Thunderbolts* was released the other day. Geekly hasn’t yet watched the movie, to the best of my knowledge. There is a chance that while you’re reading this, we’re watching Thunderbolts*, but that got me thinking, which Thunderbolts* characters interest me the most before watching the movie?
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We’re trying something a little different with this post. It’s a pre-viewing post of Thunderbolts* where we’ll cite which characters on the Thunderbolts roster interest us the most. This list will be subjected. I fully expect people to leg-wrestle me to move a character up or down a spot. Without further ado, here’s our ranking of which Thunderbolts* characters are the most interesting before watching the movie.
Unranked: Bob/Sentry
I know Sentry from the comics. He can be the most interesting character on this list. If I were to rate him ahead of Thunderbolts*, I would’ve struggled with putting him at 1 or 2. Yes. Sentry can be the most interesting character in this lot. He’s also making his MCU debut.
The MCU’s version of Sentry may not be as intriguing as what occurred in the comics. I’m playing it safe and leaving him unranked, but make no mistake, if Sentry were included in this list, he’d be high. I don’t want to spoil any potential plot points (I haven’t seen the movie, so I don’t know particulars about the MCU Sentry), but Sentry can be a lot of fun.
6: Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian
I liked David Harbour’s portrayal of Red Guardian in Black Widow. I also don’t think there’s much left for the character to explore. I hope I’m wrong.
Red Guardian serves as comic relief and little else. Going back to Sentry, there’s little chance that the Thunderbolts encounter Sentry, and everyone survives. There’s a good chance Red Guardian becomes a martyr. I could see the loss of Red Guardian deepening Yelena Belova’s storyline (the loss of a mentor/father figure). I could also see the death of one or more Thunderbolts reminding viewers that no one’s safe.
5: Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster
I considered not ranking Taskmaster either. The character’s a blank slate. No longer brainwashed by her father (in Black Widow), Antonia Dreykov’s character could go in any direction. Heck. She suffered an accident (bombing) and became brainwashed by her father at a young age. Her character could go in multiple directions at once, while she tries to find herself.
This fact also made me want to raise her ranking. I want to see who she is in a different setting. She has plenty of trauma for Thunderbolts* to mine.
4: Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier
Stop me if this sounds familiar. I like Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier, but I don’t think there’s much left for his character to explore. I hope I’m wrong.
Okay. There may be more for the MCU to explore with Bucky than there is with Red Guardian. Bucky is an iconic character and there are plenty of Bucky stories to tell that don’t include Steve Rogers and some of those stories include the Thunderbolts. But if you know much about the Thunderbolts, you know that they don’t keep leaders for long, and the Winter Soldier is the team’s de facto leader. I can see the team getting a change in leadership at the end of the movie. A change in leadership may be necessary.
3: Yelena Belova/Black Widow
Florence Pugh is too electric as Yelena for her not to show up multiple times in the MCU. I also liked Pugh’s voice-over as Yelena during the second trailer. She shares that there’s something wrong with her, an emptiness. She’s just drifting. She doesn’t have a purpose, so she throws herself into her work. This shows how human Yelena is as a character.
There are a couple of other characters who narrowly edge out Yelena Belova. Seriously, you could rearrange these top three, and I’d be okay with it. I can’t wait to watch Yelena in Thunderbolts*.
2: John Walker/U. S. Agent
Wyatt Russell’s John Walker lives a disgraced life as the man who tarnished Captain America’s name. That has some depth. Throw in the fact that someone else (Sam Wilson) wears Captain America’s uniform, and Walker must be a bundle of emotions.
I could see Walker finding his redemption story. Does that mean that he has a story beyond this one? Perhaps. Does that mean that he could sacrifice himself for the good of the team? Maybe. There’s a high probability that Walker doesn’t survive the events of Thunderbolts* either. I’m not kidding. One or more members of the Thunderbolts could die before the credits roll. Sentry is no joke.
I can’t imagine a group of assassins and super soldiers will fare well against Marvel’s version of a psychologically unstable Superman. Oops. Spoilers. Sentry has a power set like Superman’s.
1: Ava Starr/Ghost
Ghost was the best thing out of Ant-Man and the Wasp. She deserved another vehicle, and I’m glad that Thunderbolts* is giving her that vehicle. Starr gained the ability to render herself intangible and generate extreme amounts of power following a quantum accident that killed her parents. The United States government took advantage of her powers and turned her into an assassin in return for a cure for her condition. They lied.
After Janet van Dyne heals Starr, she’s free to forge her own path. Unfortunately, it looks as if old habits die hard. Ghost only knows how to be an assassin. I can’t wait to see her fight against her training.
Did we get the list right? Let us know who you would rank where. Thank you for reading and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Geekly plans to do individual personal updates on the fifth Wednesday of each month (not every month has a fifth Wednesday; this happens about once a quarter). This particular post is mine. Hey! How are you? I’ve been keeping busy for the last several months. With Geekly finding its groove, I’ve been able to switch to other endeavors.
