Marvel Mangaverse

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Marvel Mangaverse
Cover art for Marvel Mangaverse: New Dawn #1, by Ben Dunn.
Publication information
ScheduleVaried
FormatsVaried
Original languageEnglish
Genre
Publication date2000–2002

The Marvel Mangaverse is a series of comic books published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2002, with a sequel "New Mangaverse" released in 2006.[1]

The series depicts an alternate (or possibly two alternates, see below) Marvel universe, where its characters are drawn and portrayed in a manga-like style. Four volumes were published for the series, two of which were connected by a continuing story arc with multiple Marvel characters, while the third and fourth series each started a new story and focused on a single character, which were Spider-Man Mangaverse and Jean Grey of an alternate version (apparently) of Spiderverse.

Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes 2005 has given the numerical designation of "Marvel Mangaverse" as Earth-2301. The majority of the artwork in the first volume was shared between different artists, each of whom delivered one issue, with book-ends by Ben Dunn, whose work is best known on the comic series Ninja High School. Dunn also did the entirety of the artwork for volume 2 of Mangaverse. The artwork for the five issue miniseries New Mangaverse: The Rings of Fate was done by Tom Hanks.

Volume 1

The Avengers transformed their Iron Avengers into the Ultimate Iron Man robot.

Plot: Three years prior to the story

HYDRA into building "the Energy Well", a means of harvesting this energy, to power their weapon of mass destruction. However, when the weapon was fired it created a massive EMP which caused a global blackout for twenty-four hours, killing thousands. During this time of crisis, Prince Namor of Atlantis led an invasion of the surface but was stopped by Iron Man
, who disappeared soon after. Tony Stark rescued the now insane Dr. Banner and suppressed any memory of his involvement from his mind with a Cerebral Driver. Various forces conspire to create a second Energy Well, which leads to the emergence of Dormammu into Earth's dimension, who is defeated by the combined power of Thor and the willpower and strength of the heroes assembled to battle him. Serving Dormammu is a massive, Godzilla-esque incarnation of the Hulk- separate from Banner, who is destroyed by Thor quickly after Thor incarnates using Banner as a focus.

Tony Stark reappears during the first volume, reduced to a head, in an advisory role to the Mangaverse incarnation of the Avengers. Iron Man also appears in the form of a number of large robots that resemble famous

Super Robot anime mechas. These machines combine into a still larger mecha, which he calls Ultimate Ironman. This Mecha would reappear in Volume 2, destroyed in combat with T'Channa
, sister of the Black Panther and the second Mangaverse character to be known as Dr. Doom.

Characters

Iron Maiden (Antoinette "Toni" Stark) - A former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, the sister of Tony Stark, and current owner of Stark Industries. Unlike her brother, Toni has made her identity public and opened defense contracts with the U.S. military. She is referred to as "ironbitch" by the Wasp in the first issue of the series when she is nearly clipped by Stark as she returns from an unrevealed location/mission (this was changed when the book was printed for children to "ironpest"). Revealed in the final issue of the first volume to share a loving bond with Bruce Banner. Ascends to another plane of existence at the conclusion with Bruce. She also appears with a large mecha attachment to her suit which design is attributed to the RX-78GP03 Gundam Dendrobium from the anime Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory.

Bruce Banner - Currently reconstructing "the Energy Well" for Stark Industries. Gained the ability to summon gods after being exposed to gamma radiation when the well malfunctioned. Has a love for Toni Stark, which she returns. Ascends to another plane of existence at the conclusion alongside her.[2]

Wasp
- Janet Van Dyne is an employee of Stark Industries and the creator of W.A.S.P. (Winged Amplification Surge Plasma) which allows her to fly. Differs from the original Wasp whose powers came from experimentation by Hank Pym, and also could change size via a serum.

Hank Pym - A boy genius/rock star, called to Stark Island to help Banner construct "the Energy Well". Can control ants with his guitar like Ant-Man did with his helmet, but like the Wasp is unable to change size.

