The Mouse strikes again! Disney has acquired the rights to yet another major studio’s Marvel properties and it is one hell of a steal. For $US 71.3 billion, Disney has acquired Fox along with all of its Marvel-related characters. The X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool just being some of the more notable intellectual properties from Marvel comics. In case you couldn’t tell, this is HUGE!
With the return of our favourite Marvel characters under one house, we’ll finally be able to see major crossover events on the scale we’ve only ever seen in comics. Teams will collide, alliances will be forged and new enemies will rise in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). For the Avengers, their world is about to get much bigger and a whole lot more complicated. Marvel fans, however, are living in one of the most exciting times of their lives. Without a shadow of a doubt, big things are coming our way.
In fact, we’ve got a laundry list of our own for what we’d like to see in the MCU since Disney has absorbed Fox into its many, many folds. Here are five awesome comic book storylines Disney should totally have in the MCU.
Hulk Vs Wolverine
The world of comics is full of legendary rivalries like Batman vs Superman, Captain America vs Iron Man and Professor X vs Magneto. One of the lesser known ones though would have to be the Hulk against the Wolverine. These two have been at it at each other’s throats since 1974’s The Incredible Hulk #181, the very first time this rivalry of fist and claws was put to paper.
The feud between the Green Giant and the Adamantium Animal was taken to a whole new level in the Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk comic book run. Within these pages are some of the most brutal fights we’ve ever seen the two involved in. What happens when the unstoppable mutant force meets the immovable gamma power monster? The answer: pure, sheer unadulterated carnage and destruction. Please, make it happen, Disney!
We already have a pretty kickass version of this in the animated film Hulk Versus in 2009, so all Disney really needs to do is adapt this for the big screen. Now personally, I’d prefer if we saw an adaptation of the Ultimate version of this fight, it would make sense seeing that the current MCU is heavily influenced by the Ultimate Marvel universe (Earth-1610).
Then again the animated version does include Deadpool joining in the fight as well. In any case, it would be criminal for Disney to pass on this opportunity. Wolverine and Hulk are some of the most vicious fighters and durable heroes in the Marvel universe. Screw BvS, give us a real fight Marvel. Show us all how it’s done!
Avengers Vs X Men
Contrary to what the title may imply, there’s a whole lot more to 2012’s Avengers vs X-Men (AvX) story beyond seeing Captain America punch Cyclops. It is an epic tale of mutant messiahs from the far future, cosmic powers corrupting the best of us and a family divided by beliefs and values. It all starts with the Phoenix force making its way to Earth again to possess yet another powerful mutant to be its avatar. This time it’s Hope Summers, a child destined to become either the saviour of mutantkind or its ultimate downfall.
The Avengers believe Hope must be contained and protected from the Phoenix Force lest she destroys the Earth along with herself. Cyclops and his X-Men, on the other hand would have Hope embrace the power of the Phoenix, so that she may step into destiny and bring about the salvation of mutantkind. The two factions are soon embroiled in a war to determine the fate of Hope, and in turn the world.
You thought Civil War was intense? You haven’t seen anything yet. AvX will challenge everything you know about your beloved heroes, especially Cyclops. He will cross lines even Magneto dared not to and somewhere down the line claim the mantle of Dark Phoenix for himself. This war will claim the lives of many and will see the death of a Professor X himself. This is the kind of crossover event you save for the finale of a major MCU phase. It would be the perfect way to cap off Phase 4 or 5 after the Disney-Fox acquisition.
Illuminati
We’ve all heard of secret villainous cabals from DC’s Legion of Doom to Spider-Man’s Sinister Six but did you know there’s one for heroes as well? Enter the Illuminati. A secret organization comprised of some of the smartest, most powerful and influential rulers and leaders of the Marvel Universe. The original roster consists of Professor Charles Xavier, the Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange, the Inhuman King Black Bolt, founding Avenger Tony Stark, Namor the King of Atlantis and Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four.
This secret organization was formed for the sole purpose of combating cosmic, alien and apocalyptic threats. Each member a leader and visionary in their own right but combined together…they are Marvel’s Illuminati. Throughout the years, the Illuminati has fought against enemies like the Skrull Empire, a group of universe (yes you read that right) annihilating aliens known as the Beyonders and most notably the Hulk in the World War Hulk storyline.
Crossover events don’t get more bigger than this, we have Marvel’s greatest minds, powerhouses and rulers all gathering to face off against villains beyond the X-Men or Avengers. The Illuminati are not saints though, for over the years we’ve seen them commit unspeakable acts in the name of protecting their universe like the time in the New Avengers run when they attempted to destroy other Earths colliding into their own as a result of the multiverse shrinking. Yea…not quite as altruistic as they ought to be eh? Still, to see these extraordinary people band together to solve morally grey and complex crises would be amazing! We have all the members, now all that’s required is some assembling.
Annihilation
Beyond major heavy hitters like Deadpool and X-Men returning back to Marvel Studios, we’re also see villains like Annihilus making his way into the MCU. Along with him shall come a plague that even has Thanos shaking in his boots. He brings the Annihilation Wave with him! Annihilus is an extra-dimensional insectoid being who hails from the antimatter universe of the Negative Zone.
In the comics, this bug has laid waste a million worlds before setting his sights on the Earth-616 universe in the Annihilation storyline. While the petty heroes of Earth were squabbling in their “civil war”, the Kree, Skrulls and the Guardians of the Galaxy were joining forces to push back the Annihilation Wave. The scale of the war with the Annihilation wave was so massive it left the mighty Kree Empire in shambles and therefore vulnerable. Long enough apparently for Ultron to take control of the Kree Empire in its sequel Annihilation: Conquest.
The sheer thought of Marvel pulling off a Star Wars-esque film (of films) should be enough to blow the minds of the MCU fandom all at once. Imagine that, the Skrulls from Captain Marvel working with their most hated rivals along with the Guardians to repel this enemy from beyond their stars. The CGI budget is going to be monumental but if they pull it off, they would have delivered us one of the most ambitious crossover events in comics on the big screen. Marvel could go full on Serenity in this bitch! You should probably get J.J. Abrams on this though.
Siege
Now, stay with me here. Siege is a storyline that see Norman Osborn aka the Green Goblin has become the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. after saving the world. He forms his Dark Avengers consisting of villainous members like Doctor Doom, Emma Frost, Loki and Taskmaster. He reforms the organization of S.H.I.E.L.D into H.A.M.M.E.R. and after a major incident, has deemed Asgard to be a threat to American interest.
He then proceeds to gather nearly every damn villain he knows, the might of the US Army along with some heroes on a mission to bring down Asgard. Holy. Shit. Tell me that isn’t the most insane thing here on this list? Never would have I imagined the day that the Green Goblin would be the one bring down the land of the Norse gods over Oklahoma!
Picture it with me, the MCU sees a Skrull invasion in Phase 4 and Norman Osborn is the one who saves the day. Nick Fury is pushed out of office for ever being affiliated with them in Captain Marvel. The Avengers initiative is disbanded. The time of the Avengers are over, now comes the reign of the Dark Avengers.
Norman along with the help of a revived Loki plot to bring about the destruction of a newly formed Asgard. A new generation of Avengers must join up with the old guard to protect the Thor’s kin from utter annihilation at the hands of a madman. This would require an insane cast of characters both old and new. A budget to rival anything we’ve thus far in the MCU and a lot of setup. If there was a project to test the Russos ability to tackle massive crossover events, Siege would be the ultimate one. But if they can pull it off, it would take the MCU to a whole new level of epic!
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