As an adaptation of decades of comic book history, the Marvel Cinematic Universe often strives to be as faithful to the source material as possible. It makes sense, since fans want to see their favorite characters on the big screen. In fact, they tend to criticize Disney’s creative changes every time a new project is launched. However, as with any rule, there are exceptions. Some MCU characters are simply better than their comic counterpart.
Whether it’s because Marvel Studios revamped the characters and gave them a bigger role in this universe or because they left behind some of their worst traits. Either way, some characters that were drastically changed from their comic book counterparts won the hearts of fans.
ten Arthur Harrow went from boring to one of the MCU’s scariest villains (Moon Knight)
Created by Alan Zelenetz and Chris Warner for Moon Knight #2, Arthur Harrow was a respected doctor who secretly experimented on humans at Auschwitz. In the Disney+ series Moon KnightEthan Hawke portrayed Harrow very differently: he was a religious fanatic and cult leader who wanted to meddle in the Egyptian pantheon to punish humanity.
Gone are the days when villains were always two-dimensional Nazis, and Marvel Studios knows it. The MCU’s Arthur Harrow was a more complete character, with trauma from his time as Khonshu’s avatar. Harrow definitely left a more lasting impression than his comic counterpart.
9 Falcon just got way cooler
Created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan, Sam Wilson debuted as Falcon in Captain America #117, but it was very different from the MCU version. Instead of being a U.S. Air Force-trained aviator with expertise in his wingsuit, the comics portray Sam as an ordinary guy who gained the ability to communicate with birds.
Of course, fans think Sam’s power in the comics is a bit lame, especially when compared to Marvel’s most powerful superheroes. Luckily, the MCU gave him a new perk, giving Falcon a winged suit and a combat drone instead of a telepathic connection to a real falcon, making him a more modern and cool character.
8 Fans are glad Thor didn’t have a human alter ego in the movies
When it comes to origin stories, Thor has a pretty convoluted one. Once an arrogant god, he was punished by his father and sent to Earth as a mortal named Donald Blake to humiliate him. It wasn’t until Donald discovered his true identity that he was able to embrace the power of Mjolnir and become Thor again.
It would have taken up a lot of unnecessary screen time in movies. Fortunately, the MCU chose to get rid of Donald Blake, aside from a small Easter egg in Thor. This left plenty of time to develop Thor as a character into other areas, such as a tortured god, an Avenger, and even a boyfriend.
seven Karen Page is much more independent and balanced in the series (Daredevil)
Now that Charlie Cox has officially joined the MCU, fans are hoping Deborah Ann Woll will also reprise her role as badass Karen Page, who has quickly become Daredevil’s valued ally. If that were to happen, audiences would be happier if Karen didn’t change much about herself. daredevil version.
In the Netflix series, Karen is Matt and Foggy’s office manager, a woman with a strong sense of justice, but the comics portray Karen on a more self-destructive journey. During Frank Miller’s run, Karen found herself as a sex worker with a heroin addiction. Eventually, she sold Daredevil’s identity to pay for her addiction. Disney will surely ignore this arc.
6 Baron Zemo is better as a tortured man than a twisted Nazi
One of the MCU’s favorite villains, Helmut Zemo is a member of Sokovia royalty and a former special ops soldier who blames the Avengers for the death of his family. Given this, Baron Zemo released The Winter Soldier, creating a conflict between Iron Man and Captain America that fractured the superhero community.
The MCU version of Baron Zemo is infinitely more complex than his comic counterpart. While the MCU Zemo manages to gain public empathy, in the comics he believes in Nazi ideology due to his father’s teachings, which makes him far from an empathetic character.
5 Taskmaster fits Black Widow perfectly
Created by David Michelinie and George Pérez, Taskmaster is the secret identity of Tony Masters, a mercenary with photographic reflexes that allow him to mimic the moments of everyone he sees. This character is one of the main antagonists of Black Widow, but the MCU version changes a lot, including the character’s gender. In Black WidowAntonia Dreykov is the daughter of General Dreykov, who experimented on her, brainwashing her like he did with the Black Widows.
Some fans were unhappy with this change as they wanted to see Tony Masters. However, others see Antonia as a perfect addition to the story, as she represents exactly how ruthless Dreykov is, even with his own blood. With a bit of luck, Love at first sight will explore that, now that she’s an official member of the team.
4 Thanos’ Motivation in Movies Makes Him a More Complex Character
One of the biggest changes the MCU has made to the Marvel Universe is a central part of the Infinity Saga: Thanos agenda. In Infinity Gauntlet, by Jim Starlin, George Perez and Ron Lim, the Mad Titan only wanted to wipe out half the universe to woo Mistress Death. However, in the movies, his genocidal agenda comes from the idea that it’s the only way to prevent the universe’s eventual demise.
Most MCU fans agree that Thanos was a more complete character. His obsession with being the savior of the universe underscores his megalomania and grandiose attitude, whereas in the comics he was more of a two-dimensional villain.
3 Paul Rudd Made Fans Fall In Love With Scott Lang (Ant-Man)
Since Hank Pym is an OG Avenger, fans were surprised to know that Scott Lang would be the official MCU Ant-Man. While some weren’t sure, it turned out to be the right choice, thanks in part to the charisma of Paul Rudd. While the comic book version of Lang is already a fun guy, Paul Rudd made him hilarious
Ultimately, choosing Lang over Pym to be Ant-Man was the best option for the MCU. It allowed Rudd to develop his talent for comedy, but in addition, it allowed Marvel to ignore some shameful parts of Hank Pym’s past, like his anger issues, which he took on his wife, Janet. Van Dyne.
2 Benedict Wong steals the show as Wong
Certainly one of the best supporting characters in the MCU, Wong has slowly and steadily gained popularity with his many cameos, especially since Phase Four. Of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings at She-Hulk: Lawyer placeBenedict Wong turned out to be the perfect actor for the role and people love him.
Since his introduction to the MCU in strange doctor, Wong became Sorcerer Supreme. Unlike his MCU version, Wong is quite an annoying character in the comics. He primarily serves as Doctor Strange’s sidekick and his arcs depend on Strange’s adventures.
1 Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark Is Far More Charismatic Than Iron Man In The Comics
Many fans think Robert Downey Jr. is the perfect choice for Iron Man, and they’re right. However, the MCU version of Tony Stark was quite different from the comic book version. Since he first performed in Iron ManRDJ’s portrayal of this genius billionaire was a major influence on the character in the comics.
Before RDJ turned Tony Stark into a charismatic know-it-all, he was just an arrogant rich man in the comics. While his genius-level intelligence is worthy of admiration, Iron Man was mostly annoying beyond the armor. The best thing RDJ could have done is give him some humanity.