Black Panther/Falcon - T'Challa came to Stark Island as a representative of the African nation of Wakanda
, and uses mystic arts to become the half human/half panther hero. He can also change his totemic power and become this reality's Falcon. The Mangaverse version of Tigra found herself romantically attracted to him. In New Mangaverse: The Rings of Fate Panther is implied to have been killed by the villains in the story.

Forge
, who dies at the hands of Jean Grey. In New Mangaverse: The Rings of Fate Storm and all other mutants except Wolverine are said to be neutralized, which implies that they, like most of the other Mangaverse heroes, were killed.

Doctor Strange - The Mangaverse Doctor Strange is much younger than his mainstream counterpart, appearing to be roughly in his 20s. It is hinted at that he is trained as a medical doctor like the Earth-616 Stephen Strange. He is the Master of the Mystic Arts, has a rivalry with Baron Mordo, continually researches new spells, and watches over the world. His assistant is Tigra. He is vaporized in the first pages of issue one of New Mangaverse: The Rings of Fate.

Tigra - Tigra works as Doctor Strange's assistant and "sidekick". In this incarnation, she was cursed into her were-tiger form, and must accomplish 1000 good deeds for the curse to be broken. She had romantic feelings towards the Mangaverse Black Panther in volumes one and two of Mangaverse. In New Mangaverse: The Rings of Fate she is encased in ice and dismembered. Up until this point, Tigra and Dr. Strange were the only two characters outside of the X-Men, the Scarlet Witch, and Spider-Man to have survived through the entirety of the Mangaverse series.

The Incredible Hulk - not, as in other incarnations, an alternate form of Bruce Banner, the Mangaverse Hulk is merely summoned into existence by Banner. More than 70 feet (21 m) tall, and drawing heavily from Godzilla, this Hulk serves Dormammu
.

Daimon Hellstrom and Johnny Blaze - The Ghost Riders, Sons of Satan. Two brothers that become monster-hunters and battle their evil sister Satana.

Omar Medina - Omar was a creation by

Dr. Doom whose primary purpose was to assassinate and take the body of Doctor Strange
back to the Alpha Labs where Dr. Doom could finally claim him.

Volume 2

The second Mangaverse graphic novel continued storylines produced in the original series which was later collected as the first graphic novel. This series, at the start, brought back the Mangaverse version of the

heralds of Galactus, and the Inhumans. An armored individual resembling Doctor Doom made a cameo in these first few issues, who then became the primary villain for the remainder of the series. Revealed to be the sister of Black Panther, this version of Doom decimates the Avengers, and it is only through the combined efforts of the Fantastic Four, Doctor Strange, Tigra, and the Scarlet Witch
(the lone surviving member of the Mangaverse Avengers) that the heroes are able to defeat this version of Doom and restore some resemblance of order after the mayhem caused by Doom.

Volume 2 is notable for borrowing plot elements and style from the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Spider-Man Mangaverse

Main article: Spider-Man (Marvel Mangaverse)

X-Men Mangaverse

The

Nightcrawler
.

X-Men: Ronin

This storyline centered around The X-Men and the

Sentinels are Mecha, piloted by humans, (one of whom is Forge), who are killed in battle with both the X-Men and Hellfire Club, and are more or less obliterated by Jean Grey's newly developing Phoenix powers. The X-Men are advised by Toad, who is a very wise and Yoda
-like person. As a former close friend of Xavier, Toad is determined to destroy the Hellfire Club and bring Charles back to the X-Men.

The Punisher Mangaverse

In this self-contained storyline (written by

Oni and save her sister. (In the story, it is explained they are orphans due to the death of their parents in "a tragic pogo stick
accident".)

Unlike

feathers, or spanking someone on the bottom. Because of this, she is referred to as "Tokyo's kinkiest superhero". Also, she uses a costume which makes her resemble a geisha
, and wears facial makeup which gives the illusion of her face being a skull. Her base of operations is located within the school where she works; the entrance opens by moving a small skull inside her office.

