#hawkeye 2012 my beloved <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[lifeonmvrs]

kate bishop, the better hawkeye

[Image Description: a digital drawing of kate bishop from the hawkeye 2012 comics by matt fraction and david aja. she is looking at the viewer with a neutral expression and leaning her upper body to the right. a hand is on her hip. she is wearing a purple headband, a purple shirt with a black crew neck long-sleeve t-shirt underneath, loose-fitting blue jeans, a black belt, and purple shoes that are barely visible under the hem of the pants. behind her on the left are a series of silhouettes of her in various shades of purple decreasing slightly in size as they get farther away from her. behind her on the right is a bullseye target in different shades of purple. the background is white but there’s an overlay that gives the whole drawing some black streaks and texture that mimics paper. /end ID]

[necrotic-nephilim]

ok so sending my question here bc this is more marvel comics than mcu related so im like. sliding you a note in class about an somewhat related but mostly tangential topic here 😂

so i've been wanting to get into bucky comics (and winter soldier comics) recently but as a dc fan now whose only marvel comics background is reading matt fractions hawkeye (the best ever, currently rereading it to feel something again actually) and part of wilsons ms marvel run back when i was in high school i have no idea where to start. you said that you have read comics for bucky; do you have any recommendations?

hello i love being slid notes this is so sweet <3 bc luckily Bucky is one of a small handful of characters i can *actually* give good recs for on the Marvel side of the fence! so i'm MORE than happy to give recs bc i actually already have a list i'm happy to share. also, BIG agree on Fraction's Hawkeye run, oh my god. that comic means *so* much to me and though i haven't really read Hawkeye comics outside of it, i love it a lot. 10/10 taste <3

so when it comes to Bucky, he has a *lot* of Golden and Silver Age comics as Captain America's teen sidekick and all. skip them. they're not worth it and they're not the version of the character you want to read. honestly, you should just start with his return as Winter Soldier, and go from there so

Captain America (2005) - this is Ed Brubaker's run, it's fantastic and it's the run that brings back Bucky as the Winter Soldier. i will warn you if you're used to DC comics, Marvel does this really confusing thing called legacy numbering. (DC sometimes does it but not as much) so you're gonna notice it'll jump from issue #50 to #600. you did not somehow miss hundreds of comics, it's just numbered that way bc it's the 600th Captain America comic overall. this run is super good though.

Captain America & Bucky by Ed Brubaker - once again numbering is weird just don't mind it. but this will give you a primer on Bucky's backstory as Cap's sidekick without you having to read all the Silver Age stuff and it's a great comic.

Captain America: Forever Allies (2010) - if you want to read where Bucky was Captain America for a bit, this comic is good for that. it also briefly touches on Secret Allies, a team he was on as a teen during the war. i'm not the biggest Cap!Bucky fun, but this is decent.

Winter Soldier (2012) - by *far* the best Winter Soldier solo run. Ed Brubaker my beloved. this is just amazing. this was where i started with Bucky and tbh if you vaguely understand his comics backstory and don't want to read all the Captain America stuff, i think you can start here. you get to see his relationship with Natasha, his spy work it's just. everything <3

Winter Soldier: The Bitter March - if you want to see a story that takes place during Bucky's time brainwashed under Hydra, that's what this one is and it's pretty solid

Thunderbolts (2016) - this comic is most known for the relationship between Bucky and a young girl who's a cosmic cube named Kobik and it's just so delightful. the whole team is really fun and explores moral greyness in superhero work, but mostly i love this one for Kobik.

Winter Soldier (2018) - i really enjoy this mini-series, it has Bucky trying to save a young boy who's forced to be a weapon and there's just a lot of good stuff. always have a soft spot for Bucky trying to do right by kids.

Falcon & Winter Soldier (2020) - a good team up mini-series. also Bucky has a cat so yk, that's delightful. <3

there are other Winter Soldier comics and comics he's in but Marvel's comic world is big and fucking confusing (to me as a DC fan, anyway) so these will be the easiest to start with. my top recs are probably Captain America & Bucky and Winter Soldier (2012), though i'm incredibly biased to any comic written by Brubaker for Bucky. i love Bucky so dearly. he is everything to me. i hope you enjoy!

[sword-of-summer]

hey hey hey, loki breakdown coming up,

so uhhh basically, I'll begine with a recap-

The Avengers of Earth 199999 travelled back in time to get the Infinity Stones to reverse the snap and they returned the Stones back to their original timelines just to ensure that there are no split Dark Dimensions where the above said reality is, as The Ancient One said, "their chief weapon against the forces of darkness".

Now, your beloved Captain America did return the Stones, yes, but because of the clumsy Avengers, yes, Stark, Nebula and Scott Lang to be exact, there were a few alternate Dark/weird timelines that evolved and remained unsolved as by the end of the movie.

Now, chief examples of these are -

The timeline where Loki used the Tesseract to escape, i.e., the upcoming Loki series,

The timeline where in 2014, there is no Thanos cause he travelled in time to Earth-199999 and got himself snapped,

And the timeline that Cap created just to have a normal life-

Now, The Loki series focuses on the first point I made, so yeah, let's begin.

The Marvel Multiverse has a section of Time Cops called The TVA, aka The Time Variance Authority, that is, these people oversee all the worlds and make sure no one screws up the future, the past, or the present and life continues as it is. Now, a background history from the trailer - The man in the lift is Mobius M Mobius, the director of TVA, and he controls everything, so he can blabber and tease Loki with no one to stop him - anyway, the TVA has an arch nemesis in the comics, ofcourse, cause we need supervillian duhh, and his name is Kang The Conqueror/Nathaniel Richards. This man, with the Collector, brought about the Contest of Champions, so we know he's no joke. Anyway, Kang is a time travelling warlord who brings his own self back from alternate timelines to work for him, this creating infinite Kangs, all ruled by a Kang Supreme at the end of Time. Now, what he desires is Chaos- he wants Time to be dissolved so that the only aura that exists is of Kang himself, aka The Conqueror- also, Judge Ravonna Renslayer, seen in the promos, is Kang's love interest- so, yeah, Kang is our best bet as a bigger villain-

So that was the comic part- now for the trailer. Apparently, the Avengers meddled in the timelines, but the TVA saw the other small broken timelines and needed someone to blame, and of course, it's Loki. Interesting fact is, they appear to be extracting some sort of timeline-setting-right work from him, cause someone is still messing with the Times, idk who but someone. Now, funny story - in the TVA conference room, they show Loki the iconic Avengers 2012 pose where Hawkeye draws an arrow and the other drama queens pose, but the second visual that is shown is of Loki rescuing Asgardian people during Ragnarok, which is fishy, because this Loki was just defeated by The Avengers in 2012, and he does not know about the 2017 events of Ragnarok.

So obviously, the TVA is showing him his future and will maybe show him his inevitable death at the hands of Thanos to get him to do their dirty work. So, as evident in the trailer, Loki visits alternate timelines, sets things right [somewhat]- So we see alternate worlds, mixed timelines, beautiful scenes, planets, it's just- hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh--

There has been footage of a fire sword- ARSON, hehehehehe, so, that's Lævateinn, Loki's sword from Norse mythology- another sword was seen strapped to his back? and I'm guessing that's Gram, Bane Of Asgard, his Truth Sword- it can force anyone to tell the truth- kinda ironic, as Loki lies all the time and HE gets a truth sword?????? apart from that, he has his knives- hhhhhh, his knives

Now, there's a hooded figure that appears and also there's been some speculation that Black Widow was the woman sitting on the bench in the trailer- but that's Lady Loki, guys, cause as we know, Loki is a gender fluid god, so he can and he does, so there's a "she" too, yay... now for the ending flight of the trailer - that is the legend of D.B. Cooper- he hijacked an American flight and stole money and parachuted, but the funny thing is even though the passengers gave a sketch and he wore typical rounded shades just like Loki does, in real life no one ever found him, just a couple of bills in the river where he parachuted- now that's where the series connects to this modern mystery, cause Loki looked just like the man, he parachuted, and when the Bifrost came, he left some bills, so yup that's another cool detail. Also the last reel is from the Loki Runs For President comic book, where Loki actually runs as a President for the USA- all of these are Variants of Loki, a manifestation of his Chaos as he navigates through timelines and realities and spreads his own brand of Mischief Magik- the new shot shows him being a diva in ancient Rome- so he caused Pompeii?!?!?!?!! we'll see- it was not a wise decision to give a god of mischief the power to time travel, sigh, bad move from TVA-

Now, my continuity opinion is that it will connect to Ant Man 3, aka Ant Man And The Wasp - Quantumania. Kang the Conqueror has been confirmed for Ant Man 3, and we know he connects to the TVA. Now, he bears an importance to the Quantum Realm - back in Ant Man and The Wasp, when Hank rescues Janet from the Quantum Realm, just before they go back to normal size, a brief glimpse of a miniature city is seen - a Quantum city - now this is most probably Kang's city, Chronopolis, inhabited by all Kangs and ruled by Kang, so he is the villian. Maybe Janet knows him, she survived all these years, and maybe she plans to thwart his plans of time domination using Quantum Energy. So maybe the Stopping Of Kang is started by Loki, but he being Mischief personified does little, so it continues in Ant Man 3.

