Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Studios

  • REVIEW: ‘Werewolf By Night’

    REVIEW: ‘Werewolf By Night’

    One of Marvel Studios’ longest-kept “secrets” turns out to be perhaps one of the most triumphant projects of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four, if not the MCU as a whole. Formally announced only last month, Werewolf By Night is Marvel Studios’ first foray into the “Special Presentation” format (in this case, a one-off feature less than an hour long) and without a doubt, this project is, indeed, enormously special. Werewolf By Night shines for several reasons, but its brilliance as a standalone story is the most obvious.

    The first thing the viewer notices about Werewolf By Night is its aesthetic. Through its limited marketing, it is known that the feature was inspired by classic horror films of the 1930s and 40s. While the concept elicits immediate excitement from some, it of course risks overwhelming a story with a gimmick. Fortunately, the stylistic choices of this project were almost entirely in service of the story itself, and director Michael Giacchino achieves a near-perfect cocktail of stunning imagery, blocking, and overall texture. The use of black-and-white is an easy grab for an older or spookier look, but it was far more productive in Werewolf By Night than in most modern films that use the technique. The unique and rather all-consuming style certainly takes the viewer to a place easily associated with horror and monster stores, but it also removes one from the known Marvel universe. Consequently, the natural expectations the audience might place on the feature are almost reset, allowing a completely fresh experience.

    The greatest achievement of Werewolf By Night is surely its excellence as its own story, disconnected from anything else. Whether in the comic book genre or elsewhere, there is something extremely refreshing about a short story that is able to be thoroughly enjoyed and leave a memorable impact on the viewer. Despite a limited runtime and plenty of moving parts, the feature does a phenomenal job telling a full story without invoking virtually any backstory. The triumph of Werewolf By Night is captured in the feeling of simplicity and ease it executes despite clearly arising from a relatively complex technical foundation. At the end of the day, the project is a wonderful standalone think piece that invokes plenty of metaphors and themes regarding what makes a monster.

    However, given its inclusion in the MCU, there is little question that Werewolf By Night will ultimately be part of a larger narrative. Lucky for Marvel Studios, the feature doubles as an exciting introduction to a future Monsterverse considering it leaves the audiences with a litany of questions about the story’s and characters’ past and futures. If anything, Werewolf By Night could have benefitted from additional runtime purely due to the fact that there is enough action and intrigue to go around. An expanded rendition of the hunt itself would almost certainly be a riot, as a prolonged bottle-episode-type suspenseful action thriller would without a doubt rival the famous Daredevil hallway fight scene.

    In fact, a certain sequence in Werewolf By Night already does. The amount of violence in the feature has been a key talking point ahead of its release. The project features, objectively, some of the most violent, brutal, and gory scenes in the MCU. Where those are utilized are done so in a way that serves the story—Werewolf By Night is not filled to the brim with blood and violence, but it stands out when on display in the best way. Similarly, the feature gives off plenty of notes of horror, but it is not an overwhelmingly “scary” or frightening piece. It is, however, extremely tense, suspenseful, and even uncomfortable at times like any good horror film.

    Werewolf By Night further benefitted from its cast and character ensemble. Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone is, perhaps, the surprise standout of the feature. Not the title character and not given much fanfare, Donnelly’s portrayal comes off as effortless and she easily carries scenes in a way that cements Elsa as much more than she appears. Two rather different storylines crisscross throughout the special, and Elsa is the rock that holds them together. Gael García Bernal certainly hits the sweet spot as the mild-mannered and warm Jack Russell. The heart of the project resides in him, even if he were not (ultimately) the title character. Viewers should not worry about a “nice” Jack, as Bernal can flip the switch into the titular werewolf without a problem.

    The rest of the cast is stellar, and the character designs are so spectacular as to stand out in a generally visually-stunning project. Harriet Sansom Harris supplies the particular brand of sinister that Werewolf By Night needs to achieve its delicious end result. The monster at the heart of it all will surely go on to be a new fan-favorite creature of the MCU, but the special does not forget that he is, indeed, a monster.

    If Marvel Studios intended for Werewolf By Night to be a surprise, it is perhaps the best surprise a viewer could hope for. The special is incredibly unique on virtually all levels, and its short story format is one of the most fulfilling MCU experiences in years. Not all Marvel projects can benefit from, or achieve, the type of creative leap required to produce this feature. This special demonstrates that Marvel Studios should continue investing in “Special Presentations,” but Werewolf By Night is special enough on its own to be a one-and-done.

