Director: David Leitch Screenplay: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Ryan Reynolds Running Time: 119 minutes Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, T. J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, Jack Kesy, Stefan Kapicic

Well, the marketing certainly didn’t lie. Deadpool 2 doesn’t just feel bigger—it is bigger, cramming lots of action, profanity, and pop culture references into its two-hour runtime. Is the film better for it? That would depend on one’s definition of “better.”

Having got his revenge on the person who disfigured him and gave him his regenerative powers, Wade Wilson aka Deadpool (a charming and witty Ryan Reynolds) is now working around the world as a mercenary. The film starts off with a killing montage hilariously set to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” allowing those unfamiliar with the first film’s tone to quickly catch up—no franchise is off limits from being lampooned, with songs being used to emphasise the absurdity of the situations the characters find themselves in. Circumstances later see Deadpool on a mission with the X-Men to defuse a situation involving Russell/Firefist (Julian Dennison), a young mutant with fiery powers, who lashes out at the staff of the orphanage he lives at for abusing him. As expected, things get out of hand quickly, and soon after Cable (Josh Brolin) makes his entrance, the time-travelling mutant coming after the boy to prevent his apocalyptic future from occurring. In response, Deadpool forms his own group—X-Force—to help him protect Russell.

It’s obvious that Twentieth Century Fox allocated a larger budget to the sequel given the success of the first film; the filmmakers have clearly let their imaginations run wild with a myriad of gags and scenarios, no matter how ridiculous. Indeed, the action is more impressive this time around, with X-Force’s introduction and first mission being imaginatively staged and choreographed. New recruit Domino (Zazie Beetz) especially stands out thanks to her luck-based powers.

The balls-to-the-wall approach, though, results in some characters and concepts not given their due. Cable, while undeniably cool, is underdeveloped, with his backstory merely hinted. The third act sees a completely CG character play a pivotal part, but is so poorly rendered that one doesn’t care what happens to him, let alone why he’s so important. In many cases the comic book histories of main characters are referenced, but never expanded upon, as if merely thrown in to demonstrate to comic readers that the writers did a bit of research. Great as Easter eggs for fans, but frustrating given how little we learn about them.

Some of the magic and surprise may have disappeared, but Deadpool 2 is still very funny and a welcome relief from the more serious affairs of superhero films past.

How awesome is Avengers: Infinity War?! The film rewards those who have followed the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the past 10 years and delights longtime comic book readers with the sheer amount of material that’s adapted to the screen. The following is a guide to all the ones I’ve spotted along with any deviations from the source material (I will update this as more come to light). Note that owing to the convoluted and complex nature of comic books, I’ve tried to include only the most essential information regarding a character’s history and backstories.

In the comics Thanos is an Eternal, the son of A’Lars and Sui-San. The Eternals—a race created from the Celestials’ experiments on humans—lived on Titan (a moon of Saturn in the source material, a planet in the film) and were wiped out when Thanos attacked his homeworld. In addition to being highly intelligent, Thanos is incredibly strong, has demonstrated some psychic abilities, and can fire blasts of energy.

While Avengers: Infinity War takes its name from “The Infinity War” (The Infinity War #1-6, 1992) story, the film actually adapts two other storylines: “The Thanos Quest” (The Thanos Quest #1-2, 1990) and “The Infinity Gauntlet” (The Infinity Gauntlet #1-6, 1991). “The Thanos Quest” sees Thanos gathering the six Infinity Gems. He obtains the Soul Gem from the In-Betweener, the Power Gem from the Champion, the Time Gem from the Gardener, the Space Gem from the Runner, the Reality Gem from the Collector, and the Mind Gem from the Grand Master. We then see many of Earth’s heroes go up against the Titan in “The Infinity Gauntlet.”

In the comics, Thanos gathers the Infinity Gems in an effort to woo Death (an abstract entity and personification of mortality; usually depicted as a robe-wearing skeleton), who has tasked him to eliminate half the population of the universe to balance out the fact that the number of beings currently alive outweighed all those that had ever died. The film has him forming the Infinity Gauntlet to aid him in his misguided mission to save the universe from overpopulation. 

The opening pages of The Infinity Gauntlet #1 sees Mephisto telling Thanos “My humble personage bows before your grandeur,” a line echoed by Ebony Maw on screen. The Hulk crashing through the Sanctum Sanctorum is also taken from this first chapter, although in the issue it’s the Silver Surfer who warns Doctor Strange of the purple Titan’s arrival. Though he doesn’t do so in quite the same way as his screen counterpart, the comic book version of Thanos does torture Nebula throughout “The Infinity Gauntlet” story arc, beginning in this one by resurrecting her with a disfigured body, keeping her partly dead and alive. Lastly, Thanos snapping his fingers to wipe out half the universe’s population is also taken from this issue.

On Knowhere, Thanos turns Drax into cubes and Mantis into ribbons, with Starfox and Nebula having suffered those same fates respectively in The Infinity Gauntlet #2. Spider-Man firing a web into Thanos’ face happens in The Infinity Gauntlet #4, as is the moment where he’s slammed into the ground (the issue sees Terraxia do this instead of the Titan). Infinity War ends with Thanos smiling as he watches the sunset on an unidentified planet, recreating a similar scene from The Infinity Gauntlet #6.

