By now, you’re probably well aware that Beenox’s The Amazing Spider-Man game, coming June 26, returns the wall-crawler back to a free-roam Manhattan for the first time in four years. Of course, the best thing about this is that web-slinging through the city is only, like, one of the coolest game mechanics ever. But there are other great things that stem from such a gaming landscape – like collecting! Lots and lots of collecting.
But what to collect? In past games, we’ve had Spidey grab everything from tokens (Spider-Man 2) to spider icons (Web of Shadows). Fun, but not incredibly rewarding at the end of the day. We challenged Beenox to include an actual payoff for collecting hundreds of items strewn about the city – and I have to say, I think they’ve delivered the most meaningful collectible content in any free-roaming game I’ve ever played. How so, you ask? In a word: COMICS!
Sure, concept art is pretty (like, really pretty – you’ll unlock some of Beenox’s masterpieces as well as you play) and comic covers are cool (you can Google any of them right now), but full-length comics are something you just don’t see very often. You can unlock as many as 10 comics in ASM (as seen in the comic-selection screen here, 11 if you’ve taken advantage of the playable Stan Lee preorder), and each has a high degree of relevance pertaining to the characters in the game. In most cases, each boss or ally character’s origin issue is included, whether it’s as well-known as Spidey’s debut in AMAZING FANTASY #15 or as obscure as the introduction of Iguana in THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #32.
So, here’s how it works: As you web-sling (or Web Rush!) your way through the city, you’ll encounter hundreds of comic pages like the one beginning this blog entry – not so many so that they’re everywhere you look, but definitely enough so that they’re very common. Usually, these pages are on building tops, but often you’ll actually see them flying around midair. Unless you’re exceedingly talented with your standard web-swing (like, incredibly talented), you’ll probably find yourself Web Rushing to catch these, then performing a timing-based button press to snag it. It’s crazy how addicting this gets.
As you might have figured out from the selection screen above (we've intentionally blurred a few out for now), the issues unlock depending upon how many pages you collect: Five for AMAZING FANTASY #15, 15 for the first appearance of the Lizard, etc. Let’s say you’ve snagged your 250th page, and you want to read Iguana’s first appearance. Just select it…
…then hit the A (Xbox 360) or X (PS3) button…
…and you’ve got the entire issue, right there on your TV screen. You can even…
…zoom in! This is where the feature takes full advantage of widescreen HDTVs, and I’m pretty sure it’s specifically what Beenox studio head Dee Brown was referring to last month. (Hi, Dee!)
So, there you have it – a couple hundred pages of classic comics, all part of The Amazing Spider-Man at no additional charge. What do you think, True Believers?...
Recently, Activision revealed Rhino and Iguana as boss characters in Beenox’s upcoming videogame, The Amazing Spider-Man, coming at you this June 26 (about a week before the film). Despite Agent M’s advice, I always read the comments, all over the internet. And now, some of you are about to have your questions and comments addressed, whether you knew they were being read by Marvel or not…
ashes2phoenix via IGN: Spidey has a utility belt, I guess for his web cartridges. Could this be part of the suit in the new films as well?
Beenox created the belt themselves. It actually doesn’t appear in the movie, but it was added upon the direct request of the filmmakers.
SovanJedi via NeoGAF: Wait, he's ACTUALLY part rhino? I always thought it was just a suit.
In the comics, yes – but movie rules are a little bit different. The Lizard and the science behind him play a huge role in the movie, and without giving too much away, we try to be consistent with the world the movie establishes by making this science a key plot point. I think once you see the film, you’ll understand completely why this change was made. Similar thinking applies to other villains, like Iguana, as well…
Evan Narcisse via Kotaku: The ["Rhino"] trailer also teases a mysterious behind-the-scenes corporate type who's just got master manipulator written all over him. Could this be the reboot's version of Norman Osborn?
Nope. I can’t identify the mystery man for you yet, but he is most definitely not Norman Osborn.
Tim T. via The Amazing Spider-Man Game Facebook: Will Morbius appear in his “vampire” form? Obviously here, the developers are making the villains human/animal hybrids.
