Category: Features

‘Hawkeye’ Episode 4 Makes a Case for Laura Barton as Mockingbird
Clint Barton’s a man of secrets. Always has been. Dating back to when he surprised his Avenger friends with the knowledge that he had a wife, kids and a beautiful farm tucked away in Missouri. He would continue on with the secrency to his time as Ronin, Barton has played things close to the vest and openly trusted very few people. Avengers: Age of Ultron did, however, establish, that he had a very open relationship with his wife, Laura.

The first few episodes of Hawkeye have peeled back the curtain even more on their relationship, showing that not only does Laura support Clint’s avenging, she also seems to know quite a bit about it. She’s been supportive of Clint staying in New York to clean up the mess that unfolded when Kate Bishop put on the Ronin suit, but more than that, she seemed to have quite a bit of information about Clint’s past with the Tracksuit Mafia and, possibly, the fact that her husband was Ronin. Today’s episode erased any doubt that Laura knew Clint was Ronin and replaced that doubt with speculation that there might be more to her than meets the eye.

Episode 4, “Partners, Am I Right?”, provided enough evidence to support a reasonable claim that Laura Barton is more than just a supportive spouse. Not only does Laura confirm that she knew about Clint’s time as Ronin (silly suit), she also demonstrates the ability to fluently speak a second language to hide things from her children and does some research on Sloan Ltd. that leads to uncovering its a shell corporation (seems like it took more than a Google search to determine that bit of info). Again, enough evidence to support a reasonable claim that Laura is more than just a supportive spouse and maybe, just maybe, a trained spy herself.

And if, in fact, it turns out that Laura Barton is a trained spy who also happens to be married to Clint Barton, it would be no stretch to make the case that Laura might be “Laura” and actually be Barbara Morse, better known to comic book fans as one-time Avenger, West Coast Avenger, and Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Mockingbird. In the comics, she was a doctor who trained as a spy by S.H.I.E.L.D. and was given the codename Agent 19 (let’s keep an eye out for Agent 19 Easter eggs over the next two episodes. In fact, we should probably go back and look at the last four episodes to make sure we didn’t miss any). Along the way, she met Clint Barton and the two embarked on a rocky relationship that saw them marry, get divorced, get back together, be killed by Mephisto, be impersonated by a Skrull, and then show up in Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye, the series on which the Hawkeye show is largely based. And there was that time she faked her death to protect her family…

As told in issue 2 of the 2010 series Hawkeye and Mockingbird, after falling into a coma, Morse had Nick Fury fake records of her death and make access to her files “Eyes Alpha”, otherwise known as “nobody can see them.” Morse stayed undercover for 8 years until a threat from her and Hawkeye’s shared past drew her out.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s pretty close to what’s happening in Hawkeye. We know absolutely nothing about how Laura and Clint met, nothing at least that couldn’t have been fabricated by Fury when he helped find them their home in Missouri. The skillset Laura has demonstrated so far is congruent with that of Mockingbird in the comics. She is married to Clint, as Mockingbird once was. It’s not too hard to imagine that while an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., she worked undercover (in the comics she worked with Ted Sallis on his project to recreate the Super Soldier Serum, a project that turned him into Man-Thing), met Clint, and had Fury delete all knowledge of her from the S.H.I.E.L.D. database. Again, there is certainly enough evidence to support a reasonable claim that Laura Barton could be a trained spy herself, and could have been, at one point, a SHIELD agent that went by the name Barbara “Bobbi” Morse, aka Mockingbird.

While it’s fun to speculate, this is a classic 50/50 scenario: either Laura was Mockingbird or she was not. It would certainly be a wonderful way for Marvel Studios to bring the character, who was portrayed on ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. by Adrianne Palicki, into the Sacred Timeline and give national treasure Linda Cardellini a larger role. Jeremy Renner has teased that he’d love to see his character transition to a leadership role on the West Coast Avengers. Perhaps the events of Hawkeye (Maya Lopez was looking into Barton’s family, so it’s possible her connection to Kingpin and Kate’s mother’s spy…er, security company, could shake something loose about Laura), will make it possible for Laura to reclaim her prior identity as Mockingbird and partner with her husband leading the West Coast Avengers and mentoring the next generation of MCU heroes. Crazy theory? Time (maybe the time on a Rolex) will tell…
December 8, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Crossing Swords’ Creators on How Luke Evans Landed King Merriman

Possibly one of the strongest aspects of Crossing Swords is its ensemble cast and its distinctly different and colorful roster of characters. Each character seems so well cast with certain actors in the series unrecognizable in their roles, specifically Luke Evans in the role of King Merriman. Merriman is the greedy, sleazy, and corrupt leader of the kingdom who is so grotesquely full of himself.