  • REVIEW: ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode 8

    REVIEW: ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode 8

    Given the fact that She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has received rather positive reviews each week, it feels somewhat monotonous to call “Ribbit and Rip It” the best episode of the series—but it cannot be avoided. Of course, the character ensemble in Episode 8 seems instantly iconic, but the episode hit every beat it could: lawyer, superhero, Daredevil, sexy hilarious, and dark. This episode can only be thoroughly enjoyed and yet it still ends on the heaviest and most cliff-hanging note of the series.

    All eyes are on Charlie Cox’s return as Daredevil in the character’s first MCU appearance. While this is She-Hulk’s show—as we are reminded—anyone who tries to suggest that he was not the highlight of the episode is lying. Predictably, Jennifer Walters and Matt Murdock meet in court on opposing sides before meeting as superheroes. Cox truly embodies the role, and his love for the character and the return is incredibly palpable. Quite honestly, he came across as substantially more charismatic than the character has previously been—and that is a high compliment. Daredevil is lighter than fans of only the Daredevil Netflix show may be used to, but being funny as hell does not take away from the rest of the character which was on full display. Those that will continue to scream into the void about She-Hulk ruining Daredevil are on another planet.

    While Murdock was the biggest player, Episode 8 highlights that She-Hulk works best when the titular character has a colorful cast to play around with. Leapfrog and Jacobson held their own in such a high-profile episode, and the ultimate result of all the moving pieces was sublimely paced, extremely funny, and it felt like a much bigger and more exciting show than it had been until now. Obviously, She-Hulk as a bona fide superhero is new and played a major role in that. The chemistry between Jen and Matt—presumably aided by the chemistry between Tatiana Maslany and Cox—created the best pairing of characters in a series riddled with great character interactions.

    Despite being an overwhelmingly fun episode, the penultimate episode landed on a dark note with haste to lead into the finale. She-Hulk has not been shy about weaving in themes and jokes surrounding misogyny, but it felt like the darker elements that existed within the show truly hit in full force all at once. It is not easy to compete with Daredevil in an episode, but the ending managed to put up an impressive fight in that regard. Not only did Jen have her entire private life broadcast to everyone during what was perhaps the greatest moment of her career, but it came in the form of sexual shame and revenge porn—activities that tend to almost exclusively attack and cause extreme harm to women. The word “slut” is not uncommon in reality, but even in the context of She-Hulk it landed with a thud. The dark brilliance of the sequence is that She-Hulk, who is ordinarily invincible, can be a vulnerable target to destroy because she is a woman and there are dedicated ways for someone to pursue that without any kind of confrontation. We see Jen lose control of her anger—finally calling back to the first episode—becoming an enemy and a monster regardless of how justified and ordinary that level of anger would be in that situation.

    At the end of the day, Episode 8 managed to do everything She-Hulk can seemingly tackle and pull off in just one episode. Daredevil’s introduction to the MCU was beautiful, and this episode does quite a lot for the character going forward. Even though the penultimate episode was almost certainly the most entertaining and witty episode of the entire series (and it is hard to see how the finale can top it), it also ended on the darkest and most emotional beat yet. Before the last few minutes, the fact that the finale was right around the corner felt rather empty. There is still a very minimal underlying HulkKing plot, but for the first time, it actually feels important to She-Hulk. It may very likely go on to set up other Hulk-related MCU projects in the future, but the damage inflicted to the main character from it is now the driving force of the remainder of the series. The finale is still a mysterious concept given the format of the show, but Episode 8 finally begins to truly define the hero She-Hulk will be in the MCU.

  • ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ From Page to Screen: Episode 7

    ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ From Page to Screen: Episode 7

    Welcome back to yet another From page to Screen focusing on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. In the show’s first week, we looked at the differences between the comics’ and series’ versions of Jennifer Walters’ origin story. The following week, viewers got a live-action introduction to Jen’s new legal job, taken straight out of Dan Slott’s and Juan Bobillo’s 2004 She-Hulk run—Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway (GLK&H). Episode 3 introduced a reimagined version of comic book villains, in its fourth week, the show decided to focus on Jen’s love life and, the following week, on Jen’s nemesis, Titania. Episode 6, being a “self-contained wedding episode” was approached as its own thing while referencing a lackluster comic arc where Jen ended up being engaged herself.

