The Human Torch in the MC2

 

Fresh from seeing Marvel Studios latest release, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, I’m finally reinvigorated and motivated to delve into the MC2 Universe’s own members of the Fantastic Four …. or the Fantastic Five, as they are now known in this world. For today, let’s look at the hot-headed Johnny Storm aka The Human Torch in the MC2.

 

All the core four members of Marvel’s First Family debuted in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby 1961’s Fantastic Four #1, launching the very Marvel Universe itself as we know it today by depicting the fateful space launch which gave this famous four their powers.  

In the MC2, Johnny Storm first appeared in the story which launched a new universe in the pages of What If #105. While it’s only a cameo appearance, it does give us our first glimpse of the MC2’s Fantastic Five.

 

It’s not long until the Fantastic Five make their full debut in the pages of Spider-Girl #3 battling Spyral. We learn Johnny now leads this new team comprised of Reed Richards aka Big Brain, Franklin Richards aka Psi-Lord, Lyja Storm aka Ms. Fantastic and Ben Grimm aka The Thing.

 

In the following issue, Johnny Storm invites his old friend Peter Parker (the retired superhero Spider-Man) out to lunch where he broaches the subject of encountering Spider-Girl. Despite Johnny’s assumption, Peter is less than pleased about the situation (Spider-Girl #4).

 

In a flashback in Spider-Girl #7 we learn that it was Johnny himself who contacted Mary Jane following her husband Peter’s near-deadly maiming in his final battle with the Green Goblin.

 

Here’s the relevant MC2-specific events in Johnny’s past. While we don't know the exact point at which the history of the Main Marvel Universe Fantastic Four stops being the same as that of the MC2 Fantastic Four/Five, we do know a few things about the team’s history. At some point, the Skrull called Lyja joined the Fantastic Four and married Johnny Storm (Fantastic Five Vol. 1 #1). 

 

Approximately five or so years prior to the events of Fantastic Five Vol. 1 #1, the Fantastic Four prepared to battle Hyperstorm, a cosmically powered warlord from an alternate future who had built a doomsday weapon in the Negative Zone (Fantastic Five Vol. 1 #4, Spider-Girl #87). Lyja was pregnant at this time and did not join the team on their mission (Fantastic Five Vol. 1 #4). Franklin engaged Hyperstorm in a 'mind-war' on every plane of existence which ultimately left Hyperstorm comatose and apparently stripped Franklin of much of his god-like power (Fantastic Five Vol. 1 #4).

 

 Unfortunately, the doomsday device had already begun to tear a hole in the fabric of reality. When Reed Richards was forced to overload the device to stop it, Susan Richards attempted to shield him from the radiation with her force field. Caught in the blast radius, half of Reed's body was left in a melted and deformed state. With the reality rip still widening, Susan used her powers to hold the tear in place, with the strain leaving her in a coma and she was placed in suspended animation.

 

In the wake of the tragedy, The Fantastistation was built in the Negative Zone around the tear in reality. This allowed Reed to keep Sue company while she remained in suspended animation as he worked to slowly repair the hole in the fabric of reality (Fantastic Five Vol. 1 #4, Spider-Girl #87). Over the next few months, while the Fantastic Four remained in seclusion, rumours and speculation spread about the fate of Susan Richards despite the team never releasing details to the public. Reed developed the Big Brain robot to allow him to remain on the team by remotely controlling it from the Negative Zone (Fantastic Five Vol. 1 #1).

 

The team formally changed their charter, membership and name, finally re-branding themselves as the Fantastic Five, with John Storm aka The Human Torch leading the team of Ms. Fantastic aka his wife Lyja Storm; Ben Grimm aka The Thing; Reed Richards as Big Brain and Franklin Richards now known as Psi-Lord (Fantastic Five Vol. 1 #1, Fantastic Five Vol. 2 #1).

 

It's obvious Johnny Storm has matured and grown into his role as leader of the Fantastic Five and appears to have settled down as a father and husband Torus and Lyja, respectively.

 

Until I learn how to look cool while on fire, I remain

frogoat

  

The Surprising Connection Between Spider-Girl and Cheers

 

I’ve taken it upon myself to become more acquainted with classic American sitcoms recently which has led me to today’s quick post about The Surprising Connection Between Spider-Girl and Cheers.

 

The iconic American television sitcom Cheers first debuted in 1982 and ran for 11 seasons, and launched multiple spin-off shows including the popular and long-running Frasier. Cheers takes place in and around the eponymous bar in Boston which is owned by Ted Danson’s character Sam Malone.

 

 

The connection to Marvel Comics and the MC2’s own long-running series and character Spider-Girl aka May ‘Mayday’ Parker was revealed by co-creator Ron Frenz on Episode 43 of the sensational Make Mine Mayday podcast:

 

‘I’m not that creative but what I stole it from was Cheers. Sam Malone’s character on there when he played ball was called Mayday Malone. The fact her name was May, and we were going to make her a basketball star. I was trying to come up with a chant for the crowd and that became her nickname.’