Perfect casting like this is no easy feat and Evans as Merriman is stellar, one of the best parts of the series. In our interview with the creators, John Harvatine IV and Tom Root, they shared just how they knew the actor was perfect for the role.

“Seth will remember this, but the reason I knew I wanted Luke on this show in any capacity, we wrote a sketch for ‘Robot Chicken’ where the Creature from the Black Lagoon performs a Van Halen number ‘Hot for Teacher.’ I can barely remember why it makes any sense at all, but if you remember that video, the video is so iconic from our generation and it was so funny to us, the idea of The Creature from The Black Lagoon in the David Lee Roth role, but essentially Luke gave life to that creature and put his entire soul into that singing and made it a great sketch and we were like “Luke Evans did that?!, this ridiculous, stupid sketch?” we gotta work with this guy more”
Tom Root

Those who’ve seen Crossing Swords will know just how into the role Evans gets. Merriman, and his wife, are crude characters with no care about anyone other than themselves. Evans seems to enjoy the role, getting lost in this ridiculous character so much so that fans hardly know it’s him. And Season 2 of Crossing Swords takes things even further for both Merriman and the rest of these absurd characters.

The second season of Crossing Swords, hits Hulu on Dec. 10.

December 8, 2021
Hawkeye Episode 4 Primer

As expected this last episode of Hawkeye, “Echoes”, has been the most explosive yet. The episode featured the car chase with all of the trick arrows, the introduction of Echo, the big tease of Kingpin, and Clint at the business end of his own Ronin sword. The episode also featured some less explosive, but equally important things like Clint and Kate finally finding some common ground. The two heroes seem like they are finally on the same page as we move into the second half of the show.

Part of Clint and Kate’s conversation was spent with him explaining to her that he isn’t a role model. Kate suspects that Ronin is someone close to Clint, but doesn’t quite seem to get that it is him. The fact that he hasn’t told her will cause a rift between the two when she finds out. The show is definitely going to get way more complicated in the next three episodes with Yelena Belova, who was teased in the new tv spot coming after Clint because she believes that he killed Natasha, coming into play; it is also likely that Kingpin will fully come in to play and make things a little harder for the Hawkeyes than the his foot soldiers have. It looks like it’s going to be a little harder for Clint to come home for Christmas.

Arlyn’s Assumptions

We know that Kate and Echo are going to face off and we know that Yelena is more of a Clint problem. It’s pretty common to see the partners split up and maybe these two will have to fight their own battles in the next episodes. If Clint and Jacques fight that will give Kate a bit of confirmation that he is exactly who she thought he was. It also might be time for Kingpin to make a grand entrance and seeing that he is huge his entrance has to be big.

December 7, 2021
‘Hawkeye’ From Page to Screen: Episode 3.2
Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye is starting to hit its stride as it delivered its best episode yet in “Echoes” where, as in previous episodes, we again find several references to the Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye comic run. After focusing on how Episode 1 incorporated the introduction of Lucky the Pizza Dog, and Episode 2 featured Clint’s capture by the Tracksuit Mafia we have now also looked at how Episode 3 adapted the stand-out car chase sequence. Considering that this episode justified more than one article it is now time to focus on some interesting elements scattered throughout say sequence: the trick arrows.

‘Hawkeye’ #3 (2012)

Clint already has a history of using several types of arrows in the MCU, suited for each occasion, but Episode 3 takes them to a new level. As with the car chase, these came straight from the pages of Hawkeye #3, one of the most kinetic issues of the entire run. But according to artist and comic series co-creator David Aja, we have Ellio R. Brown to thank as it was his work in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #5 published in 1986 that inspired both Fraction and Aja to create the pages that were to become Hawkeye #3.

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe V.2 – Deluxe Edition #05

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe V.2 – Deluxe Edition #05

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe V.2 – Deluxe Edition #05

From the 14 arrow-types Brown designed in the 80s, Fraction and Aja managed to use 12 of them in Hawkeye #3. A few were simply referenced, but most were actually put up to good use against the Tracksuit Mafia. Fast-forward a few years and, out of those 12, Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye re-used 7 of them in Episode 3, most with slight changes to them.

