Maria Hill in the MC2

 

With the release of Marvel’s Secret Invasion series on Disney+ prominently featuring former Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Maria Hill as portrayed by Cobie Smoulders’ who has played the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2012’s The Avengers, I thought now would be an opportune time to finally cover Maria Hill in the MC2.

 

Maria Hill made her debut in the pages of New Avengers #4 in 2005 though was apparently originally meant to first appear in the Secret War mini-series before lengthy delays saw it released far later. In either event, she replaced Nick Fury as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. during that period.

 

Meanwhile in the MC2, we see some familiar faces amongst the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. during the Carnage story arc, with Maria Hill making the scene in Amazing Spider-Girl #9. On behalf of her ‘superiors’ Agent Maria Hill tasks Special Agent Arthur Weadon and his team of former villains led by Kaine with safeguarding the transport of an item referred to only as 'Specimen 297' (actually a piece of the Carnage symbiote) through New York City. When the transport convoy is attacked by a faction of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents led by Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (who will no doubt warrant her own post someday) and the Specimen accidentally let loose in the city by Spider-Girl, Carnage is reborn.

 

With the New York City Police Department on the scene (including Police Scientist Peter Parker), Special Agent Maria Hill obstructs Captain Ruiz’s investigation of the situation before chastising Special Agent Arthur Weadon and his team’s failure to protect the Specimen. Nick Fury makes his first on-panel appearance in the MC2 - albeit shrouded in shadow-when he assures President G.W. Bridge the situation would be resolved despite the complications as he has his best Agent on the case. After an attack by Carnage at Café Indigo, Hill dispatches S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and Weadon’s team to track down Spider-Girl for questioning about her involvement (Amazing Spider-Girl #10-#11).

 

After evading both groups, Spider-Girl is reacquired during a battle with Carnage, with Maria Hill sending Weadon’s team and S.H.I.E.L.D. after her once more which results in Carnage attacking all of them. Fortunately, Spider-Girl manages to save everyone involved, but her baby brother Benjy, now merged with a part of the Carnage symbiote, is taken by the villain. Hill calls for emergency aid before following them to Midtown Medical Center (Amazing Spider-Girl #12).

 

 We learn through the investigative work of Kaine and Darkdevil the true plot: the United States was unwilling to destroy the Carnage symbiote despite the United Nations stance on the use of bio-weapons, G.W. Bridge and Nick Fury organised for the team of disguised S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents to 'steal' the Specimen, setting up Weadon's team to fail.  This was all to demonstrate the dangers to the congressional committee wishing to keep the symbiote for bio-weapon research under the guise of finding a cure for cancer (Amazing Spider-Girl #12).

Maria Hill reports back to Nick Fury that Specimen 297 has been fully neutralized. Despite the operation not going as planned, the situation was salvaged thanks to Spider-Girl's intervention, providing the President with a sound rationale to convince the congressional committee to destroy the remaining Specimen (Amazing Spider-Girl #12).

 

As for where Special Agent Maria Hill next appears in the MC2, we turn to the American Dream mini-series. These appearances are tricky. Maria Hill shows up so you would think she was working for S.H.I.E.L.D. but dialogue and recap pages both state she is working for the National Security Force. I would be inclined to accept that Hill simply changed employers since her last appearance, except every issue after she shows up in American Dream #2 clearly depicts her in full S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform and leading other agents also clad in S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform.

 

Maria Hill calls into Avengers Compound to order Shannon Carter aka  American Dream to cease her inquiries into the crystalline creatures she had encountered. After some consideration and discussion with the rest of the Avengers, American Dream decides to continue her investigation while seeking a missing person (American Dream #2).  

 

Returning to Avengers Compound with a federal warrant to assume custody of a crystal creature, Hill proceeds to chastise American Dream, and tells her again to back off before she and the rest of the Avengers are charged with treason. This prompts American Dream to resign from the Avengers to protect them while she pursued the matter solo (American Dream #3).

 

For good measure, Hill angrily makes a third trip to Avengers Compound to arrest American Dream after she is spotted at a classified crime scene, only to be told by Edwin Jarvis that he does not know where the former Avenger has gone. After threatening to take Jarvis in as an accessory, Thunderstrike steps in to defend him, questioning why Hill is trying to stop the investigation. We soon learn that S.H.I.E.L.D. is attempting to discover how to destroy the crystalline creatures to prevent them falling into enemy hands, unaware they are actually illegal immigrants who’ve been unwillingly transformed by the villain Silikong. When the one in their custody reawakens, Hill finds herself shorthanded (American Dream #4).

