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Marvelous May – Jane Foster vs Spider-Woman
Welcome back to Marvelous May, as the second round of the tournament continues! Next up, we’ve got Jane Foster, AKA Thor, vs Jessica Drew, AKA Spider-Woman!
What’s hilarious about this match-up is…remember what I posted at the end of Jane’s match-up with Quake?
Okay…I swear I wasn’t thinking of the possibility of this fight happening when I picked out this picture. I was not setting up for a joke with this, it just kinda happened. In fact, I feel bad that I didn’t set up for one, because I feel like I should have one here, and I got notta. lol
Anyway, with that outta the way, can I just say, for the record, how glad I am that Spider-Woman has a new costume nowadays? Her old costume was pretty much a punchline by the time she’d finally switched to the new one. In fact, it had gotten to the point where it was addressed IN UNIVERSE!
Granted, I have NO idea how she managed to fit into her new costume when she was pregnant. Granted, the jacket was oftentimes seen undone, but not always. At that point, she had to be bigger than me, and lemme tell you something: Unless her costume is made out of some super-stretchy material that I am not aware of, there is no Goddamn way I could EVER be able to get into her costume. I would probably break the zipper of her jacket trying to fit it around my root beer gut belly. I’m a big person. And she was PREGNANT. She had a whole other person inside her. HOW DID SHE DO THIS???
Speaking of new looks…has anyone else noticed how Thor Odinson, after losing Mjölnir, has basically become 90’s Aquaman? Seriously, look at them: The same beard and long hair, the loss of part of their left arm (granted, a little more in the case of Odinson), a somewhat gruffer attitude, and so on. And I’m not even saying that as a negative, either. It actually really works for him. And I gotta say, loving how he opted to replace his arm with a prosthetic made of the same material that went into the construction of the hammer. And yeah, I know, with recent events, it’s looking like they’ll finally solve the issue of the hammer by having him obtain the Ultimate Universe Mjölnir. I’m in favour of this, honestly, since it validates both Thors instead of one over the other.
Anyway, that’s all I wanted to talk about. And yes, from here on out, expect me to shoot the random shit in these articles now that I’ve already given the basic histories of the heroines. With that said, you can check out the links below to learn more after voting for who you think should win this match-up. And be sure to check in next time as we see who will battle in the third match of the second round. Ja né!
Marvelous May – Quake vs Jane Foster
Welcome back to Marvelous May as an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. takes on a Goddess of Thunder. It’s Daisy Johnson, AKA Quake, vs Jane Foster, AKA The Mighty Thor!
Quake
Admittedly, I didn’t actually know much about Quake going into this, but that’s good, because that means I’m learning along with everyone else. Daisy Louise Johnson was originally thought to be a Mutant. However, that’s not the case at all. Instead, her powers come from her father, Calvin Zabo’s, mutated DNA, and the Inhuman genes passed down from her mother. Regardless, Daisy has the ability to manipulate seismic energy. She can send out vibration waves similar to those found in earthquakes. Thanks to her training under Nick Fury (for the record, the one who doesn’t look like Samuel Jackson), she’s able to use precise accuracy with her vibrations to literally cause targets to shake themselves apart. She even once imploded Wolverine’s heart. Naturally, being Wolverine, he got better, but the point stands that she’s not to be taken lightly. Her Inhuman metabolism also grants her enhanced speed, reflexes, endurance, and strength, supposedly surpassing that of even Captain America himself. And all of that is on top of her standard training as an agent of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. She’s also served as a member of the Avengers for a time, as well as the Secret Warriors, and at one point even held the position of Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., being the one who recruited Nick Fury Jr. and Phil Coulson. And speaking of Coulson, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daisy serves as a member of his team on the television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., albeit with a slightly different back-story, and first appearing under the name Skye. Regardless of which version, though, Quake is not someone you want to find yourself on the bad side of.