Elements from “Infinity” (the core story occurs across Infinity #1-6, 2013)—another story featuring Thanos—are also used. It is during “Infinity” that the Black Order makes their first full appearance. In the comics the Black Order—also known as the Cull Obsidian—is a group formed by Thanos to aid him in destroying worlds and forcing the inhabitants to pay tribute to the Titan. The group consists of Corvus Glaive (wields a blade that can cut atoms and prevents him from being killed as long as it remains intact), Proxima Midnight (a formidable warrior and Corvus Glaive’s wife), Ebony Maw (a master manipulator with powers of persuasion; the film incarnation has telekinetic powers), Black Dwarf (super strong and has unbreakable skin; the MCU version is named Cull Obsidian), and Supergiant (possesses the ability to control minds; not present in the film). We also witness the Invasion of Wakanda (Thanos’ armies head there to track down an Infinity Gem), and Ebony Maw manipulating Doctor Strange (doing so in order to find Thanos’ son, Thane).

Tony Stark tells Pepper Potts that they should name their son after her uncle, Morgan. In the comics Morgan Stark is actually Tony’s cousin, who has on several occasions tried to bring him down. Ebony Maw arriving in New York to confront Doctor Strange is taken from New Avengers #8 (2013), one of several issues that serve as a prelude to “Infinity.” In the film Tony leans on the Cauldron of the Cosmos, a mystical artifact owned by Doctor Strange in the comics that allows him to peer through time.

While Thor mistaking Rocket for a rabbit might appear to be just a joke, it may very well be a reference to the time Blackjack O’Hare (an anthropomorphic rabbit) impersonated Rocket Raccoon in the comics.

Gamora’s adoption is recounted by Thanos himself in Warlock #10 (1975). In the issue it’s revealed that the Church of Universal Truth wiped out the Zen-Whoberi, with Gamora being the sole survivor. Thanos then takes her in, raising her aboard his ship the Sanctuary.

Iron Man’s Mark 48 suit is based off the Bleeding Edge armour (a self-repairing suit composed of nano-machines contained within Stark’s bones when not required) and the Model-Prime armour (composed of hexagonal scales that enabled it to shape-shift, creating things such as additional thrusters and weapons) from the source material.

Likewise, Spider-Man’s suit in the film takes elements from two different costumes from the comics: the Iron Spider suit (the mechanical arms; though in the source material there are only three and the costume has a red and yellow colour scheme) and the Spider-Armor Mk IV (the light up lenses). Oh, and we finally see the MCU Peter Parker gain his spider-sense, as well as become an Avenger, with his comic book counterpart having joined the team—specifically the New Avengers—in The New Avengers #3 (2005).

While he doesn’t quite use the name, in the film Steve Rogers essentially takes on his Nomad identity from the comics. Steve became disillusioned about his role after learning that the leader of the Secret Empire was a US government official. Giving up the Captain America mantle, he’s later convinced to take on a new name and costume. Natasha Romanoff has blond hair in the film, a possible reference to another Black Widow in the comics, Yelena Belova.

Doctor Strange appears to use the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak to restrain Thanos. While they appear as they do in the comic books, another device in the MCU—the restraints that trap Kaecilius in the New York Sanctum—is already known by the same name. The spell Strange uses to duplicate himself is known in the source material as the Images of Ikonn.

Thor’s new weapon, Stormbreaker, actually belongs to Beta Ray Bill in the comics. With Beta Ray Bill being worthy enough to lift Mjolnir, Stormbreaker was forged for the Korbinite warrior by the dwarf Eitri at the behest of Odin, the hammer having similar properties to Mjolnir and being made from the same metal—uru. Stormbreaker’s appearance, however, seems to be based off the one Thor uses in the Ultimate Universe continuity.  

Thanos locates the Soul Stone on Vormir. In the comics the planet is home to the Vorms, a reptilian-like race. After he wipes out half of all sentient life in the universe, Thanos finds himself with a young Gamora in an orange-coloured landscape. This may be the MCU’s version of Soul World, a pocket dimension that exists within the Soul Gem where the souls of those captured by the gem reside.

Thanos’ army largely comprises of Outriders, who in the comics are a genetically engineered race created to serve their master. After Thanos takes the Mind Stone from his forehead, Vision turns white, a reference to the pale look the android had for a time in the source material. The act also recalls the moment from The Infinity Gauntlet #4 when the Titan rips out the Vision’s internal circuitry.

How awesome is Avengers: Infinity War?! The film rewards those who have followed the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the past 10 years and delights longtime comic book readers with the sheer amount of material that’s adapted to the screen. The following is a guide to all the ones I’ve spotted along with any deviations from the source material (I will update this as more come to light). Note that owing to the convoluted and complex nature of comic books, I’ve tried to include only the most essential information regarding a character’s history and backstories.

In the comics Thanos is an Eternal, the son of A’Lars and Sui-San. The Eternals—a race created from the Celestials’ experiments on humans—lived on Titan (a moon of Saturn in the source material, a planet in the film) and were wiped out when Thanos attacked his homeworld. In addition to being highly intelligent, Thanos is incredibly strong, has demonstrated some psychic abilities, and can fire blasts of energy.

