I feel like this should be a reality show. Will YOU be the NEXT....MAN WITHOUT FEAR?! Well the answer is clearly no because, like me, you will pee yourself the first time you jump off a building and that isn't a good look when attempting to strike fear in the hearts of that villainous lot stalking the streets of New York City. So who is suitable to fill the red boots of a blind super hero turned criminal ring leader? Team Marvel has some ideas. I've got some thoughts on their picks, but they aren't based on current comic readin's since New Avengers and Wolverine Origins ended, Thunderbolts is no more and She Hulk is caput, leaving me waiting for new trades of New Mutants, X-Force, X-Factor and Deadpool which don't seem to intersect with the parts of the Marvel Comics Universe in which these big events happen. Anyway, here's my 2 cents...
Falcon - Seems like the most logical choice! Lori hit the nail squarely on the head when she said this character is ready for greatness after a much needed dusting and jump start with an excellent writer wrapping Falcon up in some old school detective stories with a healthy dose of lust, murder and super crime on the street level. Most people forget Falcon ran alongside Captain America at one time!
Gambit - I know the ladies love the Cajun, but I don't recall EVER reading a decent story with him at the front of it. Maybe its his time? Like "Alias" with Jessica interacting with her Avengers friends from time to time, Gambit's story lines could include drop ins from the X-iverse (good and bad) as well as a new life for the character on the New York streets interacting with the heavy weights who live there. I'd be down for that read.
Black Panther - Did he get kicked off the throne or something? I always thought Panther had a bit of an attitude, like Namor light. I'm not sure bringing this character to the NY streets is even logical, considering his previous role in the scheme of things. Then again, I barely know a thing about the character and haven't seen him in any of the last big events (World War Hulk, Civil War, Skrull Invasion) so I can't say I care much about him at all at this point.
Nova - OK...I read Annihilation. Isn't NOVA a little TOO powered up for this gig? Of course he'd have no fear!! The fucker can fly through space and destroy star ships!! The Nova Corps should be Marvel's Green Lanterns. Let's leave the lot of them in space and start bringing Earth's Nova home for the big rumbles in the future, as Hal Jordan would do.
Kraven - This is probably the most interesting choice. If this is the old school Kraven just back from the dead, my immediate complaint would be he is too old. If we are going to have "Man Without Fear" be a sort of reboot with a new character taking on Daredevil's old enemies and patrolling his stomping grounds, I'd like someone younger in the role. That said, Kraven would make an EXCELLENT re-occurring character ...part mentor in the beauty of the hunt and part guardian angel, attoning for his past sins by watching over the new hero of the worst parts of New York City since Spider-Man would most likely tell him to fuck off. This would also keep him in Spidey's peripheral and create a little much needed tension and cross overs in the two books.
I've been collecting the art Marvel has been sending over and noticed parts of it connect a bit, so I'm including the big picture (or what there is of it) . Enjoy!
Oh thank you, internets. Now I know what to do with my chrome covered variants the world once coveted and now shuns, banishing them to the 50 cent bin, only to be rescued by me like some shivering puppy looking up at me soulfully as Sarah McLaughlin music plays somewhere in the distance. My world of mutants shall now have googly eyes and be gifted to future generations.