Jane Foster
Doctor Jane Foster was originally conceived to be…well, Thor’s primary love interest. Let’s call a spade a spade here. However, recent events have made it clear that, at some point, the powers that be had a very different plan for her. Since the early days when she was an ally and assistant to Doctor Donald Blake, Thor Odinson’s other persona (long story), Jane has since become a doctor herself, gotten married to another man, and had a child…Then, when she found out Thor was back after being dead (again, lost story), she got divorced, lost custody of her child, and recently found out she had cancer. Yeah, her life has had some ups and downs, to say the least. However, one of the more radical changes to her life came when Thor lost the ability to wield his hammer, Mjölnir. At some point, she found herself on the moon, where the hammer was last left, and was somehow able to pick it up, transforming herself into a warrior with all of Thor’s abilities, and even altering her mannerisms…for some reason. Having witnessed Thor’s abilities over the years, Jane was quickly able to wield Mjölnir with the same level of skill as her predecessor. She’s strong enough to easily lift 100 tons, can create and control lighting and storms, is capable of speaking to and understanding all races, and can fly by hurling Mjölnir, grabbing hold of its strap, and willing it to go wherever she pleases. She’s also nigh-invulnerable, able to shrug off just about anything that comes her way, with very few exceptions. Eventually, she even earned Thor’s blessing in wielding the hammer, as well as the right to call herself Thor, though she does so in secret to everyone but a few select individuals. However, all of this comes with a very dire price: While transformed into Thor, she’s immune to all Earth-born illnesses and diseases, but she can only remain so for so long, after which, she reverts to her normal state, where her cancer seems to have been aggravated due to the transformation. In short, being Thor is killing her. But she has sworn to continue upholding her duties as the new Goddess of Thunder and defender of Midgard. As she herself put it, “The world needs a Thor”.
Be sure to vote before May 9th, when the winner of this battle takes on the winner of the next match-up, Squirrel Girl vs Spider Woman! Until then, be sure to check back in to vote on that match, and click the links below to learn more about the combatants here. Ja né!
10 Favourite Marvel Superheroes REVISED + A Thank You To My Readers
…Before I start, I have to give a HUGE thank you to everyone who checks out my blog. Not only did I break my former record for most views in a single day on my blog Thursday (the old record was 441), but just yesterday, the record was broken yet again with a total of 624! I could not have, in my wildest dreams, imagined that being a thing. So, to all of my readers, supporters, friends, and family, thank you all very much, and please continue to read my blog. Also, be sure to leave your own thoughts and comments on my articles as well. Really helps to know that people care about my stuff. ^_^
Anyway, a couple of years ago on my birthday, I made a list of my favourite Marvel superheroes. Well, two years later, looking back on that list, I find myself having some highly different opinions. Maybe it’s because I’m a lot more into Marvel Comics than I was back then, the addition of new characters, or just the continuing detriment of certain older heroes *COUGH!*PETEANDTONY*COUGH!*, but for whatever reason, I can’t honestly say that my top ten heroes of the Marvel Universe are the same as they were before. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at my revised 10 Favourite Marvel Superheroes, starting with probably the most obvious…
#1 – Kamala Khan, AKA Ms. Marvel
Yeah, not exactly shocking anybody with this pick, huh? lol Can’t help it, guys. This is a character who, in less than two years, has become as important to me as Stephanie Brown, maybe even more-so in the grand scheme of things. She’s a geek, she’s a minority heroine, she’s the protector of New Jersey, and now, she’s a Goddamn Avenger. She’s earned the respect and recognition of Wolverine, the Amazing Spider-Man, Medusa, and most importantly, her predecessor and personal hero, Carol Danvers. There’s no limit to how high this character can go, and frankly, I’m just excited to be part of the ride. 🙂
#2 – Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America
As I’ve stated before, even as a proud Canadian, I love Captain America. Admittedly, though, this is mostly based on his appearances in the movies. In the comics, some of his exploits are a bit tainted due to repeatedly faking his own death and, more recently, becoming more concerned with bringing in Tony Stark for personally betraying him, instead of being focused on saving the world. Still, in both versions, there’s plenty about him to be inspired by. This is a guy who had damned near everything working against him in becoming a soldier, but fought tooth and nail to fight for his country and uphold ideals like peace, freedom, and justice anyway, to the point where his dedication made him the prime candidate to become Captain America. And despite beliefs that everything special about him came out of a bottle, really, that’s not true. He’s not just a lab experiment. Really, the better comparison is that he’s like a Power Ranger: The powers are just a tool for stopping evil. It’s the person using them that make them special.
