Is there anything cooler than seeing a moment in an MCU movie that faithfully recreates a moment from Marvel Comics? Over the last decade and a half, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown into a cultural juggernaut that’s entertained fans worldwide and racked up billions of dollars.
However, despite the MCU’s tendency to change some things and go in its own direction, the films and television shows often remember their roots and throw a little nod to the source material by recreating a famous Marvel moment or panel. Read on to discover 10 moments that were perfectly brought to life in the MCU.
10 Black Panther Gave Fans T’Challa’s Humbling Defeat
Originally Seen In: Jungle Action #6 (1973)
It’s not always victories that are actualized in a Marvel movie. In Black Panther’s case, the film chose to showcase one of T’Challa’s most devastating losses. After T’Challa is challenged to ritual battle for Wakanda’s throne, Erik Killmonger gets the better of him and badly injures T’Challa. Killmonger claims victory and tosses Black Panther into a waterfall.
This powerful story element also occurred in the comics and was originally seen in Jungle Action #6, which was also the first appearance of Killmonger. Just like in the film, Killmonger whips Wakanda into a frenzy and demands satisfaction from Black Panther and their battle similarly ends with T’Challa thrown into a waterfall. It’s a surprisingly deep cut, but one that made for one of the most shocking moments in Black Panther.
9 Captain America Recreated His Classic Punch-Out of Hitler
Originally Seen In: Captain America Comics #1 (1941)
The first Captain America film took fans back into the days of World War II to give them the iconic hero’s origin. After he was transformed from a skinny nobody to a musclebound Adonis and Dr. Erskine’s death led to the cancelation of Project Rebirth, the United States government kept Steve off the battlefield. Instead, Captain America was put on tour to perform in stage shows and help sell war bonds.
During these shows, he’d be dressed in his classic costume, winged cowl and all, and he’d pretend to punch an actor portraying Adolf Hitler to the delight of the crowd. The moment is a recreation of Steve’s very first public appearance on the cover of Captain America Comics #1, which infamously showed him delivering a punch to Hitler on the jaw.
8 Avengers: Infinity War Showed Thanos’ Quiet Celebration
Originally Seen In: The Infinity Gauntlet #6 (1991)
One of the most surprising moments brought to life on the silver screen wasn’t a giant action scene or iconic line, but a moment of quiet contemplation. At the end of Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos retires to a planet, having completed his quest to bring balance to the universe. Surrounded by farmland, Thanos sits in peace and quiet, thinking about the work he’s done.
This was indeed pulled from the comics as the original “Infinity Gauntlet” saga also ended with Thanos on a planet, living a quiet life as a farmer. In The Infinity Gauntlet #6, Thanos tells Adam Warlock of his plans to lead a more quiet life and sits down, reflecting on everything he’d been through. While it’s not the most dynamic moment, it’s a great moment of characterization for Thanos that was portrayed wonderfully in the film.
7 Deadpool & Wolverine Hilariously Referenced Ant-Man’s Grim Future
Originally Seen In: Wolverine #71 (2009)
The Merc with a Mouth loves to reference the source material, and that made for one of the best jokes in Deadpool & Wolverine. Midway through the film, Wade Wilson and Logan venture to a compound ruled by Professor X’s sister, Cassandra Nova, which has been fashioned out of the corpse of Giant-Man (leading to Deadpool joking about how Ant-Man’s actor Paul Rudd finally aged).
But Scott Lang’s body wasn’t just for show, it was a reference to the classic storyline “Old Man Logan”. In Wolverine #71, fans are treated to the sight of Pym Falls, a town that has formed around the skeleton of Giant-Man. Deadpool & Wolverine is filled to the brim with references to Marvel lore, but it got a lot of humor by recreating one of the most haunting things to happen to everyone’s favorite size-changing hero.
6 Captain America: The Winter Soldier Asked Fans “Who the Hell is Bucky?”
Originally Seen In: Captain America #8 (2008)
There was a time when Captain America’s sidekick Bucky was dead and gone forever. But Marvel history changed in 2008 with Captain America #8, when Steve is in the middle of a fight when he spots the assassin known as the Winter Soldier, recognizing him as his old partner. But upon hearing the name ‘Bucky’, the killer only, coldly, remarks “Who the hell is Bucky?”.