Hoping for a Kang/Heimdall/Frigga cameo!!

thanks for reading, this got a bit too long--

[dailybuglenow]

WEDNESDAY, 5 AUGUST 2024. EDITED BY J. JONAH JAMESON.

BACK & BETTER THAN EVER, OR, A TALE OF REALITY WARPING & RESURRECTIONS 

Gone, but never forgotten. That’s what we’ve repeated to ourselves time and time again in the six years since the Mad Titan Thanos snapped his fingers ( an act we call the Cleanse ) and half the world dissolved into ash. It wasn’t until five long years later that a group of brave heroes reversed what he had done and restored the world to a shade closer to what it once had been. This was, of course, not without great costs having to be paid. When Thanos was finally vanquished for good two founding Avengers were laid to rest: Natalia Romanova, the Black Widow, and Anthony Edward Stark, aka Iron Man. News of their deaths were confirmed by a representative for the New Avengers the day following the New Avengers Facility battle against the Black Order that culminated in the largest hero team-up we’ve yet to see.

Natalia Romanova, more commonly known by the alias Natasha  Romanoff started her career in Russia’s infamous Red Room academy, which turns young girls into trained assassins. Romanoff’s ledger was made public in 2014 following the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the revelation that the Nazi organization H.Y.D.R.A. had been embedded in the agency for years. After being recruited to S.H.I.E.LD. by fellow Avenger Clint Barton ( Hawkeye ), Romanoff worked as an agent for years before becoming a founding member of the Avengers in 2012, where she continued to serve until 2016 when the Sokovian Accords were passed and stricter international restrictions were put in place. Although she originally sided with Stark and the government, following the Clash of the Avengers in Berlin Romanoff dropped off the map. She was spotted once in Russia before going on the run with the former Captain America, Steve Rogers, and his associate Sam Wilson ( the former Falcon who has recently taken up the Cap mantle -- for more, on this please see Christine Everhart’s article on page 3 ). Despite two years as an international fugitive, Romanoff fought in the Battle of Wakanda against Thanos and acted as the representative to the public during the Cleanse. One of the more vocal Avengers dead set on righting Thanos’ wrong, a New Avengers spokesperson confirmed that Romanoff died on April 26th, 2023 securing the Soul Stone from a classified location alongside Barton. She was laid to rest in a private cemetery with the Romanoff Scholarship for at Risk Girls being created in her honor shortly afterwards.

Anthony 'Tony’ Stark was always in the public eye due to his father, Howard Stark, being an inventor, scientist, engineer, businessman and movie director. The elder Stark created Stark Industries, which his son later inherited after his untimely passing. As an arms dealer Tony was taken hostage in Afghanistan in 2008 but freed himself by creating a suit of armor. Living with an arc reactor in his chest, Stark became the first superhero with a public identity as Iron Man and became a founding member of the Avengers. After nearly sacrificing himself in 2012′s Battle of New York, Stark remained active even though it was his actions that led to the creation of the villainous robot Ultron and the untimely destruction of a large part of the European nation, Sokovia in 2015. Many considered Stark’s actions to be an apparent disrespect to life and property and urged him make amends. As a result, Stark sided with the Sokovian Accords and urged other heroes to sign as well.  Because of this he and Steve Rogers had a falling out that lasted years as Rogers went on the run and Stark started the Stark Internship, whose inaugural recipient was high school student Peter Parker ( who was recently unmasked as Spider-man ). After going to space in 2018 to try and stop Thanos, Stark came home after briefly being presumed missing and largely vanished from the public eye. The failure of the Avengers to stop Thanos from the Cleanse was something not commented on by Stark, who chose to move Upstate with his wife, Stark Industries C.E.O. Pepper Potts, and their daughter, Morgan Stark. He came out of retirement to help retrieve the Stones and was the one to don a specially created Infinity Gauntlet to kill Thanos once and for all. Following his passing Stark was buried a few days after and the Stark Foundation for the Rehoming of those Disrupted by the Cleanse was created.

For the last year, the world mourned the losses of both Stark, Romanoff and other deceased heroes, such as the synthezoid known as the Vision who was killed by Thanos in 2018 when the Titan stole the Mind Stone from his forehead. Rumors began flying recently, however, when Avenger Wanda Maximoff ( the Scarlet Witch ) appeared to be spotted with a man who resembled the Vision. This set in motion what appears to be a new era in which what we lost has been returned to us. The New Avengers were able to confirm that it was, indeed, the Vision returned by means not yet confirmed. Mutants have been known for their resurrections as of late, but that seemed limited to their nation of Krakoa. It never seemed like something that we’d see in our world at large. Not until recently, that is.

On August 3rd, 2024, President Norman Osborn held a press conference that promised a sign of hope and change. Osborn’s Avengers, known as America’s Avengers, have been received with various degrees of public support. Along with him Osborn brought team member Star, who was recently revealed to be reporter Ripley Ryan. A controversial member, it has been revealed that Ryan possessed the Reality Stone from her home world of Earth-616 in her chest. “I don’t want to dip into the cliché and say that I live to serve,” she stated at the press conference. “but my goal is to be an Avenger for the people, and that means doing everything in my power to make the world a better place. Thankfully, I happen to have a lot of power.” This sentiment was echoed by Osborn, who pointed out that in the past the Avengers had failed as public servants and had instead caused more harm than good. He went on to add, “Instead of trying something futile like banning them once more, we’ve taken a new route. We’re leading by example, making good of our gifts. We’re making America a place you can feel safe and secure in. Consider this the first step.”

The ethics behind President Osborn’s following announcement have already been debated on popular social sites like Twitter as the public weighs on that which was once considered impossible: resurrection. That’s right, folks. You’re hearing it first here from the Daily Bugle that President Norman Osborn along with the help of Star has resurrected Natasha Romanoff and Tony Stark. The two were present at the conference and expressed gratitude for their return but remained, for the most part, silent and let Osborn speak. A call to the New Avengers confirmed that they were unaware of the President’s plans or the return of their teammates. We have reached out to Stark’s widow, but so far Ms. Pott’s has been unreachable.

“The last thing we wanted to do was dishonor Stark and Romanoff’s respective sacrifices, but this was a wrong that we knew we could right. Under careful supervision Star was able to achieve a great feat and there’s no ulterior motive or fear that reality will crumble. We’ve  worked with multiversal experts to see what it’s possible to achieve. We also won’t be pushing Iron Man or Black Widow to join America’s Avengers. They’re welcome to rejoin their old team or retire and enjoy the world they helped save. This is the power that heroes who work in the best interest of the people possess. This is a world that we can live in, and America’s Avengers are dedicated to continuing this notion. We hope you accept this offering and remember that we live in a world of possibility.”

As soon as the dust clears the Bugle plans on reaching representatives for Romanoff and Stark to try and get individual statements. Osborn spokeswoman Lily Hollister, who handles statements for America’s Avengers, has promised that more details will soon be revealed and that an exclusive interview with Star will take place. In the meanwhile, sources have reported that Stark and Romanoff have been taken to the New Avengers Compound in Upstate New York to reacclimatize. The Bugle will continue to update the story as it unfolds, but in the meantime we wish the best to our fallen heroes and hope they’re happy to see the world they died to protect. If we live in a world where the dead walk again, what will we become when life is no longer fleeting?

— Ben Urich, Daily Bugle News Senior Reporter

TOO MANY COOKS IN THE KITCHEN: CAP’S, THOR’S AND MORE. OH MY.

Captain America. Thor. Captain America. Thor. The names are likely to be familiar to anyone who follows the Avengers, but lately things have become a bit convoluted. Following the final battle against Thanos on April 26th, 2023 our beloved Captain America, Steve Rogers, retired and passed the shield off to friend and former Falcon Sam Wilson. In the year since we’ve reported the trajectory of Wilson’s attempt to get his footing as the public pushed back with the unfortunately popular hashtag #NotmyCaptainAmerica. Some have accredited the hesitation to embrace Wilson as Captain American as a racist statement due to Wilson being an African-American man, while others attribute it to an inability to let go of the old and embrace something new. Rogers, meanwhile, has voiced his support for his friend but has remained out of the debate for the most part. Old rumors have placed Rogers and the deceased Romanoff in a romantic relationship, and his withdrawal from the spotlight could be a direct result of her death and the two years he spent on the run as an international fugitive. An issue some have had with Wilson is that appears to be too ‘bipartisan’ to be Captain America, and they prefer the United States Government’s option to #takebacktheshield: John Walker. Walker stated that he was flattered to be considered but doesn’t step on any toes. Still, if Rogers picked Wilson as a replacement he must see something in him that the rest of the us should believe in.