    As for episode 7, and much the previous week’s, there were a few new takes on less known comic characters. This time we got Man-Bull, El Águila, and Porcupine introduced into the MCU, all of which were already the focus of individual features by our own John Sabato. Taking a deep dive into how these characters were adapted to the small screen makes little sense now, so we decided to focus on three other villains with whom She-Hulk has a history that might end up getting adapted themselves in the future. Especially considering both present and future events within the overall MCU.

    RED SHE-HULK

    Red She-Hulk #66 (2013)

    With the increased relevance to the MCU’s future that The Incredible Hulk has managed to gain in the past few months, with The Abomination coming back, and Tim Blake Nelson set to return as The Leader in Captain America: New World Order, it’s probably not that big of a stretch to think of a possible Red She-Hulk appearance down the line. Especially given how that particular movie will probably explore a potential explosion of Hulks in the MCU.

    Even if the MCU’s Red Hulk might not turn out to be Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, due to the passing of the great William Hurt, why not bring back another character from the first Hulk outing, thus allowing Betty Ross to become Red She-Hulk?

    Red She-Hulk #67 (2013)

    Red She-Hulk shares many of her father Red Hulk’s abilities, including superhuman strength, which enables her to take on both the Hulk and She-Hulk. She can pierce even the thickest and most resistant skin with her razor-sharp claws and talons. Unlike her father, she can produce energy blasts, which she might use to devastating effect. Though this was only for a brief period in the comics, she could fly and had theoretically limitless strength in her form as the Harpy. She also could come to own her “big ass sword” that was initially presented to the Red She-Hulk during the “Fear Itself” storyline and was crafted by Tony Stark using Stark Industries repulsor technology and enchanted uru metal (the same material Mjölnir is made of) from the Real Eternal, Asgard.

    ABSORBING MAN

    She-Hulk #23 (2007)

    With Titania becoming such a big focus point in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and with the apparent ease with which superpowered people now show up in the MCU, why not bring someone close to her that also happens to have a history with She-Hulk? Absorbing Man fits the bill.

    She-Hulk #23 (2007)

    Crusher Creel, who we’ve already seen on the small screen in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., played by Brian Patrick Wade) has the power to imitate the matter and strength of anybody or anything nearby thanks to a mysterious potion. Most frequently, he duplicates the qualities of anything he touches, including solids, liquids, gases, and even energy sources. Over time, he learned to choose which substances to absorb, and even how to absorb multiple substances at once and combine their properties. During one of his encounters with She-Hulk, she realized that he could only ignore certain materials’ qualities if it wasn’t abundant. But drowning him in something that would be detrimental to his physical condition could then turn his powers, which could allow him to be the most powerful villain in the entire Marvel Universe, into weaknesses.

    UNUM

    She-Hulk: Cosmic Collision #1 (2008)

    Another interesting foe that could come up against Jennifer Walters, is Unum. The cosmic entity Enmity (one of the Seven Friendless, a group of seven cosmic creatures) basically assembled the being Unum from the remains of many extraordinarily potent dead entities, including Dormammu. The Latin phrase “e Pluribus Unum” which means “out of many, one” is where the name of this enormous entity originates.

    What makes her especially interesting in the context of the MCU is that Unum was established with the sole intent of eliminating all heroes, but initially focusing on female heroes, something that could lead down a compelling path in terms of storyline and real-world analogies. Unum was essentially invincible, but She-Hulk managed to defeat it and as a result of the revelation that Enmity was only using her as a tool for amusement, the mighty Unum turned against her creator, destroying her physical form, and committing suicide. 

    She-Hulk: Cosmic Collision #1 (2008)

    It’s doubtful any of these characters might show up in the final two She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episodes, considering how Daredevil and perhaps even The Leader could be making appearances. But with Jen’s story continuing beyond the show, and with the series making it clear that no character of off limits, it shouldn’t take long for her rogues’ gallery to expand significantly in the not-so-far future. Either with these or other characters.

    The first seven She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episodes are now streaming on Disney+.