Putty Arrow

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

The first arrow that Kate Bishop manages to fire at the pursuing Bros. It initially looks an awful lot like Ego, The Living Planet’s expanding seedlings we saw in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, before turning into a soft and malleable paste that blocks the Tracksuits’ windshield almost entirely. Kate ends up not using it as Clint intended, on the truck’s tires, as it would quickly harden thus definitively disabling the vehicle. The show also goes for a Hawkeye Purple whereas the comics, that have Clint holding the bow, go with a simple black-looking ooze that sort of glues one Bro to the asphalt.

‘Hawkeye’ #3 (2012)

Explosive Tip Arrow

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

The most obvious and probably one of the handiest arrows in Clint’s arsenal. Not suitable for close-quarter combat but good for basically everything else. Kate still manages to get surprised by the explosion as if she hadn’t witnessed even bigger ones a decade earlier – We all saw the flashbacks, Kate! -. It did the trick though as that Trust a Bro moving van’s DVD player stealing days are as dead as DVD players themselves. In the comics, Clint and Kate were being pursued by Mini Coopers so anything that arrow did to a van, it probably did twice as much with twice the ease to those smallish compact city cars.

‘Hawkeye’ #3 (2012)

Suction Tip Arrow

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

Initially treated as a gag it ended up as probably the most important (and peaceful) of arrows as it was used not to take lives, but to save them. Just like in the comics Clint uses it so as not to fall from a moving vehicle, saving Kate from having a shorter MCU career than Quicksilver. That would have been a major Bohn.. bummer. The suction-tip arrow proves to be the real MVP.

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

‘Hawkeye’ #3 (2012)

Bola Arrow

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

Ok so, I’m not totally sure on this one but a couple more people agreed that this might be it so here it goes. Kate used a Bola Arrow to get all those pine trees on top of the Putty Truck. It ended up being a bit more effective than the one Clint shot in the comics that managed to get a chuckle out of a couple of Bros. And, seriously, if you can’t hurt a Bro with an arrow with that much potential you should really be contemplating what you’re even doing with your life with a tequila shot in your hand. Point Bishop.

‘Hawkeye’ #3 (2012)

Acid Arrow

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

Kate proved herself as an incredible archer with these shots alone. Clint, on the other hand, shot a Mini Cooper as it was facing him. Good for him. The subtlety of this specific arrow was better applied in the show as it allowed for a precise and disruptive use of the arrow in a way not many other types could. Since it was Clint’s idea to use it as they did he does end up deserving some recognition. Even if it was Kate doing all the work.

‘Hawkeye’ #3 (2012)

Smoke Arrow

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

Again with the “Hawkeye Purple”, we get it. Kate manages to shoot it inside the Dodge Challenger which proves a much better idea than using it on the outside as Clint does in the comics. Could it be much worse than the usual NYC air pollution? My guess is Clint ended up doing the Tracksuits a favor. “Bro five!”

‘Hawkeye’ #3 (2012)

Cable Arrow

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

One of the most well-known types of arrows we’ve seen Clint use over the years. In fact, this was one of the first-ever arrows Kate saw Hawkeye shoot first-hand as she witnessed his escape from the Chitauri in the Battle of New York. This was perhaps the main reason she knew what to do when he jumped off the bridge and therefore managed to grab the bow in order to swing into the train tracks beneath. In the comic Clint uses it to rip through a Mini Cooper, stripping it of its roof (see the Smoke Arrow image above). This probably speaks more of Clint’s upper body strength than the Mini Coopers’ lack of frame reliability.

‘Hawkeye’ #3 (2012)

USB Arrow

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

Not present in Hawkeye #3, we get to see it put to good use seventeen issues later in Hawkeye #20 as Kate searches a computer for financial logs. I don’t know what’s more laughable, the fact that the pen drive only holds 256Mb of data or that the arrow exists in the first place. Either way, it opens up the door for future variations such as the LaserDisc Arrow (similar to the Predator’s Smart Disc) or the Kitchen Sink Arrow for the upcoming Young Avengers vs Looney Tunes.