While across town the Avengers locate and aid American Dream in her fight against the combined forces of Hope Pym aka The Red Queen, Ion Man, Silikong and his crystalline creatures, Maria Hill and her agents struggle against their single foe until the control over the creatures is stopped by Dream. This leads Special Agent Maria Hill to admit she has some grovelling to do and we later learn that Hill has arrested Silikong and will try to reverse the process used on the victims of his experiments (American Dream #5).

 

Maria Hill in the MC2 is a good example of a Main Marvel Universe character who debuted after the point at which the MC2 diverges, with very different events unfolding. Her appearance in the MC2 acts as a nice nod to the New Avengers era of the Main Marvel Universe in much the same way as references to Luke Cage established his membership on that team in the MC2’s own history.

 

Until I perform dual duties as an National Security Agent and an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., I remain

 

frogoat

A-Next Infinity Comic Review

 

It looks like 2023 is a good year for MC2 fans, with Cassie Lang suiting up (still without a codename) in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Aftershock appearing as the first antagonist in Disney’s animated Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur show, and now we have been graced with a brand-new two-part A-Next story in the digital pages (or should I say panels?) of Avengers Unlimited Infinity Comic #37-#38. I want to give a quick review of this story.

 

Exclusive to the Marvel Unlimited digital comics subscription service, this two issue A-Next tale was brought to us by MC2 co-creators Tom Defalco and Ron Frenz with inks by the brilliant Brett Breeding, colours by the colossal Chris Sotomayor and loving lettering by Joe Sabino. The first instalment opens in ‘a future…which may or may not be our own’ with J2 telling Bluestreak about the unseen events on Asgard alluded to way back in A-Next #1. First recapping the events of the aforementioned first issue of A-Next, impeccably recreated by Ron Frenz, Bluestreak demands further details of J2 when he mentions a feast and another fight (Avengers Unlimited Infinity Comic #37).

 

It is nice to discover that Jolt and Stinger enjoy a good party. Feeling humiliated in front of Loki, Tyrus the Terrible leads a group of trolls in ambushing Thunderstrike and J2 for a rematch. But after a brief battle, the trolls flee when confronted by the assembled soon-to-be Avengers alongside Thor, though still threatening revenge. J2 finishes his recollection, doubting Tyrus is dumb enough to return after two embarrassing defeats. However, a portal opens and a hand emerges within Avengers Compound through the framed picture of those early A-Nexters (Avengers Unlimited Infinity Comic #37).

 

The following issue brings us back to the MC2’s present where the previous one left off as we see the Uru Monster named Uroc emerge from the portal alongside a horde of rock trolls led by Tyrus who wields ‘The Orb of Orikal,’an artifact which attracts and absorbs Uru energy. Bluestreak and J2 battle the trolls alone before being joined by Sabreclaw and the rest of the Avengers. Among the rock trolls is Maroc aka ‘Granny,’ the elderly grandmother of Uroc responsible for transporting them to the Avengers Compound (Avengers Unlimited Infinity Comic #38).

 

When the Orb is activated, it begins to pull in Thunderstrike until Stinger suggests he overload it with his blasts which causes the artifact to explode and knock down Tyrus. With their leader down, Uroc demands Granny return them to Asgard. Granny Mardoc does so, chastising them all and suggesting they instead focus on mining and crafting rather than seek pointless revenge. Bluestreak tells J2 that he knows ‘how to show a girl a good time’ before kissing him on the cheek (Avengers Unlimited Infinity Comic #38).

 

Some genuinely wonderful stuff here. I am probably just a smidge biased but it is delightful seeing Tom and Ron seamlessly slide back into the MC2 and deliver a brand-new story. A few points I found interesting: the Orb (and its namesake Orikal) first appeared way back in Thor #138. Uroc, the Uru Monster makes his MC2 debut after being first introduced by Tom Defalco and Mike Mignola in the pages of Thor #408. Granny Mardoc is also apparently a familial relation of Uroc, and mentions she granted Uroc his Uru form and healed his past injuries. Notably, Uroc here has a new and familiar looking left hand, which references his previous limb being destroyed in Thor #450 by the special police unit Code: Blue and acts as a dual reference to Mignola’s most well-known creation Hellboy who has a ‘Right Hand of Doom’.  

