The Marvel Cinematic Universe encompasses so many characters from the street level like Daredevil to the bizarre cosmic side and fans are heralding the characters who ventured furthest away from their comic book origins.
Key in any form of adaptation, particularly if you’re trying to modernize campy 60s comic book characters, is to make the big decisions and changes. Taking a risk is crucial, and in particular, you have to think of The Mandarin fake-out in Iron Man 3, or the complete reinvention of a character like Wong.
Marvel fans are discussing their favorite changes from the source material, and it’s clear that being blindly accurate only gets you so far: and the best characters are all about taking big risks.
Yondu, for instance, was traditionally a strange character. One of the original Guardians of the Galaxy in the 1960s, he originally had a bow and arrow: now he’s got a wicked whistle-powered dart. Also, if you’re reading Marvel, don’t make Namor as utterly horrendous as he is in the comics.
Then there’s a fan favorite to become the next Black Panther: Winston Duke’s M’Baku. In comics, M’Baku goes by the incredibly unfortunate and leaning-into-the-racism name of Man-Ape. Thankfully, not the case in films.
As for villains, it must be said that Michael Keaton’s version of the Vulture is filled with much-needed depth. Just a kooky old man in the comics who robs banks, now he’s a working class hero and justified in his pursuits.
Phase Four is really Phase Wong, and another great reinvention is that of Benedict Wong’s character. He’s now a drill sergeant type who works as a moral compass of Doctor Strange. Calling him out on his utter BS is a delightful take.
Last but certainly not least is that Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch doesn’t have an incestuous relationship with her brother like in the 2000s reboot comics. Because why on earth would you do that.
The entire MCU back catalogue is available on Disney Plus.