‘Hawkeye’ #20 (2014)

Pym Particle Arrow III (Goliath Arrow)

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

This isn’t something we’ve witnessed in the MCU (yet!) but in the comics, it is said that Hawkeye has three types of Pym Particle Arrows:
- Pym Particle Arrow I (The Reduction Arrow) utilizes the famous size-shifting science to decrease the target’s size and strength.
- Pym Particle Arrow II (The Growing Barrage) creates a swarm of arrows by releasing an entire shrunken volley at once.
- Pym Particle Arrow III (The Goliath Arrow) uses Pym Particles for growth and is used to trigger his transformation into Goliath.
As we see in this panel taken from Hawkeye: Blindspot #3 where Clint is doing his best giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man impression, Clint has used it on himself while the show stuck to it being used on an inanimate object. All kidding aside, it was one of the best moments of the entire episode as it established a sense of the connected universe Marvel Studios intends these shows to have. All in a way that felt so natural, not needing any sort of exposition dump to have it make absolute sense.

‘Hawkeye: Blindspot’ #3 (2011)

Episode four is just around the corner (it’s tomorrow!) so we’ll be getting to the next few From Page to Screen in just a few hours. See you next week!
December 7, 2021
What Charlie Cox’s Return as Daredevil Means for the Future of the Character
Late last night, Marvel Studios One-Above-All, Kevin Feige, confirmed that Charlie Cox would be returning to the dual roles of Matt Murdock and Daredevil. Cox first appeared in the roles in 39 episodes of the Netflix streaming series, Daredevil, and in 8 episodes of the crossover miniseries, The Defenders, which brought the hero together with Netflix’s other Marvel heroes, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Danny Rand.

Cox’s work in the role was universally well-received and when the series was cancelled in 2018, it came with a promise that the character would “live on in future projects for Marvel.” The non-renewal sparked the creation of the #SaveDardevil social media campaign and a great deal of social media outrage. It’s reasonable to assume that Feige saw and heard how beloved Cox was in the role and when Marvel Studios regained the rights to the character, found a way to start integrating him into the MCU’s Sacred Timeline narrative, beginning with Spider-Man: No Way Home.

While Cox’s involvement in No Way Home was first reported nearly a year ago, the star did his best to evade questions about the topic. Over time, however, Cox softened and began to at least entertain questions about what a potential return to the role might entail. Now that Feige has confirmed Cox’s return, not only can Cox, who often looked uncomfortable while having to keep that return secret, breathe easy, but fans can also look back at some other rumors that linked Cox to future MCU appearances.

Cox’s role in No Way Home has been reported to amount to an extended cameo as Matt Murdock but that appearance should set the stage for the actor to appear in multiple projects over the next several years. As I was told by a bulletproof source nearly a year ago, after his appearance in No Way Home, prepare to see a lot of Cox. Rumors persist that the next time we’ll see Cox will be the 2022 Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series She-Hulk. She-Hulk star Tatiana Maslany recently confirmed that the series was heavily influenced by the Dan Slott and Charles Soule runs on the comic; the latter is especially interesting in connection to a potential appearance by Cox. Soule, whose 12-issue run on the book began in 2014 (and is available for purchase here), is a lawyer himself and found a way to bring the two comic book counselors together for some fun. She-Hulk would be a great way for Marvel Studios to introduce that “reimagined, upgraded version” of Daredevil that he mentioned, including a new suit that would really set his MCU character apart from the one previously donned on Netflix. Something in a nice yellow should do the trick.
Beyond She-Hulk, confidence in the rumors dwindles but the connections that exist between Daredevil and other characters currently in the MCU can point fans in the right direction when thinking about where he’s likely to appear next. Hawkeye, which is now streaming on Disney Plus, introduced both Alaqua Cox’s Echo and recently teased Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, who will be played by Charlie Cox’s Daredevil co-star, Vincent D’Onofrio. With an Echo series in development, it’s possible that both Daredevil and Kingpin appear in supporting roles. Recent rumors also point to Marvel Studios now developing a solo Daredevil project, though whether it’s a film or streaming series was unknown. With She-Hulk in 2022, Echo in 2023 and a potential Daredevil project in 2024, it’s safe to say audiences will find themselves seeing a lot of Cox over the next 3 years. But could there be more than that in store for fans?

