By Dustin M. Best
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is speeding toward us like the Milano through the cosmos. We all know the major players, but what about the new faces? Let me comic chat you up about the debut of Kurt Russell playing a living planet and a few other quintessential Marvel cosmic characters.
Ego the Living Planet
It’s Kurt Russell’s world and we all just live in it…or on it. Kurt will make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Ego the Living Planet.
Yes, Kurt is a living planet. One that can apparently take the shape of a human. Ego the Living Planet first debuted in Thor #132 back in ’66 and was co-created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. What powers would a living planet actually have? Superior intelligence and psionic abilities are crucial to Ego’s survival along with its’ vast living systems, like having an immune system which attacks intruders on the surface.
Mantis
Pom Klementieff offers her acting chops as the martial arts master and psychic, Mantis. Mantis was first brought to comic pages in The Avengers #112, created by Steve Englehart and Don Heck.
If you gave a hippie cosmic powers and sweet martial arts skills, you would have Mantis. Her psychic powers allow her to sense the emotions of others and years of training have sharpened her mental and physical martial arts skills. Mantis’s relationship with Ego should be interesting to see since her psychic capabilities also allow her to communicate with plants and vegetation as well.
Simon Williams
Nathan Fillion plays Simon Williams. Sounds exciting, right? But what if I told you Simon Williams is former Avenger member, Wonder Man? Intrigued? I just gave myself that feeling too.
Simon first appeared way back in The Avengers #9 being created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Don Heck. Being experimented on by none other than Baron Zemo, Simon gained far beyond super-soldier capabilities along with being able to generate Ionic energy. Simon…errrr…Wonder Man has passed away multiple times throughout his comic tenure but with an actor like Fillion portraying him, let’s just hope he stays intact.
Kismet
Playing the part of Kismet, or originally called Paragon, is Elizabeth Debicki. Her first appearance in print was in The Incredible Hulk Annual #6 having been created by Len Wein, David Kraft and Herb Trimple.
Kismet is a very intriguing add to the film as it almost certifies that we may finally bear witness to Infinity Gauntlet staple, Adam Warlock. Why? The Enclave, a villainous scientist pact in Marvel Comics, created Adam Warlock then went on to create Paragon (Kismet). Warlock was often referred to as “Him” while Paragon was often referred to as “Her”.
The chips are laid out for all four characters to play a vital role in Guardians Volume 2, thus providing that extra cosmic push toward Infinity War.
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