The Evolution of Stinger in Video Games

Here's my latest addition to the MC2 Evolution video series over on YouTube. Naturally, the series is focused on MC2 characters and those who originate in this alternate universe. In the case of Cassie Lang, who first appeared in the Main Marvel Universe, I've focused on only the video game appearances of her MC2-originated alter-ego Stinger, because obviously kid Cassie appears in many other works and adaptions and there are derivatives of those derivatives. Basically, this allowed me to draw the line somewhere so I could focus on making the video. Hopefully my reasoning makes sense.

Anyway, enjoy and leave any suggestions below!

Until I find more time to produce these videos, I remain

frogoat

That One Time Jim Cheung Drew Spider-Girl

Recently I've been thinking about well-established artists in the comics industry who's take on the MC2 characters we've yet to see. Then I remembered there are a bunch of artists outside of MC2 mainstays such as the wonderfully talented Ron Frenz, Pat Olliffe, Paul Ryan, Ron Lim or Todd Nauck who've in some way worked on my favourite fictional universe. Every so often I'll try and dedicate a short post to each artist's brief foray into the MC2 Universe.

Jim Cheung

As a fan of Jim Cheung's work on the Young Avengers characters, I've sometimes wondered what his take on the MC2's various teen heroes of Spider-Girl. While I'd long thought I wouldn't get to see Cheung's rendition of my favourite character, it turns out I'd already missed it! Thanks to regular reader arias-98105 for bringing to my attention to the Marvel Chronicle: A Year by Year History reference book by Tom Defalco published by DK (formerly known as Dorling Kindersley) and first released in 2008. Here's the cover:

   

Now, Mayday isn't visibly featured here and as near as I can tell, isn't featured on this editions back cover either. Some future releases of this book use different artwork too, but the copy I found online features a variation on this cover art. Luckily, if you want the full piece Mr Cheung produced for this book, it comes bundled as lithographs both in colour and black and white. Here, at last, we can see Jim Cheung's rendition of Spider-Girl:

It's a truly gorgeous piece of art from Cheung...but can you spot Spider-Girl? She's way off to the left there next to Tigra! Here, I'll crop the picture:

It's not much but I'll take it! Let me know if there's any other instances of Jim Cheung drawing Spider-Girl! I'd love to see more from him as I think his talent for drawing teenaged heroes is a great fit for the MC2.

Until I find more connections and every hidden gem, I remain

frogoat

Stinger in Marvel Avengers Academy

It's only just come to my attention that Cassie Lang, also known as Stinger has been added as a playable character in Marvel Avengers Academy. Developed by mobile game studio TinyCo, Marvel Avengers Academy depicts classic Marvel characters as college students in an academy of the players design wherein the 'Avengers' combat super-villains and master their  super powers. Or so I read. I've never played the game before.

Stinger was introduced to the game during the 'Young Avengers Mini-Event' on the 17th of February along with Hulkling and Wiccan. In-game dialog between Cassie and the Scott Lang version of Ant-Man featured in this game confirm that Cassie is in fact his alternate reality daughter. From what I have been able to discover, Stinger may have been only available for a limited time only.

The classic Stinger costume from the MC2 appears as Cassies third costume, unlocked at Rank 5. It's worth noting she also sports a purple version of her 616-counterpart's Stature identity. Beyond that, I can't really gather much more information. I've been unable to find anywhere that identifies a voice actor for Cassie/Stinger, sadly. I'll keep digging to see if I can turn up anything, but for now, that's all I have to share.

Until I start to see a decline in appearances of MC2 characters in other mediums, I remain

frogoat

MC2 Multiplicity Madness

Let's talk about multiples of MC2 characters!

Cassie Lang

First up is Cassandra 'Cassie' Lang, daughter of Scott Lang, the second Ant-Man. In the regular Marvel Universe (Earth-616) Cassie's fathers death during 'Avengers Disassembled' led her to join the Young Avengers while still in her teens and take the name Stature using similar size-changing abilities to those of Giant-Man/Ant-Man and Wasp.

Another older version of Cassie (now going by Stinger) appears in Avengers: The Children's Crusade: Young Avengers one-shot. Noticeable her costume is taken from the MC2 version of the character.

 

Then, of course we have our dear Stinger from the MC2. A talented scientist in various fields, Cassie used the work of Dr Henry Pym (the original Ant-Man) to grant herself wings and size-changing powers.  She worked alongside her father, Scott Lang before joining the Avengers of her world.

Kevin Masterson

 Next we have Kevin Masterson, son of Eric Masterson- formerly a fill-in Thor and later the Avenger known as Thunderstrike. Kevin of the main Marvel Universe grows up angry following the death of his father, and as a young teenager eventually gains his fathers powers and becomes the second Thunderstrike.

Meanwhile, the Kevin Masterson of the MC2 received his fathers enchanted mace upon his 18th birthday, leading to the events that brought the Avengers of this generation together. Becoming  Thunderstrike despite his mixed feelings about his deceased father's 'hobby', Kevin proved himself worthy, now wielding thunder-blasts and super-strength.

