Bring them Back!

[MajorHoy]

If you like those, maybe you'd like the British comic called Commando?

Don't think I've ever seen that here in the states.

I also hope Natasha Romanov/black widow who recently died in secret empire will be return from the dead really soon.

Unless Scarlett Johansson is no longer going to be in the Marvel movies, I'm guessing the comic book Black Widow won't be dead for too long.

[Michael Watkins]

Yet he has done things a hell of a lot more full on villainous than the real Eric ever did. Especially siding with HYDRA in Secret Empire, which given the fact his best friend was killed by HYDRA agents felt pretty bad to me. Even the real Eric recognized what a crazed loon Norman Osborn was back in Dark Reign and got out.

Point is, Eric was always more interesting as a jerk who wishes he could be a hero than a full on villain, which is a position as Black Ant they shoved his LMD counterpart into because they didn't want him competing with Scott when he came back. LMD Eric lacks that tiny spark of morality which keeps him from being a full on bad guy like Black Ant really is. So yeah, I want the real Eric back... or at least no Black Ant around tarnishing his final act which was of heroism.

nope. We do not have the same understanding of Eric. He didn't want to be a hero. He wanted the perks of being a hero. Kirkman made this very clear. He did not "side" with Hydra. He took the path of least resistance; as always. You could not have missed him telling Taskmaster that he didn't want to hang with racists. You could not have missed that his instincts were to sell the info to Maria Hill. He and Taskmaster have just been biding their time (and bringing the Champions food apparently).

And a lot of his bad behavior can be blamed on Father's cyber-magical influence. And, again, this is nothing we haven't seen from day one with Eric. You mention his best friend but leave out Eric getting him killed, tarnishing his reputation, and impregnating his girlfriend. You leave out him stealing from a villain and, to show his moral alignment, befriend that villain. Remember when Doc Samson was crazy evil and part of the Intelligencia? Do you remember who activated the device that made him go nuts? Who threatened to kill Luke Cage? Personally I think that you don't get the character. Once you reform him, he no longer has a selling point. He becomes Lang-lite. That is not what I want for the character. He works just fine as villain comic relief; like the Superior Foes of Spider-man.

[Michael Watkins]

Pointless to you maybe, but I always preferred Eric as the lovable if jerkish douche who wanted inside to be like Rogers and Stark and the rest. Remember he saved Nick Fury's life on the helicarrier and managed where it mattered to be a decent member of the Secret Avenger prior to his death. I guess I'm happy they've kept his friendship with Taskmaster intact, but I would still prefer the human Eric over his more evil LMD counterpart.

When I call it pointless, I'm saying that no good came of it. Eric wasn't heralded as a hero. His teammates didn't mourn his loss (further proof that current Black Ant is the real Eric). The Descendants were slaughtered later by Pym. You'll never see Parvez again. So Eric was killed, specifically, to become the Descendants plant on the team. And he regretted the decision; his words.


He abandons Victoria and his unborn child only to lose his humanity saving a mother and child
Works to save Bill Foster's digitized soul - now stuck in an artificial body
He saves Nick Fury - Black Ant executes LMD-Fury
He burns half of Mitch Carson's face off - he has one side of his face burned off as Black Ant
There's a beautiful symmetry to Eric's life

[Alpha Male]

They'd have to figure out a way for White Tiger to share the amulet, wouldn't they? Not sure she's willing to give it up? But then again, the Tiger god is a very powerful deity. I'm sure they could work something out.

Here's something they should do if another writer decides to revive Sons of The Tiger. I know for the most part they made appearances here and there, but this is how you can give them their abilities back. I read some issues of Deadly Hands of Kung Fu and I noticed that their powers worked once they recited a chant that was inscribed in the back of the amulet. Now what if they recited the chant once again and they still were able to manifest their mystical Kung Fu? I always thought that the Sons somehow internalized the energy of the amulets and are able to utilize the power but only in unison. I would use that approach with The Sons of The Tiger.

