In a rare move, Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. -- the upcoming adult animated series set to stream on Hulu -- will directly advertise Marvel comic books.
Per GamesRadar/Newsarama, Marvel has struck a deal with Hulu to promote the upcoming comic book M.O.D.O.K.: Head Games at the end of each episode of the stop-motion M.O.D.O.K. animated series. Set to arrive this December, Head Games is actually written by the cartoon's showrunners Jordan Blum and Patton Oswalt, the latter of whom also voices the eponymous villain.
Notably, an on-screen comic book adaptation directly advertising the original source material to viewers is actually rather uncommon for publishers like Marvel and DC. Neither Marvel nor Hulu have issued a statement regarding how exactly they came to this new agreement. However, Newsarama speculates Oswalt's involvement in both Hulu's M.O.D.O.K. and Marvel's Head Games could have something to do with it.
The M.O.D.O.K. animated series follows the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing as he is not only "ousted as A.I.M.'s leader," but is also forced to deal with his "crumbling marriage and family life." The series currently lacks a premiere date, though Oswalt has suggested a release window of early 2021. Additionally, a "special announcement" regarding Hulu's M.O.D.O.K. has been teased for New York Comic Con this Friday. The series was originally set to be part of a larger Marvel adult animation universe on Hulu, though the planned Howard the Duck and Tigra & Dazzler shows were canceled, with M.O.D.O.K. and (ostensibly) Hit-Monkey moving forward as stand-alone shows.
Per the full synopsis for M.O.D.O.K.,
In Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K., the megalomaniacal supervillain M.O.D.O.K. (Oswalt) has long pursued his dream of one day conquering the world. But after years of setbacks and failures fighting the Earth’s mightiest heroes, M.O.D.O.K. has run his evil organization A.I.M. into the ground. Ousted as A.I.M.’s leader, while also dealing with his crumbling marriage and family life, the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing is set to confront his greatest challenge yet: a midlife crisis!
Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. stars Patton Oswalt as M.O.D.O.K., Aimee Garcia as Jodie, Ben Schwartz as Lou, Melissa Fumero as Melissa, Wendi McLendon-Covey as Monica Rappaccini, Beck Bennett as Austin Van Der Sleet, Jon Daly as Super Adaptoid and Sam Richardson as Gary. The series will stream on Hulu, though has yet to receive a premiere date.
Written by Jordan Blum and Patton Oswalt and illustrated by Scott Hepburn, MODOK: Head Games #1 goes on sale Dec. 2 from Marvel Comics.
Source: GamesRadar/Newsarama