It seems that a lot of folks assumed that just because Michael Morbius is part of Rhino’s back story, he must be in the game. I hope I’m not providing too much of a buzzkill here, my friends, but he’s purely back story. You’ll hear him mentioned, and you may even learn more about him, but it’s all in the interest of expanding the universe. Something to keep in mind for future reveals: Whether it’s the Rhino bio or a bio you see for other characters to come, just because you see a familiar name, don’t assume he’s part of the game himself.
As for the comment about Beenox “obviously making the villains human/animal hybrids,” that’s true…most of the time, anyway…
Spectacular23 via SuperHeroHype: I love how Beenox goes the realistic route of shredding Spidey's costume every times he fights.
Thanks for noticing. Yes, Spidey’s suit does progressively tear as the story moves on.
flash_314 via IGN: Was all that in-game?
Flash here is referring to the Iguana trailer specifically, but the same answer holds for all four trailers thus far – yep. Everything you’ve seen has come straight out of the in-game engine, and any time you see Spidey moving, that’s real gameplay.
Cataract via comicbookmovie.com: I thought I was crazy when I thought it was Iguana. Guess not. I like how this game has cool origins for obscure villains.
Personally, I think Beenox has done an excellent job of including new takes on classic villains that fit within the movie universe. There are some definite classics like Rhino, but also more obscure characters like Iguana that not only demonstrate their great understanding of Spidey and his universe, but also are just straight-up appropriate for the story being told. We’ve also gone to great lengths to include interesting back stories for each of them, as you’ve read concerning Rhino and Iguana thus far.
Wikipedia entry (as of 3/15/12): Spider-Man villain the Rhino will be the main antagonist of the game. The game is set after the film, with a plot that evolves a Oscorp executive, with the help of Michael Morbius accessing the research of Dr. Curt Conners (aka the Lizard) to create a hybrid of a man and a rhinoceros.
The game’s Wikipedia entry is so full of errors, it might as well be a question itself. As mentioned above, Rhino will not be the main antagonist of the game. And though it is set after the film, it does not “evolve a Oscorp executive” (not even an Oscorp executive!). And even though Rhino’s bio might mention an Oscorp executive, the one in question has nothing to do with the core plot of the game (no, he’s not even the “mystery man” we talked about earlier). As for Morbius, well, we’ve discussed him. And, c’mon, Wikipedia pals -- spell Dr. Connors’ last name correctly. You never know what’s gonna set him off…
That’s all I’ve got for now, but I hope you found this all at least a little bit enlightening. No promises, but I’ll try to do more as we get closer to release. So, keep commenting… Uatu is watching and reporting directly to me.
Today, Capcom releases the Viewtiful Strange Pack of DLC costumes for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. (Marvel descriptions by Chris Baker and Capcom descriptions by Capcom's Brett Elston.)
DOCTOR STRANGE
Though Doctor Strange has certainly varied up his look enough over the years to make us think about it a bit, the ultimate decision came down to two options: the way he’s looked for the last couple years or the late-‘60s persona he adopted to kick the butt of a Doctor Strange impostor. We decided “big blue badass” was a little more compelling than “dude in a trench coat.”
DORMAMMU
Super-observant fans may have noticed that one alternate color scheme, the one that referenced his most iconic costume, was missing in the jump from MvC3 to UMvC3. The reason -- we’re doing it right this time. Before MvC3, whenever most people thought “Dormammu” (well, if they even knew who he was), they thought of the guy this costume. Though I’m thinking this game’s popularity may have changed that…
NOVA
I’ve seen it stated that this new look for Nova is based on his new look in the comics (specifically, MARVEL POINT ONE). Close! But wrong. The truth is, I’m still not allowed to tell you what this Nova is from. You’ll find out soon, I’m told, but I’m sworn to secrecy until then. So…any guesses?...
