became the most-liked Disney+ series trailer on YouTube soon after its release, the character isn’t exactly a household name. Moon Knight is a caped vigilante; he was seemingly revived by the Egyptian moon god Khonshu, often dresses in all-white so that bad guys see him coming, and he may very likely be the MCU’s most violent and brutal character to date. But those aren’t exactly his most interesting traits.

Marc Spector, Moon Knight’s human persona, has dissociative identity disorder (DID), which is a mental health condition characterized by the existence of two or more personality identities in the same person. DID used to be known as multiple personality disorder, and in the past, the character’s own comics incorrectly referred to Spector’s disorder as schizophrenia. Because the portrayal of any mental illness can be fumbled, the makers of Moon Knight have indicated that they plan to take the character’s DID seriously and portray it as accurately as possible.

With that in mind, Marc Spector in the comics now generally has five core personalities, or alters, in the comics, some much more recent than others–though even more manifested at different points in time. Not every one of the primary five have been referenced ahead of Moon Knight, but you can check them out below:

Marc Spector

Moon Knight

Marc Spector is the son of a rabbi, and a former Marine and CIA operative who became a mercenary. Spector was killed during a mission in Sudan, but was seemingly resurrected underneath the statue of the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Spector’s belief that he is Khonshu’s avatar on Earth, or the “Fist of Khonshu,” leads to his Moon Knight persona. Spector is often the primary non-costumed personality nowadays, but there are times throughout the character’s history where the Spector alter is suppressed for long periods of time. So far, the Moon Knight trailers and promotions have only given us a tiny sliver of Marc Spector.

Steven Grant

Moon Knight

Steven Grant is a wealthy, charismatic, connected businessman who took Marc Spector’s mercenary earnings and turned them into millions. He uses these riches to fund Moon Knight’s costly vigilante pursuits, including the Mooncopter and plenty of gadgets. Later, Steven became a producer and even produced a Moon Knight movie. In the trailers for the Disney+ series, Oscar Isaac seems to almost exclusively be portraying the series’ version of Steven Grant. Instead of a playboy millionaire, this Grant is a mild-mannered British gift-shop employee who seems to have little to no awareness of his alters.

Jake Lockley

Shadowland: Moon Knight

Completely absent from all trailers and marketing for Moon Knight is Jake Lockley, Spector’s third classic personality. Lockley is usually depicted as a sometimes-seedy, kind of rough, street-smart cab driver who uses his position to stay connected with ground-level informants and criminals. In that way, he acts as a kind of detective for Moon Knight. Lockley also serves as the connection between Moon Knight and several major supporting characters, such as Bertrand Crawley, Gena Landers, and her two sons. Whether Jake’s absence from Moon Knight promotions means that he will not be making an appearance or that he will be a later reveal is yet to be seen.

Moon Knight

Moon Knight

Depending on which Moon Knight comic you happen to be reading, whether or not Moon Knight is actually a separate identity is pretty ambiguous. In some, like the first-ever issue of Moon Knight above, Marc, Steven, and Jake together form the identity of Moon Knight. But more recent runs have made it more explicit that Moon Knight is indeed his own alter, not just (for example) Marc in a cape. Appointed as Khonshu’s fist and high priest, Moon Knight enacts justice to protect those who travel at night. Throughout most of his history, Moon Knight was never actually superpowered, though there have been times where Khonshu imbued him with special abilities–such as superhuman strength, speed, and durability–that could vary with the lunar phases.

Mr. Knight

Moon Knight

The fifth primary alter of Marc Spector is his newest by far, first making his appearance in 2014. Maybe the most visually interesting Knight of the two, Mr. Knight always wears a crisp, all-white suit with a white shirt, white tie, and white shoes. He also wears white gloves and a white mask with the outline of a crescent moon on his forehead. If the Moon Knight posters are any indication, Isaac is about to don a very comic-accurate rendition of this personality. Mr. Knight is somewhat of a casual version of Moon Knight–he is often talking to his psychiatrist, assisting in police investigations, and talking to people in need.

Honorable Mentions

Moon Knight

For a brief time during the Brian Michael Bendis run, Marc and Moon Knight found themselves without Steven and Jake. Instead, Moon Knight developed three new alters: Wolverine, Spider-Man, and Captain America. While it is highly unlikely for many reasons that any of them will appear in Moon Knight, the Bendis run is still worth a shot.

Moon Knight hits Disney Plus on March 30th.

March 26, 2022
5 Questions: The NBA

The 2021-2022 NBA season has seen plenty of twists and turns. From the unprecedented Kyrie Irving situation in Brooklyn to the struggles of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, we’ve had more than enough drama. Those aren’t the only storylines though. Anthony Canton III and Lorenzo Smith decided to answer some questions about the NBA season as we head towards the playoffs.

1. What’s your level of concern for the Golden State Warriors’ championship chances after Steph Curry’s sprained right foot?

Lorenzo Smith: The championship chances for Golden State weren’t that high for me even before the Steph injury. It feels like their big three are all past their prime and their role players, outside of Poole, all feel inconsistent. It doesn’t help that Steph, Green, and Thompson are all recovering from injuries.

Anthony Canton III: It has to be high. The core of Golden State has played a lot of playoff basketball since 2013. Historically, when teams make runs like the Warriors have (particularly five straight finals) the accumulation of wear and tear takes a toll. While the Warriors have an incredibly deep roster with a new infusion of talent(Moody, Poole, Kuminga), they can’t win the NBA Championship without a healthy Steph Curry. As of Monday they’re only 2 games up on the Jazz for the 3 seed. This path could get more perilous assuming Curry misses the rest of the regular season.

2. Rank these three teams as to who’s the most dangerous in the playoffs and why… The Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, and Denver Nuggets.

LS: Dallas, Denver, Utah.

The Dinwiddie trade was great for Dallas. He’s the best secondary ball handler Luka has ever had. Luka will now have room to play off the ball, making Dallas way more dangerous. Denver has the best player in the league in reigning MVP Nikola Jokic. If they get back Porter and Murray, they’ll be pretty dangerous. I don’t trust Utah in the playoffs, where it seems like Gobert is easy to game plan against. They really have to figure out how to keep him on the court and be effective against teams who play small ball.

AC: Dallas, Denver, Utah.

As it turns out Jason Kidd has been a great hire to the contrary of many (myself included)who have been watching the league. Dallas has really taken off due to their defense this season (6th in defensive rating as of Monday) and Luka Doncic has been playing at an All-NBA level since the earlier portion of the season.

Denver might have the highest ceiling of this group. While they’ve slipped to the play-in tournament via tiebreakers as of Monday, soon two important players will be returning. Both Michael Porter Jr and Jamal Murray are prepping to come back. Is it a lot to ask for them to get back up to speed just mere weeks from the playoffs? Probably. However, Nikola Jokic is as good as it gets and any type of pressure you can take off of him offensively is extremely important. I think Denver is still very dangerous.

The book is out on Utah, particularly in the playoffs. Rudy Gobert is their defensive anchor, but he can’t cover everywhere. Teams have generally in the playoffs played smaller and just attacked their perimeter defense. That has forced Rudy out of his comfort zone and put him in more compromising positions. The Jazz just don’t have enough, despite the individual greatness of Donovan Mitchell. Come this off-season Utah should look into an overhaul because this iteration is not a title contender. Anyone that’s not Donovan Mitchell should be on the table to trade, including Rudy Gobert.

3. Which tanking team needs the number 1 pick the most?

LS: The Houston Rockets are the NBA team that needs the number one pick the most. Jalen Green is a gifted scorer, but has not shown enough high upside as a primary play maker. The Rockets are in desperate need of an identity and may find one if they get in a position to choose from the multiple talented and versatile front court prospects in this years draft.

