After 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy proved that anyone can be a cinematic hero⏤even from the strangest of origins⏤here are some other amazingly unique Marvel characters we’d love to see make the leap from comic book page to the big screen.
Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur
A recent addition to the Marvel mythos, Luna Lafayette/Moon Girl is a young genius. Nine years old and potentially the most intelligent person in the universe, Lafayette is an inhuman with a bond with a dinosaur known as Devil Dinosaur: a giant crimson Tyrannosaurus rex.
Lafayette’s inhuman superpower is telepathic links, and with that link she is able to command and communicate with Devil Dinosaur. However, with the very poor reception to the Inhumans TV show in 2017, it’s fair to say Moon Girl won’t likely to linked to Black Bolt or Medusa.
The duo is set to appear in an eponymous animated show on the Disney Channel in 2022.
Fin Fang Foom
He’s a giant dragon. Giant. Dragon.
Originating before the birth of Marvel Comics as we know the company now, Foom was a Stan Lee and Jack Kirby joint. Lee had been inspired by the 1934 film adaptation of the stage musical Chu Chin Chow, which he had seen as a kid. The name Chu Chin Chow stuck with him, and Lee thought it a strong name for a monstrous character.
Foom has regularly appeared as a foe of Iron Man, but his first super battle was against It! The Living Colossus (real name, full title)⏤another obscure pre-superhero era Marvel creation.
Shang-Chi’s The Great Protector has illustrated Marvel’s willingness to do live-action dragons, and while a dragon who walks on his hind legs could be strange, if there’s a time to do it, it’s now.
Man-Thing
One of the most challenging and obscure parts of the Marvel universe is Man-Thing. He’s a mixture of deep philosophy, cosmic Marvel, and trippy 1970s art.
The seminal work, a 36-issue run by Steve Gerber, achieved a cult following years after its release. Modern attempts at Man-Thing in Marvel multimedia have been… challenging.
Writers aren’t entirely sure whether to make him a comedic relief or horrifying monster. With the mystical and cosmic side of the MCU now opened up, it’d be immensely interesting to see a new take on the character. With Disney Plus and Marvel Studios slated to release three animated series, what better time to roll the dice?
Hellcow
Bessie, otherwise known as Hellcow, is a vampiric cow who first appeared in Steve Gerber’s aforementioned 1970s Man-Thing series. Gerber’s history of making cult classic characters continues here, as Hellcow is particularly unique. Capable of producing vampire milk, Hellcow is an immortal cow who can fly, shapeshift, and has super strength and agility.
Hellcow most recently appeared alongside Deadpool in a 2011 comic team-up, so perhaps the upcoming Deadpool 3 could introduce the bovine in a suitably high steaks way. But I’d remain bullish about such an appearance.
Swarm
This is a personal favourite, a real classic of comic subgenre. Fritz von Meyer is a former Nazi scientist who has bonded with himself with a swarm of bees (see where he got the name from?). Post-war, escaping arrest for his war crimes, he did what every Nazi did: escape to South America to become a beekeeper. Long story short, he is made of bees.
In WandaVision, many had speculated that the mysterious beekeeper introduced in episode 2 was indeed Fritz von Meyer, but to many people’s disappointment, it wasn’t. Swarm is also a genuinely terrifying villain, and often in comics he’ll expose his rotting ribcage when his signature swarm of bees are killed.
What do you think of these Marvel oddities? Are there any others you hope to see make their way from the comics to the big screen in the near future? Sound off in the comments!