Similarly, there’s a new Thor in town. Although we love Thor Odinson whether he’s rocking long hair or short, he seemed to fall on hard times during the Cleanse and has only recently resurfaced as a hero. In the meanwhile a new blonde, helmeted, Mjölnir wielding Thor has made an appearance. Although dubbed the Mighty Thor by some, public reactions to a female Thor has been mixed as preciously repeated. Despite this she has served as a New Avengers as of late even though it appears that no one knows her true identity. When asked if she had any inclination of who it could be, Asgard’s current King, the Valkyrie, scoffed and stated, “No, but she’s worthy so that must mean something. Asgardia needs the help she can get, and we seem to have a preference for beautiful sparkly blondes.” It not the most illuminating statement, and while it may be concerning that their leader doesn’t even know the name of one of their champions the Asgardian’s need a break after all the sorrow they’ve faced between Thanos and the mutants during the Avengers v X-Men conflict of last year. As for our original Thor, he’s been spotted in both Norway where Asgardia is located and around New York with a very large axe. As it stands we’re not totally sure of the relationship between the two Thor’s and why they share a name, but it only seems like a matter of time before some answers come to light. Some wonder if Thor Odinson will try to take the throne back, especially as reports about the Valkyrie’s drink continue to pop up. Welcome to Earth, Asgardians. Hope you like speculations.

I’m sure everyone has their preference on which Avenger they prefer, but I personally am open to trying something new. After all, we as people aren’t stagnate beings. Some things change and people do as well. It’s natural to see mantle passed from one hero to another as time goes on. Hero work is, in a strange way, a job and sometimes positions need to be filled. Of course, time will only tell how well these new faces hold up against the daunting legacies of those who came before them. If it counts for anything, they have the good luck of this reporter.

— Christine Everhart, Daily Bugle News Senior Reporter

IN OTHER NEWS:

Despite the passing of Kamala’s Law within the last few months, underaged superhero activity has remained at an all time. The black-suited web crawler Spider-man was recently spotted with his team, the Champions, in Brooklyn despite the fact that their teammate, Ms. Marvel, remains at large for her part in a recent incident at Coles Academic High School that left civilians injured. Recently registered underaged heroes include Ghost Spider, the two children of Reed and Susan Richards ( Franklin and Valeria Richards ), Billy Kapplan ( Wiccan ) and Nadia Van Dyne ( the Wasp ). The majority of the public has so far responded positively to the idea of underaged heroes requiring some form of accountability but response from the heroes has been negative. 

Go away, Guardians of the Galaxy! Not really, but most are scratching their heads over the fact that the intergalactic team that consists of aliens, talking trees and raccoons are still residing on Earth a year after Thanos was defeated. Members Rocket Raccoon and Nebula acted as honorary Avengers to help reverse the Snap, and when the Cleanse was undone their teammates Drax the Destroy, Groot, Mantis and Peter Quill ( Star Lord ) were returned to life. They are joined by former Daughter of Thanos Gamora and seem quite comfortable on our planet. Maybe it’s just part of our apparent alien invasion as the Shi’ar, Skrull and Kree still have dignitaries present. Looks like Earth is getting a little crowded!

[1000-directions]

Hello! You both give good advice and write Winterhawk, so I was wondering if you'd mind giving a few tips since I might want to start writing Winterhawk? Like, is one of them a raging disaster and the other mostly has themselves together? How do you see them? Which of them would break a (dumb) law and who would keep their dumb friend from getting arrested? I haven't read fics either so if you know of any that really nail their characters, I would also love that. Thank you!!

oh boy do i have a lot to say on this subject!!!

the thing about winterhawk is that they are both dumb beautiful oblivious idiots, but they are also both highly skilled and competent strategists and agents. there are certainly differences between the two characters, but i think what makes them so compelling is their similarities. they’ve both been brainwashed and forced to do horrible things that they would never do otherwise. clint was kept under loki’s thrall for three or so days and was indirectly responsible for hundreds of deaths (and directly responsible for maybe a few dozen). bucky was kept captive by hydra for seventy years and was involved in dozens of extremely sophisticated assassinations, including jfk. they’re both going to spend the rest of their lives trying to make up for things they did that they could not control that they still take responsibility for. they both have ptsd and nightmares. they are both still good, soft, loving people in spite of the terrible things that have been done to them. although they’re probably both down for a revenge spree to make sure the bad guys never get to hurt anyone else.

(they’re also both snipers. clint uses a bow and arrow, and bucky uses a gun. who is the better shot? it’s impossible to guess, they should definitely have a shooting contest to find out!! they should definitely bet on the results!! the loser should definitely have to take the winner out on a date!!)

they are also both canonically disabled. bucky lost his left arm and uses a prosthetic. clint is hard of hearing and wears cool purple behind-the-ear hearing aids (i realize that using the term ‘disabled’ for hearing loss can be fraught, but to my knowledge clint does not identify with the capital-D Deaf community, and his hearing loss is acquired after trauma and not congenital).

they also have their unique traits. clint has depression, and his life outside of work is always kind of falling apart because of it. clint is our good disaster boy who is trying his best, and his heart is always in the right place, and he is loyal and good and protective, but his life is a dumpster fire.

clint is 6′3 (tall!!!) and bucky is 5′9 (small!!!!!) and this is Very Important. clint has broad shoulders and really muscular arms and back because of archery, and bucky has real good thicc thighs Because We Say So.

clint has a one-eyed dog named lucky who he rescued after some assholes pushed him into oncoming traffic. bucky (sometimes) has a white cat named alpine, although he only started appearing in comics like eight months ago so not everyone is on board with this headcanon yet. 

uhhh also bucky is like over a hundred years old, and clint is like, i don’t know? in his thirties? i usually imagine him being in his thirties. but definitely not a hundred.

(in his defense, bucky looks extremely good for his age, but being cryogenically frozen by terrorists for long stretches of time will do that to you.)

“wait,” you may be saying. “i watched some avengers movies, and this does not sound like clint at all?” and, you know, fair point. the problem is that the first avengers movie came out in april of 2012. then, in august of 2012 matt fraction started writing the hawkeye comic book series which is extremely beloved and really deft and emotional and powerful and really changed how a lot of people saw the character, but it was really Too Late for any of that to carry over into the MCU. when people ship winterhawk, they sometimes mean movie bucky and sometimes mean comics bucky, but they almost always mean comics clint.

i realize this is confusing.

this is why you have to Read The Fic and Learn From The Masters.

here at Winterhawk 101, our reading list is pretty simple, and it is: the complete and unabridged works of @captn-sara-holmes, which can be found here. it is impossible to overstate how much sara is directly or indirectly responsible for pretty much every single one of us being here. like, we all go here, but she built here. i would posit that every single winterhawk writer joined fandom either because they read one of sara’s stories and fell in love, or because a friend of theirs read one of sara’s stories and they got yanked along for the ride (see below: winterhawk is a pyramid scheme).

i always suggest starting with clint barton’s super secret snipers’ club, which i think is a very accessible way into this fandom and basically a masterclass in what makes this pairing fascinating and compelling and tender and perfect. where you go after that is up to you. there’s time travel, kidapping, kidfic, this one amazing fic based on the martian that’s so good i don’t even know how to describe it, and plenty more.

study sara’s work. learn her ways. realistically, i think like 80% of us are just writing our stories based on her stories anyway.

but also! there are so many other people in this fandom creating amazing fics and fanarts, and it’s a fun and thriving and creative community full of people who are excited about making stuff and excited about people joining the community. there are always fandom events going on.

here is a link to the mcu bad decision buddies discord (18+ only, please), which is not officially a winterhawk server but…it is a winterhawk server. it moves fast sometimes, and some people can be a little feral, but it’s a great place to do writing sprints and to promo your work and to meet new people and ask questions.

the winterhawk reverse big bang wrapped up pretty recently, and there are lots of new stories and artworks available for you to put into your eyes!

@winterhawkbingo is going strong!

@mandatoryfunday is an amazing account that posts a new prompt every monday, and people spend the week creating arts and fics based on the prompt, to be posted on friday (or like…on saturday or sunday if you are me lol)

the winterhawk tumblr tag is always popping, and lots of fans track it or check it regularly. if you post a story there or if you ask a question about fandom, someone will find it, even if you have no winterhawk followers.

in conclusion

winterhawk is a pyramid scheme

it is, though. because the people who love this pairing love it so, so much, and it’s something you want to share with your friends. you get sucked into it, even if maybe you didn’t want to and you’d been actively resisting it because you were so sure you weren’t going to like it (am i talking about me? who can say?). and once you’re into it and your mind is blown, you start thinking of people you know who would also enjoy the unique kind of hurt/comfort, angst, recovery, catharsis, etc. that this pairing excels at providing. you’re gonna bring a friend along. you’re probably gonna bring a few friends along. and you’re all going to create cool stuff, and the fandom will keep growing and changing, and so there is new fan content being created constantly. it’s a very rewarding fandom experience. it really, really is.

anyway, both those idiots would break the law if it was dumb enough. clint’s the one who ends up in jail, but by the time bucky shows up to bail him out, clint’s already slipped his cuffs and charmed the secretary and escaped out the window in the bathroom. but he probably took three steps of freedom before tripping over his shoelaces and faceplanting on the pavement, and that’s where bucky finds him, passed out in the alley.