AC: The Portland Trailblazers. Whether they want to admit it or not, the Damian Lillard era needs to end. The hardest part of rebuilding is the recognition that you need to. Trading CJ McCollum was the first step. There’s been plenty of hesitation from the Blazers to move their franchise cornerstone, but it’s time to change their tune. Considering all of the contenders in the West, they should trade Dame this summer and continue to see what they have in guys like Anfernee Simons and Trendon Watford. If they get the number 1 pick they shouldn’t mix timelines. Dame Time is up.

4. The Timberwolves are shaping up to have their most winningest season in almost two decades. Is this a fluke season or are the T-Wolves a relevant franchise again?

LS: The 21/22 season contained a lot of “new” for the Timberwolves. Sachin Gupta was promoted to President of Basketball Operations (after Gersson Rosas was fired), Coach Finch completed his first full season as a Minnesota head coach after being hired midway through the previous season, and Alex Rodriguez & Marc Lore became the new owners of the franchise.

With so many changes for the franchise this season, the biggest “new” was that they’re on pace to have their best season since 17-18. The T-Wolves currently have a top ten offensive rating while also maintaining a top 12 defensive rating. How is that possible for a team that gives heavy minutes to Karl Anthony-Towns and D’Angelo Russell, two players who are well known for the consistent defensive struggles?

Well, the front office surrounded their offensive stars with scrappy, defensive role players that compliment them well. As they continue to build their roster, I have hope that a positive and winning culture is brewing in Minny. If that is the case, even if their best player Karl Anthony Towns leaves in free agency, I have confidence that it won’t take long for the Wolves to have another great season.

AC: A 1-2 Punch of Karl Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards is not to be trifled with these days. Towns, at 26 years old, has played with the poise and precision to back up the attitude the team has shown as of late. Edwards not only as a talent but as a confident, positive presence in the locker room has made these guys quite the combo. A lot of credit does also have to be given to Head Coach Chris Finch who had the Wolves playing better once he was hired last season. They’ve just continued to carry that over. In the western conference it’s always hard to gauge whether a team will have longevity, but I’ll answer this question with a question. Do we think the new ownership is going to be better when they take over? If so, then absolutely. Looking at you Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez.

5. How would you evaluate the legitimacy of the play-in tournament in its 2nd season?

LS: I like the play in tournament but I wonder if there should be a win percentage threshold to qualify. I’d have to think about this more but it doesn’t seem right. With the Lakers and Pelicans being so far under .500 it looks funny in the light.

AC: From a fan interest perspective it’s helped the league. Having meaningful games in March and April have reduced the load management/tanking complaints from many over the past 10 seasons. With that being said, this season isn’t a great proponent for the play in. The Lakers and Pelicans are both 11 games under .500 (as of Monday) and a team like the San Antonio Spurs who has 28 wins at this point still has a chance. It’s a dilution of the product to be quite frank. This is a trend that’s started to occur across all the major sports and eventually it could become an issue of legitimacy.

March 22, 2022
The Multiverse NFL Mock Draft: Post-Combine Edition

We are full speed ahead here with our NFL coverage at the Multiverse HQ. Today, we bring you our first mock draft, and this comes on the heels of a flurry of moves by teams during this free agency period. We’ll have winners and losers up on the site soon, but let’s pivot to the NFL Draft and see what we think teams will do now that they’ve made all their big acquisitions.

1. Jaguars select EDGE Aidan Hutchinson: once they franchise-tagged LT Cam Robinson and signed former Commanders OG Brandon Scherff, this firmly took them out of the Ikem Ekwonu/Evan Neal conversation. With Pro Bowl OLB Josh Allen being the only pass rushing threat on this team, the Jags get him some help in the form of the former Wolverine. Hutchinson had 14 sacks last year and should be a workhorse at the next level.

2. Detroit Lions select QB Malik Willis: with two first round picks, the Lions select the most talented QB in this class with one of them. Willis is dynamic off platform and has shown the ability to make all the throws. Where he needs help the most (accuracy), he can work on while sitting behind Jared Goff.

3. Houston Texans select S Kyle Hamilton: a new contract for LT Laremy Tunsil has me thinking the Texans don’t opt for OL in this scenario, and instead give Marvin Lewis a moveable chess piece on the backend of his Texans defense. Hamilton isn’t Ed Reed or Troy Polamalu, but he’s a good player with the kind of versatility you need from your safeties in this NFL.

4. New York Jets select EDGE Kayvon Thibadeaux: the Jets will be tempted to go OL here if they don’t sign Cowboys OL La’el Collins, and Ikem Ekwonu is the 2nd best player in this class, in my opinion. However, Robert Saleh saw what the Niners got from a top-rated pass rusher added through the draft and I think that’s the pick they make here. Thibadeaux has been scrutinized to no end, but he’s got a Osi Umenyiora floor and a Javon Kearse ceiling, and improves this Jets pass rush.

5. New York Giants select OT Charles Cross: the Giants get a best-case scenario in this setting where they get to pick which OL they want to pair with Andrew Thomas to bookend their unit. I think new Head Coach Brian Daboll prioritizes a nimble OL as oppose to a mauler, and this gives the slight edge to Charles Cross. Ekwonu and Evan Neal are both better, but Cross isn’t that far behind, and he helps the Giants keep Daniel Jones/Tyrod Taylor when he takes over upright.

6. Carolina Panthers take OL Ikem Ekwonu: Sam Darnold and Matt Rhule will probably both be off this team next year, but Rhule leaves the Panthers with one parting gift in the form of the best OL in this class. Ekwonu could’ve gone at any slot ahead of this one, but falls here to Carolina where he will block for Darnold for a year before the Panthers GM cleans house and gets their QB of the future in here.

7. New York Giants select EDGE Travon Walker: a player I’m not admittedly high on, as his pass rush repertoire is virtually non-existent at this point, but the NFL seems determined to make this happen. Walker had an insane combine and, coupled with no red flags, this means a team in the top 10 will most likely roll the dice. The only team that has that type of a leash to where they can sit and develop a guy is the Giants, so Walker goes here.

8. Atlanta Falcons select WR Drake London: as of this writing, Matt Ryan is still their QB, and they need another pass catcher in the building given that Calvin Ridley is gone for a year and they lost Russell Cage to the Bucs. They could opt for the more-polished Garrett Wilson, but I think the Falcons prioritize the ability to win contested catches, and that’s London’s game. With this pick, Arthur Smith tries to replicate the bully pass catcher mantra he had with the Titans.

9. Seattle Seahawks select CB Sauce Gardner: the first pick of the post-Russell Wilson era has Pete Carroll trying to shore up what was once a strength for this team. With Gardner, you get a confident player who has the results to back it up. He gave up no touchdowns in college, albeit against some weak competition.

10. New York Jets select WR Garrett Wilson: if the Falcons had taken Wilson, the Jets would’ve taken London, in my opinion, but I don’t think the Falcons do that so the Jets get a top 3 WR in this class at 10. They have Elijah Moore and Corey Davis, and I’d trade for Robert Woods if I’m them because I don’t think you can have enough pass catchers, but giving Wilson to Zach Wilson after all the work up front means you’ve given him a chance now. Wilson is a polished route runner with the hands of a catcher, and he elevates the Jets pass catching group.