VIEWTIFUL JOE
Joe drops his flashy outfit for standard civilian duds seen throughout the Viewtiful series. The dev team considered using Captain Blue or even Joe cosplaying as Captain America (as seen in the MvC3 credits) but went for this instead; the other options wouldn't change Joe's silhouette much, whereas this outfit mixes things up.
TRON
This is a brand new, UMvC3-exclusive look for both Tron and her trusty Gustaff, with the iconic Servbots as serving as inspiration. Notice how the silver trim up top has a space wide enough for Tron to stand up during certain moves. Another consideration was to make Tron look like Roll.
PHOENIX WRIGHT
Lots happening in this one! Phoenix himself dons his university attire from Trials & Tribulations, but there's an extra layer at work -- if his voice is set to English, his shirt displays "P" and his shoes "W," but if you change the voice to Japanese, it appropriate switches to "R" and "N", reflecting his name in the original versions. Missile looks a bit like Amaterasu's Talbain skin, and if the team had time, they would've liked to make Maya look more like her sister, Mia Fey.
Today, Capcom releases the Weapon Expert Pack of DLC costumes for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. (Marvel descriptions by Chris Baker and Capcom descriptions by Capcom's Brett Elston.)
Hawkeye
Shortly after Clint Barton came back from the dead (everybody does it at least once or twice, y’know), he decided to leave the Hawkeye moniker behind him and adopt a new super-heroic identity as Ronin (which in turn was an identity and costume left behind by the character traditionally known as Echo). He maintained the Ronin name and look throughout the Secret Invasion, Dark Reign and Siege events (all available at Marvel Digital Comics near you!), until he was all like, “Hey, I wanna be Hawkeye again,” once the Heroic Age came along.
Taskmaster
Back in 2002, UDON Entertainment – if you’re reading this, you’ve definitely seen some of their great MvC-related art – had their own take on Taskmaster. It was pretty different than the traditional look, but it was also quite badass in its own right. You might remember, we referenced it via palette swap in MvC3, but the time has finally come for this great design to get the treatment it deserves.
ZERO
Zero sheds his signature armor to duplicate the iconic appearance of Mega Man X, a total makeover that warms my heart. This is one of the more thorough DLC costumes, which completely alters the original model and even loses Zero's ponytail. The dev team said they had many other options on the table, including Proto Man, GBA Mega Man Zero, Classic Mega Man or Star Force Mega Man, but decided to keep it in the family with this X homage.
TRISH
Spoiler alert - this Gloria alt is actually just Trish in disguise, as seen in Devil May Cry 4. You'd think this would be an easy conversion, where the team could just pluck her model from DMC4 and be done with it. Not so -- Nara-san (who was part of the DMC team) and the dev team had to re-create this costume from scratch. Other options for Trish included Lady and Lucia.
Today, Capcom releases the Animal Pack of DLC costumes for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. (Marvel descriptions by Chris Baker and Capcom descriptions by Capcom's Brett Elston.)
WOLVERINE
Logan’s had some great looks over the years, and deciding on which to go with was one of the toughest choices of all. Ultimately, it came down to “casual wear” Wolvie in jeans and white shirt versus what you see here – mostly naked Logan with a funky helmet. (We had to actually add the underwear.) And, since casual Wolvie is something we’ve all seen quite a bit in games (Ultimate Alliance,X-Men Origins, etc.), we figured naked with funky helmet would be a welcome change of pace.
ROCKET RACCOON
I’ve seen this referred to as Rocket Raccoon’s original costume – not so. In fact, it’s actually his third. However, 1984’s four-issue ROCKET RACCOON miniseries that provided this classic look for the character was Rocky’s first time all the focus was on our fuzzy friend from Halfworld. Wondering what the first two costumes were? That would be a space suit from THE INCREDIBLE HULK #271 and his original delightfully feisty, all black-and-white appearance in MARVEL PREVIEW #7 (pictured below).
AMATERASU
This shout out to Darkstalkers fans re-imagines Okami heroine Amaterasu as werewolf Jon Talbain. The dev team had a hard time thinking of new alternates for Ammy, as the color alts already covered many of the Eight Canine Warriors and the DLC costume needed to be something special. Once Nara-san saw art of Talbain on all fours, however, that sealed the deal and this loving homage was born.