The beauty of integrating Daredevil into the MCU’s Sacred Timeline is that it allows the character to operate both in his own street-level corner and interact with other characters in an already fully-developed world. Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk are just the tip of the iceberg in this regard. Daredevil and Spider-Man have a long standing friendship and with Marvel and Sony reportedly getting ready to collaborate on another trilogy, fans could see the two spending some time on some rooftops in the future. For fans of the comics and the animated series, it’s a relationship they’ve been waiting to see and one that couldn’t have been possible just a few years ago. With D’Onofrio hinting that he’d like to see his character take on Spider-Man down the road, it’s possible that a future Spider-Man or Daredevil project could see the two bringing one of their classic comic book Team-Ups to the screen to take on the Kingpin. The possibility also exists of seeing Daredevil join the Avengers down the road. While the character has always been more comfortable in the confines of Hell’s Kitchen, he did join the New Avengers for a spell during the “Fear Itself” event.

The reality is that there plenty of options out there for Cox to continue to give the character new life. Feige’s confirmation of Cox returning to the role is no small thing. Daredevil has nearly 60 years worth of stories, some of which stand among the best in the history of Marvel Comics. His rebirth into the MCU as an all-new, all-different Daredevil allows for the studio to keep what they liked about the character (which is pretty much just Cox) and retell the parts of the story they think need retelling. Future projects could dive back into Frank Miller’s work and allow the character to have another run in with Elektra, a showdown with a comic-accurate Bullseye and the reworking of the Hand to make it the threat it deserves to be; it could also take an entirely different route and follow the spirit of other great runs by the likes of Brian Michael Bendis, Charles Soule or Mark Waid. While fans wait to see how Marvel Studios adapts the Fantastic Four and X-Men to the MCU, they should be equally excited to see how they handle Daredevil.
December 6, 2021
‘Hawkeye’ From Page to Screen: Episode 3.1

The live-action Hawkeye series has openly taken bits and pieces of Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye comic run. We looked at how Episode 1 incorporated the introduction of Lucky the Pizza Dog, and Episode 2 featured Clint’s capture by the Tracksuit Mafia that had some clear ties to the comic. This week, Hawkeye Episode 3, “Echoes, adapted one of the comic’s most iconic sequences: the trick arrow car chase. Unlike previous episodes, the car chase sequence is based heavily on Fraction and Aja’s work, and is as close to being “directly from the comic” as the series is likely to get. You might be surprised to see what the episode borrowed straight from the comic and what they changed.

‘Hawkeye’ #3 (2012)

What They Borrowed

The Chase

Of course, the car chase sequence happens both in Hawkeye Episode 3 and Hawkeye #3. In both stories, Clint and Kate are being chased by hoards of the Tracksuit Mafia with one Hawkeye hanging out of the window to shoot arrows at their assailants, causing mayhem throughout the streets of New York. A major difference, though, is that in the comic the two archers are also the original chasers. But more on that below.

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

‘Hawkeye’ #6 (2012)

The Arrows

The car chase wouldn’t be the car chase without the endless barrage of random trick arrows that Clint has on hand. We could write an entire article on the arrows in this episode alone…so we did. Check out the next “From Page to Screen” for that.

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

‘Hawkeye’ #6 (2012)

The Banter

As is their thing, Clint and Kate have a lot of back-and-forth throughout the chase in both the series and comic. It’s a bit different in the live-action version, however, because Clint mostly can’t hear Kate. For example, a running joke in Hawkeye is that Clint set out to label his trick arrows on that day, which led him down a series of poor choices, including the car chase sequence itself. In the episode, Kate complains that Clint should label his arrows. Another running joke is Clint’s concern for the red 1970’s Dodge Challenger, and both versions end up wrecked.

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

‘Hawkeye’ #6 (2012)

‘Hawkeye’ #6 (2012)

The Bridge

In both, the chase ends on a bridge and in a stand-off between archers and the Tracksuit Mafia. In the comic, Kate saves Clint, who’s held at gun point. A classic visual is Kate pointing an arrow at the sky, which is replicated in Hawkeye—the major difference being that the live-action scenario involved both Hawkeyes and a Pym arrow.

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

‘Hawkeye’ #6 (2012)

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

‘Hawkeye’ #6 (2012)

What They Changed

The Car

Hawkeye prominently featured a red 1970 Dodge Challenger. That car drove the plot as much as it drove the characters, so it’s no wonder that Hawkeye Episode 3 did give brief nod to a ’72 Challenger. But live-action Kate and Clint don’t use it, even though there isn’t too great of a reason for why not.

