Heads will roll in Echo. And get bashed in. And explode. The first trailer for the upcoming MCU series Echo is full of violence, blood, and a whole lot of goodness. The trailer for this five-episode special event honestly looks amazing. Both Alaqua Cox’s Maya Lopez and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk are delivering. This truly looks like an MCU series like none other, and we kind of love it. Take a look at Echo‘s first trailer below, if you dare.

We first met Echo in the Hawkeye series, which carried a very different tone. And we feel thrilled to see her coming into her own in this outing. It is incredible to see a Marvel show center on a deaf and Indigenous character and for it to have taken care to support this representation in front of and behind the camera.

A logline for the series revealed with the trailer shares more about the show, noting:

No bad deed goes unpunished on Jan. 10, 2024, when Marvel Studios’ “Echo” launches on Disney+ and Hulu. The five-episode streaming event spotlights Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) as she is pursued by Wilson Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) criminal empire. When the journey brings her home, she must confront her own family and legacy. All five episodes will stream on Jan. 10 on both platforms. They’ll be available on Hulu until April 9. This marks the first Marvel Studios series to drop all entirely bingeable episodes at once. 

The relationship between the MCU’s Kingpin and Echo is fraught, as we’ve seen before and see again in this trailer. But when the chips fall, will Echo end up as much a monster as her mentor? Only time will tell. At one point, rumor had it that Charlie Cox’s Daredevil would also appear on the Echo show. And though he is not mentioned in any official materials so far, we caught a brief glimpse of Daredevil in a montage of shots featured in Echo‘s trailer. Very exciting.

As the description of the series mentions, there are a few interesting aspects of Echo‘s release. Firstly, the series will run on both Hulu and Disney+, likely an homage to its grittier nature. Echo also has the distinction of being the MCU’s first series rated TV-MA. And, of course, all episodes of Echo will land at once. Disney+ has never shared a series in this format before, so it will be interesting to see how it impacts viewership. We can only hope that it helps.

All five episodes of Echo will be available to stream on January 10.

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When the Netflix Daredevil series ended in 2018, fans everywhere were pretty heartbroken. The series, which starred Charlie Cox as vigilante lawyer Matt Murdock, remains one of the most beloved Marvel-produced live-action products of all time. Fans jumped for joy when Marvel finally announced last year that a new Daredevil series would arrive on Disney+ in 2024, featuring both Cox in the title role and his nemesis Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. Kingpin. But in a recent interview with Newsweek, D’Onofrio revealed that Marvel is already planning a second season of Daredevil: Born Again. Here’s what he had to say:

By the second season, there are gigantic, gigantic payoffs—in the first season, too, but I can’t say much about that—but the fans are gonna really get what they want. It’s really quite cool to be doing it.

And there you have it: “Second season,” straight from the Kingpin’s mouth. The first season of Daredevil: Born Again will have 18 episodes in total. That’s a lot for the modern streaming age. It’s about triple the episode count of what most MCU Disney+ shows have for their first seasons. It’s a remarkable vote of confidence from Marvel Studios. Knowing that we’re getting another batch of episodes on top of that is the cherry on the sundae. D’Onofrio also commented that Jon Bernthal would play a huge part in the series. This has led many to believe that the Punisher is going to be the main antagonist.

It’s hard to speculate what a second season (or fifth, depending on how you look at it) might entail. Especially without having watched the first one yet. But there is one thing we really hope for. So far, it looks like Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson, who play Karen Page and Foggy Nelson, respectively, won’t be in season one. They were an integral part of the Netflix Daredevil series, and removing them seems like a big mistake. We hope that if season two does get underway soon, both of those actors can return. The law firm of Nelson and Murdock is just not the same without Nelson and Page.

Daredevil: Born Again premieres on Disney+ in 2024.

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Any news out of the MCU is a big deal. But this latest casting tidbit is sure to reverberate. A new report says Daredevil‘s Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio will reprise their Marvel roles as Matt Murdock and Kingpin in the upcoming Disney+ series Echo. Here’s what we’ve learned about this Daredevil and Echo crossover.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cox and D’Onofrio have joined the cast of the Hawkeye spinoff series Echo. The show, currently shooting in Atlanta, will follow Alaqua Cox’s character Maya Lopez. Hawkeye introduced the character to the MCU and saw Maya shoot her former boss and friend, Kingpin. The series also marked D’Onfrio’s first time appearing in the MCU proper after he originally played the notorious crime boss on the Netflix Marvel series Daredevil. That’s where he famously went up against Cox’s attorney/superhero Matt Murdock.