  • Emma Caulfield’s Dottie to Return for ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

    Emma Caulfield’s Dottie to Return for ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

    After being one of the more mysterious upcoming projects for Marvel Studios, new information is beginning to arrive for Agatha: Coven of Chaos. After playing Sarah Proctor (aka Dottie in the sitcom-based pocket dimension) in WandaVision, Emma Caulfield will be reprising the role for the upcoming Disney+ series. Caulfield’s return seems to indicate at least a partial focus on the sitcom aspects of WandaVision.

    Ever since it was revealed in late 2021 that Kathryn Hahn’s fan-favorite would be the focus her own series, much has been asked in terms of what might transpire. This is especially of note with Agatha Harkness not having a wealth of comic-source material. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to build its Multiverse Saga, it will be interesting to follow what could be gleaned from Agatha: Coven of Chaos and this corner of magic into the larger overarching narrative of Phase Five and beyond.

    Agatha: Coven of Chaos is being written by Jac Schaffer, of WandaVision fame, as part of her overall deal with Disney Television Studios. Announced at SDCC ’22, production is expected to begin on the series in early 2023 with a late-2023/early-2024 streaming window.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Anthony Mackie Comments on the Possibility of a Chris Evans Return in ‘Captain America 4’

    Anthony Mackie Comments on the Possibility of a Chris Evans Return in ‘Captain America 4’

    Upcoming Marvel Studios feature Captain America: New World Order will mark Anthony Mackie’s first time leading an MCU film as the Star-Spangled Avenger. Sam Wilson takes over the mantle from Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers in the wake of their last team-up effort in Avengers: Endgame and the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. By all accounts, Evans, who also said goodbye to the MCU, has been unlikely to bring back his original Captain America character anytime soon.

    Following Marvel Studios’ recent D23 presentation, Mackie joked that Sebastian Stan gets Wyatt Russell’s U.S. Agent in the upcoming Thunderbolts and expressed his desire to see Evans return in some manner. However, in a recent interview, Mackie had a more sobering take on the potential return, expressing Evans’ own views on where his future with Captain America rests.

    Mackie discussed the possibility of Evans reprising his role as Steve Rogers in an interview with E! News, and he made a joke about how little Evans is focused on the MCU now:

    Chris is so far gone from Marvel. Like, Marvel is not even in his radius. He’s so far gone. He’s enjoying life. He’s like an old retired dude.

    Anthony Mackie

    While a return in New World Order seems unlikely, an eventual Evans return is still unknown, especially with major cross-over films like Avengers: Secret Wars in the works. But, for the time being, Sam Wilson will shine as Captain America in the post-Infinity Saga MCU.

    Captain America: New World Order will be released in theaters on May 3, 2024.

    Source: E! News

  • Early Projections Predict ‘Wakanda Forever’ to Outgross ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Domestically

    Early Projections Predict ‘Wakanda Forever’ to Outgross ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Domestically

    There’s still some time until Black Panther: Wakanda Forever releases in theaters later in November. Yet, that isn’t stopping form early projections from hitting the web. The sequel has some heavy weight upon its back, as it not only has to compensate for the loss of its main star Chadwick Boseman but also faced quite a few production troubles along the way. After a powerful first trailer though, it definitely seemed safe to say that Wakanda Forever will still leave its mark in theaters while paying tribute to the actor that made T’Challa a household name.

    According to Variety’s early projections based on Cinelytics, the film is likely to make around $423M domestically. Many will look at these numbers and point out that it’s a far cry from the first entry’s massive $700M domestic release. It’s still very early to say how it will truly perform as the marketing has yet to kick into high gear but there is some concern about the passing of Boseman negatively affecting the film’s main draw. Plus, the first entry was quite the cultural release that went way past expectations.

    While many like to callback to Tom Cruise‘s star power for the box office success of Top Gun: Maverick, it’s just as much lightning in the bottle scenario that it had the staying power it did. It became Cruise’s highest-grossing film ever by a wide margin. Sometimes elements just come together at the right time to give films a massive boost, which we saw in the past with Avatar, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and The Force Awakens. The question is rather if people’s curiosity about the sequel and how it pays tribute to the actor.