11. Washington Commanders select LB Devin Lloyd: Ron Rivera wants his Luke Kuechly, and he gets that in the Utah standout. Lloyd is a modern LBer who can play sideline to sideline and cover, and is better than last year’s first rounder Jamin Davis. This pick allows Rivers to slide Davis to OLB, where the Commanders are currently playing Cold Holcomb. Lloyd and Davis give Rivera his Kuechly/Thomas Davis LB duo in the nation’s capital.

12. Minnesota Vikings select CB Kair Elam: the film was always pretty good, but the great 40 time solidified him as a top 16 pick, in my opinion. There will be talk of the Vikings taking Derek Stingley, but I do not think the Vikings make him the first pick of a new regime given the Lisfranc injury he suffered. I think they opt for a lower ceiling corner with less injury concerns, and Elam slots in opposite Patrick Peterson from day one.

13. Houston Texans select OT Evan Neal: Charlie Heck is currently starting at RT and, while I liked him coming out of UNC, that doesn’t mean the Texans should not try and uograde. They moved former first round pick Tytus Howard to LG, and now they add a monster in Evan Neal who can either play RT or slide into RG to replace Justin McCray. The Texans seem committed to giving Davis Mills a chance, and improving the OL with Neal gives him that chance.

14. Baltimore Ravens select C Tyler Linderbaum: the best Center to enter the draft in a long time lands in the perfect spot. The Ravens have added Morgan Moses to start at RT, get Ronnie Stanley back at LT, and have a returning Kevin Zeitler who was very good for them last year. They are most likely losing Bradley Bozeman, so Linderbaum slots right into the starting C spot. He is perfect for the Ravens and their running game, and will become best friends with former MVP Lamar Jackson.

15. Philadelphia Eagles select EDGE Jermaine Johnson: Jermaine Johnson is a better player and prospect than Travon Walker, but that doesn’t seem to be a universally-held belief in the NFL as we rarely see Johnson mocked ahead of Walker post-combine. Here, the Eagles are the beneficiary, as they add the more polished edge. Johnson will replace former first round pick Derek Barnett, and give the Eagles some much needed pass rush juice. A sound prospect who will produce at the next level, Johnson helps the Eagles here.

16. Philadelphia Eagles select CB Derek Stingley, Jr: with their 2nd first round pick, the Eagles add the cornerback who owns the best tape of the last 5 years in Derek Stingley, Jr. The reason they can take this chance is because they have Darius Slay and Steven Nelson as their starters, which means Stingley can be brought along slowly if there are concerns about his injury. Javon Hargrave, Stingley, and Johnson become the cornerstones of this next era of Eagles defenses.

17. Los Angeles Chargers select WR Treylon Burks: every move this team has made this off-season has been about winning now. There will be temptation to roll the dice on Jameson Williams, but I think Brandon Staley gives his QB a third big body pass catcher to overwhelm AFC West defenses with. Burks hasn’t had the best offseason, but the film is nasty, and he is a guy that will repeatedly feast on nickel cornerbacks at the next level. He can win outside, can beat press, and can win jump balls, and this gives the Chargers arguably the second best trio in football at WR.

18. New Orleans Saints select QB Kenny Pickett: Dennis Allen wants to upgrade at QB, and the bar is low to do that after Taysom Hill. They could bring back Jameis Winston, who looked good early in Sean Payton’s offense, but I think they opt for the most accurate QB in the class in Kenny Pickett. He doesn’t have the arm strength you’d like to see from a signal caller, but with playmakers in place and former Saints QB Drew Brees not having the same arm he used to and the offense still being successful? That may not matter, so Pickett goes here.

19. Philadelphia Eagles select LB Nakobe Dean: three first round picks, and they all go to defense? Yeah, I think that’s what the Eagles do because the offensive side of the ball in this class is substantially deeper, and I think they opt to add a WR in R2. The Eagles signed an edge in free agency in Haason Reddick, and now they get the leader in the middle of this defense with Nakobe Dean. Dean had an excellent season in Athens, and slots right into this young but talented Eagles defense. He is Nick Sirianni’s Darius Leonard.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers select QB Desmond Ridder: the Steelers wish Malik Willis dropped this far, since they signed the bridge in Mitch Trubisky, but they still follow that plan here and add Desmond Ridder. Ridder is a project: he’s everything folks said Zach Wilson was last year, but Mike Tomlin and his staff have the leash to where they can sit him and develop him behind a guy who has won games in this league.

21. New England Patriots select OG Zion Johnson: they just gifted Shaq Mason to the Bucs for a 5th round pick, and now need a replacement. They don’t look too far, as they go right to my alma mater and add a monster in Zion Johnson. There is no way Bill Belicheck goes into the season with James Ferentz up front protecting Mac Jones. They need to upgrade at WR, but Bill is old school: he opts for OL reinforcement here.

22. Green Bay Packers select WR Chris Olave: with Devante Adams in the desert, the Packers need a new number one WR. Enter the former Ohio State Buckeye and best WR in this class. Olave gets to play with the league MVP not too far from where he shined in college, and goes to arguably the best situation for any of the young pass catchers drafted here. He’s a deep threat with great hands and is an excellent route runner: he reminds me of Roddy White.

23. Arizona Cardinals select EDGE George Karlaftis: they lost Chandler Jones, and probably should trade Kyler Murray, so they replace the former here while hoping they don’t have to replace the latter. George Karlaftis was talked up as a potential top 10 pick early in this process, but this feels where he should go. He’s got some refining to do, but he’s a maximum effort guy now going to play with the NFL’s ultimate effort guy in JJ Watt.

24. Dallas Cowboys select OT Trevor Penning: they foolishly cut Lael Collins, and look to the draft for his replacement. Penning didn’t have the best Senior Bowl, but the Cowboys overlook that because they like the traits he has. With this offense in a bit of a flux (trading Amari Cooper, cutting Collins), their saving grace is that they have drafted well. Now, if they could find a taker for Ezekiel Elliott or a coach that’ll actually use him, they’d be cooking.

25. Buffalo Bills select DL Jordan Davis: a freakish combine from a guy that rotated snaps is going to be a good test to see what these GMs value more. I think film is still what matters to Brian Beane, which is why he loves that Davis falls to him here. With this pick, the Bills four man front is Ed Oliver, Gregory Rousseau, newly-signed Von Miller, and Davis, and that is music to Beane’s ears knowing that he’s going to have to build the DL that can get to these QBs. For Davis, it’s the best situation for him given how loaded the Bills defense is at every level.

26. Tennessee Titans select WR Jameson Williams: the Julio Jones experiment very clearly didn’t work, and it cost the Titans two picks. One could argue they can’t afford to take a chance at the position, but this is a team that sticks to its board and the former Alabama WR at this spot is too good value to pass up. They will be tempted to take a QB, but I think it’s more likely they reset next year at the position. Williams, if healthy, gives AJ Brown a running mate that will beat one on ones all day. Last year, the Titans took Caleb Fairley regardless of injuries, and I think they do the same here.

27. Tampa Bay Bucs select QB Sam Howell: Tom Brady’s short-lived retirement makes me think that he’s closer to being done, and I think Jason Licht is a very good GM who will plan for that. Taking a QB here gives you the fifth year option in case Brady does play until he’s 50. Howell is an accurate passer with limited arm strength, so Brady should see the young him in Howell, and will mentor him all while trying to win another SB ring.

28. Green Bay Packers select OG Kenyon Green: after adding Chris Olave with their first 1st rounder, they opt to add to the OL with their second. Kenyon Green played literally everywhere, and his draft stock ironically took a hit for it. He can replace Bryan O’Neill at RT, or slot right in to RG over Royce Newman. Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon immediately will like him because of the holes he opens up for them, and who knows: maybe he will block for Jordan Love one day.