Kyra’s Writing
My first novel is a part family epic, part fictionalized war memoir titled Crooked as a Dogwood. I continue to submit Crooked as a Dogwood to literary agents. I’m on a path to 100 rejections, and then I plan to submit to small publishers. In the meantime, I’m editing a second novel based on events after Rustbucket Riots, the title of one of my board games in progress. I may be submitting the Rustbucket Riots novel before I reach my 100 rejections for Crooked. And I’m not stopping there, I’m writing fiction, essays, and poetry most days. I have enough for a collection or two, and there’s a third novel in progress.
Hopefully, one of these titles will get picked up, and that could help out with the others. Even if it doesn’t, I’m enjoying the ride, just like the one with my board games.
Kyra’s Game Designs
As I mentioned a few times, I attended Protospiel Kansas City earlier this month. The convention was a good time. Spending time with like-minded people is always fun, but the newly established United States tariffs hung like a cloud over the con. I’ve mentioned the tariff’s negative effect on board game companies at length. Several small board game companies have banded together in a lawsuit against President Trump. And that’s what most people discussed during Protospiel. The future is uncertain.
But what is certain is that I’m going forward with small game designs (Whirligig Pets, Spill the Beans, No Jack, and Wildflowers) and one larger design, Rustbucket Riots. The four smaller designs should be ready to present before the end of summer, with Rustbucket Riots not far behind. I’d prefer to go with a publisher, especially with the uncertainty of tariffs, but Geekly could be in the publishing business (both books and games) in the not-so-distant future.
So, I’ve been keeping busy. I have a roadmap for writing and game design, but it’s okay if plans change. I’m willing to go with the flow. That’s all I have for now. I’ll hand the post over to Season and Skye, so you can see what they’ve been doing.
Season
Hey, Geekly Gang! I hope everyone had a fantastic April. I’m graduating with my BFA in Creative Writing this May. Yay! I’ve been busy with classwork and work work. I work full time and, even though I have one class, my schedule’s been packed with my final portfolio, ordering my cap and gown, a capstone presentation, etc. Phew!
I’m taking a break from major projects for Geekly for a couple of months while I get everything sorted. I’ll still be working behind the scenes on the editing side of things during that time and I’ll be participating in Wednesday posts. Don’t worry. Video Game Cult Classics aren’t going away. I’ll keep up with them regularly once my schedule stabilizes.
That’s all I’ve got for this update. See you next time. What have you been doing, Skye?
Skye
Hello, Geekly Fam! I’ve come to tell you about what’s been going on in my life this past month. Wait, I have a life outside of blogging? Surprisingly, yes. Science still can’t explain it. Here are some noteworthy moments I can tell y’all about.
I had a life-changing medical procedure at the end of last month. Don’t worry. I’m not sick, I’m just trans. To be clear, this medical procedure isn’t the one you’re thinking about. That one comes later. Despite not being the epic leap forward I hoped for, I’m still delighted with how it turned out. For two weeks, I was bedroom-bound, but now I’m feeling better and more active.
In fact, I’m so active that I’ll be switching jobs. I’ll still be blogging, but my day job is changing. A Barnes & Noble opened this month closer to where I live. I was dissatisfied with my previous job and decided to seize the opportunity. Nothing has been decided yet, but I have been invited to an interview. I’m excited! Fingers crossed.
Those are the major developments. Hopefully, plenty of big things will happen over the next three months when we do another one of these updates. Thanks for reading, and I’ll try to give y’all all the juicy Skye goss I can. 😉
Thunderbolts* releases this week with a new cast of characters. Some of the characters we’ll see in the upcoming film have been members of one of the various incarnations of the group. Others are new faces. The Thunderbolts team has seen plenty of new faces since its inception in 1997, so begs the question, Which Thunderbolts rosters are the best?
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We’re doing something different with today’s Top 5 in comics. As of this post, there have been thirteen iterations of Marvel’s Thunderbolts. With that many rosters to choose from, which rosters have had the best storylines? We intend to cover that with today’s list. Buckle up. These are the top five Thunderbolts rosters.
5: New Thunderbolts
First Appearance: New Thunderbolts (Vol 1) #1; written by Fabian Nicieza & Kurt Busiek; art by Tom Grummett (2005-2006)
Notable Members
MACH-IV
Songbird
Atlas
Donnie Gill/Blizzard II
Radioactive Man
Joystick
Speed Demon
Andreas von Strucker/Swordsman II
Genis-Vell/Photon
Marvel launched New Thunderbolts in the wake of the Thunderbolts’ first era. Original Thunderbolt Abe Jenkins reformed his ways as The Beetle and became MACH-I. Jenkins made a new suit for himself, becoming MACH-IV, and wanted to give other villains the same chance and reformed the new Thunderbolts. MACH-IV’s New Thunderbolts earned the respect of the Avengers.