‘Hawkeye’ #6 (2012)

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

The Archer

The most iconic part of the car chase sequence in both the comic and series is that Hawkeye is leaning out the window shooting wild arrows that the other one hands to them at the Tracksuit Mafia. Hawkeye flipped the archer, though, and featured Kate as the one with the bow. This isn’t too surprising, as its a solid way to give her more time in the series as an archery master, something the comic had already established.

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

‘Hawkeye’ #6 (2012)

‘Hawkeye’ #6 (2012)

The Reason for the Chase

Like I said, the Challenger drove the plot in the Hawkeye comic. Clint meets a woman while looking for labelling tape. He offers the buy the car, and they end up sleeping together. It turns out this woman is dangerously connected to the Tracksuit Mafia, and Clint calls Kate for help after the Mafia knocks him and and abducts the woman. This begins the care change, but they find her pretty easily, because she’s tied up in the backseat of the Challenger next to Clint’s tracker arrow. They take the Challenger and keep fleeing the Mafia following them.

In the series, Kate and Clint and solely escaping the Tracksuit Mafia. There’s no tied-up woman in the backseat—they’re simply trying not to be killed by Echo.

Marvel Studios’ ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3

‘Hawkeye’ #6 (2012)

At the end of the day, if you enjoyed Hawkeye Episode 3’s car chase sequence, you can thank Matt Fraction and David Aja. It’s Aja’s art in particular that causes the original to standout—there’s an impressive amount of apparent movement on the page. Combined with the expertly layered panels that make it feel like you’re watching little details simultaneously with big moments, the original chase sequence in Hawkeye is one hell of a ride.

December 6, 2021
Murphy’s Team-Up, Volume 9: Favorite Comic Book Adaptation of 2021

John Sabato

My favorite comic book property this year had to be Netflix’s Sweet Tooth. Jeff Lemire’s original comic is one of my very favorites and was such an interesting read. The series mostly stays true to it’s source material but isn’t afraid to make creative changes that let it stand apart from the comic. It’s a sweet and wholesome story that sees a young hybrid boy and a grizzled survivor of the plague travel what’s left of the world to find the answers to what came first: the plague or the hybrids?

Anthony Canton III

There’s something to be said for a show that continues to get better over each of its three seasons. Doom Patrol does that in spades. There’s a level of self awareness, humor, and introspection that makes it the best live-action comic book adaptation I’ve seen. The casts performances particularly this season have been extraordinary. Nuanced, tragic, and some even angry. Brendan Fraser in particular has been a standout in bringing such a broken character like Robotman to the screen. We’ve had a lot of good to great entries in comic book tv and film this year, but no property quite understands it’s assignment like Doom Patrol.

Nathan Miller

My favorite comic book project of the year is Eternals. I loved how the film made me feel. Through the performances, direction and soundtrack, I felt the weight of human history, the joy of friendships and found family, the terrifying vastness of space, and the drive of needing to pull together to tackle environmental problems. Intellectually I think the film points toward the future of storytelling, in leaving behind The Hero’s Journey and embodying a more collective journey beyond binary perspectives. It’s a shame more people didn’t initially appreciate the film’s complexity, but hopefully that will change over the next few years, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe enriches its appreciation retrospectively. I’m looking forward to Chloe Zhao’s sequel and the Eternals themselves eventually appearing alongside other established MCU characters.

João Pinto

This wasn’t my first choice, but someone with impeccable taste got to that one first (thank you to my friend, JJ!). But in a sense, this show deserves to take the top spot. WandaVision was a pop culture phenomenon. Due to many production delays that affected several projects, it ended up becoming the first Marvel Studios project to be released after the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic and to say audiences were hungry for content is an obvious understatement. The weeks the show was on were some of the best ever to be a comic book fan. The theories ran wild as the show lent itself to the sort of online discourse that drove everyone insane by the sheer magnitude of some of the hot takes. Covering it was a blast as well. I must say that the Murphy’s Multiverse team covered that show as well as any other site, big or small, did. It showed us how much fun we could have while doing something that hopefully everyone enjoyed, and in a way, it became the stepping stone for the work we’ve been doing covering every show ever since. By the enjoyment I got from covering it to following it as a fan it deserves its spot on my favorite comic book adaptations of 2021 list.

