The year 2021 was an exciting one for Marvel fans. For enthusiasts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there were five Disney+ shows, as well as three feature films that kicked off the franchise's fourth phase with a bang. However, there was also a lot of exciting stuff happening for the more traditional comic book crowd.
With every year and every new comic book series or miniseries, there are guaranteed to be new characters for fans to fall in love with and root for (or against). Last year was no different when it came to introducing a whole new variety of heroes and villains into the Marvel world. Hopefully, we'll see some of these standouts get their shot at MCU glory in the future!
10 Aaron Fischer (The United States of Captain America)
The United States of Captain America began in June 2021, following Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson as they discover an underground network of vigilantes who don the Captain America mantle. Their first encounter is with Aaron Fischer, a boy who ran away from home to escape a homophobic father and began rescuing fellow destitute teenagers.
For a series that focuses on everyday people brandishing the iconic star-spangled shield, Aaron is a breath of fresh air for comic book fans who have been begging for inclusivity. For someone without superpowers, he can also handle himself pretty well in a fight.
9 Shift (Miles Morales: Spider-Man)
Shift is a mutated clone of the fan-favorite Spider-Man, Miles Morales. Along with his "brothers," Selim and Mindspinner, they were created by the Assessor after multiple experiments on Miles' DNA. What makes Shift unique from his other cloned counterparts is his ability to shapeshift and adjust his body mass.
While Shift and his brother originally start out as enemies of Miles Morales and Peter Parker, they eventually join forces to find the Assessor. Even though Shift is unable to speak, he certainly leaves an impression on comic book readers with his powers.
8 Saya Ishii (Silk)
Making her debut in the third volume of Cindy Moon's solo series, Saya is the daughter of bionic supervillain Silvermane. After becoming a tech prodigy at a young age, she began working for her father after discovering his identity.
While Saya lacks the ability to pack a punch herself, her antagonism of Silk comes through with her army of weaponized drones, not dissimilar to Mysterio in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Also, she also owns a cat demon named Kasha.
7 Rūna (King in Black: Return of the Valkyries)
In the Jane Foster-led series King in Black: Return of the Valkyries, Rūna is freed from a time loop by Foster after being trapped for millions of years. Originally, Rūna was one of the original nine Valkyries, before an attack by a symbiote named All-Black left her abandoned in the body of a Celestial in the first place.
Once her memory is restored, Rūna joins Jane Foster on her quest to fight Knull, the creator of symbiotes. Personality-wise, Rūna is an adaptation of Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie character from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
6 Carl Valentino (Marvel's Voices: Pride)
Carl Valentino appears in the 2021 anthology series highlighting queer characters throughout the Marvel universe. Carl is a mutant with the ability to observe or control other people's dreams. The anthology series involves his relationship with Akihiro, the mutant son of Wolverine who goes by the name "Daken".
By the end of Carl's segment, he's lived a full life and died before being resurrected by the never-aging Daken, taking on the mantle of "Somnus" after being reborn. Hopefully, comic book fans will see Carl reappear in the future.
5 Carmen Cruz (Children of the Atom)
This X-Men spin-off series follows a team of teenagers who take on superhero mantles reminiscent of iconic X-Men team members. Carmen Cruz is one of them, operating under the name "Gimmick," and stylizing her look after Gambit.
Carmen happens to be the only member of the Children of the Atom who is an actual mutant, having the ability to shape-shift as well as heal. She also has claws and fangs, making her vastly different in ability than Gambit's molecular acceleration. She's also another queer Marvel character, proving again that 2021 was a great year for inclusivity in Marvel Comics.
4 Zheng Zhilan (Shang-Chi)
Zheng first appears in the third issue of the second volume of Shang-Chi's solo series, which first started releasing in May 2021. Zheng has the ability to turn sound into energy that she can control. She uses this in combat with the help of her flute, turning actual music into powerful tendrils she can control.
Zheng was sought out by Shang-Chi, her half-brother, who is operating as the Supreme Commander of the Five Weapons Society. Though they initially fight, Shang-Chi is able to convince her to join the society, taking on the mantle of "Sister Staff."
3 Hunter's Moon (Moon Knight)
Hunter's Moon appears in the newest Moon Knight series and is originally a doctor who became a worshipper of the Moon God Khonshu. As Khonshu's servant, Hunter's Moon became the opposite of Moon Knight, both in aesthetic and in purpose. When Moon Knight betrays Khonshu's purpose, Hunter's Moon corrects his mistakes.
With Khonshu's blessing, Hunter's Moon possesses all the memories of past Moon Knights, giving him their abilities. In true doctor fashion, Hunter's Moon is also able to perform healing rituals on people. He proves to be a dangerous foe for Moon Knight, and their rivalry will likely span several generations of comics in the future.
2 Jackie Chopra (Black Knight: Curse of the Ebony Blade)
Jackie, or "Jacks," encounters Dane Whitman while studying Arthurian mythology in London. She's invited to Dane's castle, where she is stunned to discover that Camelot is real and that Dane is the Black Knight, cursed to revive whenever he dies holding the Ebony Blade. When Dane allows himself to die free of the curse, Jacks takes up the Ebony Blade, as well as the mantle of Black Knight.
It's only after Dane is revived that he reveals to Jacks that she's his lost daughter and an heir of Arthurian legend herself. Together, the two decide to take on the mantle of Black Knight together, becoming a father-daughter superhero duo.
1 Connor Young (Darkhawk)
While Christopher Powell first inhabited the role of Darkhawk in 1991, the recent 2021 revival of the obscure hero sees a young man named Connor Young assume the identity. When Connor, a star basketball player, discovers the Raptor Amulet, it allows him to remotely control the Darkhawk Android from another dimension.
In the newest run of Darkhawk, Connor unwillingly takes on the mantle of Darkhawk, and has run-ins with the likes of Miles Morales and Steve Rogers. Hopefully, Connor Young's role as Darkhawk will boost the character to a new level of popularity. Perhaps a Disney+ series starring Darkhawk may be in the cards!
