With the release of Season 1, Marvel Rivals continues to be the biggest thing in gaming right now. Now that Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman have joined the roster—and with Human Torch and The Thing arriving soon—it’s clear the game is not slowing down anytime soon. But even after such a huge start to the game, data miners have discovered that there are plenty more heroes in the pipeline for Marvel Rivals, including:
- Emma Frost
- Jean Grey
- Angela
- Deadpool
- Ultron
- Blade
- Hit-Monkey
- Cyclops
- Captain Marvel
While there’s no official confirmation on when these characters might debut, why not dive into their comic book origins while you wait? Here’s a guide to essential comics for each rumored addition to Marvel Rivals.
Emma Frost
Image: MarvelComic: Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday
The X-Men’s White Queen is rumored to join Marvel Rivals as a Vanguard, leveraging her unbreakable diamond skin to become the game's stylish tank. This is the one I’m most excited about, as I’d love to see how they integrate her psychic powers into her kit as well.
While Emma got her start in comics as a villain part of the Hellfire Club, she became a fixture within the X-Men, especially during Joss Whedon and John Cassaday’s Astonishing X-Men. Much of that run deals with Emma Frost’s duality as a character through her complicated relationship with Cyclops and the rest of the X-Men. But as controversial as her relationship with Scott may have been, I’ve always felt she is his best pairing (no offense to Jean). Their relationship brought out unique layers of vulnerability in both characters, with Emma often shifting between supporting Cyclops and undermining him to protect her insecurities. As neither a full-on hero nor villain, she operates on her own moral code that brings plenty of tension to the story.
Jean Grey
Image: MarvelComic: New X-Men by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely
As much as it’s given to read The Dark Phoenix Saga to get the core of Jean Grey’s character, I will go with something different this time. Grant Morrison’s New X-Men is a seminal work within the X-Men mythos because of its themes of evolution, societal change, and the complexities of human relationships. This run explores Jean Grey’s evolution as she struggles to balance her vulnerabilities with the overwhelming power of the Phoenix Force.
Morrison’s take on Jean emphasizes themes of growth and renewal, portraying her as a leader coming into her own. It’s a refreshing and thought-provoking approach to a character often defined by tragedy. As an X-Men fanboy, I’m simply excited to have even more mutants join the Rivals roster.
Angela
Image: MarvelComic: Angela: Asgard’s Assassin by Marguerite Bennett, Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans, and Phil Jimenez
Originally a supporting character within the Spawn Universe, Angela made the jump into Marvel when the rights to the character were bought by the publisher in 2013. Since debuting in the Age of Ultron storyline, she’s tangled regularly with the Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor. The miniseries Angela: Asgard’s Assassin solidified her role in the Marvel Universe and redefined her connection to Asgard and its mythology.
While she does not have many solo books since joining the Marvel banner, the series by Marguerite Bennett, Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans, and Phil Jimenez is a fun, six-issue miniseries that spotlights the mythological warrior. It builds on Angela’s retconned origin, revealed in Original Sin, where it’s disclosed that she is Aldrif Odinsdottir, the long-lost sister of Thor and Loki.
Deadpool
Image: MarvelComic: Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender
It should come as no surprise that the Merc with a Mouth is coming to Marvel Rivals as a Duelist. As one of Marvel’s most beloved characters today, it feels like it's only a matter of time until Wade Wilson gets to inject his distinct brand of chaos into the game.
But as much as people love Deadpool for his humor and fourth-wall-breaking antics, comics like Rick Remender’s Uncanny X-Force bring a more nuanced take on the typically goofball character. With the series focused on a mutant black-ops team led by Wolverine, Deadpool often serves as the surprising moral center of the violent group. His role goes beyond being the comic relief but as someone who pushes the team to confront their darker tendencies. His depth, compassion, and willingness to question morality showed that even one of Marvel’s most off-the-wall characters could have a heart of gold.