FELICIA
Speaking of Darkstalkers, Felicia's new costume comes from the relatively obscure beat 'em up Battle Circuit -- specifically the character Yellow Iris, who just so happens to be another nimble cat lady. There were many other ideas on the table though, including a possible (Marvel) Black Cat crossover costume, a Sasquatch look from Darkstalkers and even Breath of Fire shout-outs were considered. There was also the thought of using Felicia's Sister attire (seen in some of her endings), but the flowing robes would have obscured her moves and caused animation troubles.
Today, Capcom releases the Evil Twin Pack of DLC costumes for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. (Marvel descriptions by Chris Baker and Capcom descriptions by Capcom's Brett Elston.)
SHE-HULK
Sometimes all it takes is one sensational image to inspire an incredible alternate costume. In this case, the cover to SHE-HULK #7 (which was repurposed for the trade paperback cover you see here) by Mike Mayhew does a great job of showing Jennifer Walters on her way to work. I only wish we could have added in Forbush Man to the background, totally checking her out.
IRON FIST
And here we have the ultimate representation of Iron Fist -- or at least the Ultimate Universe's representation of Iron Fist. Found in the pages of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN, this version of Danny Rand tends to pal around with fellow martial artist Shang-Chi rather than Luke Cage. He also ditches the mask and huge collar in favor of a desire for peripheral vision.
SPENCER
The dev team didn't have to reach far (I'm sorry!) for a great Spencer alternate -- his appearance in the now-classic Bionic Command Rearmed makes for a perfect costume change. The short hair/black shades look is hyper rad(d) to the max and harkens back to a time when bionics likely still ran on machinery, not deceased loved ones. The team did have plans to change the arm further by making it more in line with the original model, but in the end they settled on its current incarnation.
HAGGAR
For Haggar, we dug deep and plucked this stylish look from SNES-only Final Fight 3, where our mayoral mauler donned a lengthy ponytail and vibrant green shorts. Not the most intimidating or practical way to dress for battle, but hey, he clearly knows what he's doing. Another costume on the table was Haggar's outfit from Saturday Night Slam Masters, as well as his professional garb seen in the original Final Fight opening. And if you're wondering, yes, the ponytail does move and sway in battle.
Today, Capcom releases the Evil Twin Pack of DLC costumes for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. (Marvel descriptions by Chris Baker and Capcom descriptions by Capcom's Brett Elston.)
SPIDER-MAN
Brett from Capcom told me he couldn’t wait to see how I explain this costume by explaining the whole Clone Saga in one paragraph. I’ll do him one better and make it a haiku…
Ben Reilly wondered,
“Am I Spidey? Or a clone?”
He fought crime. Then died.
That’s the Scarlet Spider for you in a nutshell. Not a very thorough nutshell, but a nutshell nonetheless. Oh, and this Scarlet Spider is not to be confused with the new Scarlet Spider, who gets his own series soon. Oh, just read about Ben and Kaine on Marvel.com already...
DEADPOOL
One of the more popular (or, depending whom you ask, reviled) MvC2 characters who didn’t make the cut for either edition of MvC3 was, of course, Cable. At least for the moment, he’s actually been dead in the comics since 2010’s SECOND COMING storyline. Shortly after that, Cable’s old partner Deadpool paid tribute to Nate by dressing up as him in CABLE #26, the final issues of the series that began in 2008. Thus, Cable-pool was born.
HSIEN-KO
At one point, the dev team considered dressing Hsien-ko in pajamas, a cook outfit or even son goku style from Pocket Fighter, but ultimately (ha!) decided fans would prefer to see an homage to her sister Mei-Ling. They looked at various versions of Mei-Ling, from games to anime to art, and compiled aspects of each into this unique design. For one source of inspiration, check out this clip from the Darkstalkers anime.