Like D’Onofrio, Cox also made his MCU proper debut last year. He appeared as Peter Parker’s Blind lawyer in Spider-Man: No Way Home. (Where we saw why he’s a very good attorney.) Since then all of the former Netflix Marvel shows have found a new home at Disney+.

If this report is true it would answer our question over whether or not Kingpin actually died in the Hawkeye finale. However, it does not tell us whether or not the Daredevil characters are the same exact versions we’ve seen in the MCU. The original portrayals might now be Variants from a parallel world. And while another rumor about the show won’t do much to clarify that, it will make fans of The Defenders happy.

THR says that on Echo, Cox will be looking for a former ally. And according to The Weekly Planet Podcast, that ally will be none other than Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones. If that’s the case, it makes perfect sense why all of these performers will be joining Echo. The show will reflect some of the best Marvel characters who made their mark outside of the MCU.

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It’s finally here! After five fantastic episodes and a bunch of MCU-shifting moments, the finale of Hawkeye has arrived. Yes, [redacted] is in it and, of course, [redacted] happened. So if you’ve watched episode six and are ready to dig into those spoilers then read on! There’s a lot to catch and break down so make sure you’re all caught up before reading any further.

Some Sharp Duds

The episode begins exactly where any fan would want it to: Kingpin, Kingpin, Kingpin! And as we first meet him, he’s wearing his comics accurate costume. That’s the cane, slick white jacket, and purple pants he rocks as he chats to Eleanor Bishop.

“We’ve had a good relationship, haven’t we?”

If you’ve been wondering just what Eleanor and Wilson Fisk’s relationship is then Hawkeye‘s finale answers that immediately. The pair have been working together for years. It turns out that Kate’s father, Eleanor’s husband, owed Fisk a ton of money. So Eleanor has been doing his bidding for almost two decades.

ELEANOR, YOU DID WHAT?

Yep. As she chats with Kingpin, Eleanor casually reveals that she “dealt with Armand.” So either she murdered her future father-in-law or hired someone to do it. Oh and we were right, Jack is wrongfully taking the fall for Sloane Ltd. Eleanor, how could you do that to Tony Dalton?

Dragons of Despair

In a nice nod to their LARPing friends, as Kate and Clint chat in Grills’ apartment, we see a big poster for the classic 1985 Dungeons & Dragons series. Written by Tracy Hickman, Dragons of Despair launched the 16 book strong series of Dragonlance adventures.

“Every time I think I’m ready to give up my trick arrows, they make a surprising comeback.”

We get some powerful trick arrow time during this episode. As Kate and Clint prepare for their big showdown they team up to make some more of the famed weapons. We see them crafting a bunch of comics accurate and new arrows. If you want to get an idea of the kind of arrows they’re making, the above page from the Marvel Universe Handbook is a fun thing to reference.

Kate Comes Clean

In a touching moment, Kate shares her memory of the Battle of New York with Clint. It’s a sweet and vulnerable scene for Kate and cements her relationship with Clint. Usually, though, this emotional reveal comes before a tragedy, so we’re not feeling good about what comes next.

Lookin’ Good, Wilson 

In another comic book nod, we get Wilson in a snazzy Hawaiian shirt with his signature white suit. This is taken directly from Amazing Spider-Man: Family Business #1. With his diamond cane and a gala playing a major part in the storyline, this feels like a really influential issue on the finale. 

That Shiny Christmas Tree

Look, if we hadn’t just mainlined multiple viewings of Spider-Man: No Way Home, we would not include the Rockefeller Center’s famed tree. But seeing as this was the last place we saw Spider-Man swinging in his brand new suit, we had to bring it up! Doesn’t it look pretty?

Christmas Tree Owl

While in the Rockefeller Center tree, Clint spots an owl. That’s a classic ripped from the headlines nod. Last year, a very small owl hitched a ride on the massive tree from upstate New York to Manhattan. After discovering the feathered creature, rescuers saved the owl and released it safely back into the wild.

Kate’s Comic Book Costume

After that frankly delightful tête-à-tête in the elevator with Yelena, in which Hailee Steinfeld and Florence Pugh prove why they’re the best ship in the MCU right now, Kate reveals her comics inspired costume. The rad purple and black suit looks just as good on the screen. And in an art imitating life imitating art moment, the current Kate Bishop Hawkeye comic recently introduced the  MCU suit!