29. Miami Dolphins select OT Bernhard Raimann: this Dolphins OL isn’t very good, and they need some talent up front. Raimann is still pretty raw, but if he develops you now have a potential bookend tackle. The problem is the Dolphins took Austin Jackson in round one with the same thinking, but Chris Grier doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing, so he repeats the same mistake again.

30. Kansas City Chiefs select CB Trent McDuffie: the short arms cause this standout corner to fall, but the Chiefs are the beneficiaries. They lost their top corner, and now replace him with someone who fits seamlessly into their defense. McDuffie is a pest, and shows good patience when mirroring WR routes. He doesn’t bite often, and he has a knack for breaking on routes that will help him at the next level. Chiefs get a steal.

31. Cincinnati Bengals select EDGE David Ojabo: the Achilles injury is brutal news for the Wolverine prospect, but the Bengals picking this late means they can essentially draft and stash him. Ojabo provides significant juice for a defense that really only got pass rushing production from Trey Hendrickson last year. Ojabo could be better than Aidan Hutchinson in three years.

32. Detroit Lions select CB/S Daxton Hill: the Lions could’ve taken Kyle Hamilton at 2 and then taken whatever QB was left at 32. However, in this scenario they do the smart thing by taking the higher ceiling QB and the better safety later in the draft. Daxton Hill has the versatility to play corner or safety, is a sure tackler, and is a playmaker on the back-end. The Lions brought back Tracy Walker, but I do not think they are done adding talent to a secondary that was ranked 24th in yards allowed. Hill improves this secondary from when he steps on the field.

March 21, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Zach Braff and Gabrielle Union Talk ‘Cheaper By The Dozen’

With the way how things are turning out in the world, people could use some wholesome family-friendly warmth. Disney+’s latest offering, Cheaper By The Dozen, does exactly that. Zach Braff and Gabrielle Union star in this iconic remake of a remake about a family with a dozen kids living through life. We briefly spoke with both Braff and Union about their roles as the heads of the family Paul and Zoey Baker, respectively, and asked how they approached the characters.

Braff drew inspiration from his own desires of being a whimsical fun dad one day:

It’s kind of the dad I wanna be one day. I’m not a father but I hope when I am, I’m fun and silly. I’m going on adventures with them, down on the ground and playing with them. He’s the dad I daydream of being one day. I’m an uncle to a bunch of nieces and nephews and I have so much fun with them and I bond so closely with them. So I just made Paul the dad I wanna be one day.

Union, on the other hand, drew inspiration from the film’s text on diversity and inclusion and approached Zoey as believable as possible.

Zoey is a lot more patient than I am. If I put too much into Zoey Baker, it’s a whole different movie [laughs]. She definitely would’ve handled all the racial situations way differently. For me, I wanted to make it as realistic as possible. And when you talk about blending families and you have different races and cultures and levels of ability, when you’re talking about the best neighborhood for your family, neighborhoods without diversity and inclusion probably aren’t the best for your family. That’s still something I’m unlearning and I’m trying to do better with. But it was really important to show the reality of moving through life with a blended family that is super diverse.

March 20, 2022
‘Midnight Sons’: Would Daredevil Work With the MCU’s Line-Up?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a long history of building towards team-ups. After crafting its entire first phase around slowly forming the Avengers, the franchise doubled down and began to rapid-fire its groupings. Since 2012, fans have been treated to live-action versions of nearly everything, from classic assemblies like the Guardians of the Galaxy to original creations like the Revengers. Now, after years of speculation, fans are gearing up for what looks to be the next Marvel super team to transition from page to screen – the Midnight Sons. With all the supernatural projects currently in development at Marvel Studios, it seems like a give-in that the company will eventually bring its mystic heroes together for a grand battle against the dark arts. The only real question still lingering is who might make the final roster.

One character that seems like an obvious choice is Oscar Isaac‘s Moon Knight, whose titular Disney+ series is set to debut at the end of this month. The character is a longtime member of the team in the comics, and has strong ties to the worlds of mythology that the team’s stories often pull from. Isaac confirmed his interest in a hypothetical Midnight Sons project during a recent interview, in which he listed other members of the team he’d like to interact with as Blade, Ghost Rider, and Daredevil. This all sounds fine and dandy at first glance, but becomes more interesting upon a further look. While Blade and Ghost Rider are both founding members of the group in the comics, Daredevil has never once actually been part of the roster. Also, it’s sort of up-in-the-air if it even makes sense for him to play a role on the team in the first place.

It’s entirely possible that Isaac, a relative newcomer to comics, made a mistake in assuming Matt Murdock would join the line-up. After all, the character often operates in close proximity to many of the team’s famous faces, and has come into conflict with supernatural forces before. A more intriguing option, however, is that Isaac has been briefed on an unannounced Midnight Sons project and accidentally let slip that Daredevil will be involved. A longshot, of course, but not a total reach. Daredevil has become massively popular with fans since his Netflix (now Disney+) series began in 2015, and was just formally introduced to the MCU with a cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Marvel Studios will likely want to include him on some sort of team in the future, and something like the Midnight Sons would make a much better fit for the Avocado-at-Law than the highly public, large-scale Avengers.

Daredevil has spent time with the Avengers before, most notably as a member of the early 2010’s New Avengers, but his time with the team never felt permanent or overly characteristic. The Man Without Fear is traditionally a “street level hero”, dealing mostly with local threats that wouldn’t even hit the Avengers radar. For the most part, aside from the occasional team-up with Spider-Man or former flame Black Widow, Murdock operates as a lone vigilante. Marvel Television attempted to reconcile this local hero concept with their desire to pull off a crossover event by making Daredevil a central figure in a new “street hero” iteration of the Defenders. While the limited series flopped with critics and the team dissipated after a single outing, it did do something sort of interesting. It proved that Charlie Cox‘s take on Daredevil, the one we will continue to see in the MCU going forward, is actually pretty darn charming in a group setting.

So, if anyone was wondering if MCU Daredevil can exist on a team, the answer would be yes. As both a constituent and a leader. The next step in over-analyzing Isaac‘s verbal slip is determining if Daredevil can function as a member of the Midnight Sons, specifically. For those who are still confused, the Sons are a group of Marvel heroes and anti-heroes who came together to fend off dark, powerful, supernatural threats that regular heroes are ill-equipped to handle. Typically consisting of characters like Ghost Rider, Blade, Man-Thing, Hellstrom, Werewolf by Night, and even Doctor Strange, the team has done battle with villains like Lilith, Mother of All Demons, Zarathos, and Mephisto. One might consider these baddies out of Daredevil’s paygrade if he hadn’t had a history with his own mystic threats, often coming out of conflicts with The Hand, or if the Midnight Sons hadn’t successfully recruited fellow “regular vigilante” The Punisher in the past.

Ultimately, whether or not Daredevil works as part of the MCU’s Midnight Sons feels like it might depend on what sort of story Marvel would like to tell when the time comes. If they’re going with a massive, world-ending Darkhold tale, then it might be best for them to focus on their heroes with magical powersets and supernatural expertise. However, if they go back to the realm of Defenders-level threats, a la resurrected assassins and shadowy martial arts figures, then Daredevil would be a welcome addition to the crew. The horned do-gooder was once famously part of a collective that was somewhere in-between the Midnight Sons and Defenders, known as the Marvel Knights. This group was made up of existing MCU heroes like Shang-Chi, Spider-Man, Moon Knight, and Blade, and an adaptation could be a good Midnight Sons offshoot further down the road, should Marvel really want to make Daredevil a team player again.