While Avengers: Infinity War takes its name from “The Infinity War” (The Infinity War #1-6, 1992) story, the film actually adapts two other storylines: “The Thanos Quest” (The Thanos Quest #1-2, 1990) and “The Infinity Gauntlet” (The Infinity Gauntlet #1-6, 1991). “The Thanos Quest” sees Thanos gathering the six Infinity Gems. He obtains the Soul Gem from the In-Betweener, the Power Gem from the Champion, the Time Gem from the Gardener, the Space Gem from the Runner, the Reality Gem from the Collector, and the Mind Gem from the Grand Master. We then see many of Earth’s heroes go up against the Titan in “The Infinity Gauntlet.”

In the comics, Thanos gathers the Infinity Gems in an effort to woo Death (an abstract entity and personification of mortality; usually depicted as a robe-wearing skeleton), who has tasked him to eliminate half the population of the universe to balance out the fact that the number of beings currently alive outweighed all those that had ever died. The film has him forming the Infinity Gauntlet to aid him in his misguided mission to save the universe from overpopulation. 

The opening pages of The Infinity Gauntlet #1 sees Mephisto telling Thanos “My humble personage bows before your grandeur,” a line echoed by Ebony Maw on screen. The Hulk crashing through the Sanctum Sanctorum is also taken from this first chapter, although in the issue it’s the Silver Surfer who warns Doctor Strange of the purple Titan’s arrival. Though he doesn’t do so in quite the same way as his screen counterpart, the comic book version of Thanos does torture Nebula throughout “The Infinity Gauntlet” story arc, beginning in this one by resurrecting her with a disfigured body, keeping her partly dead and alive. Lastly, Thanos snapping his fingers to wipe out half the universe’s population is also taken from this issue.

On Knowhere, Thanos turns Drax into cubes and Mantis into ribbons, with Starfox and Nebula having suffered those same fates respectively in The Infinity Gauntlet #2. Spider-Man firing a web into Thanos’ face happens in The Infinity Gauntlet #4, as is the moment where he’s slammed into the ground (the issue sees Terraxia do this instead of the Titan). Infinity War ends with Thanos smiling as he watches the sunset on an unidentified planet, recreating a similar scene from The Infinity Gauntlet #6.

Elements from “Infinity” (the core story occurs across Infinity #1-6, 2013)—another story featuring Thanos—are also used. It is during “Infinity” that the Black Order makes their first full appearance. In the comics the Black Order—also known as the Cull Obsidian—is a group formed by Thanos to aid him in destroying worlds and forcing the inhabitants to pay tribute to the Titan. The group consists of Corvus Glaive (wields a blade that can cut atoms and prevents him from being killed as long as it remains intact), Proxima Midnight (a formidable warrior and Corvus Glaive’s wife), Ebony Maw (a master manipulator with powers of persuasion; the film incarnation has telekinetic powers), Black Dwarf (super strong and has unbreakable skin; the MCU version is named Cull Obsidian), and Supergiant (possesses the ability to control minds; not present in the film). We also witness the Invasion of Wakanda (Thanos’ armies head there to track down an Infinity Gem), and Ebony Maw manipulating Doctor Strange (doing so in order to find Thanos’ son, Thane).

Tony Stark tells Pepper Potts that they should name their son after her uncle, Morgan. In the comics Morgan Stark is actually Tony’s cousin, who has on several occasions tried to bring him down. Ebony Maw arriving in New York to confront Doctor Strange is taken from New Avengers #8 (2013), one of several issues that serve as a prelude to “Infinity.” In the film Tony leans on the Cauldron of the Cosmos, a mystical artifact owned by Doctor Strange in the comics that allows him to peer through time.

While Thor mistaking Rocket for a rabbit might appear to be just a joke, it may very well be a reference to the time Blackjack O’Hare (an anthropomorphic rabbit) impersonated Rocket Raccoon in the comics.

Gamora’s adoption is recounted by Thanos himself in Warlock #10 (1975). In the issue it’s revealed that the Church of Universal Truth wiped out the Zen-Whoberi, with Gamora being the sole survivor. Thanos then takes her in, raising her aboard his ship the Sanctuary.

Iron Man’s Mark 48 suit is based off the Bleeding Edge armour (a self-repairing suit composed of nano-machines contained within Stark’s bones when not required) and the Model-Prime armour (composed of hexagonal scales that enabled it to shape-shift, creating things such as additional thrusters and weapons) from the source material.

Likewise, Spider-Man’s suit in the film takes elements from two different costumes from the comics: the Iron Spider suit (the mechanical arms; though in the source material there are only three and the costume has a red and yellow colour scheme) and the Spider-Armor Mk IV (the light up lenses). Oh, and we finally see the MCU Peter Parker gain his spider-sense, as well as become an Avenger, with his comic book counterpart having joined the team—specifically the New Avengers—in The New Avengers #3 (2005).

While he doesn’t quite use the name, in the film Steve Rogers essentially takes on his Nomad identity from the comics. Steve became disillusioned about his role after learning that the leader of the Secret Empire was a US government official. Giving up the Captain America mantle, he’s later convinced to take on a new name and costume. Natasha Romanoff has blond hair in the film, a possible reference to another Black Widow in the comics, Yelena Belova.

Doctor Strange appears to use the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak to restrain Thanos. While they appear as they do in the comic books, another device in the MCU—the restraints that trap Kaecilius in the New York Sanctum—is already known by the same name. The spell Strange uses to duplicate himself is known in the source material as the Images of Ikonn.