    It could just as well end up surprising many. Plus, Marvel Studios’ main goal is for it to cover the production costs and pull in a profit. If it manages to accomplish that, it’s still a success in their eyes even if it wouldn’t really break any massive records or come near the first release. For now, it still looks like it could likely become 2022’s highest-grossing Marvel Studios release and that might be enough to push the project forward. Who knows if we have another No Way Home scenario on our hands and we won’t know until November.

    Source: Variety, The Numbers

  • Michael Giacchino Discusses Usage of Vintage Film Techniques in ‘Werewolf by Night’

    Michael Giacchino Discusses Usage of Vintage Film Techniques in ‘Werewolf by Night’

    With Werewolf by Night nearing a week from its official release on Disney+, anticipation for Marvel Studios’ first Special Presentation has certainly been on the rise. Ever since the official announcement of the project paired with the first trailer, many fans were pleasantly taken aback by how much this creative team went all in on the 1930s horror genre pastiche.

    This was followed by the social media embargo lifting and critics giving overall positive responses to the 50-minute short film for its ability to honor classic filmmaking in the streaming landscape. A large heap of that praise should then land at the feet of director Michael Giacchino for creating this vintage aesthetic. 

    While sitting down with Collider for an interview, Giacchino discussed how some of these implementations came into place. Namely, the usage of cigarette burn cue marks throughout the special.

    As we were editing and stuff, my editor Jeff and I are such nerds for this kind of thing, and we were just like, ‘Oh, we got to put in those things too. We got to put in the reel changes.’ Because we always approached this as something that was being done in the 30s. What would they have done and what would they have had at their disposal? How would they have done it? So, we did as many practical effects as we could.

    Michael Giacchino

    While being such a distinct element that could very well go unnoticed to most casual viewers, it’s emblematic of Giacchino’s care for matching the form of classic horror movies in the golden age of film. As well, the reliance on practical effects will likely stand out distinctly in relation to the heavy reliance on digital effects in film (especially in the superhero genre). The director went on to elaborate on his desire to have fully built sets for the actors to interact with in Werewolf by Night. 

    I wanted the actors to feel like they were in a true environment as opposed to having not only the work of creating these characters for us to experience on film, but then they would have to also imagine what was around them.

    Michael Giacchino

    Ultimately, these types of quotes from Michael Giacchino continue to build high amounts of promise for Marvel Studios’ upcoming project. If nothing else, Werewolf by Night is shaping to be one of the most visually unique projects to release in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

    Werewolf by Night stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Laura Donnelly and is set to release on Friday, October 7 on Disney+.

    Source: Collider 

  • ‘She-Hulk’ Case Files: Who Is Man-Bull?

    ‘She-Hulk’ Case Files: Who Is Man-Bull?

    Court is now in session and Jennifer Walters is here to reprsent the defendant in the matter of Superhuman law. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has finally hit Disney+ as the next installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and seems to be one of the studios most unique projects yet. With it comes a whole slew of C-listers and D-Lister heroes and villains that have found themselves in legal trouble.

    The Prosecution Calls To The Stand: Man-Bull!

    Before he was the monstrosity he is now, William Taurens, also known as Bull Taurus, was a goon that worked for Mr. Kline, an android known as MK-9 sent from the future to stop an impending apocalypse posing as a mob boss. Kline had tasked Taurens and his partner in crime, Itch to kidnap random people off the streets to be used as subjects in his testing trials. William and Itch were stopped by Daredevil, but due to their failure, were subject to MK-9’s test themselves in which William Taurens was transformed into the malignant mammal we know today.

    This punishment didn’t stop him, however, as Taurens hit the streets yet again, intent on kidnapping more victims. Of course, Daredevil stopped him once more, and he reverted back to his human form.

    When in Man-Bull form, Taurens possesses some pretty basic superhuman abilities such as strength, invulnerability and endurance. When in a state of intense rage his adrenaline pushes him into an unstable mood that actually allows him to control bovines through psionic means.

    Mann-Bull made his live-action debut in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, now streaming on Disney+.

  • REVIEW: ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode 7

    REVIEW: ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode 7

    After finishing the seventh episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, it is extremely natural to wonder—what is this show? For a series billed as a legal comedy, there certainly is no particular plethora of legal plotlines. In Episode 7, for example, there are none at all. For a “superhero show”, there can be a stunning lack of superheroics. So what is She-Hulk? That may not be an easy question to answer, but the series has a personality that connects everything at its core; that is not a given for most series. In any event, it is genuinely hard to care about picking apart every ounce of She-Hulk when Episode 7 was everything a reasonable person could want.

