Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: Marvel’s dynamic duo are on their way to TV screens

Ready or not, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur are heading to Disney Channel in 2021, and the MCU will never be the same, again.

Marvel might have a bit of an edge over DC on the big screen, but they’re in a dead even race on TV screens. DC still has the upper hand in the world of animation, though. But Marvel is getting new players in the game in the form of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur – which is coming to the Disney Channel.

For those who don’t know, Devil Dinosaur has a long history in Marvel Comics. Created by the late comic book icon Jack Kirby, he first debuted in 1978, living in a universe separate from the rest of Marvel. But as time went on, portals allowed him and his companion, Moon Boy, to go on adventures with familiar characters.

Devil Dinosaur’s world is a more primitive one, filled with warring tribes and ancient beasts. A mutation made Devil Dinosaur more powerful and much more intelligent than the rest of his species. He owes his life to Moon Boy, who saved him from their common enemies.

How Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur came to be

After a healthy absence, Devil Dinosaur returned to Marvel Comics in 2016 when a gateway was accidentally opened that allowed him to travel to Earth-616, the main reality in Marvel. Moon Boy had been killed and the dinosaur was looking for revenge. Little did he know he was about to make a new friend.

Lunella Lafayette, aka Moon Girl, was an incredibly smart 4th grader who was mocked by her schoolmates. Obsessed with Kree technology, she played a part in opening the gate that brought Devil Dinosaur into her life. They quickly bonded, turning them into crime fighting duo like New York had never seen before.

Moon Girl is reputed to be one of the smartest individuals on Earth. Being a NuHuman, an Human/Inhuman hybrid, might have something to do with that. She eventually went through the Inhuman Terrigenesis process, which gave her the ability to switch bodies with Devil Dinosaur.

It’s easy to see the benefits of Moon Girl’s mind in Devil Dinosaur’s body. On the other hand, Devil Dinosaur’s mind in Moon Girl’s body just seems like more trouble than it’s worth. That being said, it is a concept ripe with comedic opportunities in their new Disney show.

Devil Dinosaur has been used in several animated series and video games over the years. Not so much for his partner, though. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur will mark Moon Girl’s first TV appearance. It should prove to be an interesting one to say the least.

Not much is known about the show so far. Steve Loter, who worked on series like Kim Possible, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command and The Legend of Tarzan, is part of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. But he’s not the most surprising member of the team by far.

Laurence Fishburne, acclaimed actor and member of the MCU, is producing the new animated series. A long time comic book fan, it’s not hard to imagine that he’s going to attack this project with the same zeal he brought to Ant-Man and the Wasp.

A unique opportunity for Marvel

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur has a lot of potential in it. The characters are unique, interesting and have a heart-warming bond, not dissimilar to the one between Hiro and Baymax in the film and TV adaptations of Big Hero 6. The main difference is that Baymax isn’t a giant red dinosaur who is perpetually on the verge of trashing New York.

Keeping that in mind, a crossover between Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur and Big Hero 6 has potential. Given Moon Girl’s access to reality jumping technology, such a story is not out of the question. It would also be a way to connect the film version of Big Hero 6 to the larger world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

How Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur fits into the MCU will also be interesting. It will hopefully be considered part of the larger canon, the same way The Clone Wars and Rebels fit into the Star Wars Universe. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur could serve the important purpose of fleshing the world out a bit more without having to be a direct part of the MCU.

It’s also more than worth noting that Lunella Layfayette is a young African-American girl, a group that is woefully underrepresented in the MCU. Giving a character like Moon Girl her own show is important to the MCU but also the world in general.

Moon Girl is an incredibly interesting character, one that makes a great focus for a TV series. Plus, anyone who hangs out with a big, red dinosaur is worth telling stories about. While fans wait for details on the new series, they can always go back and re-read the comics featuring these characters to get an idea of what they’re in for.

Are you looking forward to Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur? Let us know in the comments below!