#3 – James ‘Logan’ Howlett, AKA Wolverine
ADAMANTIUM RAGE!!! 😛 What is it with badass berserker heroes with tragic back-stories repeatedly cropping up in everything I read, write, watch, and play? Logan, Raiden from Metal Gear, Guts from Berserk, and so on. But hey, they are successful as characters, and Logan is no exception. The biggest problem with Wolverine is how near-impossible it is for him to die. Kinda hurts the overall drama of some of his stories, since you know he’s damned near always gonna come out of situations without a scratch on him. Granted, as anyone who has watched the DEATH BATTLE between him and Raiden knows, don’t mean he’s ALWAYS gonna be okay. I just really hope that, when Old Man Logan takes his place in November, he doesn’t have the same near-invincibility.
#4 – Carol Danvers, AKA Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel, she’s our hero, gonna take the villains down to ze-Wait, did I already do this joke? 😛 Anyway, I cannot believe I was not a Carol Danvers fan when I first wrote the 10 Favourite Marvel Superheroes. I can’t imagine a time anymore where I didn’t think she was awesome. And I have to give a huge thank you to Kelly Sue DeConnick for showing me just how amazing this character is. You will be greatly missed as the writer of her book going into the All-New, All-Different Marvel. Carol Corps 4 Life.
#5 – Jennifer Walters, AKA She-Hulk
As I’ve stated before, take the Hulk, slim him down a bit, make him a brilliant lawyer, a bit more in control of himself, way more compassionate for people, and a gorgeous woman. The result is She-Hulk, and for those reasons I stated, I can’t help but prefer her to her more famous cousin. And frankly, I can’t think of anyone better suited to be the leader of the A-Force, and am so glad to see that the core six members of the team in Secret Wars will all be sticking together in the new Marvel Universe.
#6 – Prince Odinson, AKA Thor
Whosoever lifts this hammer, if they be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor. And hoo boy, does this guy know how to use that power effectively. 😛 Mind you, he doesn’t have it anymore. And no disrespect to his successor, of course. I have no problem with Jane Foster, just the writing in how this whole scenario is playing itself out. Regardless, I find myself liking this Thor just the tiniest bit more. But hey, who knows what the future holds, right? I just hope they can find a way to appease fans of both Thors, ‘cuz so far, it ain’t happening.
#7 – Gwen Stacy, AKA Spider-Woman
I don’t know what exactly it is about this interpretation of the character, but I honestly think this version of Gwen Stacy is my favourite of all the now-officially-named Web Warriors. She’s badass, geeky, clever, and creative. She takes so much of what makes Peter Parker’s story work while still being fresh and new. What else can you say but…
Spider-Gwen, Spider-Gwen
Does it better than Spider-Men
Spins her threads to and fro
Nothin’ like this white widow
Look out! Here comes the Spider-Gwen
#8 – Wade Wilson, AKA Deadpool
Yeah, ’bout time he got to me! I mean, I’m ME! Why waste time with the rest of these guys?! Fuck, I’ve been back from the grave more times than Wolverine, I’m the newest member of the Uncanny Avengers, and hey, I’ve got a movie coming out! No way I wouldn’t be on here after all that! After all, we all know ol’ Jygie likes to suck up to people in the spotlight!
Stop writing my articles, WADE!
Jeez, relax, JEFFERY! Getting kinda grumpy since you turned 30, huh? What, didn’t think you’d still be living with your parents this late into life?
Ugh, moving on!…
#9 – Anna Marie, AKA Rogue
One of the best damned X-Men of all time, and a founding member of the Uncanny Avengers. Rogue is the classy southern belle who melts the hearts of men and women alike. However, piss her off, and not only is she more than capable of kicking your ass, but just touching you is enough to send you to the hospital. In other words, stay on her good side at all time.
You’re tellin’ me! I used to date her for a while, until she touched me, and left me aching for weeks. And not in the GOOD way, either…
GODDAMMIT, WADE!