Thor’s new weapon, Stormbreaker, actually belongs to Beta Ray Bill in the comics. With Beta Ray Bill being worthy enough to lift Mjolnir, Stormbreaker was forged for the Korbinite warrior by the dwarf Eitri at the behest of Odin, the hammer having similar properties to Mjolnir and being made from the same metal—uru. Stormbreaker’s appearance, however, seems to be based off the one Thor uses in the Ultimate Universe continuity.  

Thanos locates the Soul Stone on Vormir. In the comics the planet is home to the Vorms, a reptilian-like race. After he wipes out half of all sentient life in the universe, Thanos finds himself with a young Gamora in an orange-coloured landscape. This may be the MCU’s version of Soul World, a pocket dimension that exists within the Soul Gem where the souls of those captured by the gem reside.

Thanos’ army largely comprises of Outriders, who in the comics are a genetically engineered race created to serve their master. After Thanos takes the Mind Stone from his forehead, Vision turns white, a reference to the pale look the android had for a time in the source material. The act also recalls the moment from The Infinity Gauntlet #4 when the Titan rips out the Vision’s internal circuitry.

Directors: Anthony and Joe Russo Screenplay: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely Running Time: 149 minutes Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Peter Dinklage, Benedict Wong, Pom Klementieff, Karen Gillan, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Gwyneth Paltrow, Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Chris Pratt  

It all comes down to this. What began as a gamble with a “B-list” character has over the course of 10 years grown into a mega-franchise that other studios have tried—and failed—to replicate. For the third time, Marvel Studios have brought all of their existing franchises together into a film that’s a culmination of various threads carefully established in previous entries. No pressure, right?

Thanos (Josh Brolin) is on a quest to gather the six Infinity Stones—powerful objects forged during the Big Bang—to form the Infinity Gauntlet. His goal: to provide a solution to the problem of overpopulation. Enter stage left Earth’s Mightiest Heroes who must stop him from wiping out half of all sentient life in the universe.

Undoubtedly one of Infinity War’s biggest draws is the large cast. The Avengers, Spider-Man, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, Black Panther; with so many characters in play, the story wisely has them split up into various factions, each with their own goal. Watching characters that have never met previously cross paths is an utter delight; the egotistical clash between Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a highlight, with Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) encounter with the Guardians producing hilarious results. The film constantly cuts from one storyline to another, and while this is a necessity with 20 plus characters vying for screen time, it also means many of the heroes don’t get meaningful arcs. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) simply joins the fight because there’s a threat, Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) is present only because Wakanda is featured, while Groot (Vin Diesel) merely serves as a plot device.  

No, despite this being an Avengers film, it’s Thanos who we come to empathise with. After being teased for so long the purple Titan doesn’t disappoint. Glimpses into his past provide audiences with a deep understanding of what drives him, made even more impressive given that he’s a CG character. There’s a dimension to him previous Marvel Cinematic Universe antagonists lack, in part due to his complicated relationship with adopted daughters Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Nebula (Karen Gillan). He’s not out for glory—he’s on a mission and will do what he must no matter the sacrifices he has to make. 

Fans who have kept up with the MCU are rewarded with many callbacks to past installments, while those who may have missed a film or two (or three, or four…) will have little trouble keeping up with the story. The action and score keep things moving at a brisk pace, with humour peppered throughout providing a relief from the constant barrage of emotional beats.  

Avengers: Infinity War is epic in scope and scale. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo and scribes Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely manage to wrangle an incredibly complex concept and have it end in a way that will leave viewers genuinely shocked. Where to now for the franchise? The possibilities are infinite.

Director: Ryan Coogler Screenplay: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole Running Time: 135 minutes Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o, Daniel Kaluuya, Martin Freeman, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis

Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Black Panther is notable as the first mainstream American comic book superhero. While it isn’t the first black superhero led film, or even the first Marvel movie with a black character in the titular role (that honour belongs to Blade), Black Panther is still significant in many ways.

After the death of his father, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman)—who is also the current Black Panther—is crowned the new king of Wakanda, a technologically advanced African nation that the rest of the world believes to be a third world country. Wakanda isolates itself from other nations to protect the source of their wealth: vibranium—a rare metal that absorbs vibrations.

This is the second time Boseman is donning the catsuit (the Black Panther having made his cinematic debut in Captain America: Civil War), delivering another strong performance, projecting nobility and a deep internal conflict. In fact, the entire cast could be considered the film’s strongest aspect. Not only do we have an almost all black cast, but also within that, we have depictions of a variety of strong women. The super smart and innovative Shuri (Letitia Wright), with her irreverence for ancient customs, steals almost every scene she’s in, while Danai Gurira’s Okoye—the head of the Dora Milaje—is fierce and absolutely mesmerizing during an action set piece set in South Korea. It’s certainly refreshing to hear a variety of accents (that aren’t merely American) in a big blockbuster.

Black Panther is a film full of contrasts and gives us a compelling antagonist in Erik “Killmonger” Stevens (Michael B. Jordan). While T’Challa is adamant in sticking with the country’s policy of non-interference, Killmonger arrives in Wakanda to disrupt this, questioning why the nation isn’t sharing its technology with others of African descent to help them rise up and take down those in charge. It’s an issue with real-world parallels, the movie inviting discussion on topics such as race and class.