VERGIL
This sinister look, known as Corrupt Vergil, first appeared in Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition as an alternate costumes. Makes sense then to have it as one of his alts in Ultimate MvC3, right? Notice the dark veins spreading across his face -- creepy! As for his powered-up mode, the team really wanted to have Vergil become Nelo Angelo, but various complications made it too difficult. For example, Nelo uses a large sword while Vergil uses a katana, and both had different move sets in their original games. In the end, the team settled on Sparda, who is Vergil and Dante's legendary father. Nara-san is a former DMC team member and really wanted to make Nelo Angelo work, but hopes fans enjoy Sparda as a compromise.
Today, Capcom releases the Rising Dead Pack of DLC costumes for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. (Marvel descriptions by Chris Baker and Capcom descriptions by Capcom's Brett Elston.)
Ghost Rider
With Spider-Man 2099 getting so much of the limelight recently between Spider-Man games Shattered Dimensions and Edge of Time, we figured it was time another Marvel hero of that era get his shot as a playable game character. Naturally, we picked the one with the strangest back story.
Basically, there was this cyber-criminal dude named Kenshiro Cochrane (hacker alias: Zero – no, not that Zero), who was about to be killed by some folks representing a fine family-run business called D/Monix. But before they could off him, Zero projected his psyche into cyberspace, killing his body but saving his consciousness…which was then projected by a hidden part of cyberspace called Ghostworks into a big T1000-type robot. And that’s what made him Ghost Rider 2099. Or something. Just read his bio, OK?
Phoenix
Like many of you, I grew up with Jean Grey wearing this costume designed by Jim Lee, and I really think the artists at Capcom knocked it out of the park (presumably Chase Field, given her name) with this one. As a bonus, now you finally get the chance to see what a Dark Phoenix version of Jean might have looked like while she sported this look, thanks to Capcom’s original design. And yeah, I’ll just say it: This is my personal favorite character model in any fighting game ever.
Nemesis
Seeing as Nemesis' standard costume represents his original form, and his Level 3 Hyper Combo represents his final form, it made sense to acknowledge his intermediary form with this alternate costume. The dev member who created this is a big Resident Evil fan, and was actually praised by the original RE team for their work on creating this accurate portrayal of Nemesis' battle-damaged state.
Frank West
Of all the wacky costumes Frank West has donned over the years, this "cosplayer" take on Mega Man still stands as a fan (and office) favorite. The team wanted to create something that already existed inside the Dead Rising canon, and this fit the bill perfectly. One other consideration was to make this alt Frank (or even Chuck Greene) in his underpants.
You thought we were done with character-based blogs for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 with the alternate-color explanations? Nope! Prepare yourself for the real fun stuff as we unveil the character packs of true alternate costumes involving model changes that will be available via DLC in the coming weeks.
But before we get into the unannounced costumes (which are flat-out amazing by the way – more on that soon), today we're focusing on the various costumes that are available via pre-order right now. Some of the packs are available beforehand for preorders, and anything you bought for “vanilla” Marvel vs. Capcom 3 will transfer over to UMvC3. Capcom’s Brett Elston and I, Chris Baker, are here to give you the lowdown on the stories behind each alternate…
The DLC Characters
Just by purchasing Jill Valentine and Shuma-Gorath (which you may have already done for MvC3 – again, that transfers over to UMvC3), you get their alternate costumes.
Like his alternate colors, Shuma-Gorath wasn’t exactly the easiest character to find an alternate model for. There were a couple options, but we decided to go somewhat current with a representation of his traitorous protégé (with presumably better vision), Quoggoth. Now, you can finally play the battle between Shuma-Gorath and Quoggoth depicted in the pages of WOLVERINE: FIRST CLASS #12. And nowhere else – which kind of makes it even more awesome, as this may be the most obscure playable character in the history of comic-inspired videogames. What you see here is two of the seven panels in which Quoggoth’s “face” has ever appeared.
Seeing as Nemesis is on the roster now, it made sense for Jill to dress appropriately and don her Resident Evil 3 tube top and skirt. However, the character model is based on her Wesker-controlled, highly aggressive RE5 incarnation, so we had to leave the P30 mind control device embedded in her chest. There was talk of going for a classic STARS outfit, but with Nemesis on the scene this is a better fit.