[watcher-of-worlds]

bruce banner fic recs

26/08/19 - i’m pulling these from my ao3 bookmarks - i dont use ff.net or read much fic on tumblr, so i may have missed some good ones! these are all pretty bruce-centric, though some have more focus on his relationships than others. they’re all also about mcu bruce.

[the ones in bold are just ones i’m pretty sure i lifted from other rec lists, so i think they’re pretty popular (fan favourites?)]

Sorry If You're Starstruck by heyjupiter (complete, 60k)

bruce banner/tony stark

“While recovering from an on-set injury (and the resultant problem with painkillers), billionaire playboy genius filmmaker Tony Stark sets his eyes on his next project--an adaptation of the Gamma Garcia books, a widely beloved young adult sci-fi series. The books' notoriously reclusive author, Bruce Banner, rejects all film offers, but he reluctantly accepts Tony's friendship. Their bond deepens into something more, even as personal and professional setbacks threaten their chance at a Hollywood happy ending.”

Multicolored by Trumpeteer34 (complete, 54k)

background pepper potts/tony stark; background thor/jane foster

“As the Avengers slowly grow closer to each other, they begin to notice some oddities about their resident gamma expert, oddities that he is not even aware of.

Prompt from tumblr user pushingcrazies: What if Bruce also had some of the more traditional (if there is any such thing) DID personality types/archetypes.  Obviously the Hulk is the Protector Archetype.  What if Bruce also had a child personality, or a punk personality, or….I dunno, I’m trying to think back to my psychology class and when I used to watch United States of Tara, but I’m coming up blank on some of the more common personality archetypes.  But you know what I mean.

 And, like, thanks to the Gamma radiation, each personality type would manifest itself in a physical variation of Bruce.”

Irreconcilable Differences by determamfidd (complete, 133k)

bruce banner/tony stark

“Bruce has been searching for a cure again, but Tony doesn't think the green guy is a disease. Abruptly, he's given everything he's ever wanted, and... well, it seems it's all more complicated than that.

FEATURING: Hulk -  Amateur Psychology Hour with Tony Stark -  Clint as a troll  - more Hulk -  Bruce as an angry introspective mess -  Hulk again -  Steve as Team Dad  -  Nick Fury as Nick Fury  - Hulk smash!  - Tony as a caped crusader for Hulk Rights  -  Rules, Rules, Rules  -  Natasha as the boss of everything  -  the Experimental Method (by T. Hulk) -   Thor as the God of Thunder and Frustration -   Tony as the king of the oblivious idiots - Stealth Sass Master Banner ...

...and a lot of figuring out who you really are.

And Hulk.“

by the light of all your bridges burning by branwyn (complete, 39k)

bruce banner/tony stark

“Bruce Banner is twelve years old. It's not an easy age. For anyone.”

Diminuendo by CrumblingAsh (complete, 4.3k)

bruce banner/tony stark; background bucky barnes/steve rogers; background natasha romanoff/steve rogers

“When there is just under a week left until the world is set to end, Bruce finds a man sitting on a sidewalk, shivering in the pouring rain.

And takes him home.“

These Walls Are Paper Thin by IamShadow21 (complete, 13k)

bruce banner & avengers team; bruce banner & hulk; hulk & avengers team

”When most people think of Bruce Banner and The Hulk, they think of it as an either/or situation and assume that it's easy to tell who they're face to face with.

Most people are wrong.”

Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be (series, 3 works) by Ravenspear (incomplete, 3.6k total)

bruce banner/tony stark; bruce banner & tony stark

“In a world that is a little bit darker, a little bit bleaker, Tony Stark is much less of a nice man. But he doesn't like bullies, and especially not ones who keep other people hostage to make weapons.

And that is how he meets Bruce Banner for the first time.“

In These Rough Hands by icarus_chained (complete, 1.3k)

bruce banner & steve rogers

“Bruce & Steve, and the fear of always being the last one standing.“

Your Mind's a Steel Trap (series, 3 works) by 44TayLo (incomplete, 62k total)

bruce banner & tony stark; bruce banner & steve rogers; past bruce banner/betty ross; past bruce banner/monica rappaccini; bruce banner/tony stark

“Bruce has an incredible mind. He's able to pick things apart and analyze something over and over again until he's examined it thoroughly. That's an extraordinarily convenient thought process for a scientist. Unfortunately, it's a horrible thought process for a man. Especially if that man is a monster.“

Perspective by MusicalLuna (complete, 1.6k)

bruce banner & himself; bruce banner & avengers team

“Tony shakes out the piece of paper inside and clears his throat. “Dear Hulk,” he reads, “You’re green. Green is my favorite color. I love you. Love, Gina.”

The fullness in Bruce’s throat only gets worse when Tony gives him a look over the top of the letter as if to say, How do you like them apples?”

Injection by sciencebutch (complete, 1.1k)

"Good becomes great, bad becomes worse."

take a step back and breathe by angelheartbeat (complete, 1.1k)

past thor/bruce banner

“Bruce Banner is the last person on earth.He'd always craved alone time. He never thought it would be so exhausting.“

The Marvel Fractions (series, 4 works) by Nonymos (complete, 175k total)

bruce banner/clint barton; clint barton & kate bishop

“Being a hero with no superpowers kind of sucks. Clint Barton feels out of place in the Avenger Tower; Hawkeye feels out of place in his Brooklyn apartment. It's not hell though. He's got friends on both sides of his life, and he never gets bored. Still – there's this deep loneliness inside him that nothing can seem to cure.”

After the whole Loki business, both sides of Clint feel a little out of step, and he tries to avoid aliens and giant monsters and world crisis in a whole. Problem is, he's not the only one to exist on several scales.

And who better than Bruce Banner to teach someone about dual nature.”

Sunrise over Manhattan by CharityLambkin (complete, 1.5k)

bruce banner & steve rogers; bruce banner & tony stark

“The morning after a long battle, Steve comes across a lump of post-Hulk Banner on the couch.  Comfort ensues.  Oh, and Tony wants in because, hey, can't forget about Tony.”

Resilient by CharityLambkin (complete, 37k)

bruce banner/tony stark; past bruce banner/betty ross

“Tony and Aldrich have built AIM from the ground up, but Extremis is proving tougher than either man expected.  Then, one day, Aldrich buys a new test subject from the U.S. Army, and Tony's day gets a lot more interesting.“

His True Colors by Nonymos (complete, 103k)

bruce banner/clint barton

“The battle of New York was a turning point for the entire planet – but especially so for Bruce Banner. This is a unique chance for him to find the Hulk a place in this world. It is a staggering hope, but unrealistic as it sounds, it might just come true.

And then his hesitant plan turns out to be too successful. Everyone including the Avengers apparently expect the Hulk to take his turn in the spotlight. But the more Hulk thrives, the more Bruce withers, and nobody seems to notice or care. When Loki extends a hand to him, he is fully aware it is a trick – but he has got nothing else to hold onto.

The Avengers realize just a bit too late how royally they screwed up. The sharp-sighted, ever-watching Hawkeye cannot blame himself enough for not having seen this disaster coming. Can they still be saved from Banner ?

Do they even deserve it ?

(The story is set right after the 2012 Avengers movie with slight EMH dynamics thrown in the middle.)“

[spacepaladinranger]

Engame Spoiler-y Review

READ THIS ONLY IF YOU WANT TO BE SPOILED. I just need to let my feelings out because I’m a nerd who has nothing better to do.

I don’t think the MC can make another movie like this. That is not to say that the MCE will never be able to make a film bigger or more spectacular than this, because they might. But it will never top the emotional impact of this film.

The MCU has been criticized (justly, I may add) to be series of “junk food” films – full of spectacle, but low on character development. This film is anything but that. The film feels more like a love letter to the characters and the fans. The spectacle was there, of course, but this time it was eclipsed by the small, minute scenes that give insight to our beloved superheroes.Before that, here are the films you probably should watch. Although the references are easy to spot, you might want to brush up on your knowledge of these films.

Avengers (2012)

Thor: The Dark World (I know. They really reminded us the worst MCU film exists lol)

Dr. Strange

Age of Ultron

Capt. America: TWS

Capt. America: Civil War

Iron Man 3

(EVERYTHING AFTER THIS IS SPOILER TERRITORY PLEASE STOP READING IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED. I MEAN IT.)