[Derek Metaltron]

When I call it pointless, I'm saying that no good came of it. Eric wasn't heralded as a hero. His teammates didn't mourn his loss (further proof that current Black Ant is the real Eric). The Descendants were slaughtered later by Pym. You'll never see Parvez again. So Eric was killed, specifically, to become the Descendants plant on the team. And he regretted the decision; his words.


He abandons Victoria and his unborn child only to lose his humanity saving a mother and child
Works to save Bill Foster's digitized soul - now stuck in an artificial body
He saves Nick Fury - Black Ant executes LMD-Fury
He burns half of Mitch Carson's face off - he has one side of his face burned off as Black Ant
There's a beautiful symmetry to Eric's life

He's really not the real Eric though, because then he wouldn't be an LMD. Black Ant is effectively copied elements of Eric's personality but minus the sparks of heroism he had developed over time in the Avengers and beyond. It's basically the same as what happened with Superior Spider-Man - Otto realized over time that he simply wasn't the kind of hero Peter was and not capable of matching him, but when he returns it's a copy of his memories from a time sometime before he learnt that lesson. I came to like Eric before his death because he went through a journey, gradually improving, if often backtracking, in his attempts to be a better person. Did he still act like a douche at times and have a bad track record with women? Probably, yes. And you're definitely right about him desiring the perks as much as everything, but he's hardly the only would be hero to be that way.

Clearly you and I have different takes on the character, though I don't claim to have followed him that much since the Black Ant transformation... he simply isn't the same Eric I liked before. So I would prefer the human Eric back, or at least have them take Black Ant off the board first. Eric was never an actual villain when he was human, and it's not a case of reforming him completely more than him aspiring to be something better, if occasionally under less than moral reasoning. Remember that Eric's relationship with his father - a firefighter and a hero in his own world - defined him to move away from his Vermont routes but also discover SHIELD as a way of reflecting a warped attempt at that heroism.

[Michael Watkins]

He's really not the real Eric though, because then he wouldn't be an LMD. Black Ant is effectively copied elements of Eric's personality but minus the sparks of heroism he had developed over time in the Avengers and beyond. It's basically the same as what happened with Superior Spider-Man - Otto realized over time that he simply wasn't the kind of hero Peter was and not capable of matching him, but when he returns it's a copy of his memories from a time sometime before he learnt that lesson. I came to like Eric before his death because he went through a journey, gradually improving, if often backtracking, in his attempts to be a better person. Did he still act like a douche at times and have a bad track record with women? Probably, yes. And you're definitely right about him desiring the perks as much as everything, but he's hardly the only would be hero to be that way.

Clearly you and I have different takes on the character, though I don't claim to have followed him that much since the Black Ant transformation... he simply isn't the same Eric I liked before. So I would prefer the human Eric back, or at least have them take Black Ant off the board first. Eric was never an actual villain when he was human, and it's not a case of reforming him completely more than him aspiring to be something better, if occasionally under less than moral reasoning. Remember that Eric's relationship with his father - a firefighter and a hero in his own world - defined him to move away from his Vermont routes but also discover SHIELD as a way of reflecting a warped attempt at that heroism.

I remember a writer who wasn't interested in writing Eric briefly bringing up a firefighter father right before having him beaten to death. It was done because Eric, as he had been, would have run from that fight. There was no mention of his family prior to that. And he was retconned into being from Boston in Seeley's Ant-man and a Wasp mini; where they established that he joined SHIELD because it was easier than going to college. His mother was shown in a flashback; no sign of his dad. Anyways, I understand you being more interested in an Eric on his way to being heroic. But why couldn't they do that with the current character? He's more than a LMD. Father was using some kind of magic to create him. It's not like he can't just choose to be better. Again, the plan was to aid Maria Hill; for profit. An evil person would have given it to Hydra.

[Herowatcher]

Ten towards the Top....

