Marvel should make Valkyrie look like she does in the movie

[Drops Of Venus]

If Marvel Comics establishes the IN MYTHOLOGY concept that valkyries use the body of fallen warriors like I've posted before, I don't see how anyone here can find that bad. Also, I'd argue that it makes for an expansion of the character's own mythology, something that actually might work when it comes to replacing a character from time to time. Eventually, she could be blonde. Another point, black. Another point, chinese. I very much like that idea.

Well, you posted a link to the traditional classic norse mythlogy, not the Marvel one, so I wasn't sure if that part of her story remained truth. I did some research, though, and found out that Marvel's Brunnhilde also has a history of having her spirit/soul/essence inside of other people's body. So while they could do that and claim it's mythologically accurate, the whole blackface thing could still be a problem, depending on how they handle it. If they make it as just another story of Brunnhilde inside of another person's body so she can eventually return to her own, fine, but if they do that for the sole purpose of matching her to her MCU counterpart because ''they don't have enough iconic black female figures'' and that is going to be her definite body from now on, yeah, I'll still argue that this particular kind of representation would be problematic, because it would essentially be a white woman posing as a black woman for representation. I mean, a black woman with a ''white soul'' in a society where african-descending communities still deal with the fallout of historical oppression because they weren't white... yeah, this wouldn't sit well with many people and I can understand why.

[ijacksparrow]

Well, you posted a link to the traditional classic norse mythlogy, not the Marvel one, so I wasn't sure if that part of her story remained truth. I did some research, though, and found out that Marvel's Brunnhilde also has a history of having her spirit/soul/essence inside of other people's body. So while they could do that and claim it's mythologically accurate, the whole blackface thing could still be problem, depending on how they handle it. If they make it as just another story of Brunnhilde inside of another person's body so she can eventually return to her own, fine, but if they do that for the sole purpose of matching her to her MCU counterpart because ''they don't have enough iconic black female figures'' and that is going to be her definite body from now on, yeah, I'll still argue that this particular kind of representation would be problematic, because it would essentially be a white woman posing as a black woman for representation. I mean, a black woman with a ''white soul'' in a society where african-descending communities still deal with the fallout of historical oppression because they weren't white... yeah, this wouldn't sit well with many people and I can understand why.

I see it differently, and thanks for your research. What I see is an opportunity here for something bigger than the scope you're suggesting. What I mean is that Brunnhilde DOESN'T have a physical body. She isn't neither blonde, white, black or asian. She is a Valkyrie, and the blonde Brunnhilde that we know is just one of the many encarnations she had and will have. That way no, she wouldn't be a black woman forever. She wouldn't be a blonde woman forever or even a redhead or an asian woman. She is Brunnhilde, a Valkyrie. Her weapon is the vessel of fallen warriors, hence when she "dies", she comes back looking like someone else. But she's always Brunnhilde. I find this a very interesting concept to explore, beyond identity politics. Does Brunnhilde retain some of her host memories? Some of their personalities? Think Rogue, but in a Nordic deity level. It's such a rich concept to explore that I really think Marvel should go at it.

[Danileriver23]

they shoulda cast brianne of tarth from game of thrones...

[Moon Ronin]

Well, you posted a link to the traditional classic norse mythlogy, not the Marvel one, so I wasn't sure if that part of her story remained truth. I did some research, though, and found out that Marvel's Brunnhilde also has a history of having her spirit/soul/essence inside of other people's body. So while they could do that and claim it's mythological accurate....

One: Her history of having her spirit/soul/essence inside of other people's body is no different form Spider-Man's, meaning that it is by Enchantress, Dr. Strange, or Clea's power the times she is in a body that and not an inherent trait of Valkyrie to do so.

Two: Nowhere in Scandinavian or Germanic mythology does it say that they can inhabit another body. The closest thing to it is they can appear to the fallen as a loved one, not take over the body but a trick of the mind to help the fallen on the journey Valhalla.

I see it differently, and thanks for your research. What I see is an opportunity here for something bigger than the scope you're suggesting. What I mean is that Brunnhilde DOESN'T have a physical body.

She Does have a body, one that Enchantress keep imprisoned while playing with her spirit, and in mythology she is described as having red hair, same for Thor. Brunnhilde is the most famous of the Valkyrjur due to a story where after upsetting Odin he banished to Earth (in her own body she didn't take over another one). The Story is full of murder a love triangle, power grabs, taking virginity, and sacrifice... Its awesome. There are many more Valkyrjur that can and should be introduced with out replacing the current Valkyre.

