Marvel’s shared continuity has caused some problems in the past, usually solved by rebooting and undoing entire swathes of that past, but it also enables some amazing teamwork. The inventive combination of unlikely talents is one of the most enjoyable parts of any crossover. Kieron Gillen’s recently released Dazzler pitch contains two of the best I’ve ever read.
First, combining the audiophilic abilities of Gillen with Marvel’s musical mutant isn’t just a good idea, it’s an oh-my-god-why-didn’t-we-do-that-earlier idea. It’s so natural we feel stupid for not thinking of it ourselves and then just using our website to beg both parties to realize that.
The second connection is even cooler, with Black Bolt inviting Dazzler to play a gig on the Moon — comics! — and then being a backing vocalist. Which would usually be a problem, since a single word of his would be enough to crack our planet in half. Yes, even when he’s not actually on it. Yes, this does mean he’s usually the world’s most powerful mime. But Dazzler’s one and only extrahuman ability is converting sound into light, so the apocalyptic audio track instead turns her into an actual star. Also: saving everyone from a Celestial currently acting as the world’s deadliest talent show judge.
That’s pure genius. And there isn’t enough Dazzler. And it’s never going to happen, if only because Gillen and Jamie McKelvie are already outpouring their musically-empowered genius through the brilliant Phonogram and the eagerly-anticipated The Wicked + The Divine. But if the only reason we don’t have an excellent comic book is because we have two more excellent comic books instead, we’ll take it. And hope that Marvel make them an offer anyway.