 

So there you have it, another piece of the pop culture landscape that has ties to the MC2. It’s fascinating to consider how creative efforts influence one another and in turn go on to influence later generations. It’s all a rich tapestry of humanity.

 

Until I find a place where everybody knows my name, I remain

 

frogoat

What to Watch Before Ironheart

 

The long-delayed latest instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is set to release on Disney+ in just a few days, so let’s have a quick look at some of the most pertinent MCU movies and shows to watch before the Ironheart series hits our screens.

 

The first and most obvious movie is the very first entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the first Iron Man movie from 2008. Not only does Ironheart not exist without this foundational and genre-defining classic, neither does the Marvel Cinematic Universe itself!  Of course, it is worth mentioning the prevailing rumours that a member of the Ironheart series’ cast may just be related to a certain villain featured in Iron Man, one who liked to shout about boxes of scraps…

 

While some may argue the importance of re-watching the entirety of the MCU’s Iron Man appearances, I really don’t think that will prove necessary. With that said, the do have to mention that actor Jim Rash will return as the Dean of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology aka MIT, following his brief appearance in Captain America: Civil War. Not super important, but worth a mention regardless. Consider it optional at best. Moving on!

 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever from 2022 marks Dominique Thorne’s debut as Riri Williams, a gifted young woman at MIT who’s one-of-a-kind Vibranium Detector was co-opted by the Central Intelligence Agency without her knowledge. It’s use led to Riri being drawn into a brewing war between 3 separate nations, the United States, Wakanda and the people of the underwater Kingdom of Talokan. Not only does this movie introduce Riri, but also two suits of Ironheart armor, the first of her own making akin to Tony Stark’s original tin can and the second made by Princess Shuri marking a far more advanced design. Sadly, Riri was not allowed to keep the latter and the former was destroyed.

 

Bonus: What If…? Season 3 features appearances from both Riri Williams and a version of Ironheart series antagonist The Hood, with episode 5 What If... The Emergence Destroyed the Earth? and episode 6 What If... 1872? Again, these are not essential viewing but might be a fun sample before the first Ironheart episodes drop.

 

Honestly, I think that’s all anyone will really need before they jump into the series in a few days’ time.

 

Until I manage to make my own suit of power armour, I remain

 

frogoat  

What to Watch Before Daredevil: Born Again

 

With Marvel Studios latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daredevil: Born Again Season One fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to take a quick break from my usual content and make a guide for anyone wanting to catch up or refresh before it hits theatres. Here’s What to Watch Before Daredevil: Born Again.

 

The best place to start is with Daredevil’s Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, the first season of Daredevil which was initially produced for Netflix but which can now be seen on Disney+. This first season introduced Charlie Cox as lawyer and vigilante Matt Murdock aka Daredevil, Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk aka The Kingpin along with Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page, Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson and Aylet Zurer as Vanessa Marianna along with numerous other characters who would go on to appear in the various other MCU-related shows from Netflix.

 

Next up, Daredevil Season 2 introduced other key characters including Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle aka The Punisher, Matt’s former mentor Stick, played by Scott Glenn along with his former lover and trained killer Elektra Natchios as portrayed by Élodie Yung as a war with the criminal organisation The Hand escalates. It’s confirmed that Jon Bernthal will reprise his role in Daredevil: Born Again.

 

After this we have the crossover event mini-series The Defenders which sees Matt Murdock meet and team-up with the super strong private investigator Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), bulletproof badass Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Danny Rand aka the Immortal Iron Fist (Finn Jones) to stop the machinations of The Hand, led by Alexandra (the stunning Sigourney Weaver). The series ends with Matt Murdock believed dead in massive building collapse which leads into…

 

Daredevil Season 3 opens with a recovering Matt Murdock and leads to Wilson Fisk being released from prison a free man. Wilson Bethel portrays Special Agent Benjamin Poindexter (known in the comics as Bullseye) who is recruited by Fisk to impersonate Daredevil, framing him for various slayings. The season and series ends with a three-way battle between Murdock, Fisk and Poindexter. Poindexter is left paralysed and undergoing surgery, while Kingpin is beaten and sent back to prison, with he and Daredevil reaching an uneasy agreement that Fisk will leave Karen and Foggy alone in exchange for Daredevil not revealing Fisk’s wife Vanessa’s criminal involvement in events. The Netflix era ends here and we wouldn’t see Charlie Cox in the role for quite some time.

 

Perhaps an expected place for Vincent D’Onofrio to appear as Wilson Fisk and cement the prior series events as ‘canon’ to the Marvel Cinematic Universe proper, the Disney+ Hawkeye series reveals The Kingpin to be the big bad behind the show’s events, having been released from prison once more and using the Tracksuit Mafia to reclaim his former empire. Notably, Fisk is shown to have a close relationship with protégé Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) until it’s revealed he is responsible for her father’s murder, resulting in her shooting him in the face.