Ultron
Image: MarvelComic: Ultron Forever by Al Ewing and Alan Davis
Ultron was also one of the early leaks, revealing he’d be a Strategist who controls the battlefield using drones and other devices. While the rumors believed Ultron would be the first of the new characters, it has since been debunked with the release of the Fantastic Four in Season 1. Regardless, Ultron’s addition will be great for the limited picks within Strategists right now.
If you want to know more about the menacing robot, Ultron Forever by Al Ewing and Alan Davis is a three-part miniseries about the Avengers time-traveling to stop a dystopian future where Ultron achieves complete domination. The story is a love letter to Avengers history while providing a fresh take on Ultron’s character, emphasizing his evolution as one of Marvel’s most enduring and complex villains.
Blade
Image: MarvelComic: Blood Hunt
With Dracula as the main villain of Season 1, many assumed Blade would be right in the mix against him. But in-game lore suggests that Blade is currently captured, which is why vampires are running amok across Midtown. But rest assured, Marvel’s Daywalker is coming, most likely as part of Season 2.
In the meantime, you can check out Marvel’s crossover even from last year, Blood Hunt. Similar to what’s happening in Rivals, the Marvel Universe was hit by a swarm of vampires that turned heroes like Black Panther Mile Morales into violent bloodsuckers. Blade was one of the centerpieces of the storyline, as he was possessed by one of the main villains. Overall, the event was unique for putting a darker, more horror-themed light on the Marvel Universe. But if that doesn’t pique your interest, then there’s always the Wesley Snipes movies to hit with you some good ol’ early 2000s dark action movie camp.
Hit-Monkey
Image: MarvelComic: Hit-Monkey by Daniel Way and Dalibor Talajić
This pick is a weird one, but I’m all for Rivals going deep into Marvel’s bag of oddball characters.
Created by Daniel Way and Dalibor Talajić, Hit-Monkey is a Japanese macaque who becomes a deadly assassin after witnessing the murder of his tribe and being trained in the ways of killing. His origin is tragic and absurd, embodying Marvel’s penchant for blending humor with pathos.
While there isn’t much you can find about Hit Monkey, his comics are often fun, action-packed romps with plenty of humor. After all, seeing a gun-toting monkey wearing a suit is always going to be at least kinda funny. I can already imagine he will be a menace to deal with in Marvel Rivals for being a small target who can dish out plenty of damage.
Cyclops
Image: MarvelComic: Uncanny X-Men #500-544
As one of the poster boys of X-Men, Cyclops has tons of great comics to read. However, the run from Uncanny X-Men 500-544 stands out as the pivotal period when Cyke transitioned from leader to revolutionary. While most media outside of comics, like video games, TV series, and movies, typically portray Scott as a straight-laced hero, this era of X-Men comics showcased there are so many more layers behind those ruby visors.
By the end of this run, Cyclops drastically changed from the “Boy Scout” many believed him to be in earlier X-Men stories. He emerges as a hardened, pragmatic figure willing to compromise ideals for the greater good of his people. He effectively steps out of Xavier’s shadow and redefines the X-Men’s mission to focus on survival and empowerment rather than solely coexistence. Cyclops haters be damned because the comics really showed how he is one of the greatest X-Men ever, whether good or evil.
Captain Marvel
Image: MarvelComic: Captain Marvel by Kelly Thompson
Another great pick for Marvel Rivals is Captain Marvel, who will most likely be a Duelist. Kelly Thompson's Captain Marvel run is a standout series that redefined Carol Danvers as a powerful and complex superhero, firmly establishing her as a cornerstone of the Marvel Universe. The series combines high-stakes action with deep emotional storytelling, exploring themes of identity, leadership, and resilience. It also celebrates Carol’s legacy as Captain Marvel while pushing her character forward in new and exciting directions.
As Marvel Rivals continues to expand its roster, there’s no better time to explore the comics that define these iconic characters characters. From Cyclops’ complexity to Angela’s Asgardian roots, each hero has a rich history worth diving into. After all, everyone could use a break in between games, so why not spend it reading great comics? The sky’s the limit for Marvel Rivals at this point, and I’m incredibly excited to see where it goes from here.