Joseph Aberl

I think my favorite comic book adaptation of the year must be Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. I have no prior knowledge or history with the character. So, I went in pretty open about the adaptation. I was hoping for at least some fun kung-fu actions inspired by classics from the genre. Yet, the film went above and beyond as I ended up with an incredibly heartfelt story that also manages to open up the MCU in a creative way. I cannot wait to see Simu Liu’s future with the character and what a sequel might offer.

Charles Murphy

This will probably come as a shock to absolutely everyone, most of all JJ, but my favorite comic book-based project of 2021 was not a Marvel property. James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad takes the top spot for me and it’s not a particularly close race. While I certainly loved Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, The Suicide Squad feels like the most complete story. While the casts of WandaVision, Loki and Black Widow were lights out, the cast of The Suicide Squad was all but perfect. And finally, while Marvel Studios did a great job bringing some less-than-popular characters this past year, Idris Elba’s Bloodsport stands as not only the best reinvention of a little known comic book character in the past year, but also arguably of all time. After a year in which the comic book-based entertainment we all love was painfully absent, we had plenty in 2021 but none of them quite matched the quality of The Suicide Squad.

Hunter Radesi

I’m as surprised as anyone to be writing this, but I think the quirky magic of Loki was my favorite experience with a comic adaptation this year. I was firmly against the idea of this project from the start, and you can probably find old tweets of mine stating the show would be a waste of resources on a character whose story I felt was already over. I couldn’t have been proven more wrong. Michael Waldron and Kate Herron managed to craft a fresh, unique spin on the genre that left me wanting more every week. Absolutely charming performances from every member of the cast, genuinely joyous twists and turns throughout, and constantly beautiful set pieces that begged you to keep your eyes on the screen. I think I finally understand why my friends love Dr. Who so much. Can’t wait for the next season.

December 5, 2021
How the ‘Black Widow’ Post-Credit Scene Ties into ‘Hawkeye’

The most recent social media spot for the Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series Hawkeye promised some big surprises for the second half of the season. Prominent among the teases in the spot was a character, who was supposed to be mysterious, dressed in black with some rather interesting headgear. Fans of the comics immediately recognized that character as Yelena Belova, wearing her signature headgear from her days working for A.I.M. as the Adaptoid.

Rather than working for A.I.M., the MCU’s Yelena was revealed to be working for Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. While Val’s larger agenda is yet to be revealed, we do know that in the short-term, she has put Yelena on the trail of one of the heroes of Hawkeye: Clint Barton. When Val and Yelena met during the post-credit scene of this Summer’s Black Widow, we didn’t have enough information to fully understand the threat Yelena’s pursuit of Barton could pose. Thanks to a trade report, fans already knew Florence Pugh was going to appear in Hawkeye and the scene spelled out that she and Barton would be facing off against one another, but it wasn’t until fans worked through the first 3 episodes of the series that we could truly see the kind of trouble Belova could make for Clint.

The first 3 episodes of Hawkeye have spent a significant amount of time dealing with the fallout of Kate putting on the Ronin suit. The suit put Kate in danger, brought her and Clint together and put them both on the radar of the Tracksuits and their boss and, as we learned in Episode 3, “Echoes”, brings back painful memories for Maya Lopez as the Ronin was responsible for the death of her father. As Episode 3 ended, Clint’s secret was still safe but it seems like it’s only a matter of time until his past truly comes back to haunt him. And now that we can tie it all together, it seems like it’ll be Yelena that brings everything crashing down on Barton.

Despite only a couple people being shown to have been aware that Clint was the man behind the Ronin mask, it turns out that Val, who seems to be pretty resourceful, was in the know all along. As our friend Caleb Borchers pointed out on Twitter, Val didn’t just sent Yelena after Clint, she sent her after Ronin Clint. And that’s going to cause Clint a whole lot more headaches.

Important detail I noticed in BW the other night. Val shows Yelena a pic of Clint IN THE RONIN SUIT. I thought nothing of it at the time, but in a world where no one knows he was Ronin, it's a big detail.
— Caleb Borchers (@CalebABorchers) December 5, 2021

It seems safe to say that once Yelena enters the picture, Clint’s secret identity will be revealed to all interested parties in some way. How will Kate deal with the fact that her hero is a murderer? How will Echo respond to finally learning the identity of her father’s killer? What will Wilson Fisk’s move be when he learns it was an Avenger that nearly wiped out his criminal empire? Of course, Yelena is operating on bad info from Val, so what will happen when she learns the truth about what happened to Natasha? The second half of this season might not quite have the surprises the spot promised, but it certainly will have a lot of drama all tied to Kate putting on that damn suit.