Costume Pack 01
This one will look familiar to MvC3 veterans, as all MvC3 DLC costumes transfer over and remain unchanged from their previous incarnation.
Back when we decided to do DLC costumes for MvC3, Steve Rogers as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. had just been revealed, and the image you see here is pretty much all we had to go on. He didn’t even have a shield at the time, so we gave him his original chevron-shaped version you see here. Of course, he went on to use one made of circular hard light before he became Captain America again, but we still like the variation offered by the classic.
If you’re familiar with the Iron Patriot, you know that that’s typically not Tony Stark in that armor, but rather Norman Osborn back during DARK REIGN when he led the Dark Avengers. We’ve added a suit-specific line for Tony in UMvC3 that addresses why Tony decided wear the armor himself.
Will we deny you the classic Jack Kirby look for Thor? I say thee, NAY!
Rather than bring over another red version of Dante (like say from DMC1 or 2), Nara-san looked for something different. Then he realized there was a costume in DMC3 that had Dante dressed as his father, Sparda.
Hop in the way-back machine for this one - it's Chris Redfield's costume from the very first Resident Evil! Note the STARS outfit, the younger, fresh-faced appearance and a slightly less beefy pair of arms. The devs were considering an alternate costume from RE5 Gold Edition, but decided on something old-school instead.
For this Street Fighter 1 alternate, the team wanted to play up Ryu's "rookie" status. His gi looks fresh out of the dryer, with no tears or signs of battle, his muscles are played down, and he has more prominent facial features – they haven't been pounded out of his skull yet!
Femme Fatale Pack (GameStop Preorder)
Preorder from GameStop right now (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) if you’re a fan of the ladies of UMvC3…
I believe X-23 is the only character in this game who first appeared not in a game or a comic book, but rather on TV. Her costume harkens back to her introduction to the world, thanks to Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost on the animated series X-Men: Evolution in 2003. Go watch it now!
Storm at her most badass, she rocked the Mohawk look for much of the mid-1980s. About time that gaming at its most badass got a dose of this look as well.
Longtime Vampire Savior players may recognize "Casual Friday Morrigan" from her many victory poses, in which she sheds her skimpy outfit for a more refined appearance. The team made sure that Morrigan's many otherworldly moves (like jets coming out of her) still fit the new clothes.
An easy, obvious choice – it’s Chun-Li’s classic costume from Street Fighter Alpha! This is technically a younger version of the character, so the team went in and made a few slight physical adjustments. The ribbon is a nice touch too!
New Age of Heroes Pack (Amazon Preorder)
Amazon celebrates Marvel vs. Capcom characters who have been there for the long haul. (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
Ever since Capcom’s first Marvel-related fighting game, X-Men: Children of the Atom, the Sentinel has been portrayed in an original Capcom style. This alternate takes the look closer to its old-school comics roots, while still maintaining the gameplay qualities of Capcom’s incarnation.
DOOMWAR was a pretty sweet crossover from a couple years ago that pretty much pitted everyone who matters in the Marvel Universe against Doctor Doom as he fought to attain Wakanda’s vibranium, much to the Black Panther’s chagrin. He donned this costume once he succeeded at his task.
A great shout-out to pre-scarf Strider, who leapt from rooftop to rooftop in arcades and home consoles in the late '80s. Fun fact: The developers had to create this version first, so that the current, scarf-covered version was actually "wearing" a scarf that covered his face. To fill in some of the space that the scarf obscured, the team made his hair slightly longer.
Why this skin? Because it's classic Marvel vs. Capcom, specifically from Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter. Though this image doesn't show off his mecha-wings, rest assured they are there – the dev team says they pop out during taunts and Hyper Combos.
Villains Pack (Best Buy Preorder)
If you’re the type who thinks it’s good to be bad, go to Best Buy for your copy. (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
Super-Skrull is pretty happy with his purple/black ensemble most of the time. If he switches it up, like he did during ANNIHILATION, it’s pretty much just adding on a robe.