Long Live Swordsman

Sure he might not have ended up being the deep-cut Hawkeye mentor we hoped for, but Swordsman is still a total joy. Tony Dalton goes wild with his sword, fighting off the Tracksuit Mafia. It’s a super fun nod to his comic book backstory and lets Dalton once again show why he’s become a fan favorite in this season. Long live Jack Duquesne!

The LARPers Live Up to Their Names

We’ve talked about how each of the LARPers have comic book aliases. And while they don’t get comics accurate suits they do get a little super-powered moment. They rock their newly created costumes to help save civilians from the Tracksuit Mafia.

So Spider-Man Was Definitely Set Before the Finale Then?

As we mentioned before, Spider-Man: No Way Home ends with Spidey flying past that big ol’ tree. But we see that tree get decimated here during this fight. So either that took place during a later Christmas season or prior to the Hawkeye finale. Ah, the MCU timeline, isn’t it fun?

Clint’s Secret Avengers Costume

Just like Kate, Clint gets a comic book accurate costume this week too. While it’s technically a new design for the MCU, it takes heavily from the 2013 Secret Avengers series. It was a look that continued on in different forms into the David Aja and Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye series that influenced this show.

“I’ll have to ask Scott about that.”

Seeing as Clint just casually has a ton of Pym particles laying around, it was inevitable we’d get another Ant-Man nod. After Clint shrinks the Trust A Bro van, leaving all the Tracksuits inside, he refers to Scott as the only person who’ll know how to get ’em back to normal. Alas, before that can happen, that owl snatches them up, which is actually pretty bleak.

Oh, That’s the Real Kingpin

While Netflix’s Daredevil introduced viewers to a grounded and gritty world, here we’re seeing Kingpin straight out of the comics. In those iconic stories Kingpin was superpowered. And while we saw his strength in Daredevil, here we see him rip a door off a car and then get hit by that same car through a plate glass window and he’s absolutely fine! This easily makes him one of the most formidable foes in the MCU right now and we cannot wait to see more. But, of course, how much more will be defined by whether or not Echo managed to kill him in their showdown. Seeing as how he survived everything else this episode, we think the odds are good he’ll return.

“We’re family.”

But, of course, how much more will be defined by whether or not Echo managed to kill him in their showdown. Seeing as how he survived everything else this episode, we think the odds are good he’ll return. Also this moment was a nice visual nod to the Daredevil issue where Echo debuted.

Black Widows, Black Widows Everywhere

There are a whole bunch of Black Widow references this week. Clint and Yelena bond and fight over memories of Nat, which include references to Vormir, her death in Endgame, and the Black Widow movie. It’s a huge moment for Yelena, who finally comes to learn (most of) the truth about her sister’s death. Clint also gets to share how much of an impact his partner had on his life.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

We return once again this week to the Barton family homestead. Yes, the horrific site of Clint’s entire family being blipped away is now the cutesy home they all share. With Kate’s mom now presumably in prison, the elder Hawkeye takes Kate back home and the pair spend Christmas with his family.

“You’ll never guess what was found in a black market auction in New York.”

Looks like the theories were right folks: Laura Barton is the MCU’s Mockingbird. How do we know this? Well, that would be the watch that Clint gives her. That Rolex did belong to Laura and on the back it had a S.H.I.E.L.D. logo and the number 19. In the comics, Bobbi Morse, a.k.a. Mockingbird is Agent 19 of S.H.I.E.L.D. So yes, we think it’s safe to say this is a thing now.

Don’t Forget That Mid-Credits Scene, Baby

If you were one of the many fans of the Rogers the Musical number “Save the City,” you’ll be pleased with the mid-credits scene. It’s the full number complete with dancing and effects. So if you’re a musical lover then live it up. Also, you get a nice cameo from one of the song’s composers, Marc Shaiman, who we see as the conductor here. We could do this all day!

Those All Important Thanks

The only new creator this week is Don Rico. Interestingly, as a co-creator of Black Widow we’d have thought he’d have been thanked in previous episodes, but this is his first appearance. We’re not 100% sure why it took this long, but it could have something to do with an ongoing legal battle between his estate—and numerous other creators—and Marvel.