Director and co-writer Ryan Coogler clearly understands how important this film is as a representation of those with African ancestry, and it evidently shows with the high attention to detail paid to every aspect of the film. The lavish sets and ornate costumes with their many African influences bring Wakanda to life and present a rich, immersive experience for the senses. Even the film’s score with its use of African instruments, and the modern soundtrack curated by Kendrick Lamar, furthers the idea of tradition colliding with the ever-changing present. It’s a pity then that there are a few hiccups with the CGI at times, such as skies being obviously inserted into scenes filmed on blue screen sets, breaking the illusion.

Black Panther proves to be another hit for Marvel Studios with its entertaining superhero action and social commentary. Not only has the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe changed, but also the landscape of Hollywood films in general.

Thor: Ragnarok sure didn’t disappoint—both as a film and a treasure trove of Easter eggs! The following is a guide to all the ones I’ve spotted along with any deviations from the source material (I will update this as more come to light). Note that owing to the convoluted and complex nature of comic books, I’ve tried to include only the most essential information regarding a character’s history and backstories.

Ragnarok in the Marvel Universe is very much like the Ragnarök of Norse mythology, essentially a cycle of life and death. Asgard is destroyed by Surtur (a fire demon from Muspelheim), with many of its citizens perishing. They are then reborn after some time, and the cycle starts all over again. The Ragnarok story the film mostly draws from spans Thor #80-85 (2004). During a mission to find out if Ragnarok can be stopped, Thor finds out that a group of gods known as Those Who Sit Above in Shadow consume the energy released from Ragnarok, and thus keep the cycle going. He resolves to end the cycle of Ragnarok by having it occur one last time. Thor then proceeds to destroy the Loom of the Fates, severing Asgard’s tie to Those Who Sit Above in Shadow. Of note, we have Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, being destroyed in Thor #80 (though this is not the first time it has been damaged). And with Asgard having been destroyed during the story, Thor rebuilds it on Earth in Thor #2 (2007).

While this may be the third Thor film, it also adapts the “Planet Hulk” (The Incredible Hulk #92-105, 2006-07, Giant-Size Hulk #1, 2006) storyline as part of its narrative. The Hulk is sent into space by the Illuminati, the group believing that it was too dangerous for him to remain on Earth. Instead of landing on a planet without sentient life as intended, the Hulk’s shuttle goes off course and crashes on Sakaar where he’s enslaved and forced to fight in gladiatorial battles for the Red King. It is from this story that the film adapts Hulk’s gladiator costume, while the Hulk wearing beads is a look taken from Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk #1-6 (2005-09).

In both media, Korg is a Kronan who was enslaved on Sakaar. In the comics, however, he arrives on Sakaar after his ship crash lands on the planet while trying to get back home. He went on to became a member of the Warbound, a group led by the Hulk that started a rebellion and overthrew the Red King. Also a member of the Warbound is Miek. Both incarnations are members of the insectivorid race called Natives. Unlike his cinematic counterpart, the comic book version can actually speak.

Thor threatening Loki by having Mjolnir return to him while he holds onto the trickster god is taken from The Mighty Thor #359 (1985), though in the issue he uses the tactic to have Loki undo a love spell. In the film, Loki apologizes to Thor for the time he turned him into a frog. This has indeed happened in the source material, occurring in The Mighty Thor #363 (1986). Thor, in his civilian guise, banging his “umbrella” down to reveal his Asgardian garb is a nod to how Donald Blake would strike down a stick (a disguised Mjolnir) to transform into the god of thunder. During the final battle, Thor loses an eye to Hela. A one-eyed Thor does exist in the comics—the Thor of Earth-14412 who is king of Asgard.

Skurge is a half-Storm-Giant-half-Asgardian warrior who earned the moniker “the Executioner” after slaying many Storm Giants in battle. His double-bladed axe allowed him to open dimensional rifts and could produce blasts of ice and fire. Skurge aiding Hela in the film is similar to how he often helped the Enchantress with her schemes (albeit, manipulated into doing so). Skurge dying while fighting on the side of good is similar to how he meets his demise in the comics. In The Mighty Thor #362 (1985), Skurge dies while holding the bridge of Gjallerbru (using automatic rifles!) against the creatures of Hel, allowing Thor and his companions to escape.

In the comics Hela is goddess of death and ruler of Hel and Niffleheim. She is the daughter of Loki and Angrboda—a detail understandably not carried over into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thor having a sister, however, does have precedence in the source material, though it is Angela who is the thunder god’s sibling, not Hela. Hela’s powers include enhanced strength, energy projection, teleportation, illusion casting, levitation, and the ability to kill Asgardians when in contact with their skin. She becomes weakened if her cloak is ever removed, and her true form is revealed, the left side of her face appearing decayed. Hela’s ability to manifest weapons in the movie is taken from Gorr the God Butcher. In fact, her line “What are you the god of?” is another thing taken from Gorr—a question he poses to Thor in Thor: God of Thunder #2 (2012).