The New Thunderbolts stopped Purple Man from enslaving New York City by drugging the water supply with his pheromones, the same ones that allow him to control his victims. Before the team could interrogate the Purple Man, he was teleported away by his boss, Baron Zemo. Zemo would eventually take control of the New Thunderbolts. The New Thunderbolts would lose their chance at redemption and became an army of villains used against Captain America’s Secret Avengers during Civil War.
Ultimately, New Thunderbolts was a solid iteration of the team. I always liked the basic Thunderbolts premise of supervillains pretending to be superheroes but ending up adopting the roles of heroes. Thunderbolts prove that no one’s beyond redemption.
Unless Baron Zemo’s in town. He loves to play the role of spoiler.
4: Luke Cage’s Thunderbolts
First Appearance: Thunderbolts (Vol 1) #144; written by Jeff Parker; art by Kev Walker (2010-2012)
In the years before Luke Cage assumed control of a new Thunderbolts team, the Thunderbolts had a run of horrible leadership, notably Norman Osborn. The team had become villainous. Captain America himself tasked Luke Cage to front a new Thunderbolts team, and this started a great run of comics. The team repurposes the heavily fortified superprison known as The Raft and uses Man-Thing as a form of transportation.
Luke Cage’s Thunderbolts are one of the odder iterations of the team. This team has a long time, too. At one point, the team splits off to become two separate groups. The Thunderbolts serviced the Americas, while the “Underbolts” had a European jurisdiction. These Underbolts get lost in time, specifically the World War II era, and pass themselves off as the American Thunderbolts, fighting beside Captain America (pre-frozen) and Namor. The team continues its fight with the Nazis and Human Torch androids that were created by Baron Heinrich Zemo (the current Baron Zemo’s father). Yes. Luke Cage’s Thunderbolts’ stories got wild.
3: Norman Osborn’s Thunderbolts
First Appearance: Thunderbolts (Vol 1) #110; written by Warren Ellis; art by Mike Deodato Jr. (2006)
Notable Members
Songbird
Moonstone
Swordsman
Radioactive Man
Mac Gargan/Venom
Bullseye
Robbie Baldwin/Penance
Yep. Norman Osborn may have been a horrible Thunderbolts leader, but his complicated leadership led to some great theater.
Osborn’s Thunderbolts occurred after Marvel Comics’ Civil War event. These new Thunderbolts were tasked with tracking down and arresting individuals avoiding the Superhuman Registration Act. This Superhuman Registration Act appeared in the MCU and sparked a similar story of the same name Civil War. Just imagine Norman Osborn, struggling with his Green Goblin persona, leading a team of villains to track down any superhero he dared not to register.
Times got rough, to say the least. This Thunderbolts team would lead Osborn to create his first Dark Avengers roster.
2: Red Hulk’s Thunderbolts
First Appearance: Thunderbolts (Vol 2) #1; written by Daniel Way; art by Steve Dillon (2013)
Notable Members
Red Hulk
Agent Venom
Punisher
Elektra
Deadpool
Red Leader
Mercy
Red Hulk’s Thunderbolts happened on the heels of Luke Cage’s. The government disbanded the Thunderbolts program, but General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Red Hulk) formed his team of anti-heroes. This new Thunderbolts served as a covert super-powered strike team. This sounds like the team’s premise in the upcoming Thunderbolts*.
Red Hulk’s Thunderbolts had a short but memorable run. Even the small moments are great. My favorite was when Deadpool’s name gets pulled for a mission, and he wants to kidnap actor Ryan Reynolds. Ha! At the time of this moment’s publication, Ryan Reynolds had not yet redeemed himself as Deadpool—way to go, Thunderbolts.
Getting back to the larger storylines. Ross started with former Code Red mercenaries and began adding a few villains. It’s this addition of villains that led to the team’s downfall. The team tracks down Doctor Faustus. The Punisher wants to kill Faustus for murdering high school children. Instead, Red Hulk recruits Faustus to join the Thunderbolts. The Punisher leaves the team and then takes them down. Womp, womp.
1: Original Thunderbolts
First Appearance: Thunderbolts (Vol 1) #1; written by Kurt Busiek; art by Mark Bagley (1997-2000)
Notable Members
Baron Zemo/Citizen V
Moonstone/Meteorite
Fixer/Techno
Beetle/MACH-1
Goliath/Atlas
Screaming Mimi/Songbird
The original is often the best. The original Thunderbolts introduced the idea of supervillains pretending to be superheroes (to gain access to their foes) and then liking the recognition and feeling good about doing good deeds. This differs from the Suicide Squad. Suicide Squad villains are looking for reduced sentences or perks in their prison accommodations. Except for their founding member Baron Zemo and one or two others, the Thunderbolts genuinely wanted to reform.
I also love the Thunderbolts’ reveal at the end of the first issue. This scene is iconic.