March 20, 2022
2022 Detroit Tigers Season Preview: The Rotation and Bullpen

The Tigers have high hopes to compete for a playoff spot in 2022 and while the defense and lineup look to be improved, it’s the growth of the pitching staff that will determine if they’re still playing once the regular season wraps up. Two free agent additions will add a much-needed veteran presence to a youthful rotation, but the development of Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal and Matt Manning will determine how far this team goes.

The Rotation

Eduardo Rodriguez

2021 stats: 31 GS 13-8 record 4.74 ERA 9.4 K/9 1.8 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 29 GS 12-9 record 3.47 ERA 9.6 K/9 3.3 WAR

The biggest splash the Tigers made in the pitching free agent market has already been given the nod as the Opening Day starter. Rodriguez will be expected to be a steadying influence on the Tigers young core of starters while they have what is undoubtedly their most important year of development. E-Rod knows a thing or two about perseverating through adversity, but don’t forget he’s also flirted with a 20-win season. If he gets back to the right side of 3.00 with K/BB ratio, he’ll find himself right back on top.

Casey Mize

2021 stats: 30 GS 7-9 record 3.71 ERA 7.1 K/93.3 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 30 GS 8-8 record 4.20 ERA 7.4 K/9 1.9 WAR

You could almost write the same blurb for Mize and Skubal and not sound too bad. This is the biggest year in Mize’s development and will go a long way in determining if he’s going to be their future #1 or if the club will have to dip back into free agency again to find an ace. Mize has shown the ability to pitch incredibly efficiently at times, but he’s also had incredibly frustrating spurts where he seemed to have totally lost his command. It isn’t so much that he walks a ton of guys, but it puts him in a spot where he throws way too many pitches, resulting in him not getting deep into games. A #1 gets you deep into almost every start. Is Mize that guy?

Tarik Skubal

2021 stats: 29 GS 8-12 record 4.34 ERA 9.8 K/9 1.7 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 29 GS 10-10 record 4.25 ERA 9.7 K/9 1.8 WAR

What’s the best pitch in baseball? A first pitch strike. No Tigers’ starter provides better evidence of that than Skubal. When ahead in the count in 2021, opponents hit .168; when behind in the count, that jumped up to .283. As A.J. Hinch said, “When he falls behind, he gets hit. When he doesn’t, he doesn’t.” In that regard, he’s not too dissimilar than Matthew Boyd. However, he’s only 25 and if he could push that K/9 north of 10, where it was for his entire minor league career, he becomes an incredible #2. But again, this year will go a long way in determining that.

Michael Pineda

2021 stats: 21 GS 9-8 record 3.62 ERA 7.24 K/9 1.4 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 28 GS 9-10 record 4.57 ERA 7.16 K/9 1.5 WAR

Brought in on a one-year, $5.5 M deal, Pineda should slot in as the Tigers’ #4 and really solidify the rotation. His signing gives them another veteran presence, allows Manning to bump to the 5 slot-where he’ll be able to be skipped occasionally, helping preserve his arm-and puts the versatile and valuable Tyler Alexander into the pen. The signing is an Avila special in that it is low-risk, high-reward and, if he has a great first half and the team isn’t in contention, he can look to move him. If that’s the case, it’ll give someone like Beau Brieske a dozen or so starts in the minors to see if he’s ready for the show.

Matt Manning

2021 stats: 18 GS 4-7 record 5.80 ERA 6.0 K/9 -0.4 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 26 GS 7-8 record 4.59 ERA 7.0 K/9 1.1 WAR

Manning just turned 24 and last year’s experience in Detroit might turn out to have been the tipping point in his career. He was having incredible success at AAA before a rash of injuries to the MLB staff gave him an extended shot. He was inconsistent not only with his performance, but seemingly with his confidence. Whatever the case, he rarely ever resembled the high K-rate guy he’d always been in the minors, sporting an average FB velo of only 93.4 MPH. If he walks into the season with some extra confidence knowing he has what it takes to survive the MLB, he could surprise the league and win a dozen games in 2022.

Wily Peralta

2021 stats: 18 GS 4-5 record 3.07 ERA 5.57 K/9 0.7 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 5-6 record 4.97 ERA 6.53 K/9 0.6 WAR

The Tigers brought Peralta back on a minor league deal, but given the great work he did in 2021 (allowing only more than 2 ER once after August), it’s reasonable to assume he’ll be one of the first calls if the team has any early season issues with the rotation.

Bullpen

Tyler Alexander

2021 stats: 15 GS 2-4 record 3.81 ERA 8.2 K/9 1.9 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 15 GS 6-7 record 4.86 ERA 7.0 K/9 0.5 WAR

With the signing of Pineda, Alexander will move to the pen. Pineda may not be ready for the first week or two of the season, so Alexander might fill in until then and he could also spot start at any point. Whatever his role, you couldn’t really ask for more consistency than what he can provide. He allowed more than 3 earned runs only twice last season, doesn’t put a lot of guys on for free and is usually good for 5+ innings.

Alex Lange

2021 stats: 36 appearances 1-3 record 4.04 ERA 9.84 K/9 0.1 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 54 appearances 3-4 record 4.66 ERA 8.54 K/9 0.0 WAR

The return on the Nick Castellanos deal, Lange made his MLB debut and put together two stretches of 6 or more appearances without giving up a run and opponents only hit .194 against the former LSU star for the season. If he can capture the magic of the second half of 2021, which saw an increase in velocity and a notable decrease in walks (0 walks in his last 10 appearances), Lange will be a key middle-relief guy, getting the ball from the starts to Fulmer and Soto.

Joe Jimenez

2021 stats: 52 appearances 6-1 record 1 save 5.96 ERA 11.32 K/9 -0.2 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 46 appearances 3-3 record 4.53 ERA 10.42 K/9 0.0 WAR

Once one of the team’s top prospects, Jimenez has spent 5 season “adjusting” and of all the names on the list here, his grip on a spot is the most tenuous. Despite his great “stuff”, Jimenez still walks way too many batters to be an effective reliever and does his worst work with runners in scoring position. The days of seeing him as the “closer of the future” are done and now he’s battling to be the guy who comes in when the team is down 6 after 2.

Kyle Funkhouser

2021 stats: 57 appearances 7-4 record 3.42 ERA 8.30 K/9 0.3 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 62 appearances 5-1 record 4.72 ERA 8.52 K/9 -0.1 WAR

A lat issue will keep Funkhouser from being ready for Opening Day, but make no mistake about it, he’s one of the most valuable pieces of the pen and integral to any success the Tigers hope to have in 2022. Half of his 26 earned runs were the result of 3 rough outings and he had a stretch in August that had fans remembering why he was once so highly touted. Funk seems to work best coming in to start an inning (he allowed only one earned run with the bases empty), so he is the perfect candidate to give the team an inning, occasionally two, when it’s clear the starter is gassed and isn’t coming back out.

Andrew Chafin

2021 stats: 71 appearances 2-4 record 5 saves 1.83 ERA 8.39 K/9 1.4 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 66 appearances 3-3 record 3.89 ERA 8.76 K/9 0.7 WAR

Chafin is coming off a career year in 2021, splitting it between the Cubs and A’s. Lefties couldn’t hit him (.176) and righties couldn’t hit him either (.196). He did his best work in medium leverage situations, which is probably exactly where the Tigers envision him doing his work for them. He’s also going to be a hit both with the staff and the town. A great signing for the team just ahead of the start of Spring Training.