Alpha Flight - The originals and add Pathway.
Rictor
Radius
Bedlam
U.S. Agent
Gravity
The Rangers
Free Spirit - In a new costume!
Battlestar
Thunderstrike (Kevin Masterson)

[PaxHouse]

I'm wondering if Jack Flag will be returned to life after Secret Empire--I'm assuming Natasha will.

After SECRET EMPIRE #10 it's even less likely for Jack Flag to return, much less Natasha/Black Widow {or even Rick Jones}.....

[MajorHoy]

I'm wondering if Jack Flag will be returned to life after Secret Empire--I'm assuming Natasha will.

After SECRET EMPIRE #10 it's even less likely for Jack Flag to return, much less Natasha/Black Widow {or even Rick Jones}.....

And yet, not quite a year-and-a-half later, . . .

BLACK WIDOW #1
(W) Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska (A) Flaviano (CA) Clayton Crain
...AND HELL FOLLOWED WITH HER.
Natasha Romanoff was trained to kill. For years now she's tried to overcome that programming, to side with the angels...to be a hero. And where'd that get her? Killed. By one of the few true friends she allowed herself to have. Now she's back from the dead, angry as hell and finding those better angels harder and harder to hear. Jen and Sylvia Soska - the Twisted Twins of horror - join rising artist Flaviano to weave a web of vice, violence and vengeance that will net Natasha the biggest bad men she's ever faced...or put her back in the ground for good.
Rated T+
In Shops: Jan 16, 2019
Final Orders Due: Dec 17, 2018
(U.S.) SRP: $3.99

https://previewsworld.com/Catalog/NOV180789

Clayton Crain cover:


Mirka Andolfo variant:


There will also be a variant cover by Kevin Nowlan and a "Remastered Variant" featuring artwork from John Buscema (who passed away in 2002).

[Dr. Skeleton]

character_8660_f.jpg

I'm surprised they kept him dead this long. An awesome look.

[danielsan52]

El Aguila
Sabra
Turbo
Ultra Girl
Justice
Lyja
Rafael Suarez
Lindsay Macabe
Julia Carpenter
LightBright
Lectronn
Skein
Wildstreak
Poltergeist & Link
Vincente Cimetta

[K7P5V]

Genis-Vell (formerly known as Captain Marvel)
genis3.jpg

Jack Monroe: The Scourge
jack-scourge2.jpg

Maverick (re-powered & back in his old suit)
maverick4.jpg

[Sutekh]

El Aguila
Sabra
Turbo
Ultra Girl
Justice
Lyja
Rafael Suarez
Lindsay Macabe
Julia Carpenter
LightBright
Lectronn
Skein
Wildstreak
Poltergeist & Link
Vincente Cimetta

I only want to see some of these characters again, but you deserve everything ever for remembering them all!

Sabra, in particular, showed up for a hot second in some X-event or another, and I thought she was going to be a big deal. Then, whole lotta nuthin.' Sigh.

Julia Carpenter has some tough competition, because Anya and Jessica and Cindy are *also* pretty cool spider-chicklets (Julia and Jessica both having the benefit of not having the same powers as the Friendly Neighborhood guy, which helps them stand out from the dozen clones / AU versions / spider-empowered-pigs and other strangeness slinging web around Manhattan some weeks), and Spider-Gwen is getting all the 'spider-lady' love this year. I wonder if she can refine her 'psi-webs' power to create a single strand and whip people around telekinetically, like that scene in Wonder Woman in the village, using her rope to grab people and throw them around. That could be a neat development of her pre-existing power, as opposed to just giving her new (and, IMO, unnecessary) powers.

[shooshoomanjoe]

Night Thraser
Living Lightning
The Fallen Angels
Skids
Wiz Kid
Mole of the Morlocks

[K7P5V]

Sofia Mantega (with her powers & abilities returned)
sofia3.jpg

Gruenhilda (Kevin Masterson's better half)
gruenhilda3.jpg

Jack of Hearts & Ganymede
cosmic powers.jpg