It comes as no surprise that this plotline was the driving force of the sequel film, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. After Rogers interrogates a compromised S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, the Winter Solider attacks, leading to a confrontation similar to the one in the comics, including Winter Solider replying “Who the hell is Bucky?” to Captain America. While the twist doesn’t hit as hard in the MCU, it was still cool to see this moment brought to life.
5 Thor: Love and Thunder Beautifully Recreated the Death of a God
Originally Seen In: Thor: God of Thunder #3 (2012)
Some shots are so grand and so bold that they simply must be translated to film as closely as possible. The creative team behind Thor: Love and Thunder did just that with one shot that fans of Jason Aaron’s run on Thor undoubtedly remember. In the MCU film, Thor stumbles upon the remains of Falligar the Behemoth, a god who has been slayed by the villainous Gorr the God Butcher.
The haunting shot shown in Thor: Love and Thunder is a faithful recreation of a panel from Thor: God of Thunder #3, which similarly showed what happened to Falligar after his run-in with the God Butcher. While the MCU has adapted moments and panels, the one seen in the last Thor movie is by far the most 1:1 shot ever to appear in a Marvel movie.
4 Captain America: Civil War Displayed Steve and Tony’s Fallout
Originally Seen In: Civil War #7 (2007)
Captain America: Civil War might not have been the most faithful adaptation of that particular story, but it did put Tony Stark and Steve’s ideological war smack-dab in the middle of it. Throughout the film, Iron Man and Captain America drift further and further away, initially by the Sokovia Accords and later by Bucky, leading to a war that only intensifies when Tony discovers the Winter Soldier killed his parents and that Steve knew about it.
The final battle between Iron Man, Captain America, and the Winter Soldier is intense, especially in one moment when Tony shoots a beam directly at Steve, who repels it with his shield. That shot was a direct reference to the cover of Civil War #7, which showed Captain America and Iron Man in the same tableau at each other’s throats.
3 One Daredevil Scene Gave Fans His Best Confrontation with the Punisher
Originally Seen In: The Punisher #3 (2000)
It’s not just the movies that do a great job of capturing the highlights from Marvel Comics. The second season of Daredevil adapted one of the best confrontations between Matt Murdock and Frank Castle in the episode “New York’s Finest”. The Punisher has captured Daredevil and chained him on a roof with nothing but a gun duct-taped to his hand. Frank gives Matt the choice to either shoot the Punisher or stand by and watch him kill a criminal.
Frank did the same thing in The Punisher #3 and the show even kept some of the dialogue from the comics. However, in the comics, Daredevil did attempt to shoot Frank to stop the crime from happening, while in the show, Matt shot the lock off (though he was still too late). Still, it was amazing to see this moment in live-action.
2 Captain America: Civil War Had Hawkeye and Ant-Man’s Epic Combo Move
Originally Seen In: The Avengers #223 (1982)
Captain America: Civil War deviated from Steve’s other films by roping in more of the Avengers, including ones who had just been introduced. As Steve forms his own band of heroes opposed to the Sokovia Accords, he rallies the recently retired Hawkeye and newbie hero Scott Lang, aka Ant-Man. During the battle between Iron Man and Captain America’s sides, Hawkeye and Ant-Man decide to team up for a maneuver that had fans cheering.
The moment where Ant-Man shrinks down and decides to ride an arrow that Hawkeye shoots off isn’t just cool, it’s actually a reference to The Avengers #223, whose cover features the two setting up the same move. And no, it’s not just cover bait, the move is featured in the story where the duo use it to stop a bomb from blowing up a circus.
1 Spider-Man: Homecoming Perfectly Captured Peter’s Inner Strength
Originally Seen In: The Amazing Spider-Man #33 (1963)
MCU fans were itching to see Spider-Man and, thanks to a deal with Sony, he finally got his own franchise set in the shared universe. The first movie showcased a young Peter Parker navigating what it means to be a hero as the threat of the Vulture looms in his city. In the last act, Peter is buried under rubble with no one to assist him, forcing Spider-Man to dig deep and use all the strength at his disposal to get himself out.
The poignant scene is largely based on one similarly inspiring moment in the comics. In The Amazing Spider-Man #33, Peter is trapped under heavy machinery thanks to Doctor Octopus and Aunt May’s life is in danger. But ever the resilient hero, Spider-Man successfully frees himself, a moment elloquently recreated in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