Jose Cisnero

2021 stats: 67 appearances 4-4 record 4 saves 3.65 ERA 9.05 K/9 0.6 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 60 appearances 3-4 record 4.21 ERA 9.24 K/9 0.2 WAR

Cisnero should team with Chafin on getting the ball to Fulmer and Soto and, like Chafin, he does his best work in medium-leverage situations (.174 average against, 11 ER in 31.1 IP). Cisnero, like Chafin, is the perfect piece to start the 7th inning when the team is holding a lead and either that starter or middle man has put the team on the track for a win. He had a rough last week of 2021, but he also had a stretch of 20 innings over 13 appearances where he didn’t allow a run.

Michael Fulmer

2021 stats: 52 appearances 5-6 record 14 saves 2.97 ERA 9.43 K/9 1.6 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 64 appearances 4-4 record 6 saves 4.06 ERA 8.74 K/9 0.6 WAR

Fulmer’s move to the bullpen proved to be a career-saver for the one-time starting prospect. It took him some time to really find his groove, but in the second half, opponents hit .255 against him and he had a 1.52 ERA. More interestingly, opponents only hit .203 against him in high-leverage situations, which he’ll certainly see more of this year.

Gregory Soto

2021 stats: 62 appearances 6-3 record 18 saves 3.39 ERA 10.74 K/9 0.5 WAR
2022 projected stats*: 68 appearances 4-4 record 22 saves 3.90 ERA 10.88 K/9 0.7 WAR

A.J. Hinch has already named Soto as his closer, and in Hinch’s world, that means Soto will see the highest amount of high-leverage situations. Last year, opponents hit just .189 against him in those types of situations. Even as his ERA climbed as the season went on (much of that was the typical closer-pitching-in-non-closer situations), hitters still struggled to make solid contact against him often. He’ll remain one of the key pieces to the Tigers’ success in 2022 and any playoff hopes will obviously rest on how he, and the rest of the pen, do holding down leads.

Note: Joey Wentz and Alex Faedo, a pair of one-time top prospects recovering from Tommy John surgeries, might also see some time in the pen in 2022.

While the future is certainly bright in Detroit, Mize and Skubal need another year under pressure before becoming the top tier starters they are destined to be. A big jump by Manning could do wonders for both him and the team, however.

*Projected stats from 2022 ZiPS Projections at FanGraphs

March 19, 2022
Deep Thoughts: Hypothetical Marvel Studios 2024 Release Calendar, V1

With so much uncertainty remaining about exactly when which projects will stream in 2022, and only some known quantities for 2023, it would be crazy to start thinking about 2024. Without further delay, here’s a look at what Marvel Studios’ 2024 release slate COULD be.

Marvel Studios has not acknowledged the existence of this Hulk project; however, KC Walsh broke the news publicly in October of 2021, supporting information shared with Murphy’s Multiverse 3 months prior. While it seems like a safe bet to be the first 2024 film, given Walsh’s info that it will film in late-2022, all that can be done now is to make a wild prediction that it’ll land here.

As discussed at length here, Charlie Cox is going to be included in a lot of Marvel Studios projects over the next several years. It’s been great for Cox to take off the gloves lately and start discussing his future more and more and, as recent reports have indicated, a Daredevil solo project is among those. At the moment, it looks like that one could go into production as soon as late 2022 or early 2023, but with an already packed 2023, it’s reasonable to expect Daredevil hits Disney Plus in 2024.

The news that Shawn Levy had signed on to take the wheel for Deadpool 3 and the lack of news about other theatrical projects put this one firmly on the board for 2024. Fans are rightly curious about exactly what to expect from this film, but with the writers from the first two films getting a pass at the script, a steady flow of dick jokes is probably on the menu.

While the title of this series is up in the air, from a simple Okoye to a more indicative Midnight Angels, it’s expected that it will spin directly out of the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and possibly focus on not only Okoye but also a group of elite Dora Milaje warriors on a VERY special mission. Ryan Coogler has created expansive mythology connected to Wakanda and this series should explore more of that while setting up the future of the franchise.

At one point, this film was on the docket to film in 2021. Recently, Murphy’s Multiverse was informed that production was officially postponed until 2023, putting it among the top contenders for a 2024 release. Thematically, Cap 4 could tie into a number of Marvel Studios projects, including Armor Wars and the Okoye-centric series. Could this be the beginning of a New Avengers team in the MCU?

2024 is the 60th anniversary of Wanda’s first appearance, so what better time for her first solo project to debut? Recent rumors of a solo project The Scarlet Witch seem to be supported by multiple sources and word of a 2023 start of production has reached our ears. A Fall release would align the series with the Autumnal Equinox, one of several major celebrations for Wiccans. Let’s put it here for now.

A late-2023 start of production for this one falls in line with more than a decade’s worth of data that indicates Marvel Studios likes to give creatives a 2-year window from green light to film. Destin Daniel Cretton, who helmed Marvel Studios’ best origin story since Black Panther, is back for the sequel and should benefit from Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi dropping in here and there in between films.

Discussed a couple of times in the most recent 2023 hypothetical calendar, the ability for Marvel to synergistically link theatrical releases to streaming series is a powerful marketing tool. With that tool in the toolbox, a beautiful bridge could be built from Shang-Chi 2 to a Xialing-centric The Ten Rings series. Could the two projects blow open the door for some other hidden cities to enter the MCU?

Note: The latest version of our hypothetical 2023 calendar can be found right here.

March 19, 2022
2022 Detroit Tigers Season Preview: The Lineup

The 2022 Detroit Tigers’ season is a season of hope. With only one winning record in the last 7 seasons and no playoff appearances since 2014, the city of Detroit is starving for success with any of their teams. It’s been a long, dark journey, full of rebuilds and disappointment. The Tigers should help reverse some of these misfortunes, and are set up to compete for the playoffs and higher aspirations for the next decade. With how the second half of the season unfolded, they are gaining more and more momentum with each passing day, especially with it looking like talented young guns Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene will be in the opening day lineup. Not since 2014 have I been this optimistic, and I’m looking forward to getting my heart ripped out and stomped on this coming September.

The Starting Lineup

Akil Baddoo L/L

2021 stats: .259/.330/.766 13 HR 55 RBI 2.1 WAR
2022 projected stats*: .264/.335/.786 15 HR 60 RBI 2.3 WAR

Nobody expected this Rule 5 draft pick to make any noise in 2021, but he shot out of the cannon at the beginning of the year. He slumped for a good 2 months in the dog days of summer, and then brought his average back to above .250. Now for 2022, has he spent the offseason focused on left-handed pitching, his one boon? A lefty with the ability to run and play all 3 OF spots is a blessing to have, now Akil just needs to prove he can be an every day player. He’ll be a key piece in any Tigers’ playoff run for the foreseeable future.

Robbie Grossman L/S

2021 stats: .239/.357/.772 23 HR 67 RBI 2.9 WAR
2022 projected stats*: .243/.334/.757 17 HR 56 RBI 2.1 WAR

Robbie joined the Tigers to bring a veteran presence as well as having the ability to leadoff and get on base. He’s a steady player, who will continue to guide the youngsters in the outfield as well as the clubhouse. He won’t win a batting title anytime soon, but he’s one of the most important players in this transition period from rebuild to playoff contender.

Javier Baez R/R

2021 stats: .265/.319/.813 31 HR 87 RBI 3.6 WAR
2022 projected stats*: .261/.304/.772 26 HR 80 RBI 3.2 WAR

Javy is an enigma and one of the most polarizing players in the league. He’ll swing at anything, but he has great pop in his bat and he is an exciting player to watch. I was hoping for Correa, but the deal that we got Baez at is a steal compared to what Correa is asking for. With the young guns coming into the fray, what seemed to separate the Tigers from a playoff team was a star in the middle of the lineup, and Javy has the potential to be just that for the team. Prepare for the most bone-headed plays you’ll see all year, but for every bad play, he’ll give you an eye opening play. Stay patient, fans. He has the second most playoff experience on this squad and was on a member of the 2016 Cubs World Series team.