The Grandmaster/En Dwi Gast is an Elder of the Universe who has a penchant for playing and collecting games. He possesses a vast intellect and, like his fellow Elders, doesn’t age and is virtually immortal. The blue marking running from the Grandmaster’s bottom lip down to his chin is a nod to the character’s blue skin in the comics. The Grandmaster refers to his gladiatorial battles as the “Contest of Champions,” referencing the limited series of the same name (Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions #1-3, 1982). The story sees the Grandmaster challenging Death for the chance to resurrect his brother, the Collector, with both sides using heroes from Earth as pawns.

Brunnhilde/Valkyrie is an Asgardian warrior and leader of the Valkyrior, a group tasked by Odin to bring the slain worthy heroes to Valhalla. She wields a virtually indestructible sword called Dragonfang and rides winged horses. In the comics the character has blonde hair (there is a nod to this in the film with a blonde haired Valkyrie saving Scrapper 142), while the cinematic incarnation has black hair. The MCU Valkyrie’s moniker of Scrapper 142 is a reference to The Incredible Hulk #142 (1971), the first appearance of Samantha Parrington as Valkyrie.

Bruce Banner’s analogy of how when the Hulk is in control he feels as though the Hulk is driving the car while he’s locked in the trunk is lifted from The Totally Awesome Hulk #1 (2015), which features Amadeus Cho as the green goliath.

Fenris Wolf (simply referred to as Fenris in the film) is a large wolf with the ability to change its form into that of a wolf-like humanoid. Though he isn’t Hela’s pet in the comics, she did enlist his help to bring about Ragnarok in The Mighty Thor #277 (1978).

Adorning the Grandmaster’s tower on Sakaar are head sculptures of Man-Thing (guardian of the Nexus of All Realities), Beta Ray Bill (a Korbinite warrior who wields the hammer Stormbreaker), Ares (Olympian god of war), and Bi-Beast (an android with two heads, one on top of each other).

There has in fact been a group called the Revengers in the comics. Led by Wonder Man, the group attacked the Avengers, believing that the super hero team does far more damage to the world than they do helping it.

How awesome is Spider-Man: Homecoming?! It’s funny, thrilling, and has lots and lots of Easter eggs for fans to spot! The following is a guide to all the ones I’ve spotted along with any deviations from the source material (I will update this as more come to light). Note that owing to the convoluted and complex nature of comic books, I’ve tried to include only the most essential information regarding a character’s history and backstories.

As per the source material, Damage Control is a company that repairs and cleans up areas in the wake of a fight between superheroes and villains. In both media Tony Stark is part owner of the company, with Anne Marie Hoag being the director.

The film has Peter Parker attend Midtown School of Science & Technology whereas in the comics it’s Midtown High School. The school was established in 1962, a nod to the year in which Spidey made his debut.

According to director Jon Watts, the Iron-Spider-Man suit from the source material was an indirect inspiration for the Spidey suit in the film. The red and gold costume designed by Tony Stark had audio and visual amplifiers, allowed Peter to glide, and also contained three mechanical arms with cameras on the end. Peter has Ned override the Spider-Man suit’s systems, something which we find out Peter has done to the Iron Spidey costume in The Amazing Spider-Man #536 (2006). The web wings are first seen on Steve Ditko’s original design of the suit, and can be spotted on the cover of Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962). We also see Peter use spider-tracers in the film. In the comics they’re devices Peter created to allow him to track foes as well as allies should they need his help. And while Spider-Man can’t summon an army of spiders, when Otto Octavius was in control of Peter’s body, he used a bunch of spider-bots to keep an eye on New York City. Tony asks Peter to just be a “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man,” which is a self-referential phrase Spidey uses in the comics. 

Spider-Man thwarting robbers wearing superhero masks comes from Ultimate Spider-Man #42 (2003), though in the issue we see the criminals sport a Captain America, Iron Man, and a Batman mask. Another moment taken from the comics is when Spidey finds that he can’t swing around suburban New York due to the lack of tall buildings—this occurring in The Amazing Spider-Man #267 (1985).

In the comics Adrian Toomes is an electronics engineer who developed an electromagnetic flying harness. Becoming a thief, he called himself the Vulture. The ruffles on Toome’s jacket in the film is a nod to the Vulture’s green comic book costume, which has a feathered collar. Though he’s usually depicted as having an exposed head while in the suit, the Vulture has on occasion worn a helmet, like the one accompanying his red and black Sinister Twelve outfit. Like the film, the comic book incarnation did indeed have a daughter, though there she’s named Valeria. A car on the Staten Island Ferry bears the number plate SM2-0563, referring to The Amazing Spider-Man #2 (cover dated May 1963), which features the Vulture’s first appearance. 

We see two incarnations of the Shocker in the film: Jackson Brice and Herman Schultz. The comic book incarnation of Brice never took on the identity of the Shocker (the character did, though, in The Spectacular Spider-Man, 2008-09, animated television series), but was a part of the Enforcers, going by the name Montana and using a lariat as his signature weapon. Schultz was a safecracker who developed two gauntlets that could produce force blasts. Both characters in the film wear an outfit with yellow arms, a signature colour from the Shocker’s comic book costume. 

The Phineas Mason/Tinkerer of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is much younger than his comic book counterpart. Both are inventors who create and supply weapons to criminals. Mac Gargan is a private investigator and the first to take on the Scorpion identity, having gained superhuman strength and a full-body suit with a mechanical tail (in the film the character has a scorpion tattoo on his neck). In the mid-credits scene Mac tells Adrian Toomes that he knows people outside of prison who would love to meet Spider-Man, a possible reference to the Sinister Six.