That’s all, folks! Thanks so much for following along and see you for more hot eggs in 2022!

Featured Image: Marvel Studios

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It’s that time again. Hawkeye is here and that means we’re ready to break it all down. The newest episode, “Ronin,” is heavy on character beats and lighter on Easter eggs. But it still had some fun nods and references as well as a lot of interesting connective tissue. Plus we get a huge reveal in the episode’s final moments, so make sure you’ve watched before you read on.

Back to Black (Widow)

The episode begins with voiceovers from the Black Widow movie. Yelena and Natasha talk about the Black Widow program and the way they freed their fellow widows.

So That’s Where Yelena’s Been

From there the show jumps back to 2018. We see Yelena and another widow, Sonya, who’ve been curing their colleagues. But when they attempt to help a woman named Ana, they learn she was never brainwashed. She just loved killing people, apparently. Even still, she chats with them about their plan and how it’s going. But when Yelena goes to wash her hands, she’s shockingly blipped thanks to Thanos. But we’ll get to that in a minute…

It’s Probably Nothing But We Thought We Better Mention it

Before we get to the Blip, which we see here in a whole new light, let’s talk about Ana. While there’s no Black Widow called Ana in the comics, there is a Black Widow character who was a neighbor of Natasha. While it seems like it might be a coincidence, she was a beaten woman who struggled under the brutality of her husband. And when Yelena and Sonya go to save her they state that they thought she was the prisoner of an abusive rich man. So it seems like a nod.

It’s not just Ana either. There’s also a potential Secret Empire connection here too as Sonya could be a reference to a character with the same name who was part of that villainous organization. Hawkeye has taken a lot of joy so far in bringing in vital character names—like the Death-Throws being repurposed as the LARPers—in new guises, so we had to include this one too.

What It’s Like to Be Blipped

When we see Yelena get blipped, she turns to dust as we’ve seen many times before. But what’s completely new and cool here is that we see her come back. For those who’ve been blipped it was mere seconds and they were back almost instantly. Or at least that’s how it felt to them. As we rejoin Yelena in Ana’s apartment, we’re back in the present and so is Yelena.

Avengers No More

You know how we love to look into an outrageous number here at Nerdist and our first one appears in Kate’s apartment. As she and Yelena have a little tête-à-tête about macaroni, we see that a clock in the background is at 5:03. That’s actually a really important number in Avengers canon. Why? Well, Avengers #503 was the last issue of the ongoing title before a relaunch. See, at the end of that series the Avengers were Disassembled… just like they are in the MCU. Fun!

“My Daddy Says It’s Good for You”

As Yelena tries to feed Kate, she references her dad, the Red Guardian. Apparently he says that mac and cheese is good for you, which… sure! It’s also a little nod to Black Widow, where baby Yelena asks for mac and cheese for dinner. Also, is anyone else sensing some chemistry between Yelena and Kate? Could this be the MCU’s newest queer ship? We’re here for it.

Is Jack a Good Guy?

Sorry but it seems incredibly easy for Eleanor to prove Jack is a criminal. As he’s arrested he promises he’ll clear his name and that he’s been framed… and we believe him. Could Eleanor have used her handsome beau to hide her dodgy dealings? By the end of the episode we’ll be about 100% sure that is definitely the case! How could she?!

R.I.P. Natasha

One of the unexpected things that Hawkeye has been most concerned about is the legacy of Black Widow. That comes into play even more here as Yelena begins to set Kate straight about the reality of who saved the world. Once again, this is about memorializing Natasha and reminding us all of Clint’s violent past as Ronin. That also continues as Clint goes to the Avengers Memorial to talk to his dead best friend.

The Battle of New York Memorial

“On this site in 2012 during the Battle of New York, the Avengers first assembled. Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Thor Odinson, Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton.” It’s also numbered as NYC Historical-Cultural Monument 325. If you’re wondering what Avengers issue that could correspond to, then strap in, you’re in for a ride. The 1990 issue #325 features a party thrown by Sersi at Avengers Mansion. A nefarious set of villains brainwashes the service staff to kill the heroes and their guests. Maybe this is foreshadowing for Eleanor’s Christmas party, but it also could be a random number. Either way, check out this absolutely bonkers ’80s issue.

Kate’s Corkboard

We finally get a confirmation of the year here: it’s 2024. That’s confirmed by the invite to Kate’s mom’s Christmas party. There’s also some names like Missy Parker, a set decorator on Hawkeye and The Avengers. Love the crew shout-outs these shows build in so well.

