When it comes to Ironheart, Marvel Studios has revealed little. Dominique Thorne has been cast as Riri Williams, who will make her MCU debut in Wakanda Forever. Past that, it’s basically all rumors and gossip, so take it all with a grain of salt. That leads us to the Hood, whom Marvel insiders suspect will be the show’s main antagonist, pitting his magic cloak against Riri’s advanced armor.
WHO IS THE HOOD?
The man under the hood is Parker Robbins. Making his living as a low-level thief, he broke into a warehouse one fateful night. While he was looking for something valuable to steal, Parker was attacked by what he thought was a man in a red cloak. Actually, it was a mystical demon. Parker killed the creature and took its cloak and boots. He soon discovered that the boots allowed him to levitate, and the cloak could turn him invisible.
What would you do with a magic invisibility cloak and boots that let you walk on air? We would all start our own criminal empires, no doubt. That’s exactly what Parker did, and the police dubbed him “the Hood.” As his reputation grew, he recruited superpowered henchmen and ascended New York City’s criminal ranks.
THE KEYS
Although nothing has been confirmed, the increasing volume of the Hood rumors will inevitably impact his key issues. Here are a couple of issues that you should watch closely as we wait for more Ironheart news.
THE HOOD #1
Created by superstar comics writer Brian K. Vaughn, Parker first appeared in his self-titled series in 2002. This was published under the Marvel Max banner. Similar to DC’s Vertigo, Marvel Max gave creators more freedom to explore stories and characters without necessarily adhering to the plots and events from the main titles. It also was intended for an adult audience with its mature themes and graphic violence.
In the PG-friendly Disney confines, the Hood will be watered down compared to his original comics, but he should still retain his core characteristics. The speculation is that his MCU counterpart will be connected to the villain of the first Iron Man movie, Obadiah Stane.
With the rumors comes increased interest for his first appearance. Before the Ironheart gossip began to spread, he was rumored to appear in Hawkeye. That inspired higher prices for the graded 9.8, selling for as much as $575 in the past year. When he wasn’t part of that streaming series, those values took a step back. For the last 90 days, it has averaged a more reasonable $389.
SECRET INVASION #8
After building his empire, the Hood was given membership into the evil version of the Illuminati, the Cabal, joining Doctor Doom, Namor, Emma Frost, Norman Osborn, and Loki. These characters made their first appearance as a team in Secret Invasion #8, and they would star in their own titles during Dark Reign and Siege.
If there is even a hint that the Cabal is forming in the MCU, this issue will be ushered to the front of the collecting line. Since hardly anyone is watching Secret Invasion #8, the graded 9.8 has averaged just $36 for the past 90 days.
ROBBING HOOD
There’s no guarantee that Parker Robbins will don his magic hood for Ironheart. His comic appearances don’t align with Riri Williams, and the two seem to be opposites. That could be exactly why Marvel Studios would consider casting the Hood as the show’s villain. Instead of having another version of the Iron Man/Iron Monger CGI battle, the Hood would give audiences something unexpected. It also could tie Riri to Doctor Strange, who has become the linchpin hero in Phase Four.
Even if Hood doesn’t show in Ironheart, he will eventually arrive in the MCU, so collecting his keys is sound investment advice regardless.
Want more Ironheart coverage?
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LET’S CATCH UP WITH IRONHEART
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CAMEO CONFUSION – RIRI WILLIAMS
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IRONHEART: THE MCU’S NEXT BREAKOUT STAR