The first 3 episodes of Hawkeye are now streaming on Disney Plus.

December 5, 2021
The Pulse: Collecting the Biggest News of the Week of November 29th-December 4th
‘Spider-Man: No Way’ Home Still a Work in Progress

Despite having been screened recently and releasing in just under 2 weeks, Spider-Man: No Way Home is still not a finished product. While this is a common occurrence for VFX heavy films, that hasn’t stopped intrepid internet personalities from spinning it as a once-in-a-lifetime event that spells doom for the upcoming film. Doom…is that a hint? Are they VFXing Doom into the film?

‘No Way Home’ Will Make a Lot of Money

For a film that’s not finished yet, Spider-Man: No Way Home looks like it’ll be the biggest money maker of 2021. Advance ticket sales for the film exceeded those of Avengers: Endgame and weren’t even remotely comparable to other Marvel films that released this year. Current domestic opening weekend projections put it between $190-250M, potentially more than doubling the current high water mark for 2021 which somehow came from Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

More Spidey

Amy Pascal is up to her old tricks again! Earlier this week, the Sony exec, in an interview with Fandango, let it be known that Sony and Marvel Studios would continue their collaboration on future Spider-Man films, likely much to the surprise of Kevin Feige. Here’s to hoping that when Feige finds out, they keep making these movies until 2099.

One of DC’s Oldest Properties Getting an Animated Adpatation

Way back in 1962, DC Comics published Metal Men, a series about some “men” made of different metals. 60 years later, they’ll make their way to the big screen, or at least HBO Max, in an animated adaptation of the comic. Ron Clements, Celeste Ballard and John Musker, who worked on the animated Disney classic, The Little Mermaid, are working on the adaptation for DC. We truly are living in the golden or iron or lead or mercury or tin or platinum age of comic book adaptations.

Real-Life Vampire Nic Cage to Star with Awkwafina in Dracula Movie Not Titled Dracula

You truly can’t make this shit up. Universal, who refuses to give up on their “monster-verse” has cast Nicolas Cage, who has been accused of actually being a vampire, has been cast as Dracula in Universal’s Dracula movie appropriately titled, Renfield. The film will star Nicholas Hoult as Renfield and Awkwafina as we don’t know who. The film will be directed by Chris McKay, who will almost certainly get around to making Nightwing as soon as he’s done with this one.

Cobie Smulders’ Secret Invasion Role is Confusion
With Nick Fury as the lead in the Marvel Studios streaming series Secret Invasion, it seemed a sure thing that Maria Hill would return despite not being a part of the official cast announcement. As it turns out, actress Cobie Smulders, who has portrayed Hill in at least 2 MCU films, is in Secret Invasion; however, thanks to the trade report about her involvement, we’re not quite sure who she is playing. While it would seem like she’d be back as Hill, the trade report mentioned she was playing a “newly created character”, so either they’re high or they just spoiled something major about the series.

Ron Weasley Actor Still Acting

Turns out that Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley over the course of roughly 45 Harry Potter films, is still acting. The 33-year old has been cast has been cast in horror maestro Guillermo del Toro’s latest project, Cabinet of Curiosities. It’s unclear if Grint is the lead and the project will explore the curious career choices of the actor, or if he’ll be a curiosity in the titular cabinet.
December 4, 2021
Amazon Exclusive Kate Bishop Funko Pop! Available for Pre-Order

With the Marvel Studios series Hawkeye now streaming on Disney Plus, a steady stream of merch and collectibles related to the show has started to be rolled out. We’ve seen Clint Barton, Kate and Lucky and Echo Funko Pops come available for pre-order over the past two weeks and now there’s one more for collectors to add to the set as an Amazon Exclusive Kate Bishop Pop is now available for pre-order.

The Amazon Exclusive figure sets itself apart from the previous version by having Kate draw back on her bow and, sadly, does not feature Lucky. You can pre-order the Pop, which is set to ship in March, here for $12.99.

Murphy’s Multiverse is an Amazon affiliate.

December 4, 2021