Oh No, Not the Big Guy

Clint calls Laura and quickly mentions “the big guy” again. Clint seems to think that if he doesn’t end the battle tonight then the “big guy” is going to get involved. This definitely seems like another Kingpin nod, but why would he have anything to do with Ronin? Unless Ronin was actually working with or for Kingpin. That would line up with Kingpin being the one behind Maya’s dad’s death like he is in the comics. But it would add more questions to the Ronin persona, seeing as Kingpin is the most famous crime boss in New York. Another more simple option could be Nick Fury getting involved with the watch being lost if Laura was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. But why would Clint be scared of him? We think this is definitely another Kingpin tease.

“I’ll Always Understand Better Than Anyone Ever Could”

The reason for Clint calling Laura is he now thinks he has to kill someone else. It seems like he’s planning to kill Maya, which please don’t do that. Laura shockingly supports his vague murder insinuations, and then after another mention of the watch says “I’ll always understand better than anyone ever could.” Laura! That sounds like something an assassin would say. Basically, this definitely supports our theory that Laura has a shady violent past.

The Truth Behind Echo’s Trauma

During another epic fight sequence in which Alaqua Cox once again cements herself as an action star, a horrible truth comes out. According to Clint, her father’s death was ordered by her boss who tipped off Ronin. And it was done via one of his lackeys. Maya begins to put two and two together when she realizes that Kazi wasn’t there the night of Ronin’s attack. But could it really be her best friend and her father’s number two? It would be a heartbreaking reveal if so.

KINGPIN!!??!!!???

Ahhh, it finally happened. The man that we’ve been worried about the whole time—even earlier in this piece—has finally arrived. The Kingpin is here. Played by none other than the icon, the legend Vincent D’Onofrio. Yes, the Netflix Marvel TV shows are now canon and Kingpin is our connector. The worst part is that the reason we see him is through a text from Yelena. She claims that Eleanor was the one who hired her to kill Clint. Sending a photo as proof, Kate asks Clint who the man is in the picture with her mother and of course… It’s Kingpin! Wow.

Thanking Those All Important Creators

Only one new name this week and it’s John Romita Sr., the co-creator of Kingpin alongside Stan Lee, who’s already thanked for his co-creation of Hawkeye.

The credits also confirm a couple of things: Kingpin is being played by D’Onofrio which we thought, but the photo was blurry so nice to get that confirmation. And this week we met Detective Rivera who is another cop character from the Kelly Thompson and Leonardo Romero run. She first appeared in Hawkeye #2 from 2017.

Featured Image: Marvel Studios

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If you’ve seen Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse already, chances are your ears perked up quite a few times in the “Hey, I know that voice!” fashion. The cast is stacked with a ton of famous actors, some you may recognize right away, and others more subtly disguised. With that in mind, here’s a guide to all of the celebrity voices in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, for your convenience. (But if you haven’t seen the film BEWARE OF MAJOR SPOILERS from this point forward. We’re warning you—it’s worth the surprise!)Miles MoralesOur film’s central hero, who assumes the role of Spider-Man from Peter Parker, is played by Shameik Moore. Moore is best-known for his role in 2014’s Dope.Gwen StacyGwen Stacy, or Spider-Gwen, the equivalent of Spider-Man in another dimension, is played by Hailee Steinfeld. Steinfeld is the Oscar-nominated star of True Grit and The Edge of Seventeen, who will next appear in Bumblebee.Peter ParkerThe film’s older and more-washed-out-than-we’ve-seen-him-before Peter Parker is played by Jake Johnson, who played the lovable, laughable Nick Miller on New Girl and appeared in Jurassic World.Peni ParkerKimiko Glenn plays Peni Parker, another version of Spidey from yet another dimension. Glenn is a Broadway actress who also plays Soso on Orange Is the New Black.Spider-Man NoirSpider-Man Noir, a detective version of Spidey from another dimension, is played by the incomparable Nicolas Cage. We don’t have to explain how you know Nic Cage.Spider-HamSpider-Ham, otherwise known as Peter Porker, an, um, pig version of Spider-Man, is portrayed by stand-up comic, former SNL head writer, and Big Mouth co-creator John Mulaney.Miles Morales’ familyMiles’ cop dad Jefferson Davis is played by Brian Tyree Henry, who was recently terrifying in Widows and is consistently charming on Atlanta. Meanwhile, his mom Rio Morales is played by Luna Lauren Velez. You’ve probably seen her on Dexter. Finally, Miles’ Uncle Aaron—also the supervillain Prowler—is none other than Mahershala Ali. Ali recently won an Oscar for his role in Moonlight, and will star on the next season of True Detective.Aunt MayPeter’s beloved aunt is played by the great Lily Tomlin, a legendary actress who’s starred in films from Nashville to Grandma, and who currently stars on Grace and Frankie.Mary JaneZoë Kravitz plays Mary Jane, Peter’s former love. Kravitz is known for the hit HBO series Big Little Lies, the new film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and has appeared on Californication.The villainsLiev Schreiber is Kingpin, the film’s big bad; Kathryn Hahn plays a female version of Doctor Octopus; Lonely Island’s Jorma Taccone is the new Green GoblinPeter Parker… againYeah, there’s another one. Star Trek and Wonder Woman‘s Chris Pine plays a Peter whose death inspires Miles’ to take up the Spider-Man title.Spider-Man 2099If that weren’t enough Spideys, Poe Dameron himself Oscar Isaac is Miguel O’Hara, or Spider-Man 2099, a beloved Marvel Comics character. Given that post-credits tease, we expect we’ll see much more of him in future Spider-Verse installments.And of course…The legendary comic creator Stan Lee, who recently passed away, turns in a posthumous cameo in Spider-Verse as a costume shop owner who gives Miles his first Spider-Man costume. Lee’s cameo almost didn’t happen, but we’re so glad it did; it’s one of his best—and most touching—yet.

