One of the great evils that Marvel can currently face is not belonging to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
And it is that any product outside the canon of Marvel Studios. He is doomed to oblivion. And nothing cool. Precisely in this post I come to talk about MODOK y Hit-Monkey. The first two and only animated series for adults with the Marvel label.
satirical. cynical. foulmouthed violent. Devilishly addictive. Politically incorrect. And with two very different animation styles.
On the one hand we have a delirious family sitcom starring MODOK. Where we will see the other side of AIM’s leading sociopathic megalomaniac. In stop motion.
And on the other hand we have Hit-Monkey. The bastard daughter of Kill Bill and John Wick. With a macaque dressed as Armani and his particular vendetta against Tokyo organized crime accompanied by the ghost of a mercenary. Between a hybrid between anime and American animation.
By not belonging to Marvel Studios they can go quite unnoticed. Why deny it? But in this article I intend to do my bit so you don’t miss them. Because both are two jewels that are worth discovering and admiring.
M.O.D.O.K.
When Marvel Television was forced to cancel all the series that tied it to Netflix, it soon allied itself with Hulu, already within the Disney umbrella, to present a plan for four adult animation series starring MODOK, Hit-Monkey, Howard the Duck and, Tigra and Dazzler Show to later reunite them in Los Offenders. as a tribute to los Defenders the Netflix.
Each series was going to feature a different reel. Appropriate to what one might expect from the characters and then bring them together as a crossover. But Marvel Studios entered the scene.
To unify the brand with the arrival of Disney +. Marvel Studios got into the field of television production and decided to cut their losses by canceling all projects under development except those that were already fully in production, such as MODOK and Hit-Monkey. That they were saved from the first burning by the hairs. The rest of the series were cancelled. Especially those with which they could collide fully between the plans of Marvel Studios with the licenses.
As was the case with Howard the Duck. And is that the cameos in What If…? They claimed the series that Kevin Smith was going to produce.
Even MODOK was canceled after its first season aired and not because of bad results but because Marvel Studios had plans for MODOK in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
But we are not here to lament that the series could only have a 10-episode season, but rather to elevate it as one of the best Marvel television series using stop motion as an animation technique.
MODOK introduces us to the other life of the leader of AIM, when the villain is not trying to conquer the world and facing The Avengers, he has to reconcile his family life with his ineptitude to face the drama of being the father of a rather dysfunctional family. With Patton Oswalt giving voice and soul to the series and to MODOK.
We find ourselves with an irreverent product, which does not leave a puppet without a head, messes with everything and everyone, making reference to popular culture and Marvel in particular. With winks and stabs. The level of cynicism that is expended is insane. It is a very unique series. Hooligan. violent. He has not mincing words.
It is a delirious family sitcom in which MODOK will prove to be one of the most pathetic villains in the Marvel Universe. And one of the most endearing. Superheroic satire that turns everything upside down in the best way.
Throughout the ten episodes we will see MODOK’s particular odyssey when SCRUMBL enters the scene, a new technology company that intends to wrest control of AIM from him, while his wife, after much thought, decides to propose a divorce with their two teenage children, taking everything to the future. extreme. With this premise. The series takes us on a journey of self-discovery for the villain. In which we have delusional situations. Bizarre plots. And he’s not one to shy away from taking as much of the Marvel Universe mythology as he can and bringing it into his own realm.
And he has a lot of cameos! From Iron Man. Through Wonder Man. And a few more. Including mutants! She is funny. Hilarious. foul-mouthed Ironic. If you like to get references. You are going to sing And the humor is very witty.
Of course, the series does not forget its particular drama and that is despite MODOK’s pathos and its strong sociopathic and megalomaniac tendencies. We see how the character is having its own development. The family. Children. His wife. His teammates at AIM. minions. fellow villains. The other selves of him. They all give us moments to remember. That they are going to dislodge your jaw. They put their finger on the sore on all the issues they can and more. Superadaptoids. Travels in the time. Cosmic Cubes. The Nameless Bar. MODOK is eschatologically incorrect. And it deserves to be discovered despite not being within the continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You are going to enjoy it. Guaranteed.
Hit-Monkey
Hit-Monkey, unlike MODOK, presents us with a thriller full of action and violence a la John Wick with a Japanese monkey dressed in a tuxedo and his particular vendetta that will lead him to uncover a conspiracy that dots the rigged elections in Japan. All this with an impeccable soundtrack.
Hit-Monkey presents us with the story of Bryce, a mercenary who ends the life of a politician in the middle of his presidential race on request and unleashes a series of events that will lead him to die and resurrect as a ghost to accompany a macaque who also they took away his tribe and his particular journey of revenge and that will lead them to run into the Yakuza and all the criminal clans of Japan in a gritty series full of violence, gore and action. It’s not for nothing.
Hit-Monkey was introduced as a supporting character in a Deadpool story arc. So you can already imagine the pot trip.
Hit-Monkey is closer to a Punisher style and that is despite the delusional premise. The series takes itself very seriously. And all the characters that he presents have their unique development throughout the 10 episodes that the first season lasts. And pay attention because they have confirmed that it will continue with a second season.
The series takes us on a journey through the underworld of Japan where not even the prompter is spared from the massacre of the endearing macaque. Bizarre plots. Dismemberments. Unexpected cameos. References to the Marvel Universe. We have Lady Bullseye. Fat Cobra. Silver Samurai. Among others.
The narrative of the series is that of a thriller in which Bryce the ghost of the mercenary leads the monkey on his way to revenge only to finally realize that they have much more in common than they thought and what seemed like a curse at the end. It becomes your greatest strength. Very crazy.
An action thriller that invites us to discover who the real puppeteer is behind all the conspiracy they are uncovering while the monkey leaves behind a trail of blood that not even the best slasher psychopaths. Do not forget that the protagonist is a vigilante avenging monkey. insane.
The animation is also a point to take into account because it is a hybrid between American animation and anime and it gives it a very unique tone. 2D characters coexist with 3D settings. With a very cinematic roll. The rhythm is not perfect. And it is that in this series the horizontal narrative and the characters that are presented are diluted and sometimes you can lose interest but it is the necessary toll to pay.
Hit-Monkey is the bastard daughter of Kill Bill and John Wick. She has many points to popular culture and she doesn’t hide her influences. She has a spectacular soundtrack. With very well chosen songs. Hit-Monkey allows us to see the Marvel Universe in another way.
Despite being animated, the series could coexist perfectly in the same Netflix Marvel Universe. That’s the level. A crazy series. Adrenaline like few. It has a lot of action and very well-worn sequences.
We know that Hit-Monkey will have a second season so it is likely that it will not appear soon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But so what?
MODOK and Hit-Monkey, despite not belonging to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and being animated, are worth taking a look at because on some occasions you are going to freak out over the antics they present. And they are not afraid to cross all the lines. They are uncensored series. Eschatologically incorrect that laugh at clichés, twisting them to offer something fresh and original. And with the Marvel stamp.
Have you already seen them? If not, you can see them with your Disney + subscription.
