"The darkest hour is just before the dawn." - Thomas Fuller. It seems like we are really going speculation crazy now that we are about a month from Avengers: End Game. Personally, I have been working overtime trying to speculate the future and get a jump on comics before movie-driven market booms. I can easily decree here that I have no f****** clue what is going to happen from here. So like any good speculator with the power of blog would do, lets jump the shark and speculate into our imaginations.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is poised to have some major changes with the conclusion of what they call Phase III and moving into Phase IV. Most of the hot speculation swirls around rumors with Captain America and Iron Man. Will the stars return for future movies? Will the character mantle be picked up by other actors/characters? Frankly, who cares. I want to know when we will get into the most interesting of MCU potential characters. Lets talk about a few of the characters that I've been waiting to see.
First on my list would be the Great Lakes Avengers. Since making their debut in West Coast Avenges #46 in June of 1989, the team has been the darlings of misfit heroes and readers ever since. If you want to make the MCU fun the way Deadpool movies are fun, then the Great Lakes Avengers would be a perfect fit. You could also broaden your popularity by having a wonderfully diverse roster of characters that speak to individuals...much the way the Guardians of the Galaxy has for fans. Don't count these guys out!
Want to get the kids to embrace the MCU more? How about a little more of the slapstick routine that we used to loved with the Looney Tunes and Tom & Jerry shows. Heck, Marvel has a character named Slapstick that fits the bill. This wacky guy could drop anvils and hit villains on heads with his oversize mallet. We may need a bit of that silliness after the events of End Game.
In past blogs, I have highlighted the likes of Spider-Ham and Squirrel Girl and their ability to drive comic markets. However, in the MCU, the only real animal hero is Rocket Raccoon. We all like anthropomorphic animals, so why hasn't Marvel given us more? I expect to see some more animal-type heroes or sidekicks appear in the coming phases to help with the merchandising. Flerkens are all the rage, and I bet Marvel regrets making Redwing a robot!
Of all my speculation points currently whirling around my head, the most difficult to pin down in the next generation of villains. I've regularly stated that the villain situation for the first 3 phases has steadily improved, but overall was lacking. I am pretty sure that we are going to the big reveal of Egghead being the mastermind, or Batroc being the secret accomplice of Thanos.
What are your expectations for upcoming MCU phases? Are there any characters you hope make the cut? Drop your comments and join in the speculation!