Did we get the list right? Let us know which Thunderbolts teams you would add or remove in the comments. Thank you for reading and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. It’s another Sunday, so we have another week of Geek News. There is plenty of tariff news and updates, but we talk about that a lot. Let’s sandwich those stories with more cheerful news.
Thunderbolts* Fan Screenings
Thunderbolts* becomes the first MCU movie in history to receive advanced screenings for fans. Typically, advanced screenings are reserved for critics, who must sign a non-disclosure agreement and a gag order preventing them from leaking any information about the movie. Advance movie screenings are meant for critics to form an opinion and write a review in advance of the movie’s release. Those reviews will feature zingers the studio can use in future trailers and teasers. But Thunderbolts*’ advanced screening includes fans. Fans don’t care about a gag order.
In fact, the MCU may be banking on fans talking, generating word-of-mouth buzz. It takes a week or so for word-of-mouth to take effect. Thunderbolts* dropping advanced screenings with fans will accelerate this effect. But be careful on the internet. Thunderbolts* may become the MCU movie with the most spoilers.
Geekly has no idea what this development means for the MCU or the Thunderbolts* movie. Will this become the norm? Is Marvel so confident about Thunderbolts* that they’re comfortable with whatever fans will say? Who knows? I will say that heading into this year’s slate of films, Thunderbolts* had me intrigued. Thunderbolts* wasn’t one of the MCU’s make-or-break 2025 titles, but in our 2025 MCU Preview, I listed it as a potential sleeper hit.
Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Order Wave One Ends
On Thursday, April 24, 2025, Nintendo opened United States pre-orders for its latest hybrid game console, the Switch 2. Pre-orders continued until the order quota was reached. Taking current United States trade policies into consideration, the order quota was based on how many copies the video game company thought would yield the best results.
The Switch 2’s United States pre-order wave one lasted less than one day. Customers who were able to buy a copy won’t receive their systems until June 2025. Don’t worry if you weren’t one of the lucky few who snagged a copy. Nintendo intends to run another Switch 2 pre-order within another eight months (in time for the holidays), when the company believes it can turn a profit by sending systems to the United States. Unfortunately, staged releases for the United States are the new normal.
Rising shipping costs and tariffs have caused tech companies like Nintendo to re-evaluate their business with United States customers. This has become an issue with other business types; Geekly covers geek culture, so we’re interested in video games and board games. We’ll have more on board games in the next segment. Getting back to the Switch 2, most of Geekly’s statistics are derived from an interview with a GameStop manager. I live in the greater Omaha area, and according to the GameStop manager, the Midwest quad-state region (Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri) received 2,000 total Nintendo Switch 2 systems. That is 2,000 Switch 2s for a population of over 14 million. Granted, most of the 14 million people living in those four states have no desire to purchase a Switch 2 at this time, but Wal-Mart overordered and had to issue tens of thousands of refunds in the Midwest quad-state region alone.
Geekly will keep you posted on when the next waves of United States Switch 2 pre-orders will occur. Good luck to all of you who want a copy. We’ll also give updates on any new developments. Hopefully, there will be a resolution to the United States’ trade war soon.
Board Game Company Madness
We’ve discussed board game companies and the effect rising tariffs have had on them in the past; this will be a quick update. Final Frontier Games and Boardlandia have closed their doors. Greater Than Games and CMON Games have suspended all future crowdfunding campaigns and board games under development, and laid off countless employees until a viable manufacturing/shipping option becomes available. Small board game publisher, Rookie Mage Games, joined forces with three other indie board game companies in suing President Trump over his new tariffs.
According to Jordan McLaughlin, founder of Rookie Mage Games (via The Columbus Dispatch), “I will not stand by and allow my years of hard work and the hard work of many other small businesses to be ruined in a desperate political ploy for attention and ego validation.” McLaughlin continues, “Attempting to move manufacturing jobs back to the United States is a worthwhile effort. There are smart ways to do it, and there are dumb ways.” Numerous board game companies, including Stonemaier Games (producer of Wingspan and Scythe) have joined Rookie Mage Games’ lawsuit. We’ll keep you posted on this emerging story.
This War of Mine, Second Edition Launches on Gamefound
The award-winning board game adaptation of This War of Mine returns to Gamefound. This War of Mine features countless morally gray choices for players to make while they attempt to survive in a war-torn country. Since the game is fully cooperative, players share the experience and the consequences.
I love the increased number of great solo board games. Dicemancy looks interesting. It’s a tower defense game with plenty of combotastic abilities. That’s music to my ears. Players construct unique spells they think will help them ward off enemies. I like the domino-style spell cards players can stack for power-ups. Dicemancy plays quickly (about 45 minutes), has minimal setup, and doesn’t appear to take up too much table space.