Peter’s friend Ned could be a nod to Ned Leeds. In the comics, Leeds didn’t go to the same school as Peter, but did work as a reporter at the Daily Bugle. He would eventually take on the mantle of the Hobgoblin after being brainwashed by Roderick Kingsley, the original Hobgoblin. His appearance and personality though seem to have been modeled after Ganke—they even included the character’s love of Lego!

The character of Liz in the film brings to mind Liz Allan, another one of Peter’s classmates from the comics. Though both versions have a mother named Doris and serve as a romantic interest for Peter, in the source material the character is Caucasian with blonde hair and isn’t related to Adrian Toomes. The Flash Thompson of the MCU bullies Peter just like his comic book counterpart, though he’s not a jock and is academically gifted. This cinematic incarnation has a Guatemalan background, and instead of teasing Peter with “Puny Parker,” he uses “Penis Parker” instead! We see Betty Brandt co-host the school’s news program with Jason Ionello. In the comics Brandt worked with Peter at the Daily Bugle and was in fact his first girlfriend, while Jason is a fellow student at Midtown High School. Michelle revealing that friends call her “MJ” is an interesting nod to Mary Jane, Peter’s most well known love interest. For the record, Kevin Feige has stated that Michelle is not intended to be Mary Jane Watson. There’s also an Asian girl named Cindy, a possible reference to Cindy Moon who was bitten by the same spider that gave Peter his powers. Possessing similar abilities to Spider-Man, Cindy goes by the code name Silk.

Additionally, many of the staff members in the film have counterparts stemming from the comics. Mr Harrington could be a reference to Roger Harrington, principal of Midtown High and the one who hires Peter as a science teacher. Mr Cobbwell may be referring to Professor Cobbwell, an electronics expert whom Peter assisted. Coach Wilson could be a nod to the character of Whiz Wilson, a gym coach at Centerville Junior High School. 

In the comics Aaron Davis is a master thief from the Ultimate Universe who goes by the name the Prowler (which you can see listed as an alias of his when Spidey scans him, along with the name Brian Pichelli, referring to writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli). During his “interrogation,” Davis tells Spider-Man that he has a nephew. In the source material, Davis’ nephew is Miles Morales—who takes on the mantle of Spider-Man after the death of Peter Parker. Additionally, if you look closely you can see that Davis’ number plate reads UCS-M01, referring to Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1 (2011), Miles Morales’ debut issue. 

Among other items being moved to the New Avengers facility is Thor’s magic belt, Megingjord. In the comics this item increases Thor’s strength when worn. 

Spider-Man being trapped under a pile of rubble is a moment taken from The Amazing Spider-Man #33 (1966). When Peter looks at his reflection in a puddle we see the iconic split image of Peter and Spidey, something artists would draw whenever Peter’s spider-sense was activated. 

The films ends with Aunt May finding out that Peter is Spider-Man. This is another moment taken from the comics, occurring at the end of The Amazing Spider-Man #35 (2001) when May walks in on an injured and sleeping Peter with a tattered Spidey suit next to him. 

In addition to the comic book references, we get a ton of MCU Easter eggs. The film recounts the airport battle from Captain America: Civil War (2016) told from Peter’s perspective. Damage Control takes over the cleanup in the wake of the Battle of New York. Captain America appears in several public service announcements shown at the school (with his status as a war criminal being mentioned), and students are taught about the Sokovia Accords. Bank robbers can be seen wearing Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and Hulk masks. Howard Stark and Abraham Erskine can be seen on a mural at Midtown School of Science & Technology, while a photograph of Bruce Banner can be seen in Peter’s classroom (clearly Banner is one of our greatest scientists!). The Tinkerer says that the Shocker’s gauntlet came from a cleanup in Lagos, suggesting that it’s a modified version of one of the ones Crossbones used (the other was destroyed when he exploded, remember?). There’s a Korean Church of Asgard next to the Thai restaurant May and Peter visit, implying some people are worshipping Norse gods in the MCU. The answer to one of the questions the decathlon team practices with is “strontium, barium, vibranium.” Spidey pulls out an Ultron head from Vulture’s bag. Principal Morita (played by Kenneth Choi) is the grandson of Jim Morita (also played by Kenneth Choi), who was a member of the Howling Commandos; his photograph is on display in the principal’s office. Tony sells off Avengers Tower and relocates to the New Avengers facility. The Vision is mentioned (along with his habit of phasing through walls), Pepper Potts makes an appearance, and Happy Hogan mentions that he’s been carrying around Tony’s engagement ring since 2008, referring to the year Iron Man came out and the debut of the MCU. 

Other things to point out include the piece of graffiti that says “Bagley” (seen on a building when Spider-Man is eating a churro), a reference to artist Mark Bagley, known for his work on the Ultimate Spider-Man series. And though it isn’t a part of the MCU, the famous upside down kiss from Spider-Man (2002) is referenced when Karen urges Peter to kiss Liz after he rescues her.