The film begins before the infamous Thanos snappening, with Hawkeye. The first scene itself was telling to what the movie aims to be. It was emotional and reminded us of the stakes – of what the heroes are fighting for. It was a good mood setter and on the get go, separates itself from Infinity War. If Infinity War was Thanos’ journey of gathering the Infinity Stones, then Endgame is the journey of the original six Avengers in their goal to undo Thanos’ handiwork. Now finally, I understand why this is not called Infinity War Part 2 – because it is not. The structure of the film itself is vastly different from IW because the focus is shifted from the plot to the characters themselves.And this was a tall order. We are talking about a decade long franchise of 20 plus films, all with their own tone and structure, and weaving them together into a coherent film with a solid plot and development is difficult. The Russo brothers, luckily, shine in this kind of storytelling. There is something so enticing with the way they handle the arcs of these characters without it feeling overly dramatic or feeling like a caricature. My second favourite emotional arc was Natasha/Black Widow’s story. Arguably, she had the biggest role to play in the Avengers’ success in the film.  Her sacrifice in Vormir to get the Soul Stone was gutting. I literally cried partly because no one expected her to die – she was never in anyone’s death prediction list – and partly because you expect a spy like her to be anything but self-sacrificing. Her fight with Clint/Hawkeye on who between them should be sacrificed to get the stone was hard to watch. They are bestfriends who are willing to die for each other; but they understand the necessity of the sacrifice because they are also heroes who have to do whatever it takes for them to win. Their dialogue was the best of the film, and Natasha’s “I don’t judge people on their worst mistake” is a sober reminder that these two go way back and has been each other’s strength and support all throughout the film franchise. It’s devastating to see Natasha plummet to her death, but it served an indispensable push for the heroes to succeed.

My favourite arc was Steve/Cap (SURPRISE! Lmao). Steve’s role was noticeably reduced in IW and this film made up for it in a major way. Let me just get this out of the way, but the styling team really did god’s work in dressing up Steve this film and the Russo brothers’, bless them, choice to have every outfit of Steve showcased is the very definition of fan service. It was gratuitous but honestly, I am not complaining. There was a running joke about Steve’s butt being “America’s Best Ass”™ (Thank you Scott Lang for that) and having Steve himself recognize it was not only satisfying to watch but also the truest, realest thing that has been uttered in the film. LolKidding aside, Steve’s journey was the most important. People argue that Tony was the foundation of the Avengers but it was Steve that kept them together. And Steve kept them together. It’s more than just him giving rousing, inspiring speeches – Steve has always served as the moral compass of the group. Somehow, Steve always knew the right thing to do, but it never felt deus-ex-machina esque, instead it always felt like it was coming from a place of wisdom and compassion. It’s not that Steve knows what to do, it’s just that Steve sees that there is something that can be done, and actually does it. Steve has always been a hero. That was the journey that was set-up for him since his first outing in the MCU, and Endgame paid that off big time. When Steve wielded the Mjolnir, I tell you, I screamed loudly. It was so satisfying to see this straight-laced hero being recognized as someone worthy. His toe-to-toe with Thanos was amazing to watch and really reminds you that Steve’s physicality and fight scenes are some of the best in all of the MCU. So when Steve returns to Infinity Stones in their proper timeline and decides not to come back to the present to, in his words, “live life”, I shed a tear. It was well deserved. This man who has been fighting wars all his life deserve a life of peace. Steve doesn’t die, but he gives up his mantle and gives his shield to Sam/Falcon. It was a good way to bookend his journey. And I am excited to see how Anthony Mackie handles this huge role in the future.

Tony Stark is the first Stark casualty this April. After his rescue from deep space, we find out that Tony and Pepper got married and have a daughter. When the daughter came to the screen, I knew immediately that Tony Stark is unlikely to survive. Tony dies a hero, sacrificing himself so that Thanos is defeated. It was Tony who wielded the stones to snap Thanos and his alien army out of existence, and his death, although emotional to watch, was really not surprising for me. Tony came to us first being this selfish, brash, genius billionaire and his journey ended with him making the sacrifice that deals the final blow against Thanos. 

Scott Lang shined in this film. His funny one-liners provide a welcome reprieve from the heaviness of the film. And he was actually instrumental in the Avengers winning. Nebula was also a stand out and played an important role in moving the plot forward. Who knew a robot had so many conflicting emotions lol. Kudos to Karen Gillan for bringing complexity to her character and I cannot wait to see her in future MCU films again. All the ‘dusted’ characters come back. All of them. And not just them everyone in the MCU almost made a cameo. Hoping this film rakes in billions because it’s probably expensive having so many of the cast in the same scenes. Haha.

Some stand-out moments:

1. Thor’s beer belly 

2. Wanda/Scarlet Witch and Thanos rematch (Thanos got beat, BTW)

3. The all-female team-up of Capt. Marvel, Scarlet Witch, Okoye, Pepper Potts, Valkyrie, and Mantis

4. Thor double wielding Stormbreaker and Mjolnir

5. Stephen Strange having like one line and being a badass

6. Spider-Man being… Spider-Man

7. Peter Quill being kicked in the balls by Gamora

8. Everytime the camera pans to Steven Grant Rogers

9. The close-up of Steven Grant Rogers’ ass

There are flaws to this film. But honestly, I leave that to the actual critics. It gave me what I wanted to see and showed me things I did not expect to see. It was emotional. As a fan who has watched all the films multiple times, as someone who obsessed over the details and made theories, as someone who holds these comic book characters close to my heart, I truly enjoyed this film. It was worth it.

[amberandmetal]

Thoughts on Endgame

Spoilers under the cut

Let’s start with the negatives to get it out of the way, yeah?

I can not believe they didn’t fix the travesty that was Loki’s death in IW. That big of a character? That character arc? A character that was only supposed to be a one movie villain yet became one of the most beloved characters of the entire MCU? You fully expect us to believe that the end of such an amazing character would be going at Thanos with a dagger and being killed off in the beginning of a movie? Like he was nothing? Insulting to Loki, insulting to the fans.

I can understand why they killed Nat instead of Clint, although I was fuming during that scene, I did not cry one bit, I was that pissed off. And yeah maybe the patriarchy has made me bitter and resentful but all I could think of was “You really gonna do that? Kill off the only female Avenger of the original 6?” and especially after how they have treated her character, giving her a new personality every movie. It didn’t feel right. Would’ve made more sense (to me at least) for Hawkeye to take the plunge and for Nat to dissappear at the end of the movie, just leaving never to be heard of again. It feels more in line with their characters. But maybe that’s just me.

Thor. Don’t even get me started on the dumpsterfire that is Thor’s character. Up until Ragnarök he was consistent, he made sense. Then ragnarök came and turned both Thor and Loki into cartoons, a character development that made no sense. And now the Russos finished Taika’s work by putting the final nail in Thor’s characterisation coffin by making him a parody of himself. And also, I am deeply dissapointed in the MCU for turning obesity into a joke. “Look, a fat Thor, how funny, ha-ha.” Oh, and let’s not forget that apparently panic attacks are comedy gold as well. Thor is not this cartoon comic relief and I will deny anything Thor related post-AOU until my dying day. 

They fucking screwed Banner in much the same way. They turned him into a buffon and a comic relief.

I actually had a feeling Steve would find a way back into the 40′s and settle down with Peggy. And even though I think that’s a perfect ending for him, to finally get what he wanted (because yeah Steggy is canon, Peggy is the love of Steve’s life, and Stucky and Stony are fanon, get it straight (badum-tss) people/ sincerely a Stony shipper), it raises way too many questions about the timelines. If Steve stayed with Peggy then wouldn’t that create a different timeline because even though a second Steve would still get woken from the ice in 70 years, there is Peggy and the husband and children she never had that she in the “normal” timeline already had. And if so then our Steve is in a different timeline so how tf did he end up in the “normal” timeline all those years later, like an old man. How did he swap timelines? Or does the Russos have another explanation for what happened with Steve’s time fiddling?

Tony’s death. I still haven’t cried about it because it’s so surreal. It’s like my heart mind won’t accept it. I love how they gave him the final line from the first Iron man movie as his last one ever, but it still.. yeah I can’t really go into it because I haven’t fully processed it yet. Joe Russo being a doctor in CATWS and now he was a survivor in group? Are we supposed to think it’s the same character? He didn’t act like it? Like what was that?

And for all of you complaining about how “Steve would never leave Bucky behind”, did you not catch on when Bucky said “I’m going to miss you”? I mean clearly Steve would not do something like this without talking it through with Bucky first and I can imagine Steve asked if Bucky wanted to do the same, and Bucky refusing. He has suffered way more trauma than Steve, plus a dude with a metal arm in the forties? Schyeah, no. And yeah, Steve did say to Sam that he “got to thinking” or something like that, like the decision was made when he was already back there, but maybe that’s just something he says to Sam. You don’t think Sam would feel hurt or left out if he found out Steve had planned on doing this without telling him? And Bucky fucking knew. Or else he wouldn’t have told Sam to “Come on, go on” to go over to Steve, otherwise Bucky would have fucking gone first. He wasn’t surprised. So either they talked about it beforehand, or they didn’t because they didn’t have to, but Bucky knew.