Geekly has played quite a few roll-or-draft and write games (we’ve picked up a couple of great ones over the holidays), and we’ve yet to cover one. In Draft & Write Records players assume the role of a rock band manager. You’ll scout performers, crew, and producers to outperform your competition.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We reviewed a new board game for this month (I don’t count expansions, no matter how awesome), so we’re back with another board game review. Draft & Write Records’ name derives from the mechanisms it uses. Players draft and pass cards (which represent band members and important events) and then they write down what the card they drafted said on a massive score sheet (like Yahtzee only way more dynamic). The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Before we get any further, we’ll take a quick break from the road and discuss Draft & Write Records’ fine print.
The Fiddly Bits
Designer: Bruno Maciel Publisher: Inside Up Games Date Released: 2024 Number of Players: 1-6 Age Range: 12 and up Setup Time: 5-10 minutes Play Time: 30-60 minutes
1) Each player takes a Band (Score) Sheet and one pencil (with regular lead).
2) Place the colored pencils within reach of all players.
3) Choose and Record your Band Name. This is optional but fun. I like having players state what they named their bands before play begins.
4) Each player selects a starting color at random and fills in the circle to the left of their band name with one of the colored pencils. Multiple players can choose the same color.
5) Set up the “Play Stack” by looking at each Play Card (gold-backed cards). You’ll find a number in the bottom right-hand corner of the card’s front. This number (if there is one) will let you know how many players are needed to use that card in the game. In a 3-player game, return the cards with 4+, 5+, and 6 indicators to the box.
6) Shuffle the remaining Play Cards to form the “Play Stack.”
7) Shuffle all the Goal Cards (blue-backed cards) and place them in the middle of the table to create the “Goal Stack.”
8) From the Goal Stack, draw and place the top four cards faceup to the right of the Goal Stack to create a line of publicly available Goals.
9) Then, deal two cards from the Goal Stack to each player. Each player selects one card to keep as their personal goal, placing it facedown near their Band Sheet, and the remaining cards are shuffled back into the Goal Stack.
10) Get ready to ROCK!
Game Flow
Each round of Draft and Write Records is divided into two phases: the Week Phase and the Weekend Phase.
Week Phase
During the Week Phase, players draft cards to take actions on their Band Sheet. At the beginning of this phase, deal each player five cards from the Play Stack (the gold-backed cards). Players will select one of these cards and pass the remaining cards to the next player. Each round, the direction players pass their cards changes (to the left, then to the right, and so forth).
During the “Week,” each player will draft four cards in total and discard the last remaining card to their personal discard pile next to their Band Sheet.
1) Players will denote which card they selected by placing the card they chose facedown next to their Band Sheet.
2) Once all players have placed a card facedown, those cards are revealed. Each player takes the action corresponding to the card they chose and records it on their Band Sheet.
We won’t go into detail about all the actions a player can take (there are a lot), but these actions will be indicated by an icon and color on the top left-hand side of each card. These symbols will match symbols found on a player’s Band Sheet.
3) Once all players have taken their action (or chain of actions if they have any), they pass the remaining cards from their hand to the next player.
4) Players repeat this process until they only have two cards remaining. They then choose one of those two cards and discard the other one.
Weekend Phase
During the weekend, players can claim publicly available Goals. If anyone can claim the Goal, they do so, marking the points on their Band Sheet and taking any additional bonuses (like Money). Multiple players can claim a publicly available Goal during a round, but as soon as even one player claims a Goal, it gets scored (by all players who accomplished it), discarded, and a new goal from the Goal Stack takes its place.
Once this is done, and if no one has triggered the end game, another Week begins.
End Game
Play continues until at least one of three end-game triggers occurs.
1) A player claims their sixth Goal.
2) A player checks their fifth Fail. (While there are Fail cards in the Play Stack, a Fail can occur if a player doesn’t or can’t play one of the cards they drafted.)
3) A player fills all 12 of their Crew posts.
After this happens, end-game scoring occurs. We won’t go into detail what these sections are. There are six sections where you can score points and then you subtract the points indicated in your Fail section. Draft and Write Records does a good job of indicating where these sections are and what they mean. The scoring section uses the same icons as the rest of the Band Sheet.
Whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins.
Review
There are many ways to score in Draft and Write Records, so many that I didn’t bother to list the ways. And while it’s easy to tell where to fill in actions on your Band Sheet as you play cards, the sheer number of ways to score can be overwhelming. You won’t have more than five cards in your hand and that helps, but early hands in a round can overload players with too many choices. Draft and Write Records is a game you’ll need to play a few times to get comfortable. Conversely, it’s this same number of scoring means that gives Draft and Write Records ample replayability.
Draft and Write Records is a joy. Its rounds don’t take long. You can expect that with closed drafting games. End of the round scoring (checking to see if someone finished a Goal) doesn’t take long either. I don’t check what other players have filled into their Band Sheets. I could see some players doing that and then feeding the players to their right or left (depending on the round) cards they cannot use. But the Play Cards do that to you anyway. Draft and Write Records forces players to make the best choices they can with the information given. Outside of the time it takes to learn the rules and then the game’s nuances, the game’s biggest issue can be the inability of players to recover from a bad strategy. You may commit to a plan early that will not work and then you’re stuck with that plan.