 

In addition to the familiar relation between Uroc and Granny Mardoc, we also learn that Tyrus is the son of Ulik, a mainstay of Thor’s rogues gallery and who showed up in the Avengers Next mini-series working alongside Sylene, the daughter of Loki. It is a nice piece of continuity that father and son troll worked opposite daughter and father Asgardian, respectively. Tyrus also spoke of regaining the good graces of his Lord Loki, perhaps suggesting Loki returned from Limbo or that Tyrus does not know of Loki’s fate. The first time we encountered Tyrus was as an alternate future version opposing the Dargo Ktor in Thor #384, wherein he is apparently missing an eye which is echoed here when the Orb explodes.

Finally, Ron Frenz managed the nigh-impossible task of connecting the Troll dolls of the 80’s to the orange-skinned rock trolls of Marvel by way of Granny Mardoc’s appearance. Thanks to Mr Frenz for clarifying a comment he made on the Make Mine Mayday podcast regarding this. *An additional thanks to Ron Frenz for clarifying and correcting the original version of this post*

 

I was very pleased with this short story, it managed to fill a long-existing gap between panels in A-Next #1 and provided us a glimpse at the Avengers team in the MC2’s present at the same time. Now we’ve gotten essentially A-Next #½, I’m hoping someday we’ll get the inevitable A-Next #1½ story which details events surrounding Jolt, Jubilee and Speedball returning to the Avengers Compound during Peter Parker’s visit in What If #105. Come on, you know you wanna do it, guys! I am guessing Crimson Curse was not a member anymore since she’s…. you know…probably dead again following the 2015 Secret Wars event.

 

Until every gap in the MC2’s storied history is filled, I happily remain

 

frogoat

Ant-Man in the MC2

 

While it may have taken me a little longer than most to get to the theatre to see Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, as you know from my last post I did finally manage it. So today, let us look at one of the film’s protagonist’s counterpart in my favourite corner of the Marvel Universe: Scott Lang aka Ant-Man in the MC2.

 

Scott Lang made his comics debut in the pages of Avengers #181 before assuming the identity of the second Ant-Man in Marvel Premiere #47 and #48 in order to save his daughter, Cassie Lang from the clutches of the villainous Darren Cross. As for Scott Lang’s first appearance in the MC2, he makes a small appearance in A-Next #1 as his daughter Cassie tests her abilities as Stinger. When Stinger receives a distress call on an old Avengers priority code, Scott offers to report as Ant-Man in place of Hank Pym who had long since died. Of course, Cassie herself responds to the call and the rest is history with the formation of the next generation’s Avengers team.

 

Scott makes another brief appearance in A-Next #2 where he expresses his discomfort and concern with Cassie being a super hero. Cassie informs hm she needs to step out from behind his shadow as a person, a scientist and an Avenger. In A-Next #3, Edwin Jarvis employs Lang as the Avengers technical advisor, which leaves Cassie far from impressed.

 

However, Cassie is more impressed when Scott catches up with their old friends in the Fantastic Five which results in her leading a squad of Avengers into Latveria to investigate rumors about the return of Doctor Doom. In fact, this proved to be Cassie’s lost love Kristoff Vernard, former ward of Victor Von Doom. We catch a glimpse of Scott in the background during a flashback to these aforementioned lovebirds as children during their time living with the Fantastic Four (A-Next #5).

 

When Stinger, Freebooter and Crimson Curse investigate an unknown presence deep beneath Avengers Compound, they are joined by Scott Lang. It is worth noting that Scott mentions ‘all the time [he] served with the original Avengers’ he was not aware of anyone coming down to the sub-basement level 7. This confirms his status as a former member of the Avengers, if nothing else (A-Next #6).

 

The group’s progress is halted by visions of the entire team of Avengers dead or dying. Scott divulges his own hallucination was mainly focused on his daughter, Cassie. Cassie and Scott head to a business meeting at Lang Labs but are soon after interrupted, first by Mainframe and then by Ion Man. Scott offers to aid his daughter and Mainframe battle Ion Man by suiting up as Ant-Man but Cassie instead instructs him to evacuate the building. After the battle, Scott and Cassie race to help the fallen Mainframe (A-Next #7).