And lastly my thoughts on the time line conundrum: So let’s call the standard timeline timeline 1, and our original Steve for Steve 1. So Steve 1 goes back in time to be with Peggy, creating Timeline 2 (so the Sam and Bucky he goes to visit shouldn’t be Timeline 1 Sam and Bucky but Timeline 2 Sam and Bucky, but somehow he skipped?), how does this work when Steve 2 gets brought back from the ice and goes to find Peggy, who in this timeline is married to Steve 1? And then when Steve 2 inevitably finds himself in the same Endgame scenario as Steve 1 had done, he will go back in time in Timeline 2. Will that create a Timeline 3 and so on and so forth to eternity? Or will he find himself a.k.a Steve 1 already there with Peggy at the moment where Timeline 1 broke off into Timeline 2?... This is giving me a headache and needs it’s own individual post.. 

Okay now let’s get to the good stuff

I love  my blue queen. Nebula is just amazing. And I love how they brought Gamora back because this Gamora who hadn’t left Thanos and joined the GOTG yet will just bring so much to the next GOTG movie and I am HERE FOR IT.

The scene where everyone came back. Do I need to say more? Best fucking scene in the entire MCU. I cried like full on ugly crying, with the noises and shaking and “fuckfuckfuck what is going on onscreen, everything is blurry!” So powerful.

Our all female attack group to help Danvers get through the masses of alien scum (hell yeah, I’m biased). My heart literally exploded into sunshine and rainbows.

 This deserves two bulletpoints. The female badassery!

Steve-motherfucking-Rogers picking up Mjölnir. Steve-motherfucking-Rogers is hella worthy.

The cinematography is just insane.

How wellmade the scenes in 2012 were? All the new scenes and angles we got to see and just, wow.

They managed to keep all these different timelines, stories and characters in time with each other in a way that it didn’t feel scattered and it all made sense.

Peter being a flailing potato teenager when he came back and the look  on Tony’s face.

Morgan Stark.

Stan Lee’s cameo.

Tony getting some closure with Howard.

Pepper Potts kicking ass and taking names in her own suit.

Rocket being a sassmaster (as well as Nebula “Watch out. There’s an idiot on the landsite.”)

The reconcileation between Cap and Tony. (Still lamenting the absence of the hug we all deserved but hey, what u gonna do?)

Valkyrie on her fucking winged horse, oh my fucking god I think the last hetero in me went belly up at that moment.

Carol- fucking- Danvers.

Frigga.

Tony checking out Steve’s ass. “That is America’s ass”

The Steve x Steve fight? New kink activated, just saying.

I’m sure there are more points and I will update this when I think of them, but this is what I got so far. And even though there’s a lot that pissed me off I am still very much happy with it and just in awe. I’m sad but.. yeah this was a good ending.

[kansascityhappenings]

‘Avengers: Endgame’ may mean the end (or resurrection) for some Marvel characters

For Marvel Studios, all roads have led to “Avengers: Endgame.” More than a decade and 21 films in the making, the fourth Avengers film finally arrives in theaters this month with almost impossibly high expectations — both for audiences and the box office.

In the build up we’ve accumulated dozens of characters in the ever-sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, after the events of “Avengers: Infinity War” — which saw the Mad Titan Thanos wipe out half of all sentient life with the snap of his fingers — their numbers are heavily depleted.

For the sake of the franchise it won’t stay that way, but “Endgame” has to live up to its high-stakes billing. This writer isn’t out for blood, but deaths are all but guaranteed.

For Marvel Studios, all roads have led to “Avengers: Endgame.” More than a decade and 21 films in the making, the fourth Avengers film finally arrives in theaters with almost impossibly high expectations — both for audiences and the box office. (Photo courtesy Marvel Studios)

So who lives, who dies and who’s coming back from the snap? Buckle up, because there’s a lot to cover — from what’s happening both on and off screen. Here’s a non-exhaustive (but still exhausting) run down of our heroes’ chances.

Note: This list includes spoilers up to and including “Captain Marvel.” “Avengers: Endgame” had not been screened to the press at the time of writing and the blinkers are firmly on regarding set leaks and other online hearsay.

Ant-Man

Current status: Alive

Is Scott Lang going to be the secret sauce in the fight against Thanos? We’ve never really taken Ant-Man seriously (lord knows he doesn’t do so himself), but “Ant-Man and the Wasp’s” exploration of the Quantum Realm and its time-bending properties might be the way to travel back pre-snap without the Time Stone. Added incentive for Lang to pull his finger out: the snap wiped out the Wasp, mentor Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne (the original Ant-Man and Wasp).

Dead or alive? Paul Rudd’s character is a relatively new entry into the MCU. Not a dead cert, but he’ll likely survive.

Black Panther

Current status: Dead

Do you really think Marvel is about to drop the superhero behind an Oscar-winning, $1.3 billion-grossing film after one solo outing? Kevin Feige announced “Black Panther 2” was happening back in March 2018.

Dead or alive? Wakanda forever!

Black Widow

Current status: Alive

Black Widow was the Avenger that never got the standalone film they deserved (sorry Hawkeye). That finally changed in 2018 when it was announced that Natasha Romanoff would receive a solo outing, with subsequent reporting that Florence Pugh has joined the cast alongside Johansson. Whether it will be an origin story or post-“Endgame” is still unconfirmed.

Dead or alive? Killing off your lead before their first solo film would be an odd move, but if the “Black Widow” movie is a prequel that would leave Johansson open to explore other projects afterward and have the last say in what has been a decade-long injustice. I’m leaning toward death.

Bruce Banner/The Hulk

Current status: Alive

When we left Banner in Wakanda he was having a real Hulk impotence problem — kind of inconvenient for everyone. Banner/Hulk has been invaluable to the Avengers, but as a character he’s often worked as a foil within the group. With no solo outing under Marvel Studios announced, and the likelihood a number of his comrades will die in “Endgame,” you might think this is the end of the road for Banner. But Mark Ruffalo still has films outstanding on a six-movie deal he signed back in 2012.

Dead or alive? Going to survive — and hopefully continue the intergalactic buddy road trip with Thor.

Bucky Barnes

Current status: Dead

Expect Barnes’ death in “Infinity War” to be a motivator behind a self-sacrificing play from old friend Captain America in “Endgame” (whatever shape that might take). Barnes could well pick up the vibranium shield and become the new Cap’ post-“Endgame,” following a plot line from the comics. (Huge hint: Sebastian Stan is reportedly locked in to a nine-film contract.) There’s also the mooted Disney+ series with Falcon. Stan has also expressed an interest in the “Black Widow” film. He’ll be busy if that all comes to pass.

Dead or alive? Alive — and possibly with a few personality tweaks if he’s to take up the shield.

Captain America

Current status: Alive

Steve Rogers came back from the wilderness in “Infinity War,” bearded and bad-ass. Now Captain America looks ready to lay down everything in “Endgame.” Chris Evans has dropped anvil-sized hints in interviews for over a year and seems to have already said goodbye to the character on Twitter. It feels like a done deal.

Dead or alive? The all-American hero is a goner. We’ll miss you Cap’.

Captain Marvel

Current status: Alive

“Captain Marvel” just cruised past the billion-dollar club at the global box office and Brie Larson’s take on spacefaring pilot Carol Danvers was a critical success too. “Endgame” is only the beginning, and there’s murmurs she could eventually head up the Avengers. We’ve only just started to see what she’s capable off.

Dead or alive? You come at the queen, you best not miss. She lives.

Doctor Strange

Current status: Dead

Before falling victim to the snap, Strange told Tony Stark this was the only way; he had looked into multiple futures and seen doom in every other permutation. Being the raging narcissist that he is, don’t expect any self-sacrificing moves from Strange, who only made his debut in 2016. There’s also the small matter of a standalone sequel reportedly in development.

Dead or alive? The good doctor will return.

Drax the Destroyer

Current status: Dead

David Bautista led the “Guardians” actors in their vocal support of James Gunn after his firing. Gunn is back at the helm, and expect Drax to survive “Endgame” and feature prominently in “Guardians 3.” Trivia: It’s not going to happen in the Marvel Studios’ PG-13 universe, but in one story from the comics Drax defeats Thanos by ripping out his heart.

Dead or alive? Alive. His reflexes are too fast.

Falcon

Current status: Dead

The Disney+ series with Bucky all but guarantees he’ll be back from the dead and make it through “Endgame.”

Dead or alive? The second string Avenger lives.

Gamora

Current status: Dead

Gamora’s demise was a tough watch. Sacrificed by Thanos to gain the Soul Stone, if you didn’t realize already, here was proof that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Killed pre-snap, but “Endgame” marketing art keeps her in the frame, suggests she can still be brought back to life.

Dead or alive? If anyone deserves to survive “Endgame” it’s probably Thanos’ long-suffering adopted daughter. Alive.