The Punisher of Marvel Mangaverse was part of the stories collected into volume 1 of the Marvel Mangaverse graphic novels, and has not been seen since the first run of stories.

New Mangaverse: The Rings of Fate

MJ as Spider-Woman (with Peter). Cover to New Mangaverse #1. Art by Tommy Ohtsuka. This image also appears on the cover of the novel sized New Mangaverse graphic novel which collects the entire miniseries.

New Mangaverse: The Rings of Fate is the third sequel series to volumes one and two of Marvel Mangaverse, and starts some time after the events of Volume Two, Legend of the Spider-Clan and X-Men: Ronin. Direct references are made to both Legend of the Spider-Clan and Mangaverse Volume Two. Meaning it completely ignores Spider-Man Family Featuring the Spider-Clan making it a sort of sort reboot of the universe. The continuity of this story is then ignored later in Spiderverse #2 which picks up after the events of the aforementioned single issue making it appear as though currently this series exists as its own universe adjacent to the original Mangaverse series, or at least to the Mangaverse Spider-Man series of books.

Elektra and Daredevil also make appearances; Elektra kills Daredevil and is herself cleaved in half by Carol Danvers in combat near the end of the series. Danvers then takes possession of a costume and shield which once belonged to Captain America, nearly identical to his costume from the mainstream universe (altered for a female body, making Danvers look similar to Shannon Carter, the MC2 heroine known as The American Dream
). The shield, however, is identical entirely to the 616 version in appearance (though whether or not it is made of the same composition, is completely unknown).

Tony Stark returns, and once again becomes Iron Man. Together, the remaining heroes; Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Black Cat, Wolverine, Iron Man, the Human Torch, and the new Captain America form a new group of Avengers and battle and defeat the Hand, along with a mind controlled Sharon Carter.

Several characters introduced in the previous volumes of the series were redesigned in appearance and/or personality for New Mangaverse. The Black Cat, who was introduced in Legend of the Spider-Clan, bears a striking facial resemblance to

Asuka Soryu
of Evangelion since volume one of the series, underwent a radical change. Her hairstyle and facial structure as well as physique are altered. Her hair is now done in pigtails, somewhat more closely resembling the hairstyle of Asuka, rather than a combination of straight hair with ringlets. Her half sister Sioux Storm, originally patterned after Rei Ayanami in physical appearance (despite her hair being blonde rather than blue) as well as personality, changed in personality between volumes 1 and 2 of the Mangaverse collections, and by the time of New Mangaverse was much more emotional and sported longer hair, no longer bearing any resemblance whatsoever to Rei, and was slain shortly after her appearance in the second issue of New Mangaverse.

At the end of the series, the Black Cat is revealed to have been working alongside Nick Fury, who is implied to have orchestrated the decimation of the super-powered population. Whether or not she is truly loyal to Fury, if indeed this is actually Fury, who is himself believed to be dead, has yet to be revealed.

New Mangaverse, though left open ended, appears to have been intended as the finale for the Marvel Mangaverse, as the near entirety of its superhuman population was decimated. It is therefore likely that the Black Cat's genuine loyalties will remain unknown due to New Mangaverse being the swan song for this particular universe.

In the Hulk: Broken Worlds anthology there's a short story, telling one of mangaverse's Hulk adventures in Norse Cosmological Zone, which happens before the first volume.

The Scarlet Witch did not appear in the New Mangaverse storyline (perhaps slain as were 99% of the world's other heroes). Tigra and Doctor Strange appeared in the first few pages of the New Mangaverse comic to be brutally murdered by the

Hand
ninja.

See also

References

  1. ^ Wilber, Robert (2020-09-03). "Marvel's Mangaverse: The Forgotten Universe That Fused Avengers & Anime". Cbr.com. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  2. ^ Bonomolo, Cameron (2018-01-26). "10 'Marvel Mangaverse' Characters Who Should Get Their Own Anime". Comicbook.com. Retrieved 2022-05-02.

External links

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