Does Brunnhilde retain some of her host memories? Some of their personalities?

You mean Mosaic?

[JudicatorPrime]

they shoulda cast brianne of tarth from game of thrones...

One of my favorite characters ever.

[Zero Hunter]

Marvel has already shown other named members of the Valkyior such as Hildegarde, Krista, and Valtrauta so there is not need to strip Brunnhilde of her name or place in the Marvel U when they can just add the movie version as another member. Plus by the look of it the movie version might just be a bad guy anyway since she is working for the Grandmaster.

[JudicatorPrime]

Hogun is not Asgardian. Hogun is just hanging out with them.

And, no, i dont want Valk to be turned into a 5 feet tall tiny black woman. That's not what the character supposed to be.

Maybe they can bring a god from another pantheon to hang out with the Valkyries like Hogun.

We're talking apples and oranges. Hogun is a citizen of Asgard and is therefore an Asgardian. You are speaking more to his origins, not nationality/realm identification.

[Triniking1234]

I don't mind the change as long as the story's not crap.

Nah that I wouldn't like. If Tessa is Brunnhilde, Brunnhilde should look like her. Especially if she's absent since before Secret Wars.

Where's my Jessica Alba Susan Richards then? What nonsense.

[Sighphi]

We're talking apples and oranges. Hogun is a citizen of Asgard and is therefore an Asgardian. You are speaking more to his origins, not nationality/realm identification.

No, we are talking about the same thing. You are trying to say that the Asgardians are all diverse, they are not. Hogun are BRB are pretty much the only folks that are not Asgardians living in Asgard. Both because they are the last of their people.

[davew128]

Yes because if we were going to demand fidelity to the mythology NONE OF THEM would look like they do in the comics. It makes sense that she is black because this is fiction. It's Marvel Nordic version of the mythology, and I'd love to see the change happening. Hopefully Marvel has the change already planned at this point. When I think of Heimdall, I don't think about a white dude and I don't think there's literal any problem with that.

Well you should think about him as a white dude. Even in animation Heimdall was white until the Thor movie. (Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends and Avengers: EMH)

[Hypestyle]

Reasons

1. Tessa Thompson is amazing and looks iconic
2. It's great for new fans, most of whom will be confused by a blonde, white Valkyrie in the comics
3. Marvel's independent films don't really have an iconic black woman since storm is with fox.

Has Valkyrie even been seen since the Hickman run of the avengers? Since the universe hiccuped you could just have the new Valkyrie appear and no-one in the comic book would need to bat an eye

At this point the "best" way to handle this is to have a new, racially-brown-skinned Asgardian woman be a new Valkyrie, separate from Brunhilde.

If there was an approach where, say, Brunhilde was to merge her essence to a human black woman, and then went through a traditional "Thor" transformation, unless the "powered" form of the woman was now racially brown, then you'd stumble into a criticism that a "black woman becomes white to be powerful" angle...

There was a one-shot a few years ago, written by Peter Milligan, The Trial of Thor, and there was an appearance by a black woman who was an Asgardian. So there's precedent established for 'brown' citizenry among them. http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Thor:_T...f_Thor_Vol_1_1

[LocoSteve]

No. Thats a terrible idea to transform a white character into a black character.

[HaveAtThee]

You guys do understand that movies do not generate new readers, right?

The MCU has been chugging along, elevating the popularity of comic book material for nearly ten years. Still there has been no massive influx of new readers for Marvel. People do not watch these movies and then sprint for the nearest comic store in order to read everything there is to read about the characters they just saw. Not in any significant numbers anyway.

If the movies were pulling in new comics fans, Iron Man would be one of Marvel's consistent top sellers. It isn't. Dr. Strange's movie did nothing to make his book sell better. Guardians of the Galaxy? Same story.

Why should Marvel radically alter their long-term characters to accommodate these nonexistent new readers?

[Silvermoth]

It's a shame I didn't start this thread today. I'm sure there would be a lot more people keen except for the same old bozos who always complain.

But I think there's so many wonderful stories you can do with Tessa's Valkyrie

[Username taken]

Tessa Thompson is a beautiful woman but I think Marvel would be better off creating a new Valkyrie that resembles the MCU version.

I think that's just the simpler way of handling stuff like this.