Images: Sony

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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is almost here, and over the last few weeks we’ve been looking at some of the cast of brilliant heroes from Spider-Gwen to Peni Parker to Spider-Ham to its star Miles Morales. But as we get ever closer to the release date, we thought it was about time to explore the antagonists of the epic animated adventure, especially as the film includes some of the most iconic Spider-Man villains of all-time.

Kingpin

Though Wilson Fisk is probably best known for being an adversary of Matt Murdock A.K.A. Daredevil, he was first introduced in Amazing Spider-Man #50 as an antagonist for Peter Parker. In main Marvel continuity, Fisk is a notorious crime boss who rules the streets of New York City with an iron fist. In the Ultimate Universe, where Miles Morales’ Spider-Man first debuted, Fisk is the head of all corporate crime in the Big Apple. He’s also known as a brutal murderer, with enough corrupt friends in high places to avoid prosecution. In the film, Fisk is the man behind the multiverse-spanning threat that sees the Spider-Folks come together to save their worlds.

Green Goblin

Norman Osborn is arguably the best known of Spider-Man’s rogues gallery. The father of Peter’s best friend Harry, his alter-ego the Green Goblin first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #14 and was the result of Norman experimenting on himself. The latest film version (who can forget Willem Dafoe in the Raimi movies?) seems to take from the Ultimate Universe, which is where the demonic and monstrous version of Norman was first introduced. In the Ultimate timeline, Osborn was once again a brilliant scientist, but in that version he was attempting to recreate the Super Soldier serum for S.H.I.E.L.D. when his desperation to achieve greatness saw him test it on himself and become the terrifying Green Goblin.

The Prowler

A deeper cut Spider-Man character, this anti-hero made his debut in Amazing Spider-Man #78. The original incarnation Hobie Brown was an ally to the wall crawler, but in the Ultimate Universe he was Miles’ ne’er-do-well uncle and antagonist Aaron Davies. He was brought to life by Donald Glover in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and in the comics he tried to kill Miles after blackmailing him to help him defeat Scorpion. He died during the Ultimate run, but when Miles joined the main comic book continuity, Aaron was brought back to life in the 616 universe, once again becoming a massive threat to his young nephew. It looks like he’ll be back to his old villainous tricks in Into the Spider-Verse.

Are There More Villains?

The trailer revealed that these won’t be the only bad guys popping up in Miles’ movie, as we’ll also see some classic Spidey-Foes like: Doc Ock, the hyper intelligent scientist whose body was fused with a four-armed apparatus, giving him the appearance of an octopus; Scorpion, who made a cameo in Homecoming, was the subject of scientific experimentation and the recipient of an advanced body armor with a deadly prehensile tail; and Tombstone, Wilson Fisk’s trusty henchie and hitman who later becomes a crime boss himself. We may get even more iconic villainy, but we’ll have to wait until December 14 to find out!