Groot

Current status: Dead

Big call, but no character is more beloved in the MCU. Groot already sacrificed himself once at the end of “Guardians of the Galaxy” and is only just returning to his normal size. No way they’d off him permanently.

Dead or alive? Alive. There’d be riots outside Marvel HQ.

Happy Hogan

Current status: Alive

The fate of Happy’s employer Tony Stark is very much in the air (more of which later). If he does die, Stark’s long-suffering friend and chauffeur would appear surplus to requirements. But he’s right there in the “Spider-Man: Far From Home” trailer, which arrives in theaters in July and, according to comments from producer Amy Pascal back in 2017, starts “a few minutes after Avengers 4 wraps.”

Dead or alive? Alive.

Hawkeye

Current status: Alive

Absent in “Infinity War” because he was under house arrest (a lame excuse in my book), Hawkeye returned in the “Endgame” trailer with an outré haircut and world-weary scowl. What he’s been up to is anyone’s guess, but after two Avengers films in the shadow of bigger superheroes, will Hawkeye finally have his moment in the sun? Yeah, that could pretty underwhelming.

Dead or alive? This smells like a redemption narrative — I suspect Hawkeye’s family might not have survived the snap. Given there’s not many other places for the character to go, he could easily bite the dust.

Iron Man

Current status: Alive

Tony Stark’s first outing in 2008 was the cornerstone on which this entire cinematic universe was built. If that sounds like a eulogy, that’s because it’s supposed to. Robert Downey Jr. is out of contract after “Endgame” and let’s face it, there’s no shortage of wise-cracking egotists in the MCU ready to carry the torch. Will Stark really be able to just walk away from all of this unscathed?

Dead or alive? If it happens it will be glorious, tragic and (hopefully) delivered with a wry smile. But he’s a prime contender to die.

Loki

Current status: Dead

An early victim in “Infinity War,” Loki never made it past the intro, never mind the snap. Intriguingly, one of the Disney+ series in development focuses on the loveable antihero from Asgard — with Tom Hiddleston to star, Disney have confirmed. What Disney hasn’t confirmed is when it will be set. Marvel offered no comment to The Hollywood Reporter when sources suggested the series would have Loki popping up through human history like a god-level Forrest Gump. So it sounds like a prequel.

Dead or alive? The master of cheating death could feasibly do it again, but the signs say he’s a goner.

Mantis

Current status: Dead

A latecomer to the Guardians clique, Mantis bit the dust in “Infinity War.” But there’s no good reason for her to stay dead. Fingers crossed we get plenty more laughs from this intergalactic oddball in “Guardians 3.”

Dead or alive? Death would be a senseless move. Mantis should live.

M’Baku

Current status: Alive

Could M’Baku become king of Wakanda with T’Challa out of the equation? It’s possible. M’Baku hasn’t featured in any “Endgame” trailers, but Winston Duke has confirmed he’s returning. It seems unlikely Marvel will kill off the affable vegetarian, especially given the “Us” star’s ever-rising profile.

Dead or alive? Alive.

Nebula

Current status: Alive

Thanos’ adopted daughter could make a big play in “Endgame.” Marvel aficionados will know that in one plot from the comics, Nebula managed to seize the Infinity Gauntlet from Thanos and used it to undo his murders. She then went on a power trip and had to be stopped and imprisoned. We don’t know if any of this will happen in “Endgame,” but if some of it does, Nebula could end up as collateral in restoring order to the universe. That said, there’s rumors a Gamora and Nebula series is in early development for Disney+, and Karen Gillan has talked about “Guardians 3” as if she’s involved.

Dead or alive? On the basis of her “Guardians 3” hints she’ll make it. But there’s a huge case for her dying in “Endgame” otherwise.

Nick Fury

Current status: Dead

Fury set the wheels of “Endgame” in motion when he dropped Captain Marvel a message on his pager mid-disintegration. He’s been through the wringer, but every time Fury has come out swinging. So don’t expect the small matter of Thanos and the destruction of half the universe to spell his end.

Dead or alive? Alive. He’s in the “Spider-Man: Far From Home” trailer.

Okoye

Current status: Alive

No one had Black Panther’s back more than Okoye. Expect her to return with vengeance in “Endgame” to try and bring T’Challa back from the dead. No word on whether Danai Gurira is confirmed to reprise the role in “Black Panther 2,” but killing Okoye in “Endgame” would come as a shock.

Dead or alive? More alive than dead.

Pepper Potts

Current status: Alive

Eagle-eyed viewers of the “Spider-Man: Far From Home” trailer will have spotted a giant check from Stark Industries signed by Pepper Potts. I’m not sure how long it takes for one of those to get printed, but remarkably Potts might outlive her maverick boss-turned-partner.

Dead or alive? With Tony Stark probably heading for the exit, is the MCU going to see its first conscious uncoupling? Pass me a Goop-branded hanky.

Rocket

Current status: Alive

A tougher call than it should be. Rocket has had quite the character arc since he was first introduced in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and a self-sacrificing move — especially when it comes to Groot — wouldn’t be out of the question. But there’s no way they’ll leave Groot without his translator, right?

Dead or alive? Alive and quipping.

Scarlet Witch

Current status: Dead

Snapped after watching Vision die twice over, but reportedly returning in Disney+ series “The Vision and Scarlet Witch“. So this shouldn’t be the end of the road for Wanda Maximoff.

Dead or alive? Alive.

Shuri

Current status: Dead

The internet was shocked when Marvel released marketing art suggesting Shuri was victim of the snap — it was the first we’d heard of it. An off-camera death is short shrift for a character that stole nearly every “Black Panther” scene she was in. Don’t expect her to stay out of the picture.

Dead or alive? T’Challa wouldn’t last two minutes without his little sister. She’s going to pull through.

Spider-Man

Current status: Dead

Tom Holland delivered a gut punch of a death scene in “Infinity War,” with Peter Parker watched over by helpless mentor Iron Man. Expect Parker’s resurrection to be a prime motivator for Stark.

Dead or alive? Not a chance. Unless Sony and Marvel Studios have played us all and “Far From Home” is in fact a prequel, flying in the face of all previous reporting.

Star-Lord

Current status: Dead

When the third installment of “Guardians of the Galaxy” was in the doldrums there was a question mark hanging over the fate of Peter Quill/Star-Lord, but not any more. The Guardians need their leading man.

Dead or alive? He’ll make the cut, you big turd blossoms.

The Ancient One

Current status: Dead

Died in “Doctor Strange,” but Tilda Swinton is reportedly among the cast of “Endgame.” Expect the Ancient One to feature in some form of flashback or time travel to impart some wisdom, but not to stick around beyond “Endgame” — she’d just get in the way of Strange in future films.

Dead or alive? Dead.

Thor

Current status: Alive

Arguably “Infinity War’s” MVP, Thor levelled-up his weaponry and so nearly killed Thanos. Chris Hemsworth has said he’s out of contract after “Endgame,” but after the roaring success of Thor’s last solo outing “Ragnarok,” it doesn’t feel like the Norse god has run his course.

Dead or alive? Strong chance Thor lives.

Valkyrie

Current status: Alive

Critics agreed that Tessa Thompson knocked it out the park as warrior drunk Valkyrie in “Ragnarok,” and there’s plenty of room for this character to grow. Marvel Studios know an asset when they see one.

Dead or alive? Only just beginning to spread her wings. She lives.

Vision

Current status: Dead

Whatever lies beyond the mortal plane, Vision still probably has a killer migraine after Thanos ripped the Mind Stone from his forehead. His story arc has arguably run its course, but an upcoming Disney+ series alongside Scarlet Witch would likely make him indispensable.

Dead or alive? Probably going to survive, proving you can never keep a part-android, part-space gem down.

War Machine

Current status: Alive

James Rhodes survived the snap, but as a long-term vet of the MCU and with associates likely to die in “Endgmae,” the next chapter for the colonel is murky.

Dead or alive? This could go either way. Assuming Stark dies, donning the Iron Man suit wouldn’t be a big leap for War Machine. On the other hand, with no Tony Stark to keep in check, Rhodes loses some of his raison d’etre. But paralyzing him, fixing him with robotic legs, only to kill him would be a cold, cold move.

Wasp

Current status: Dead

Killed by the snap that brought the end of “Ant-Man and the Wasp” in line with “Infinity War,” Evangeline Lilly’s Hope van Dyne has only had two outings in the Marvel films. Lilly’s badinage with Paul Rudd’s Steve Lang was one of the best things about the Ant-Man sequel, and there’s no reason why that need come to an end — unless to lend emotional heft to as-yet-unannounced “Ant-Man 3.”

Dead or alive? Likely to survive, but not a lock.

Wong

Current status: Alive

Not a huge presence in “Infinity War” (someone has to protect the Sanctum Sanctorum), Wong will likely be thrust into the action in “Endgame,” especially given his knowledge of the mystic arts.