Fortunately, Draft and Write Records doesn’t take that long to play. The box reads that the game can take up to 60 minutes, but I’ve played it at max player counts and it took about an hour with rules explanation. The fewer players, the less time it will take to play. Lower player count games take closer to thirty minutes. I could see someone take a wrong turn and redeem themselves in round two. There’s a good chance of a round two.
Draft and Write Records’ use of colored pencils is a nice touch. The harmony game mechanism tied to the colored pencils proves crucial. The game didn’t add colored pencils for the sake of adding them. It matters if colors match, creating harmonies, and leading to more chain effects. And chain effects reign supreme. If you like making one good play that sets up another, Draft and Write Records has you covered. I’ve lost count of how many times I’d create a harmony, take the bonus, and that bonus (like producing a record or single) would lead to another bonus and another. Lather, rinse, repeat. And it’s this combotastic gameplay that makes Draft and Write Records shine.
Not going to lie. Draft and Write Records is one of those games where I’ll talk to myself while filling in a long play, and I relish the time it takes for me to go from one bonus to the next, and everyone must watch me fill in blanks until I’m done. The longer it takes for me to fill in my play, the more potential points I just earned. In short, this draft and write game has many combos, and those combos are satisfying.
Verdict
While it may take a couple of playthroughs to understand the rules enough to exploit its numerous ways to score, Draft and Write Records takes little time to play, even at higher player counts. Its harmony game mechanism shines and headlines a series of chain reaction scoring. Draft and Write Records is combotastic.
Another day, another new series for JK Geekly. The X-Men will feature in the MCU’s upcoming Mutant Saga, so we’ll be discussing who could play Marvel’s mutants during this MCU Phase.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. The Geekly Gang will divide duties here with the discussion. Since Skye is our resident movie geek, she’ll cast her favorite actors for each role. I have an interesting job this week. Geekly Casting is an idea that came from one of our site’s commenters, Harper Ross. Thank you, Harper. I’ll discuss the picks Harper Ross suggests for Marvel’s Merry Mutants. Thank you again, Harper Ross.
Harper Ross’s Picks | Kyra’s Commentary
Thank you again, Harper Ross. Keep the cast suggestions coming.
I’ll preface all these lists (not just Harper Ross’s) by saying that I prefer actors who haven’t yet had their big breaks in blockbuster roles. This probably stems from watching Christopher Reeve as Superman. But we’ll most likely get more established names in these lists because actors who haven’t yet had their big break are unknown. Without further ado, let’s get to the X-Men cast.
Scott Summers/Cyclops: Sam Nivola
Yowza! Harper Ross has some great picks for potential MCU X-Men actors. Sam Nivola is on the young side, but I think that works, considering who Harper has to portray Jean Grey. Let’s face it. Whoever plays Scott Summers/Cyclops will most likely commit to ten or so films. The Summers family could and should be at the center of a Mutant Saga. While the Fox X-Men films had fun moments, the biggest shortcoming was how they treated Scott. Casting Sam Nivola in the role and giving him more to work with than James Marsden’s Cyclops will go a long way to make Cyclops cool again. I haven’t seen season three of White Lotus yet, but I’ve heard Nivola gives an amazing performance.
Jean Grey: Rhea Norwood
I love Harper Ross’s choices. Rhea Norwood is building a name for herself in Heartstopper as Imogen Heaney. She made her theater debut at London’s Playhouse Theatre as Sally Bowles in Cabaret last year. I like it when an actor is a triple threat (singing, dancing, and acting). One must be all three to portray Sally Bowles. Our next entry will continue this trend. And I like that Rhea Norwood would portray a younger Jean Grey. She, along with Nivola, could anchor the X-Men movies for a long time.
Other actors who Harper suggested include: Phoebe Dynevor, Eve Hewson, Grace Van Dien, Katherine Langford, Madelyn Cline, Sophie Thatcher, Josephine Langford, Imogen Waterhouse, Hannah Dodd, Emma Mackey, Lucy Doynton, Emma Laird, Kristine Froseth, Freya Allan, and Meg Bellamy
Wolverine: Taron Egerton
Taron Egerton has been in a lot of rumors to portray Wolverine. He’s on my personal shortlist to play the character, too. Like Hugh Jackman, Egerton is a triple threat. He can sing, dance, and act. I loved him in Rocket Man (the Elton John biopic), and he has a history of action films. Heck, he has experience portraying a comic book character in The Kingsman. Unlike Jackman, Egerton is closer to Wolverine’s canonical height. It’ll be difficult to find an actor who’s under five feet tall. At five feet, nine inches, Egerton is considerably shorter than the six-foot-tall Jackman. Egerton is also young enough to play Wolverine for a couple of decades.