Images: Sony, Marvel

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Fun fact about Edmonton, Alberta: the city is home to some seriously skilled cosplayers. Andrew Hook of Odin’s Keepers Cosplay shared photos from a team-up photo shoot he participated in as Kingpin from Marvel Comics. He was joined by fellow Edmonton cosplayers dressed as Daredevil and Spider-Man. I cannot stop imagining a world in which this is a series on Netflix. I mean, Spidey and Daredevil have teamed up in the comics before…

Anyway, let’s put the focus on the costums and the pictures. The dramatic lighting makes them powerful. Some portraits:

A handful of talented individuals came together for these pictures. Let’s run them down:
Spider-Man – E-Town Spidey
Daredevil – Cristian Eagle Guevara-Arguera from The Creed Cosplay
Kingpin – Andrew Hook of Odin’s Keepers Cosplay
Photos – Sol Woytowich of Hybrid Concepts Imagery

You’ll find more shots of Kingpin, Daredevil, and Spidey in the gallery below–including a few fancy photo manipulated options. Go take a gander and start writing your AU fanfic.

Do you cosplay or take photographs of cosplayers? Then I want to see your work so we can talk about highlighting your creations in a future Cosplay Friday gallery. If you’re interested, please get in touch with me at alratcliffe@yahoo.com and send hi-res photos you’d like me to feature. Be sure to provide credits for the cosplayers or photographers for each image because giving credit is good manners–bonus points if you include links to relevant Facebook pages or websites. Though I wish I knew all the nerdy franchises, I don’t, so please let me know who or what is being cosplayed.

Images: Sol Woytowich/Hybrid Concepts Imagery, courtesy of Andrew Hook

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By this point, I’ve played a lot of social deduction games, so much so that even just hearing the term “social deduction game” reminds me of all the Werewolf and Mafia clones and dozens of games that include hidden identity mechanics that fail to impact the gameplay in any meaningful way. So naturally, I wasn’t super excited when Good Cop Bad Cop was suggested at the party, but I quickly learned that it was far more than I had expected.

Good Cop Bad Cop still includes hidden roles, two teams, and player elimination, but it is much quicker than most social deduction games, and there are more opportunities for twists. For starters, each player is dealt three role cards, instead of one, which are either Honest or Crooked. The player’s true alignment is based on whichever card type they have the most of. So a player with a single Crooked role card and two Honest role cards is still considered to be an Good Cop.

As the game progresses, role cards will be revealed, slowly clarifying to the group who is good or bad. If the player is showing two Honest role cards there is still a chance they may be Crooked if their last card is the Kingpin.

The object of the game is to eliminate the leader of the opposing alignment; the Kingpin in the Crooked Cops’ case, and the Agent in the Honest Cops’ case. The Kingpin and Agent role cards are dealt out at the same time as all of the other role cards, and only those holding the cards will know who they are.

On your turn, you must perform one of the following actions: investigate another player by looking at one of their hidden role cards, equip yourself by drawing an equipment card at the cost of revealing one of your role cards, arm yourself with a gun at the cost of revealing one of your role cards, or shooting at another player with a gun you have already equipped.

Equipment adds a lot of surprise to the game, allowing players to gain information quickly, change players’ alignments, save themselves from danger, or even return eliminated players back to the game. Despite a hand limit, there are enough equipment cards for everyone to have a few, but there are only a handful of guns. Once a player has armed themselves, they must point their gun toward another player. On a following turn, they may choose to shoot at that player or change whom they are targeting. This creates a kind of standoff that escalates quickly and really adds to the drama.

Unlike many other social deduction games, Good Cop Bad Cop by Overworld Games builds a fantastic story arc in the short amount of time the game is played. The themes are a bit violent, but the art does not glorify it with graphic images. It is not terribly difficult to figure out who is who, but you will often be surprised by someone, which is find particularly refreshing. The game is pretty quick, so it’s recommended that you play a few times, which I thoroughly suggest you do.

As a final thought, I challenge our community to come up with a clever way to re-theme this game that would be more family friendly. Instead of cops in gun toting standoffs, why not something a little lighter like finger pointing and blaming someone for stealing from the cookie jar.

Featured image: Overworld Games

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