 

With the revelation that Mainframe is robotic in nature, Scott and Cassie work to save their fallen friend. After receiving the schematics from Edwin Jarvis, Scott finally suits up as Ant-Man alongside Stinger for a journey to the centre of Mainframe to ensure the core module returns to the orbiting satellite that houses and manufactures Mainframe’s robotic shells. The father and daughter duo succeed in their mission (A-Next #8).

 

It's worth noting Lang’s Ant-Man suit is a version of one first seen in the pages of Fantastic Four #405 designed by the late great comic artist Paul Ryan.

With the members of the new Avengers debating whether or not to investigate the mysterious portal to an alternate universe they found in basement alongside the Scarlet Witch, Scott not so subtly encourages Cassie to focus on the big picture, and later sees the team off as they collectively conclude they must go (A-Next #9).

 

While MC2’s Scott Lang witnesses an argument about the new Avengers between Tony Stark and Clint Barton, his twisted counterpart known as Pincer in the alternate universe ruled by Doctor Doom attacks Cassandra Lang alongside his team, the Thunder Guard. When she learns he killed his own daughter for not allying with Doom, Cassie is horrified, but thankfully spared the same fate thanks to the aid of American Dream (A-Next #10).

 

This sadistic version of Lang is pleased with his universe’s Eric Masterson aka Storm-Trooper for killing one of the rebels, Maria Sapristi, and questions why he would feel sorry for her. Masterson makes it clear how he feels about this by attempting to choke Pincer. Later when the Avengers and rebels launch their attack, Pincer again targets Cassie, goading her by saying neither his daughter nor the MC2’s Stinger amounted to anything without their father. This provocation allows Cassie to see clearly that Pincer is nothing like her own father despite their issues (A-Next #11).

 

Lang is among those captured by the Red Queen’s Revengers team when they launch an attack on Avengers Headquarters. With the Avengers captured shortly after, Scott helplessly witnesses his daughter Cassie being tortured by Hope Pym until reinforcements arrive and he is freed. While at first seeming concerned for her safety, Scott instead tells Cassie he is proud of her as she heads off to help (A-Next #12).

 

With so many members off with injuries or otherwise absent following the events of Last Hero Standing, Scott Lang is recruited as Ant-Man by Tony Stark to fill out the Avengers roster. Alongside The Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye and Stark's 'personal bodyguard’ James Rhodes on a mission to investigate and apprehend Normie Osborn. Things go awry when Rhodes (now more machine than man) is inadvertently hit by Wanda Maximoff’s hex bolt, triggering a violent rampage. After Rhodes is subdued, Scott and the others conclude they would be better use as teachers and mentors to the new Avengers team (Spider-Girl #93-#95). 

 

Not an active member of the Avengers this time around, Scott Lang as Ant-Man only appears briefly this time, as a miscoloured magical energy duplicate created when Sylene attempts to recreate Asgard on Earth in Avengers Next #4 and again correctly coloured in Avengers Next #5.

 

Finally, Scott Lang features in the Secret Wars Spider-Girl tie-in story published in Spider-Island #1-#5. There, he once more suits up as Ant-Man when the Avengers come under attack from Enthralla and Hope Pym, but is knocked out by a mind-controlled Edwin Jarvis.

 

Once more seeking revenge on the Avengers for her parents death’s, The Red Queen sentences Scott to death for assuming her father’s Ant-Man identity. Scott makes an impassioned appeal for Hope to stop obsessing over how her parents died and instead remember how they lived. His words fail to reach her leaving Spider-Girl to save him. Under Enthralla’s sway, Cassie is ordered to execute her own father and is only prevented from doing so by Spider-Girl’s determination to spare Cassie the tragedy of losing her father.

 

That’s it for Scott Lang aka Ant-Man in the MC2, unless I’ve missed some small appearance or tiny reference. If so, please let me know as we all make little mistakes now and then. The father/daughter relationship between Scott and Cassie is one of the core aspects of the MC2’s ethos so I’m glad it was left untarnished in recent years. Hopefully the future holds more for this version of the character.

 

Until I steal Hank Pym’s stuff to save my daughter and end up becoming a super hero, I remain

 

frogoat