Storm: Masali Baduza
Yes! Masali Baduza fits the bill of an actor who’s been close to breaking out and hasn’t yet done so. She had a significant role (Fumbe) in the great film The Woman King and guest-starred in a few Bridgerton episodes. Baduza has the acting presence for Ororo/Storm. She can play the role for a lengthy period, and she’s shown range, specifically when it comes to period-pieces. Storm should cross between the X-Men and Black Panther franchises. Whoever portrays Storm should be able to adapt. Baduza has proven she has that range.
Other actors who Harper suggested include: Denee Benton, Sophie Wilde, Kiki Layne
Rogue: Mikey Madison
Make no mistake. Mikey Madison is a phenomenal actor. Her breakout role in Anora netted her a BAFTA and an Academy Award for Best Actress. She’s the first Generation Z actor to have earned either award. Because she’s Gen Z, she’s young. She’d make a fantastic Rogue, but I’d like an older actor as Rogue. I noticed that Harper didn’t mention an actor to portray Gambit; that could mean that Channing Tatum will reprise his role. Tatum is eighteen years older than Madison. Furthermore, I like the idea X-Men ’97 explored last year of a Gambit-Rogue-Magneto love triangle. Rogue may have to be closer in age to Magneto for this love triangle to make it to the big screen.
I love Madison as an actor. She’d be amazing as Rogue. But if she were to take on the role, Marvel may need to age down Gambit and possibly Magneto.
Kwannon/Psylocke: Anna Sawai
I have heard nothing but great things about FX/Hulu’s Shōgun series, and from what I’ve heard, Anna Sawai is brilliant. Clearly, she has the gravitas to pull off Kwannon/Psylocke. The name Psylocke is better known in Marvel Comics, and the MCU could go in the direction of Betsy Braddock’s consciousness inside Kwannon’s body, but I like Harper’s idea of casting Kwannon, sans Psylocke. While Psylocke physically showed up in an X-Men movie or two, Kwannon has yet to be explored.
Jubilee: Kiawentiio
Kiawentiio aligns with my thoughts on an actor who hasn’t yet had their break. Another great pick, Harper. I also like that she’s Native American (Mohawk Wolf Clan specifically). The only sticky point I can see is that Kiawentiio voiced Whata in the season two episode of What If “What If… Kahhori Reshaped the World?.” Usually, Marvel doesn’t mind if an actor voices a different character in an animated feature than the one they portray in live-action. Kiawentiio could portray Jubilee. But Marvel could also bring Whata into the mainline MCU.
Sage: Marion Cotillard
Marion Cotillard’s Talia Al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises left a lot to be desired, but the fault lies more with how the Nolan brothers struggled to develop her character. Marvel Comics’ Sage shares some similarities with Talia. There’s a chance for a double-cross or two. So long as Cotillard has the screen time and a good script, she can easily pull off Sage. You know what, she’d kill as Sage. Make that happen.
Professor X: Daniel Day-Lewis
Ah! I’d love to see Daniel Day-Lewis as either Professor X or Magneto. He could pull off either role. Unfortunately, Day-Lewis has retired from acting. I don’t know if an MCU role would coax him out of retirement. Knowing Daniel Day-Lewis, he’s probably in some exotic corner of the world learning a niche skill. I do agree with Harper that Day-Lewis would be amazing as Professor X.
Lilandra Neramani: Michelle Monaghan
I know a lot about Michelle Monaghan’s work (she’s featured in the Mission: Impossible series), but I’ll admit that I haven’t watched too many of her more prominent roles. Monaghan is one of those actors I’ve seen in plenty of TV shows and movies. She’s a consummate character (True Detective, The Path, and The White Lotus) and could easily take on Professor X’s main squeeze Lilandra.
Magneto: Ralph Fiennes
Fiennes is another great choice to portray Magneto. Fortunately, he’s very much active. He’ll star in the follow-up to 28 Days Later, 28 Years Later in 2025. He was also excellent in the Netflix adaptation of Roald Dahl’s short stories: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More. Fiennes has the acting chops to pull off Magneto. It also helps that he’s a similar age to Day-Lewis.
Mystique/Raven Darkholme: Rosamund Pike
I see the vision here. Rosamund Pike could portray a Mystique with a focus on espionage. The Fox X-Men series’ Raven Darkholme dabbled with infiltration but never committed. While I think Jennifer Laurence could reprise the role (and there are some rumors that she could), Rosamund Pike has taken on plenty of layered roles like Gone Girl and I Care a Lot. I’d like to see Pike’s take on the character. Great pick.
Emma Frost (White Queen): Samara Weaving
I like Harper’s call of Samara Weaving playing Emma Frost. First off, she looks the part. Emma Frost has a distinct look that comic fans expect to see. Secondly, Weaving has been involved in a ton of great and award-winning ensemble casts. She’s an actor’s actor. She’s able to fit into just about any cast, and she’s ready to break out. Emma Frost could be that breakout role for Weaving. I also like that Weaving and the actor who Harper suggested should portray the Black Queen (next on this list) have an age difference, but it isn’t as significant as one might think. Weaving should be capable of holding her own while also showing the White Queen to be the upstart to a more established Black Queen.