Jeimer Candelario R/S

2021 stats: .271/.351/.795 16 HR 67 RBI 3.8 WAR
2022 projected stats: .253/.334/.764 18 HR 64 RBI 3.2 WAR

Jeimer might be the most important batter on the Tigers for 2022. He quietly tied for the league lead in doubles in 2021, and he’s primed to have an even better 2022, surrounded by more talent. Think of Victor Martinez when Prime Miguel and Prince was around. 42 doubles as a switch hitter is no joke, and he’s still only 28. Look for big things from Candy this year.

Jonathan Schoop R/R

2021 stats: .278/.320/.755 22 HRs 84 RBI 2.0 WAR
2022 projected stats*: .265/.307/.743 22 HR 74 RBI 2.0 WAR

Schoop has had his career revitalized in Detroit. A bit of a journeyman, bouncing around 3 teams before setting in Detroit in 2020, where in both seasons he’s had a .278 average, which he had only eclipsed twice before (2015 with a .279 and 2017 with a .293). He and Jeimer will compliment each other well in the lineup, and this shores up second base, especially with Torkelson focusing exclusively moved to 1st.

Miguel Cabrera R/R

2021 stats: .256/.316/.701 15 HR 75 RBI -0.5 WAR
2022 projected stats*: .248/.304/.678 14 HR 63 RBI -0.3 WAR

Death, taxes, and Miggy being in the best shape of his life come spring ball. No reports about that so far this year, which does raise some eyebrows since it’s been a recurring statement for as long as I can remember. Miggy will pack seats for the first month of the year, as he is only 13 hits away from 3,000. He’s not the back to back MVP, triple crown winning Miguel of old, but he still offers a veteran presence, and actually had a semi-decent second half to 2021. He’ll be very important guiding Torkelson into becoming a fearsome hitter. He’s already said that he’s going to primarily DH to get Spencer on the field, and that itself is a change from Miggy’s thoughts in the past, always preferring to play the field. Team player through and through.

Spencer Torkelson R/R

2021 stats (A/AA/AAA): .267/.383/.935 30 HR 91 RBI
2022 projected stats*: .249/.334/.823 28 HR 77 RBI 2.8 WAR

The masher. Not many prospects carry the weight of a franchise like Torkelson is poised to do. Torkelson has the potential to be a top 5 bat in the entire MLB. He ran through all levels of the minors this past season, and looks ready to be on the opening day roster. Torkelson, Greene, Baddoo, and Baez will be the core for this lineup to build around for at least the next half decade.

Tucker Barnhart R/S

2021 stats: .247/.317/.685 7 HR 48 RBI
2022 projected stats*: .229/.303/.638 6 HR 35 RBI 0.9 WAR

The Tigers have been looking for a steady presence at catcher for a long while. Alex Avila was thought to be the future after his breakout 2011 year and never came within 30 points of his average that year again. Then, James McCann was next. We let him walk and he turned into an All Star the very next year, posting career highs in every single category. Such is life as a Tigers’ fan. Barnhart will be a good stopgap for the NEXT future Tigers catcher, Dillon Dingler. Barnhart brings a veteran lefty bat and proven game experience, and I’m excited to see how he calls games for this young bullpen.

Riley Greene L/L

2021 stats (AA/AAA): .301/.387/.921 24 HR 84 RBI
2022 projected stats*: .268/.335/.800 23 HR 71 RBI 2.9 WAR

The 5 tooler. I actually like Riley more than Spencer, and that’s saying a lot. Riley is only 20 years old and has one of the prettiest swings on this entire roster. He can run, he can hit for average and power, and he can play all 3 OF spots, but will likely find his home in a corner spot. Prepare for a decade of Torkelson/Greene hitting 3 and 4.

Key Bench Players

Eric Haase R/R

2021 stats: .231/.286/.745 22 HR 61 RBI 1.0 WAR
2022 predicted stats*: .219/.279/.686 12 HR 33 RBI 0.4 WAR

Haase could very well be the most important bench player for Detroit. He was first relegated as a backup catcher, but his power and excitement quickly got Hinch’s attention, and had no choice but to put him on the field, where he spent time in the outfield as well as behind the plate. He’s been a late bloomer, but is an excellent depth player who will be counted on to perform wherever he is placed.

Derek Hill R/R

2021 stats: .259/.313/.702 3 HR 14 RBI 0.3 WAR
2022 predicted stats*: .237/.302/.669 3 HR 17 RBI 0.1 WAR

Likely the best pure athlete on this team. Deion Sanders had a famous quote, “Water covers 2/3 of the Earth. I cover the rest” and I think Derek Hill could do Deion proud with his range in the outfield. He was a streak of lightning chasing down balls, and that’s what the Tigers were looking for when they drafted him. He won’t hit for power, but if he keeps his .259 average in limited time up, he’ll be a foundational piece for the Tigers.

Victor Reyes R/S

2021 stats: .258/.284/.701 5 HR 22 RBI 0.3 WAR
2022 predicted stats*: .268/.296/.681 5 HR 23 RBI 0.7 WAR

Reyes is another key bench player that can provide value in situational hitting. Being a switch hitter makes him able to hit any pitching, and a career .268 average is nothing to slouch at. If any of the starters go down, Reyes will be able to fill in respectfully.

Daz Cameron R/R

2021 stats: .194/.278/.637 4 HR 13 RBI -0.1 WAR
2022 predicted stats*: .231/.302/.584 4 HR 16 RBI 0.1 WAR

Daz is probably a year or two away from getting settled into the majors. He’s got a beautiful swing, but went in an awful slump that didn’t get his average above the Mendoza line in 2021. The outfield is getting crowded, and Daz will have to perform in practice and limited game action to earn more playing time.

Harold Castro R/L

2021 stats: .283/.310/.669 3 HR 37 RBI 0.5 WAR
2022 predicted stats*: .270/.299/.690 2 HR 18 RBI 0.0 WAR

Hammering Harold. The worst nickname of all time, he gives good depth to the middle infield and had a higher average than I thought he had for 2021. He’s not starting potential yet, but can fill in in a pinch. Being a lefty swinging infielder is also of value.

*Projected stats from 2022 ZiPS Projections at FanGraphs

March 18, 2022
‘Ms. Marvel’s Trailer May Hint at Kamala Khan’s Ability to Polymorph After All

There has been quite a bit of a heated debate when it came to the upcoming Ms. Marvel series and the handling of her abilities. Most of the trailer highlights that she has a new take on her powers that seem to be powered by bracelets rather than her Inhuman genes. Even the first promotional photo seemed to hint that she is just creating a crystal fist out of energy rather than polymorphing her own. Yet, if you look closely, the trailer might actually reveal that she has the ability to polymorph after all and it might even tie into her story arc.

The trailer has this odd trend of teasing Kamala shooting out her crystalized fist but doesn’t really show us the full movement of the ability. We either see her fist jet out in the corner of a frame against Red Dagger, or just her already retracting it. There’s this odd sense of the trailer purposefully keeping elements hidden from the viewer. We rarely see Kamala in action fighting. Yet, some scenes do hint at her having the ability to polymorph, especially when we see her leaping in the air.