A boy abducted from Earth and raised in space. A gun-totting raccoon. A talking tree. These characters seem ludicrous on paper; yet, Marvel Studios had enough faith in this ragtag group to feature them in their own movie. Who cares if nobody had ever heard of them? With this film, Marvel were going to make the Guardians of the Galaxy known to all. In 2009, having joined Marvel Studios’ writers program, Nicole Perlman wrote a screenplay for the Guardians of the Galaxy. Perlman became noticed for her script Challenger, a biopic focusing on Richard Feynman written during her time in college. She would go on to write other biopics, though none would be filmed. The writer, as with others in the program, got to pick from a list of properties to write a screenplay on. Despite the better-known properties that were included, Perlman picked the Guardians due to the sci-fi tone the team presented. Perlman had always wanted to write a sci-fi film and was frustrated at the attitude that females weren’t capable of writing the sci-fi genre. Working for Marvel, this was her chance to change that. She decided to focus on the most recent incarnation of the group created by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning in 2008, with Marvel also tossing up between featuring the original team. The Guardians operating during Abnett and Lanning’s run are the second team to use the name. Unrelated to the original lineup, the team, consisting of Star-Lord, Adam Warlock, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Phyla-Vell, Mantis, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot, came together in the aftermath of the Phalanx Invasion of the Kree. Perlman worked on the draft for two years before being asked to write another towards the end of 2011. At the 2012 San Diego Comic Con Kevin Feige finally revealed that Marvel were releasing a Guardians of the Galaxy film in 2014. James Gunn was hired to direct the film, beating out Peyton Reed and collaborators Ryan Flack and Anna Boden. Gunn made his directing debut with the comedy horror Slither (2006) and followed this with the web series James Gunn’s PG Porn (2008-09) created with his brothers before returning to the big screen with Super (2010). The director re-wrote the Guardians of the Galaxy script, adding in his own ideas—such as the inclusion of the Walkman—and changing the story. Though Marvel liked the first draft Gunn turned in, Joss Whedon felt it needed to be more reflective of Gunn’s unique style, something the director was only too willing to oblige. Pre-production began in January 2012, with filming starting off in London, beginning around mid-2013. Joel Edgerton, Jack Huston, Zachary Levi, Lee Pace, Eddie Redmayne, and Jim Sturgess all reportedly tested for the lead role of Peter Quill, with Chris Pratt eventually being cast. Pratt was chubby before he nabbed the part—having gained weight for Delivery Man (2013)—something that didn’t convince Gunn the actor could play the part. The persistence of casting director Sarah Finn, however, saw Pratt get an audition, which finally convinced Gunn that he could play Peter. Having signed on, Pratt started losing weight and getting into shape for the role. A deal was made so as to allow the Parks and Recreation (2009-15) actor to fulfil his commitments on the television show as well as do the film. Though missing out on the lead role, Lee Pace would sign on to play the film’s antagonist, Ronan the Accuser. March 2013 saw WWE wrestler Dave Bautista signing on as Drax the Destroyer, beating out Jason Momoa, Isaiah Mustafa, and Patrick Wade. And for green-skinned assassin Gamora, Gunn turned to Zoe Saldana, her involvement being confirmed in April 2013. Saldana is no stranger to sci-fi films set in space having previously played Nyota Uhura in Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) as well as Neytiri in James Cameron’s Avatar (2009). With the film featuring extra-terrestrial characters, many actors had to endure long hours in the makeup chair. It originally took a team of five makeup artists over four hours to get Bautista to look like Drax, which was reduced to roughly three-and-a-half hours over the production period. His skin was made a grey-green hue—the character’s skin is bright green in the comics—to avoid comparisons with the Hulk. Experiments were done to ensure Saldana was the right shade of green, and Karen Gillan shaved her head to portray Nebula, in addition to wearing contact lenses and having facial prosthetics applied. Krystian Godlewski provided Groot’s movements on set, with Gunn’s brother Sean filling in for Rocket, who also delivered the raccoon’s lines on set. This gave the other actors something to work with, despite the characters being realised through CGI in post-production. Moving Picture Company were tasked with bringing Groot to life. Emphasis was placed in having the character retain his human qualities, enabling audiences to connect with him. His eyes were a particular focus, ensuring they could emote. Several types of wood were used in texturing the character,and moss added to parts of his body. The gun-totting Rocket would be created by Framestore. Concept art and real raccoons were used as reference, the design leaning towards realism and away from the exaggerated look the character has in the comics. Vin Diesel was officially confirmed by Marvel on 21 December 2013 to voice Groot. The Fast and the Furious (2001) actor also provided motion capture data. On 30 August of the same year it was announced that Bradley Cooper would voice Rocket. Cooper was filmed delivering his lines and his performance, in conjunction with Sean Gunn’s movements, was used when animating the digital Rocket. On 12 October 2013 James Gunn revealed via Twitter that filming had wrapped. Despite being seen as a risky move by some, Marvel’s band of misfit heroes would go on to become one of the highest grossing films of 2014, ranking third both domestically and globally. The superb selection of 60s and 70s tracks, performances, set design, visual effects, and witty dialogue all served to highlight a wonderful space-set tale in the vein of Star Wars (1977); who would have thought a tree with limited dialogue could elicit such emotional responses from viewers? It’s a pity that Ronan is underdeveloped and overshadowed by the Guardians themselves, but this unconventional galactic adventure remains fun despite of this. (An extract from Amazing Fantasies: A Guide to the Modern Marvel Movies.)

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