Thank’ya very much, Warren Ellis, for giving us this nameless interpretation of the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing, if for only one splash page in NEXTWAVE. Capcom likes to call him Graceland M.O.D.O.K., but having grown up in West Tennessee, I’m more a fan of dubbing him M.E.M.P.H.I.S. – the Mental Entity Made to Pulverize Humans Into Submission.
A special "secret agent" suit designed by Tatsuya Yoshiwaka. This brand-new suit doesn't pull from any specific piece of history because the character is relatively new; however, with that kind of freedom, the team was able to make something totally fresh. Her already substantial hair has received a poofy boost, and she's now wearing an old-style hero mask to obscure her identity. There was talk of a skirt, but since she's going to be out in the field as a spy, it made more sense to give her stylish pants instead.
We already have a STARS-themed Chris Redfield, so it made sense to continue the trend with Wesker's outfit from the original Resident Evil as well. There are some slight changes, like rounded hair and healthier skin tone (before he goes all crazy on us in Code: Veronica and RE5), plus the team made sure the gun that he uses for attacks is plainly visible on his chest.
Thank you, Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, for giving us something so…awesomely weird.
The Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing’s original appearance in TALES OF SUSPENSE #93 included an entirely different color scheme. You also got to see him without the suit, just as one big head. Kinda freaky.
SUPER-VILLAIN TEAM-UP: MODOK’S ELEVEN was a 2007 series that starred George (that’s his real name – George Tarleton). He didn’t actually look like this within the pages of the comic, but the cover serves as great inspiration for another alternate.
What if I had read WHAT IF? #37? Then I might be able to tell you why M.O.D.O.K. sported these colors in that issue. (Actually, it’s probably a slightly different take than this look from mainstream continuity…which I literally found out about the other day, thanks to my Twitter pal Alexandre Morales.)
All you need to know here is there’s a female version of M.O.D.O.K. called M.O.D.A.M. – the Mental Organism Designed for Aggressive Maneuvers.
I know you’re begging for mo’ MOs and for a Howard the Duck reference. M.O.D.O.T. at your service. He’s designed only for talking. Even more than Howard.
And in case you missed it on GameSpot this week...
SENTINEL
The Sentinel in all Capcom fighting games, dating back to the original X-Men Children of the Atom in 1994, has always featured a unique take on a traditional Marvel adversary. For UMvC3, we’re going so far as to actually grant this look a model number: COTA-94.
Here’s a more traditional paint job for the COTA-94 design. Our direct reference, though? X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse, a Capcom Super NES game from 1995.
If you don’t use this Nimrod-inspired variant when you choose Sentinel for the Days of Future Past stage, you’re doing it wrong.
And then there are the black Nimrods found in last year’s X-MEN: SECOND COMING. Appropriately enough, this is the second coming of this paint job, as it was also in MvC3.
Some Sentinels are kind of turquoise-y.
And last, but absolutely not least, the Mango Sentinel that makes you think of the New York Knicks. (Probably more than anything else these days since there aren’t exactly any Knicks playing basketball right now.)
And now for the reminder you’ll see at the end of each blog entry:
As we count down the days until UMvC3 launches in November, Marvel.com, Capcom-Unity and GameSpot are all teaming up on Tuesdays and Fridays to show you the entire lineup of “fall fashions” for each of the 50 total playable characters. That’s six total looks per fighter – not just four like last time – that are all available as soon as you boot up the game. Outside of actually downloading the playable characters of Shuma-Gorath and Jill Valentine, no DLC is required (though there might just be some of that on the way as well…).
Just a couple things to remember, though (and the words to follow should be pretty familiar if you caught my similar write-ups the first time around):
1. Gameplay comes first, so the color scheme has to differ enough from the others to easily differentiate in the heat of battle.
2. The color scheme has to fit on the character model. For this reason, I hesitate to call these “alternate costumes” (although in some cases, they actually are).
