Marvel seems to have hundreds of different superheroes who make up the MCU. Yet, fans probably didn’t see that Hit-Monkey would take center stage next, let alone have his very own series. Marvel has recently dropped a trailer for the new animated series, which will be available for streaming only through Hulu. The Hit-Monkey originates from digital comics that were brought to life by writer Daniel Way and artist Dalibor Talajic.
This is where the narrative of the untamed simian grew its roots. Now, taking the lead of the Hulu show are creators, showrunners, and executive producers Josh Gordon and Will Speck, both known for their comedic talent and nature. The two are most known for their film Office Christmas Party, which happens to feature two stars who will also be a part of Hit-Monkey: actor Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Munn. The trailer that just dropped moves swiftly from image to image, making it a bit confusing for fans to decipher what exactly the show will be exploring.
Marvel released a synopsis that reads, “Monkey’s peaceful existence in the Japanese alps is shattered by the tragic loss of his tribe- setting him on a course of revenge and violence in the very world of humans that are responsible for his plight. He’s a killer of killers with a bit of a rage problem. Throughout the series, he must learn to navigate the struggle between his inherently sweet nature and the evil acts he must commit. It’s through his complicated relationship with the Ghost of Bryce (a former assassin and now, Monkey’s unwanted conscience), that will determine whether Monkey will be consumed with rage or channel it for good.” The fact that Hit-Monkey is a Japanese snow monkey who must team up with an American assassin turned ghost makes the two an unlikely pair, separating the animated Marvel series from most shows and bringing forth the intersectionality of differences in culture and species.
Marvel integrating Hit-Monkey's disposition and trying to draw the line between good and evil is an interesting dynamic. Often, Marvel has denounced their characters as either strict superheroes or villains, leaving very little grey area in between. Now that Marvel films have decided to explore what acts/experiences make up a villain, it’s refreshing to see a series that will acknowledge the fact that all humans (or monkeys) have a light and dark side within them. After all, no person or creature is inherently considered to be all wicked or all benevolent.
The Hit-Monkey series is groundbreaking, bringing forth one of the first Marvel characters to be classified as both heroic and tainted with corruption. In that sense, Hit-Monkey shares a tone similar to that of Hulu's MODOK, another animated series that explores the many sides of a classic Marvel antagonist.
Hit-Monkey will be available for streaming through Hulu on November 17th, 2021.
Source: Marvel