 May 'Mayday' Parker

Lastly we have May 'Mayday' Parker, the daughter of Peter Parker- the Amazing Spider-Man. In the reality of Earth X (Earth-9997), May's mother Mary Jane died of cancer when she was young. At some point she bonded with the symbiote formerly joined to Eddie Brock and becomes an adventurer and police officer. This May goes by the name Venom and has all the abilities of the symbiote, and an excellent spider-sense. She recently showed up in Uncanny Avengers:

Venom of this world also encounters another Spider-Girl, from Earth-1122. She is recruited into a team known as the Heralds by the Machine Man. Apart from being a little less mature her origin appeared to be the same as our Mayday...until she announces she is the daughter of Peter's clone 'brother,' Ben Reilly. Her costume looks almost exactly the same as the MC2 Spider-Girl, though I like to think of her as having more Steve Ditko-esque eye-pieces and web pattern. Or I'm being pedantic.

We aren't done yet, oh no. There's the 20-something redheaded Spider-Girl of the year 2020. On Earth-8410, this May's father passed away sometime after she began as a costumed hero. Her powers also include 'venom blasts' similar to the original Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew. In fact, her costume strongly resembles Drew's as well.

Finally, we have the MC2's own Spectacular Spider-Girl. May 'Mayday' Parker is the 16 year old daughter of Spider-Man. Possessing all the usual abilities, her unique powers also include the ability to bio-magnetically attract and repel objects-something I believe none of the other May's have displayed. Mayday's costume currently includes an extended blue area under the arms as well as modified web-shooters which really helps to differentiate her from other versions.

Well ,there you have it folks! Can't you just imagine a crossover between these different versions of the same characters. Wouldn't that be completely mental?! Wouldn't that be fun?!

Until Spider-Girl meets Spider-Girl meets Venom meets Spider-Girl, I remain

frogoat

Marvel NOW!

Ever since Marvel announced there intention to shake things up across the board, changing creative teams, relaunching major titles and generally giving everything a spit-shine, I've been keenly waiting for things to slip in quality. Not because I wanted the initiative to fail, far from it; it's just that these kind of things never go as well as planned for very long. That said, so far I've been entirely wrong. I couldn't be happier.

Of the titles I'm currently reading, I understand Hawkeye is the critical darling of the comics-press. To be sure, it's an excellent book, with it's continuity-lite, single-issue-for-the-most-part story telling and unique look and tone. Not to mention the dialog is fantastic, to say nothing of the plots themselves. But to be fair, Young Avengers can boast all of the above with aplomb, such a feast for the senses it is. And what is it lately with writers inserting playlists into comics?! It's wicked-cool and I want more of it. Please and thank you.

Avengers Assemble is making it's own way in the world of Avengers titles (and there are quite a lot, aren't there?) with a heapin' helpin' of humor and snark. Writer Kelly Sue DeConnick kills it every month, while still finding the right balance of pathos. Which brings me to Captain Marvel: brilliant art every month, nothing quite like it on the shelves today, and finally (finally!) Carol Danvers is given the respect she deserves. That's not to disregard all that's come before, I very much enjoyed the previous Ms Marvel series, but it was missing something this title isn't.

Speaking of Avengers, Rick Remender and John Cassaday's Uncanny Avengers is hard hitting goodness every month while Captain America by Remender and John Romita Jr (my first comic-artist-crush, people!) is mad, mad, mad excitement and gravitas. I've never seen such bonkers fun on a Cap title, it's a welcome change from all the espionage and spy-fare stuff of the past decade.

Superior Spider-Man is ludicrously well endowed when it comes to the art department, and I love Dan Slott. Not every issue has been a winner, but with the kind of tale being spun, I can forgive it. Plus *SPOILERS* sweeties: Miguel O'Hara, Spider-Man 2099 is making an appearance soon. I'm still holding out for a Spider-Girl appearance, naturally.

Just to touch on a few more titles before I wrap this up; Journey into Mystery has gone from strength to strength,Fantastic Four is...well, fantastic: back to it's roots of adventurers in unexplored places and times, A+X is simple Marvel Two-in-One meets Marvel Team-Up concept title that really works.

And finally, Avengers Arena. What can I even say about this book that hasn't already been said? I thought it was a gimmick title to grab sales, 'Which one of your favorite young characters will bite the dust this issue?!' Only it wasn't. Dennis Hopeless wants to hit you right in the gut with every agonizing decision these poor characters make, he wants you to love these characters, really love these characters before he ends their short, sad lives in the most horrible way possible. And with art by Kev Walker, you can't help but feel every blow, every last breath escaping another lost soul caught up in Arcades twisted Murder World. It's high-stakes drama, not cheap thrills and sales-spikes this team is after, oh no! They want you to wish this wasn't happening, because the characters wish this wasn't happening. That's the sign of a great title with a great hook and a great creative team.

Until Squirrel Girl gets her own feature film, I remain

frogoat