At first, I believed that it was just an energy field expanding on her body, but if you take a close look, her limbs are stretching out during her leap. While the focus has been on the ability to create crystal lily pads to jump off from, her body is definitely being warped as she moves closer and clenches her fist to hit whatever she is aiming for. We don’t linger on this shot long enough to really get a good look, and it might connect to a later scene as she faces off against a SWAT team protecting someone from their shots, as she has her full costume on.

Of course, one visual isn’t a confirmation just yet if it weren’t for one more moment in the trailer that shows her limbs stretched out. Towards the end, there’s a brief sequence with a shockwave pushing various cars into the air. It’s only a few seconds long, but if you look closely in the corner, it’s Ms. Marvel creating the shockwave. Yet, what stands out is not only the pose that many might recall from the comics and even the Marvel’s Avengers game, but her body seems to be stretched in a similar manner as well. You can see that her legs are quite a bit longer and her body seems proportionally off in a way that you’d see when she does a ground pound attack while embiggened in other media.

The only element that seems to be pure crystal is her fists, but if the previous image of her leaping is an indicator, her body might be changing underneath that layer. So, the trailers do make a case that she has the ability to polymorph, but it’s not the focus of what’s being shown. Keep in mind, Ms. Marvel’s ability to polymorph is a bit more complicated than just stretching her body. In the comics, she is exchanging mass with herself at a different point in time. So, she technically travels through time on a molecular level every time she changes her form. So, the crystals might be a visual representation of that ability.

There’s a chance that it’s connected to the Quantum Realm, as it is how the Avengers traveled through time back in Avengers: Endgame. If they still want to build up her Inhuman background, perhaps the crystals in the gauntlet are Terrigen that activate her dormant abilities to tap into the time traveling-realm. The visual addition is due to it temporarily acting as a conduit as long as she is wearing it. While it doesn’t explain the lily pad and shield abilities, it may be that she’s using the gauntlet as a way to siphon the energy from the Quantum Realm into reality. Her imagination is a big focus of the trailer and it could be how she brings them to reality.

I’d even argue that she might lose the gauntlets by the end of the season, and it may result in her realizing that she doesn’t have to depend on them. It would make for a great story arc for her character, and could still build up towards her inherent Inhuman nature. The comics had the advantage of a Terrigen bomb going off and creating a world filled with Nuhumans. There was the promotional material that did tease the crystal fist with a smaller one underneath, which hasn’t changed, but they could’ve adapted it going into the reshoots to add the polymorph ability after seeing some of the feedback online. We’ll have to see if a new trailer might give us a better look at her new abilities and if she is polymorphing after all. My only wish is that she actually shouts Embiggening.

March 16, 2022
Deep Thoughts: Hypothetical Marvel Studios 2023 Release Calendar, V3

The future slate of Marvel Studios is more fluid now than it’s ever been. With the industry STILL being impacted by COVID to some degree, a backlog of projects that could be shuffled in and out of any date at any time, and the interesting lack of a 2022 press preview kit from Disney, fans are left frivolously hypothesize, predict and speculate when to expect their most anticipated MCU projects. And we’re here to help you with your favorite addiction. This isn’t our first attempt to pin down 2023’s projects; you can check out V1 here and V2 here to compare notes.

As much as everybody wants to see the Samuel L. Jackson/Nicky Fury-led Secret Invasion, the 2022 schedule seems to be complete without it. While we still don’t know very much about the plot of either Secret Invasion or The Marvels, it does seem like the two could share some sort of narrative bridge that would be well-served by them debuting relatively close to one another.

By the time The Marvels hits theaters, it will have been in the can for nearly a year and a half. That’s part of the backlog of projects created by the pandemic, which really changed the well-established production paradigm that Marvel Studios had followed for well over a decade. That means a lot of time to breathe for the characters in between appearances which creates a lot of anticipation…and you know Marvel Studios likes that.

After a little bit of a delay to the start of its production, Echo looks like it’ll be up and running in Georgia in April of 2022 and permits have been filed around Atlanta for the month of May. Given the “grounded” nature of Maya and the types of characters being cast in supporting roles, it doesn’t sound like this one is going to be a VFX showcase, so it should be ready to stream on Disney Plus in March of 2023. Of course, the question on fans’ minds is how much will Daredevil and Kingpin be involved and how might this series dovetail into the Daredevil solo project in development at Marvel Studios. Here’s to hoping Maya remains the focus of this series as there’s plenty of room for Daredevil to explore on his own.

At some point in the first half of 2023, Ahsoka, a highly-anticipated, live-action Star Wars streaming series, will hit Disney Plus. We now know that Disney Plus is not opposed to streaming live-action Star Wars and Marvel Studios’ projects simultaneously, but if Ahsoka rolls out sometime in early May, X-Men ’97, which is on track for a 2023 release, could stream concurrently with that and fill the Marvel Studios streaming void until June, leaving some live-action stuff for later in the year.

James Gunn’s third Guardians’ film might well be his last Marvel Studios’ project. By the time this comes out, it’ll have been over a decade since Gunn started work on Guardians of the Galaxy and as we’ve seen through his recent work on The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, he’s really on top of his game. This one sounds like it’ll be something really special and emotional, with Gunn saying goodbye not only to Marvel but to some characters he’s really grown to love.

With the production of Season 2 of Loki on track to begin in June of 2022, it should be ready to roll out in June of 2023. While it isn’t clear whether or not Secret Invasion provides a direct runway to the events of The Marvels, it seems VERY clear that Loki Season 2 and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania share a narrative canvas and that the former can easily hand off a storyline to the latter.

2023 could end up being the Summer of Kang. Jonathan Majors thrilled audiences with a tease of what to expect when the character returns, and it looks like when he does it’ll be a much heavier dose. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will feature some version(s) of the character fresh off of what’s expected to be a major role in Season 2 of Loki. Of course, Kang’s not the only villain fans can look forward to, as M.O.D.O.K. is also reportedly making his live-action debut, played by Corey Stoll. Should the schedule fall this way, it would represent a great example of the type of synergy Marvel Studios can pull off thanks to a parent company that has its own streaming service and total control over the release schedule.

While a lot of fans are expecting this to be tied into Armor Wars, all the early evidence suggests it is essentially a follow-up to Riri Williams adventures in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. That’s not to say that Riri might not show up in Armor Wars or that the events of Ironheart might not lead into the Don Cheadle-led streamer, in fact it would make a lot of sense if she did, but Riri will be busy enough on her own following her huge role in Wakanda Forever.

When V2 of the 2023 Hypothetical Calendar was published, Agatha: House of Harkness had only just been revealed by the trades a few days before and the official Disney Plus Day announcement was about a week away. Now, it really does look like it could make the 2023 release slate given the tentative October 2022 start of production. It seems like the perfect Spooky Season release for Marvel Studios, so slotting it here seems a no-brainer.

After a couple of production delays, Blade is looking at a Fall 2022 start of principal photography, which makes it the best candidate for the currently unfilled November 3, 2023 release date, especially with production on Captain America 4 officially delayed until 2023. It doesn’t hurt, of course, that it’ll come out right around Halloween and feature a vampire hunter, and it wouldn’t be entirely surprising to see this date slide back a week earlier where nothing major is currently scheduled for any studio.

Armor Wars, like Agatha: House of Harkness, is on track for a late-2022 start of production. While a 2023 debut is by no means set in stone for Armor Wars, there is a nice end-of-the-year window for it, should it be completed and ready to stream. We know very little about the project, but Kevin Feige seems to enjoy playing with the idea of having some streaming series thematically tied to the seasons in which they are released, so maybe, like Hawkeye, Armor Wars could be set during the holidays. After all, is there any better present than Stilt-Man?

March 16, 2022