    Some of the biggest, deepest laughs of She-Hulk come from this episode without a doubt. The level of comedy the series attained in some of its earlier, more legal-heavy episodes returns in a very different form. In a universe and franchise so focused on action, adventure, and high-concept stories, any person that has the capacity to feel joy can appreciate some D-list supervillains in group therapy helping out the protagonist get over a guy who did not text her back. That premise is absurd, and it can only work in a very specific context. Luckily, She-Hulk provides that context.

    Nothing could be said about Episode 7 without emphasizing how amazing the supporting cast of characters is. Obviously, Tim Roth’s Emil Blonsky makes a welcome return after his last appearance in Episode 3 to continue the “Abomaste” gag. And while various legal cases brought out some interesting figures in the past, such as Donny Blaze, Mr. Immortal, or the shape-shifting light elf, Episode 7 absolutely knocks it out of the park. Man-Bull, El Águila, Porcupine, Saracen, Wrecker, and Blonksky all come through as colorful characters. The fact that such a group got to spend most of its time together and interacting with one another is simply a unique experience in the Marvel universe, which allows She-Hulk to bring out the inherent humor of corny comic book characters in a safe space both literally and figuratively.

    A major theme running through She-Hulk is that Jen is constantly losing. Sure, she is a functional Hulk and landed a snazzy job, but episode after episode has emphasized that Jen the human is not enough. Her dating life is perhaps the prime example of that, and the episode’s focus on Josh building her up and then letting her down just hammered that theme more. The “twist” that Josh is actually a villain was perhaps one of the most obvious reveals, so it was smart that her emotions stemming from the rejection were in the spotlight while the dramatic reveal was only given a few seconds in the end. It was refreshing to see Jen get a personal “win” this episode when she has her emotional breakthrough at the Blonksy retreat with the friendly help of some memorable characters with their own identity struggles. In fact, self-identity seemed to be the core issue tying all of those people together in one way or another.

    Since Jen now knows, apparently, that “Jen is great” alongside She-Hulk, perhaps that is the audience’s cue to prepare for less self-growth and more plot resolution going forward. Granted, there are only two episodes left in the season, so that may not be hard to guess. But it does potentially give away what kind of place Jen will be mentally when she has to eventually deal with the invisible HulkKing villain (to the extent She-Hulk itself will actually deal with a potential explosion of Hulks in the MCU), as well as when she inevitably comes across Charlie Cox’s Daredevil. Doubtless, many have suffered in agony for seven weeks with no Daredevil, but at least they can be grateful the show may combine them when Jen/She-Hulk is at her best.

  • ‘She-Hulk’ Case Files: Who Is El Aguila?

    ‘She-Hulk’ Case Files: Who Is El Aguila?

    Court is now in session and Jennifer Walters is here to represent the defendant in the matter of Superhuman law. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has finally hit Disney+ as the next installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and seems to be one of the studio’s most unique projects yet. With it comes a whole slew of C-listers and D-Lister heroes and villains that have found themselves in legal trouble.

    The Prosecution Calls To The Stand: El Aguila!

    First appearing in Power Man and Iron Fist #58, Alejandro Montoya was a mutant born in Spain who kept his abilities a secret until he took up the identity of the vigilante El Aguila. Inspired by his childhood hero, Zorro, Montoya hit the streets of New York as a modern-day swashbuckling Robin Hood, fighting crime and taking down mob bosses to redistribute the money to the poor of the city. These late-night heroics eventually lead Aguila right to the Heroes for Hire, Power Man and Iron Fist. Ultimately, Montoya teamed up with the duo to save Jeryn Hogarth from would-be assassins.

    Aguila’s mutant abilities give him the power to generate electrostatic charges and discharge up to 100,000 volts. He harnessed this power through his rapier as the vigilante was a skilled swordsman as well as an acrobat and master of hand-to-hand combat. Currently, the character remains depowered as a direct result of the M-Day event, losing his abilities due to Scarlet Witch’s altering of reality.

    El Aguila made his live-action debut in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, now streaming every Wednesday on Disney+.