#10 – Natasha Romanoff, AKA Black Widow
I know for a fact that I’ve said this at least a hundred times, but I will continue to say it until it is no longer true: WHY THE HELL DOESN’T BLACK WIDOW HAVE HER OWN MOVIE?! Let’s look at her track record in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, shall we? She stole the show in Iron Man 2 (not that there was much of a show to steal, mind you), she stole Avengers, The Winter Soldier, and even Age of Ultron, where she was put in an out-of-nowhere relationship with Bruce and presented as someone who considers herself a monster, not for being an assassin but because she couldn’t have kids. Not to mention, her most recent solo series was basically a James Bond flick set in the Marvel Universe, and we all know how successful those movies have been. There is not a single character in the MCU that hasn’t had their own movie that deserves it more than Black Widow, PERIOD.
AAAANNND that’s it, everybody! Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe, and I’ll see you all the next time Jyger wants to suck up to superheroes!
… … … … …I’mma kill him. -_-
A More Detailed Analysis of the All-New, All-Different Avengers
…So yeah, once again, we’re talking about the new Avengers team. And btw, if you’re looking at the cover for the Free Comic Book Day issue and NOT hearing the Avengers theme from the movie, you’re doing it wrong. lol But yeah, with the team scaled down to seven, it seems the members are selected both for being legacy heroes and for having a wide array of varying powers and abilities. And honestly, I think that’s a good move. So, let’s take a look at what each member brings to the table, and how they might relate to one another, starting with someone the team wouldn’t be complete without…
Sam Wilson, AKA Captain America
While the original Captain America, Steve Rogers, wasn’t one of the original five founding members of the team, the legacy of Captain America is such that it wouldn’t be Earth’s Mightiest Heroes without him. And let’s face it, folks, regardless of if this is permanent or not, regardless of if Steve will ever regain the supersoldier serum and his youth or not, Samuel Thomas Wilson has proven himself as worthy stand-in for the role. As such, him being in this team is a must. However, despite currently acting as a leader for the Mighty Avengers, he hasn’t really done so for very long, which could prove an issue when it comes to being a possible contender for leader of the All-New, All-Different Avengers.
In any case, Samuel is a master acrobat and aerialist, which he makes perfect use of with the wings carried over from his old Falcon persona. Also assisting him in the sky is his pet bird, Redwing, with whom he had a telepathic link to (though Redwing MAY have been killed in a recent issue of All-New Captain America). He’s also been trained by Steve Rogers in a number of different martial arts styles when action needs to be taken to the ground. His body has been taken to the peak human range, able to press about 480 pounds. And, as is a must for anyone carrying the name of the iconic hero, Sam also wields Captain America’s shield, which is made out of Vibranium and thus able to absorb immense kinetic energy, making it near-indestructible. After one of the few occasions where that near-indestructibility was tested a bit too much, though, the shield was rebuilt using the mystical metal, Uru, making it stronger than ever. If that metal sounds familiar…well, the next Avenger on this list wields a weapon made from the same stuff.
Thor, the Goddess of Thunder
“Whomsoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor”. That WAS the inscription on Mjolnir, the mighty hammer wielded by the God of Thunder, Thor. However, recent events have led to the inscription reading “if SHE be worthy”. Personally, I would’ve gone with the less gender specific inscription of “if THEY be worthy”, especially since this isn’t the first time a woman’s held the hammer, but regardless, the point stands: The new Thor is a woman. We don’t know WHO yet, but whoever she is, she’s proven so talented with Mjolnir that even Thor Odinson has given her his blessing and his name. The only real problem she has going into joining the Avengers is that she appears a bit inexperienced as a team player. Despite this, she does appear heroic-minded, and is most certainly one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
As I said before, Thor wields Mjolnir, a weapon made by the dwarven blacksmiths Eitri, Brok, and Buri, who used the core of a star as the mold. The star later went supernova, almost destroying Earth, and may have been the resulting force for what killed the dinosaurs. In addition to being a weapon composed of Uru and possessing immeasurable strength and durability, it also comes complete with a number of abilities. Thus far, the female Thor has demonstrated that she’s gained superhuman strength and can lift 100 tons for sport, can channel electricity with or without the hammer in her grip, can survive the vacuum of space, possesses chronokinesis, is near-invulnerable, and possesses immunity to all Earthly diseases and infections. And, as the chosen wielder of Mjolnir, she is the only one who can lift it, can summon the hammer to her hand from anywhere, and by tossing it and holding onto the leather thong, she can use it to fly at the speed of sound. Also, this Thor apparently possesses finer control over the hammer while it’s in flight than Odinson, even from a long distance. This is likely due to her apparently higher levels of self-restraint, able to keep a tighter focus than the former God of Thunder in battle. She may literally take every aspect of the former Thor and improve upon them all. However, she also has the same weakness as the enchantments involving Don Blake and Eric Masterson: Prolonged separation from the hammer will cause her powers to slowly fade. In order to maintain her maximum potential, she has to remain in direct contact with Mjolnir. But, considering her mastery over the hammer in such a short amount of time, this is a relatively small weakness to have, as she may prove to be the single most powerful of the new Avengers team.
