What unforgettable comic book moments should we be looking out for in 2020?
One of the best things about the new year is the changes. People all over the world use this time of year to reinvent themselves. Start new diets, become better people, get a new job, and so much more. The comic book world is no different. Comic book creators start to give hints about what kind of year our favorite characters will have. Sometimes it’s positive. For example, the X-Men started off this year by taking a stand against humans. They let the world know that they will no longer be bullied or manipulated. Other times it’s not, like the ending of City of Bane (which will be discussed).
But it’s not just the pages of comic books that experience a rebirth of sorts. Comic book movies and shows will have changes coming as well, and news that will influence an entire franchise will continue to drop throughout the year. You’ll also have shows that will revolutionize the way future programs are created and viewed. We saw a lot of that in 2019 (article on that coming soon). Coming up, we have five comic book hot takes, some bold opinions on things that may happen in 2020. Let’s start this list off with something we’ve been waiting to hear for years.
Marvel Studios makes an X-Men announcement
We’ve been waiting for an X-Men movie from Marvel Studios for the better part of a decade, and Disney’s Fox acquisition just heightened those feelings. If one had to guess, we’ll get some news this year. With the Infinity Saga over, the next phase of Marvel’s plans will begin.
The X-Men may not come for another few years, but we will get hints. Something as simple as a mention of mutants in a movie or a character from the X-Men’s rogues’ gallery may come. It could be as soon as Black Widow or as far ahead as The Eternals, but we’ll get clues. This is more speculation than any fact. If you’re like every comic book fan, you’re hoping this theory comes true. And when it happens, remember where you heard it first.
Harley Quinn rocks the theaters, but…
Margot Robbie is one of the best actors in Hollywood. She also has one of the best portrayals in a comic book movie. She was one of the saving graces of Suicide Squad. Everything about her points to the fact hat she can carry the Birds of Prey movie. Despite all of that, Birds of Prey doesn’t appear to be a movie many fans have been looking forward to.
This movie is going to be swept under the rug. While the DC Comics shows are top-notch, people have mostly negative opinions on their movies. Birds of Prey will take a hit in the theaters. It’ll still make its money back and be number one at the box office when it debuts, but it won’t be the success that it should be. There’s also the unfortunate stigma that women can’t lead movies, even though that’s been proven incorrect at every turn.
Wolverine is kicked out of Krakoa
Three rules were established on Krakoa: respect this sacred land (Krakoa), make more mutants (the old fashion way), and murder no man. Two of those three things Wolverine is more than capable of doing. He’s a man of nature, so he’ll respect Krakoa, and he’s more than capable of… “making more mutants.” The problem is with that last one. Wolverine is a killer. He’s going to have a problem with that last one.
We already know X-Force is back, and they’ll be a sort of hit squad. Logan will do anything it takes to protect his family, even if that means killing. That also means he’ll risk being kicked out of heaven. Logan is going to kill the wrong person, and it’ll probably be publicly. That will force the council’s hand. Before the year ends, Logan will not be allowed in Krakoa. The funny part is he’ll accept it and say he’d do it again to protect the X-Men.
Black Widow breakout star will be the new Black Widow!
Black Widow looks about as fun as you’d expect it to be. There are a couple of characters like Taskmaster and Red Guardian that are going to be exciting to watch. Red Guardian will be funny, and Taskmaster will be skilled. That said, the character you should be looking out for is Natasha Romanoff’s “sister,” Yelena Belova.
It may not seem like a big deal, but the Avengers need someone like Black Widow. A stealthy regular person who can get the job done in the clutch. Wasp and Ant-Man are good, but they aren’t Red Room-trained good. Of course, David Harbour is going to be awesome. He’s entertaining in everything. However, Yelena Belova is going to be the one we remember. Unless she’s the antagonist and gets killed. Marvel loves killing villains.
The Boys season 2 becomes a top-three comic book season
Season one of The Boys was flawless from start to finish. Everything from the gore fans of the comic book series expected to the actual story was perfect. There were some subjects in the show that were toned down perfectly to make things more palatable for viewers, too. A wise choice considering the source material. The only negative thing about it was that it ended, leaving us with this cliffhanger in the process. Butcher ends up shocked that his wife iss alive and that she has had Homelander’s baby. And that was just a sample. Expect more of what we got in season one and then some.
Karl Urban has gone all in on this season. He said season two is going to be “way more ****ing diabolical.” It may seem like more promotion, but you have to believe him. They started filming season two before season one premiered. This means they had a chance to adjust while they were filming. All of the mistakes they may have been changed after seeing the reactions from fans who loved the show. Season one was crazy, and the trailer for the new season looks to be just as wild. This is going to be the best comic book show of the year.
Knull: The Symbiote God
Marvel Comics has been teasing Knull as far back as Jason Aaron’s run of Thor: The God Butcher. He’s a being so powerful that just having a piece of him made Gorr strong enough to kill gods. The Symbiote God Knull is older than time itself. In Absolute Carnage, we discover he’s on his way to Earth, and he’s bringing all of his symbiotes with him.
This may not seem like a big deal, but imagine this: a god with the ability to cover the entire world in symbiotes. Infecting every organic being in an alien killer. It’s not just the evil people you have to worry about. You’re going to have civilians who will give in to their darkest desires and urges. The saviors of the world will have to pull their punches to save them; that’s if they aren’t infected themselves.
Then there’s Knull’s look and personality. Knull looks terrifying. We can see where Venom and Carnage got their creepy signature smiles. There’s also another assumption you can make — they got their more psychotic personalities from Knull as well. He’s their god. Knull will be scarier than anything we’ve seen from either Venom or Carnage. Think about what Cletus Kasady did in Maximum Carnage and picture it on a global scale.
Joker reveals Batman’s identity
The Joker is Batman’s greatest nemesis. There isn’t a being in the universe that challenges him the way Joker does. Bane may have taken over Gotham, but he had help. Joker has been terrorizing Batman and Gotham will less than Bane has. At the end of Batman: City of Bane, we see Joker’s goons talking about Superman revealing to the world that he’s Clark Kent. Joker starts to say how he’s not ready for that punchline yet. Then, he says, “Actually… saying it all out loud… that sounds like a hell of a lot of fun” before unleashing his signature laugh.
In The New 52’s Batman: Death of the Family crossover event, Bruce said that he didn’t believe Joker knew who he was. We find out this isn’t true in Batman: Endgame. He knows who everyone in the Bat-Family is. This year the Joker is going to reveal Batman’s true identity, and it won’t be a big deal.
In Injustice, Superman exposed Batman. After a while, not much has changed. Bruce Wayne was put on trial for a few things, but he continued to operate as Batman like he always did. The biggest concern here is how this affects everyone else. Barbara Gordon is the daughter of the police commissioner. Will Gordon lose his job if the world finds out? How does this affect Dick Grayson? On the flip side, Jason Todd probably won’t receive any backlash at all. It’ll be interesting to see how his family deals with being exposed and how his peers react to this.
What do you think? Will any of these moments happen? Let us know in the comments below.