With the Avengers: Age of Ultron slated to hit theatres in the spring of 2015, Marvel Comics has been stirring up waves after announcing the drastic alterations made to the powerful quartet of, Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, and Iron Man. Marvel has reported that each of the abovementioned superheroes will undergo some sort of physical or psychological change that will radically reconfigure the superhero landscape, from the months of August through November.
The news reported on the new characters that will be assuming the iconic roles of Captain America and Thor, have been heavily promulgated by the media in recent weeks. Steve Rogers, the character who has portrayed Captain America since 1941, will no longer don the moniker and shield of the super soldier. The sobriquet, and all of the appurtenances that come with it will be bestowed upon Sam Wilson, an African American man, who is most notably known throughout the Marvel universe as the Falcon.
The title of Thor, the Asgardian god of thunder, will now be taken on by a woman, who was chosen after the hammer of Thor, Mjolinr, deemed her predecessor not worthy. Although, there have already been numerous adaptations of Marvels Thor, which include: a frog, an alien, and a woman who went under the name Thor Girl, the new female set to wield Mjolinr, will become the prominent deity in every aspect. She will not be a goddess, she will be a God, and she will completely embody the premise of Thor.
Aside from the new identities of Captain America and Thor, the other two prominent members of the highly touted Avengers will be undergoing some serious character changes as well. Iron man and the Hulk will enter a transitory stage in the next few months that is contrary to their Avenger teammates, because their transformation will focus more on their mentalities, and not so much on their physical appearances.
Although, the new Iron Man will receive a new silver suit, and change his hometown from New York to San Francisco; the major change in his make up will lie in his personality. “Superior Iron Man is a character that’s hard to root for,” Admonished Marvel Editor and Chief, Axel Alonso. Tony Stark, the character who created and dons the Iron Man suit, embraces his more self-aggrandizing, avaricious side by giving the masses access to a bio- technological weapon called Extremis via cell phones.
Tony Stark also injects Extremis into Bruce Banner, and as a result it exponentially increases the latter’s intelligence. Making the already brilliant scientist even more brilliant. The Extremis also, has a positive affect on Dr. Bruce Banner’s prodigiously destructive, large green, alter ego, The Hulk. Armed with intelligence, The Hulk will go on a mission to rid the world of gamma radiation, which is the very same energy source that allows him to exist.
These character reboots are receiving enormous plaudits from fans and has become fodder for the media, however, Marvel has given characters complete overhauls before. In February of this year the character, Ms Marvel, got rebooted as a 16 year old Muslim girl from New Jersey, named Kamala Kahn.
By Terron Johnson
Sources:
The Verge
Time
Inquistor
MTV News
USA Today
Wired