The Invincible Iron Man
Here’s where there’s kind of a big question mark present. Granted, it wouldn’t be the only one on this team, but I’ll get to that. As readers of the current Marvel product know, Tony Stark was inverted in the event AXIS. Basically, he’s more or less a villain now, although how you could tell considering some of his behaviour over the past few years (starting Civil War, mind-wiping Captain America, etc.) is a bit in question. However, the Iron Man suit on the cover is clearly in the old school hot rod red and gold, as opposed to the chrome Superior Iron Man. So, either he’s been reverted to normal, which could lead to more than a bit of discomfort and mistrust on the team for various reasons, or Secret Wars has brought back an earlier Tony Stark, one who didn’t do any of the crap his more recent incarnation has been responsible for, which could lead to Superior Iron Man being the old school evil twin scenario…which could be interesting, honestly. Of course, one other possibility is that it’s not really Tony in the suit, which would fit the trend of the others being newer characters stepping into old shoes. Personally, I’m kinda hoping for Pepper, since then the gender ratio of the team would be a bit more even.
Regardless of who is in the suit, anyone who has read the comics or watched the movies has a decent idea of what to expect. Repulsor blasts, flight capability, enhanced strength, is airtight so he can survive underwater and in space, and will likely have a vast number of hidden weapons and equipment installed. And, assuming it IS Tony under the suit…well…
Vision
This is where the other question mark on the team is. Vision’s personality and overall sense of self can differ, depending on current programming on his brain patterns. And since I’m not reading Uncanny Avengers, I don’t really know much about his current persona. However, if it’s kept unique from past versions, it would help to contribute to the theme of this team: Recognizable names and costumes, new personalities/characters. Regardless, Vision has nonetheless proven time and again to be a key component to any Avengers team, and can work his way into any gathering of heroes easily enough.
Vision’s abilities have generally been pretty consistent, so we can expect him to have his hyper-intelligent brain, capable of analyzing and processing information at the speed of the world’s greatest super computer and possess superhuman reflexes, can absorb solar energy and release them as energy beams, and has the ability to alter his own density to fly, turn intangible, become hard as diamond, or lift anywhere from 50 to 90 tons. Also, he can adjust and alter his vocal processor, optical scanners, and audio tuners, and can even use holograms to make himself appear human. Despite this, he’s not invincible, as there are those in the Marvel Universe with superior strength and speed to his. And while his brain is extremely fast-working, he HAS been shown to be capable of being distracted, which can be a problem. Also, despite not being human, he was once shown to be knocked out by a drug………Yeah, not sure how that worked. o.O
Sam Alexander, AKA Nova
Probably the member I’m least familiar with. I don’t really know much of anything about the Nova Corps, other than them being intergalactic police officers, keepers of the peace and upholders of justice. I do know that Samuel Alexander is a teenager, one of three on the new Avengers team, and has been an official member of the Avengers since December, though he’s on probation for going after Kluh (basically, think the Hulk, only even more powerful and rampaging……YEAH, seriously) alone. So yeah, he can be a bit headstrong, over-confident, and still has a bit to learn about being part of a team, but he’s got a good heart, and the potential to be a great Avenger. Also, apparently he was named after Jeph Loeb’s son, who died of bone cancer when he was only 17.