Dead or alive? Doctor Strange is going to need a friend in his next standalone, and their budding bromance has room to grow. He lives.

Bonus: Thanos

Current status: Alive

The Mad Titan’s victory at the end of the last chapter wasn’t surprising, but the manner of it shocked audiences. It also prompted a deluge of think pieces asking if, in an epoch of unsustainable resource consumption, he was really the villain after all. But while Thanos won the battle for the universe, he’s never going to win the war. That’s just not how superhero movies work.

Dead or alive? He should enjoy his retirement while he still can. Definitely dying.

“Avengers: Endgame” arrives in cinemas in international territories beginning April 24 and in the US April 26.

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports https://fox4kc.com/2019/04/05/avengers-endgame-may-mean-the-end-or-resurrection-for-some-marvel-characters/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2019/04/05/avengers-endgame-may-mean-the-end-or-resurrection-for-some-marvel-characters/

[theemichelleb]

Avengers: Endgame - Movie Review

I actually saw this movie opening weekend and decided to give everyone a chance to watch before publishing because I know just how important this film was for my generation and those Marvel fans before us. I definitely do not want to ruin anything for anyone so if you have not seen the movie yet DO NOT READ THIS and don’t watch the trailer for the new Spiderman Movie. It will truly ruin your day, LOL.

That was your warning….

Now, for those of you that are not HUGE Marvel fans, if you’re wondering… Yes, I did sit through the 3 hours and 2 minutes of awesomeness known as Avengers: Endgame. Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY! The movie was awesome and everything I imagined it would be. It didn’t even feel like I was sitting there for 3 hours.

I think it was only right for the writers to end the story line with Tony Stark the same way they started this decade of awesomeness with him, and he deserved that spotlight. We have waited 10 years for the powerhouse that was Thanos to come and conquer or be conquered, I had no idea Infinity War and Endgame would play out they way they did, but I think it was genius. I love movies that don’t have the fairy tale happy ending and leave us with scars because that’s how real life is; it hurts, makes us cry, and makes us question how we’re going to move forward after this. I mean, I didn’t cry or anything, and I definitely can’t wait for whatever Marvel has next in our heroes respective story lines, but life isn’t perfect and I admire movies that show these worlds in a more realistic light.

Leaving out of Infinity War, I knew Gamora was gone… although they’ve found a way to bring her back to close out the Guardians franchise without a missing piece. I also knew Thanos had to die and our beloved heroes would need to be brought back to life… there was too much money and too many franchises riding on their main characters being brought back from the dead; especially T-Challa because the black community was going to have a riot if our beloved Black Panther was knocked out of the MCU after ONE self titled film of cinematic genius.

But here is where I have to acknowledge Stan Lee’s amazingness and how I almost dropped a tear to see he actually got to end the game with Endgame… truly iconic and he will be missed.

So! Avenger’s: Endgame… where to start? It’s definitely clear to say if you did not follow the entire franchise with all of the individual story lines that tie into the Avenger’s, you’re going to be lost at some parts during the movie. We took trips back to the first Guardians of the Galaxy, the first Avenger’s movie, Doctor Strange, Thor: The Dark World, Avenger’s: Infinity War, and I know I’m missing a few others but those were the big ones for me that were traveled back to. But honestly, just watch all of the movies to get the entire experience and learn who each character is, there are 22 movies included in the Avenger’s MCU, although I don’t really count the Incredible Hulk (2008)… Bruce Banner/The Hulk isn’t even portrayed by Mark Ruffalo in that movie and I personally don’t think it has anything to do with the series other than it’s an origin story for The Hulk; but, watch at your own discretion and choose if you agree on your own.

Now, don’t be confused. I completely 100% believe that the movies are corny and cheesy, some more than others, but that’s the beauty of taking your childhood comic book characters and making them real; just take a look at the Transformer’s dynasty… Optimus Prime is about as corny as it gets but we still love him on film! Let me not get off topic, though. My least favorite films from the Avenger’s universe are the first two Thor movies (although Ragnorak was absolutely amazing and saved Thor’s story line in my eyes), Iron Man 3 was okay I could have done without it, Spiderman: Homecoming, and Ant-Man… I know those last two may make some people unhappy, but you can definitely share your views in the comments below! I’d love a good conversation on this. My faves, however, consisted of Black Panther, all 3 of the Captain America Movies, Guardians of the Galaxy 1, Thor: Ragnorak, and all of the Avenger’s movies. All the rest were good for what was needed to move the story along, including those that I didn’t care for much.

Only thing I don’t care for are how the movies end with plot holes that are later “filled” in future movies, I think that’s Marvel’s attempt to cover their tracks, but those holes could be left purposely to leave space for flexibility in upcoming movies. There were a couple holes in the plot for Endgame that I’m just not convinced of, however.

If Thanos’ past self is killed, shouldn’t the affects of Infinity War be erased? If he’s dead before he can snap his fingers the first time, technically he never erased half of the universe’s population, which then means Endgame didn’t occur and we should be sent back 5 years prior as though nothing ever happened. I could believe that only those heroes that participated in fixing the timeline would remember what actually happened.

If Gamora died in Infinity War, but her past self was brought forward when Thanos came to the future in Endgame, technically Thanos could not have killed her to get the Death Stone in Infinity War, which also means he never erased half of the universe’s population. I guess they could spin this as since she’s still alive it doesn’t make a difference… still a plot hole to me.

Where did Loki go? He got hold of the tesseract when the team went back to 2012 to get it and the staff, but of course things did not go as planned and he disappeared. I just want to know when we are going to discuss how that throws off the time line, because if he disappears he technically never winds up in jail in Asgard.

I’m sure there’s some round about way to explain all of these, but I’m just letting it be known that it doesn’t completely make sense. Time travel is a complicated nonexistent thing to understand as is, so I won’t sit too much on what was off about it because there was so much more that was right about it.

I was talking to somebody about the movie and appreciated just how amazing the women were in this film, yet again, displaying just how D.O.P.E. we are in real life and the way we always come through in the clutch. Okoye, Shuri, Valkyrie, Wanda/Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, Pepper Potts, and our beloved Black Widow, may she rest in peace, kill the game in the movie and aren’t just side kicks. This goes back to my excitement about Black Panther… I don’t care what anybody says or who chooses to believe that movie wasn’t a big deal, it was a HUGE deal to me and the emphasis of D.O.P.E. black women was truly out of this world. They seriously carried that trend through the end of the Avenger’s story.

In particular, let’s highlight Black Widow and her sacrifice to save the world. There truly was no question about who would have to die between her and Hawkeye, unfortunately. They were quite the pair but he had something tangible to gain from saving the world, his family; she, on the other hand, was able to save all of her friends and give his family back to him by sacrificing herself. She had waited and obsessed over how to save the world for FIVE years and this was it; Hawkeye went through the world killing bad guys to remedy the curse that was Thanos. I think it was a beautiful second chance for him. He not only got his family back but his best friend gave her life so he could find his way again and become the hero she knew he was.

This is why I’m so hooked on how D.O.P.E. we are as women!

Captain America also got a loving ending to his story and I appreciate how the baton was passed to Sam Wilson, a glorious black man. Could this be foreshadowing to a branch off for Captain America movies?? I tell you one thing, these crazies in the world today better not start ANY NONSENSE about there being a black Captain America the way they did about Idris Elba being the black James Bond…. and that’s that on that.

For my dear Iron Man… Tony Stark you have truly achieved the level of acknowledgment and heroism that you chased after with your escape from captivity in 2009 and we appreciate you for your sacrifice and getting that 1 in 14,000,605 chance to beat Thanos right! Tony Stark’s path has taken many turns that I didn’t expect it to take following him through the years, but I’m glad he reached the goal he was fighting for in the movie primarily; to save his family. The procession shown at his funeral to close out the movie was so beautifully laid out the only thing that could have made it better was if Stan Lee had made a cameo. I think it was genius how the pan through all of the characters at the funeral was a parallel of the comic book opening for all of the Marvel movies. I think the best part about how Tony is honored is that Pepper was by his side in the fight against Thanos and he had daughter that I’m most certain is going to follow in his footsteps in both brains and courage. His legacy will definitely live on into new movies and through the characters that we got back.

There are truly so many other things that can be said about the movie. Overall, it was the best ending for this struggle to survive than I could have imagined. It truly made the last 10 years worth while, and I appreciate the growth of Marvel over the years in their execution of all of these movies. They sought out to tell an amazing story and ended up with an epic playing field that has provided a ridiculous amount of growth and development for the company. The casting has definitely been A-1, the plots are intriguing, the scripts have gotten more believable, and execution was always pretty on point but have gotten even more intense and engaging for the audience.

The movie is a must see. If you haven’t gotten into Superhero movies, it’s okay but if you want to give something new a chance now’s the time. You can watch the entire story be told from beginning to end and there are so many ways to find the order to watch all 22 movies so the story flows and you’re not lost.

Happy Binge Watching!