 

Released in the same week, Spider-Man: No Way Home featured Charlie Cox reprising his role as Matt Murdock in a cameo appearance as Peter Parker’s lawyer. This moment got gasps and applause in the cinema when I saw it.

 

Matt Murdock returns in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law in Episode 8, even suiting up in a new Daredevil costume inspired by his earliest comic appearances and teaming up with fellow lawyer/superhero Jennifer Walters aka She-Hulk before the pair share a one-night stand. Daredevil briefly returns for a cameo in the show’s finale Episode 9.

 

Finally, during a flashback in the Disney+ mini-series Echo, we see Daredevil battle Maya Lopez in Episode One. The show follows Lopez returning to her home town and reveals Wilson Fisk survived being shot before culminating in the two facing off. Ultimately, Fisk returns to New York with his mind set on becoming the Mayor of New York City, leading into Daredevil: Born Again.

 

You may choose to skip some of these entries, but I’m sure watching them all will provide further depth and understanding for Daredevil: Born Again.

 

Until I discover how to fight blind, I remain

 

frogoat

 

  

 

 

 

 

How Vibranium Gave Us The Coal Tiger

 

 

Here’s a question you may not have asked: How does T’Chaka II aka the Coal Tiger transform into a big cat man or ‘were-panther’? That is what we will be exploring today. How Vibranium gave us the Coal Tiger.

 

First, some history for context. Let’s start with the fantastic fictional metallic substance Vibranium. First appearing in Daredevil #13, this form of Vibranium (popularly known as ‘Anti-Metal’ or ‘Antarctic Vibranium’ as codified by the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (vol. 1) #15) is found only in the region of Antarctica known as the Savage Land. Antarctic Vibranium emanates vibrations which cause the atomic and molecular bonds of other nearby metals to weaken and liquify.

 

The most well-known form of Vibranium is named Wakandan Vibranium due to it being found almost exclusively in the African nation of Wakanda. First appearing in the pages of Fantastic Four #53, Wakandan Vibranium absorbs and stores vibratory energy such as soundwaves and mechanical energy in its vicinity, growing increasingly more durable as it does so. Should a piece of Vibranium reach its capacity, the Vibranium would explosively release its absorbed energy (Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (vol. 1) #15).

 

By now, most people are aware of Marvel’s the small African isolationist nation called Wakanda. The Kingdom of Wakanda first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 when Marvel’s First Family the Fantastic Four first meet King T’Challa aka the Black Panther. The nation’s history with Vibranium is further explored in Black Panther #7 where we learn that Vibranium is extraterrestrial in origin, having crashed as a meteor in the region that later became the nation of Wakanda. During early attempts at mining, stories spread of men turning into ‘evil spirits’ and attacking their friends and neighbours, with the radiation from the unprocessed raw Vibranium ore causing mutations among the people. These mutagenic properties were also seen in other species such as the White Gorillas (Avengers #62, Jungle Action (vol. 2) #13, Wakanda #1) and even the plant life within Wakanda, most notably the Heart-Shaped Herb which grants the powers of the Black Panther (Fantastic Four #53, Avengers #87, Jungle Action #8, Black Panther: Panther’s Prey #2, Fantastic Four Unlimited #1, Marvel Atlas #2).

 

Through the decades of published Black Panther stories, the nature, importance and depths of the Right of Ascension and the rituals associated with ruling Wakanda has grown and changed, though the Heart-Shaped Herb and Vibranium remain constant elements. Which brings us to the MC2’s Prince T’Chaka II and the nature of his ability to transform in to a ‘were-panther’. While we don’t get an origin story for the Coal Tiger in published works, fortunately co-creator Ron Frenz appeared on Adam Chapman’s Comic Shenanigans Podcast Episode 744, where he had this to say:

 

 ‘We also were going with the idea that the panther root has started to have more and more of an impact over the generations. The fact that T’Chaka is named after T’Challa’s father but that T’Challa spent most of his life using the panther root and having the powers…that it’s starting to cause a mutation or an evolution of the panther power in the offspring. That’s what we were trying to suggest.’

 

From this we can infer that the intention was that T’Challa’s (and presumably his ancestors) continual exposure to the Heart-Shaped Herb which was itself mutated by the raw Wakandan Vibranium in the region resulted in his son T’Chaka II’s ability to transform into a ‘were-panther’ form. This is a pretty neat and novel expansion on the existing Black Panther mythos which I would love to see explored further.

 

 

Special thanks to Jesús Arias for his indefatigable dedication to assisting me with various posts on this blog through the years. A big shout out to the fantastic Black Panther Blog for being the only accurate, well-researched and referenced source I could find online regarding the Heart-Shaped Herb and its history. Please check them out here: Black Panther Discussion and Appreciation

 

Until I can figure out if this science paper is right about the Heart-Shaped Herb, I remain

 

frogoat