By putting on his helmet, Sam gains access to the Nova Force, a near-limitless source of energy. Different members of the Nova Corps can harness different levels of power from it, depending on their rank. As a centurion, Sam can lift up to 20 tons, possesses limited amounts of telekinesis, can fire concussive energy blasts in beam and sphere format, possesses a sort of cosmic awareness, can fly at seemingly physically impossible speeds, and can instantly translate any language to English, though he also knows some Spanish and Morse Code on his own. However, his strength and speed do have limitations, as proven in his fight with Kluh, who very nearly killed him, and has apparently left him suffering from a memory disorder, so that could be a problem for him.
Kamala Khan, AKA Ms. Marvel
The superheroine that I will not shut the fuck up about. XD So, I’ll make this quick: Kamala might be the newest and most inexperienced member of the team, which could lead to more than a bit of a problem, as is her HIGHLY over-protective family, but she’s a quick learner on the job, and has already proven herself time and again as a hero. And, because of a previous team-up she was a part of, I’m sure her and the last member on this team should work well together. Also, as an Inhuman, she can work well as an ambassador between the two groups, and I’m sure could likely call in support from a certain giant teleporting dog with superstrength that’s come to her aid more than once.
As one of two members of the team who can’t fly, Ms. Marvel nonetheless has no problem getting around. Given that she can alter her body to any size and shape that she wants, she could literally walk across whole city blocks in less than a minute. Of course, being able to shrink and grow to any size also makes her a nice stand-in for other size-changing Avengers like Ant-Man and Wasp, and being able to stretch out any body part means they won’t need to call in Mr. Fantastic anytime soon (thank goodness). She can even change her appearance to look like other people, meaning she could be a covert infiltrator if she wanted. Lastly, she has an accelerated healing factor, having once recovered relatively quickly from being shot. That said, this ability comes with a handicap, as she can’t use her other powers while healing, and the more she uses it, the less malleable her cells will be for a while, hindering her polymorphic powers, so she still needs to be careful on the job.
Miles Morales, AKA the Ultimate Spider-Man
The last member of the All-New, All-Different Avengers, Miles is a member of the Ultimates. However, considering the rather bleak future of his world with Secret Wars rapidly approaching, it seems the Ultimate Spider-Man has managed to make it into the new Marvel Universe as a member of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Despite being one of the youngest Marvel heroes of all time, Miles has nonetheless proven himself as the replacement of his world’s Peter Parker, instilled with the same sense of responsibility and possessing a lot of the former Spidey’s creative and calculating mind.
Anyone who knows Spider-Man has a general idea of what to expect when it comes to Miles’ main abilities: He has superstrength, agility, durability, and reflexes. He can stick to and walk across walls by reversing his own electron attraction, and can swing from structure to structure using the web shooters worn on his wrists passed down to him from Peter. And, of course, he possesses the Spider Sense, which grants him omnipresent detection of his surroundings, and seems to have greater potential than even Peter’s due to the genetic enhancements done to the spider that bit him. However, despite this, he’s not as good at being able to recognize and respond to threats detected by the Spider Sense just yet, and while he’s picked up quite a bit of fighting skill just from watching tapes of his predecessor, he’s otherwise had no formal martial arts training. To counter-balance this, he has two abilities unique to himself: He can blend himself and his clothes into his surroundings as a form of invisibility, and he can use the Venom Blast, a paralyzing touch with varying levels of effectiveness on different opponents (apparently works best on opponents with genetic alterations to their body). As such, anyone who only has knowledge of the more well-known Spider-Man abilities can be caught off-guard in a fight with him, which is how he even managed to defeat the mainstream Peter Parker in a fight after their first encounter led to a bit of a misunderstanding.
Anyway, that’s the magnificent seven members of the All-New, All-Different Avengers. Got any thoughts or opinions on this team, or other heroes you’d maybe like to see join later on? Lemme know in the comments below, and let’s see how everything turns out on Free Comic Book Day. Ja né!
Jyger's Rant 