Who is Ronin Now?
April 18, 2007 | 1 Comment
Ronin joined the New Avengers last year when she helped them out in Japan. It was later revealed that Ronin was in fact Maya Lopez formerly known as Echo. She was good friends with Matt Murdock, in fact they had a off an on relationship for awhile. Lopez was raised by Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin after he killed her father.
She was born deaf, but with the gift of being able to reproduce anything she saw anyone do. This includes playing the piano, fighting styles, flying planes, etc. It makes her a formidable opponent, especially if she has witnessed someone fight in the past.
After revealing herself to Captain America, Iron Man, and the rest of the New Avengers, she returned to Japan to infiltrate the organized crime group “The Hand”. When Civil War broke out shortly after, her contact with the Avengers was broken.
Following Civil War, she contacted Matt Murdock as she feared being captured or defeated by Elektra (leader of The Hand). He in turn told Iron Fist, who told the New Avengers she needed help.
By the time the new New Avengers arrived in Japan, Maya had been killed and resurrected by Elektra. Clearly Elektra intended to convert her to The Hand’s cause.
The interesting thing about all of this, Ronin arrived with the New Avengers. So the question is, who is Ronin now? Considering the fact that she contacted Murdock to help her, that’d be my initial guess. However… The picture to the right shows Maya and Ronin’s first interaction which seems to indicate this is not Matt…
The only other hints come from author Brian Michael Bendis in a Newsarama interview: “It’s someone with a long history in the Marvel Universe. There are quite a few people it could be, and it’s not necessarily the person you immediately go to, but it’s someone I have an affection for who also has a history of donning a guise that best suits his or her mental tone. And this is his or her mental tone right now. And it just so happens there is a costume that needs filling and a person who can fill it, and so it’s taken.”
If I was to take bets, these are the odds I’d give on who Ronin will turn out to be:
Clint Barton (Hawkeye) - 3:2
James “Bucky” Buchanan Barnes (Winter Soldier) - 3:1
Nick Fury - 5:1
Sharon Carter - 20:1
Jessica Jones - 40:1
Frank Castle (Punisher) - 50:1
Marc Spector (Moon Knight) - 100:1
Matt Murdock (Daredevil) - 250:1
Wade Wilson (Deadpool) - 500:1
Tony Stark (Iron Man) - 10,000:1
Steve Rogers (Captain America) - 1,000,000:1
Tags: avengers, bendis, brian michael bendis, bucky, captain america, civil war, clint barton, daredevil, deadpool, echo, elektra, frank castle, hawkeye, iron man, james buchanan, jessica jones, kingpin, luke cage, marc spector, marvel, matt murdock, maya lopez, moon knight, new avengers, nick fury, punisher, Ronin, sharon carter, suit, the hand, tony stark, wade wilson, wilson fisk, Winter Soldier
A Darker Spider-Man
April 15, 2007 | 2 Comments
I am certain that putting Spider-Man back in the black suit was primarily a marketing ply to bring him inline visually with the new Spider-Man 3 film coming out this summer. It can’t help but sell comics if the book on the newsstand looks just like the character on the big screen.
However, I have been pleasantly surprised by how they are playing out this change in the books. First of all, in the wake of Civil War, Aunt May was shot by a sniper hired by the Kingpin. All evidence indicates this bullet will be lethal, but for now she hangs on, in a coma, sustained by life support. He vows to avenge her by all necessary means. In fact, as you can see in the image on the left, he intends to find who is responsible and he “is going to kill them”.
Additionally, Peter Parker decides not to take the pardon offered by new director of S.H.I.E.L.D, Tony Stark/Iron Man. This leaves him as a criminal fugitive in defiance of the Superhero Registration Act. As part of this he remains a member of the New Avengers who are now made up entirely of heroes in a similar situation. Now led by Luke Cage, the New Avengers are made up of Wolverine (Logan), Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), Iron Fist (Danny Rand), Ronin (unknown), Echo (Maya Lopez; formerly Ronin), and the surprise addition of Doctor Stephen Strange. This is a group who are known far more for street level crime fighting as opposed to global/galactic/cosmic level events. They start right out fighting Elektra and The Hand, but Spider-Man is here to fight the Kingpin’s crew.
This newly formed team is certainly darker, with a much more aggressive take on crime fighting. The US government considers all of them criminals and this combined with their plans, means they will be taking out their aggressions in potentially lethal ways. I would not want to be a street thug in the Marvel Universe with these guys out for vengeance. The image below shows that they are not implying this, but stating it outright.
Al of this leaves us with a Spider-Man who has turned to much darker tactics. His life has taken a dark turn. So… using the black costume as a symbol of his new stance both to fans reading the book and to criminals he will encounter in the Marvel Universe is a nice and accurate touch. Again, the marketing aspect of this change had me a bit hesitant about their decision to make this change, but I’m loving the story lines that are emerging.
Tags: "black suit", "Spider-Man 3", aunt may, avengers, danny rand, dark, doctor strange, echo, elektra, iron fist, iron man, jessica drew, lethal, logan, luke cage, marvel, marvel universe, maya lopez, new avengers, power man, Ronin, shield, spider-man, spider-woman, stephen strange, the hand, tony stark, vengeance, Wolverine
Avengers, New and Mighty
February 22, 2007 | 9 Comments
In the wake of Civil War, the Avengers are left split into two teams. These will be the New Avengers and the Mighty Avengers. Little is known about either, especially considering Civil War has not yet completed. However, the cover for Mighty Avengers has been revealed, and the first issue with the new New Avengers is out!
We do know that Brian Michael Bendis will be writing both books. Leinil Yu will be drawing New Avengers and Frank Cho will be drawing Mighty Avengers.
Here’s what the teams are looking like so far:
Mighty Avengers
based entirely off the cover art
- Ms. Marvel - leading the team
- Iron Man - is this Tony Stark? I have my doubts…
- The Sentry
- Ares
- Wonder Man
- Wasp
- Black Widow
New Avengers
- Luke Cage (returning)
- Spider-Man (returning, now in black suit)
- Wolverine (returning)
- Spider-Woman (returning)
- Maya Lopez/Echo (returning, no longer as Ronin)
- Iron Fist - no longer wearing the Daredevil costume and clearly the new money for this group.
- Doctor Strange
- Ronin - not Maya, so who’s Ronin? They imply it is “not quite” Matt Murdock. Could this be Nick Fury? Captain America? Sue Storm? Some other lesser known disenfranchised character?
I find the Mighty Avengers to be the more surprising of the teams. Lots of old characters being brought back to the main stream.
Early indications say that Mighty Avengers will be the more government acknowledged team addressing the massive universe effecting events.
New Avengers are a darker more street level team with a concentration on fighting crime. The art styles do a great job of immediately indicating that distinction as well.
Tags: ares, art, avengers, bendis, black, black widow, brian michael bendis, captain america, civil war, comics, daredevil, doctor strange, echo, iron fist, iron man, luke cage, marvel, matt murdock, maya lopez, mighty avengers, ms marvel, new avengers, nick fury, Ronin, sentry, spider-man, spider-woman, spiderman, spiderwoman, sue storm, tony stark, wasp, Wolverine, wonder man