Selene Gallio (Black Queen): Demi Moore
Demi Moore has had a career resurgence with the body horror flick The Substance. She showed a vulnerability to the role that gave The Substance weight and parodied her former image as a Hollywood star. Oddly, Selene Gallio could continue that trend. Forever in the White Queen’s (Emma Frost’s) shadow, Moore could grant the role of Gallio some much-needed nuance.
Mystique/Raven Darkholme: Rosamund Pike
I see the vision here. Rosamund Pike could portray a Mystique with a focus on espionage. The Fox X-Men series’ Raven Darkholme dabbled with infiltration but never committed. While I think Jennifer Laurence could reprise the role (and there are some rumors that she could), Rosamund Pike has taken on plenty of layered roles like Gone Girl and I Care a Lot. I’d like to see Pike’s take on the character. Great pick!
That’s all we have from Harper Ross in terms of MCU X-Men roles. This is by no means the only casting thoughts we received. We’re well on our way to an Inhumans and Alpha Flight movie/show for next month. Thanks again for submitting your thoughts, Harper.
Skye has made some fan castings of her own. She insists that she has a surprise or two. I can’t wait to see what she has in store.
Skye’s Picks
Thanks again to Harper Ross for suggesting this post. I hadn’t thought about this topic much until you brought it up. Ever since the release of the MCU, I’ve been wondering when the X-Men will show up in the MCU. I don’t watch movies for specific actors, but there are some actors I think would be great fits.
To clarify, these are actors I’d like to see. Just for fun, I will include actors who have passed away. Bottom line: if I think an actor would’ve been a good fit, I’mma mention it. Cool? Cool.
Wolverine: Charlton Heston (Posthumously)
Whaddya know? I’m starting off with an actor who’s passed. Don’t you tell me who I can and can’t pick. Rewatching both The Ten Commandments and Ben-Hur for my Christian films post made me think, “Wow, Charlton Heston was shredded back in the day.” That aside, not only did Heston have the physique for Wolverine, his acting would’ve been a great match. Charlton Heston has had plenty of experience with characters with tragic and complex backgrounds like Wolverine. He’s got the looks, the personality, and the beard. Nuff said, bub.
Professor X: Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman may not be English (like Patrick Stewart or James McAvoy), but personality-wise, he’s spot-on for Professor X. Morgan Freeman hasn’t made it to the MCU yet. That has to change! If y’all have ever seen a Morgan Freeman movie before, you probably know how much he exudes Professor X energy.
This shouldn’t be a choice I have to defend. Come on, y’all. You see it, right?
Cyclops: Tye Sheridan
Tye Sheridan has played Cyclops before, but I’d like to see him again. He deserves a second chance after a less-than-stellar performance as Cyclops. He and James Marsden in the original X-Men film series didn’t have great scripts that represented their acting ability. I decided to go with Tye Sheridan due to his age. While I believe James Marsden could’ve done better as Cyclops the second time, he’s already in his 50s. If Marvel intends to keep the love triangle with him, Wolverine and Jean Grey, it’d be hard to do if Cyclops was already over 50. Tye Sheridan could be a great Cyclops if he had a better script.
Jean Grey: Elle Fanning
Elle Fanning would be a good fit since I expect Marvel to keep the love triangle (Jean Grey-Cyclops-Wolverine) going. While Fanning wouldn’t be most folks’ first choice, she has potential. She’s played several innocent and loving characters, which could translate to a proper cinematic Jean Grey. Previous Jeans have flubbed this aspect. All of them were setting up The Phoenix first before trying to get a good Jean Grey. If you want a good Phoenix, you must get a good Jean Grey. Because of that, Elle Fanning could be sympathetic, realistic, and relatable.
Storm: Viola Davis
I shouldn’t have to defend Viola Davis as Storm. If you’re familiar with Viola Davis, you know what I mean. After her amazing performance in The Woman King, it’s hard to see anyone else filling the role of Ororo Munroe with as much passion, confidence, and leadership. Honestly, my first choice was Danai Gurira, but she’s preoccupied playing Okoye in the MCU. Viola Davis is by no means a downgrade.
What more can I say? Fight me! …Please don’t.
Gambit: Channing Tatum
After Channing Tatum’s performance as Gambit in Deadpool and Wolverine, it’s hard for me to imagine anyone else portraying Gambit in the MCU. He wasn’t the best Gambit I’ve ever seen, but he’s the most authentic in a film. You know what, no, Channing Tatum is the best Gambit I’ve ever seen. What am I basing that on anyway? X-Men Origins: Wolverine? I hate that I said that. I’m sorry for reminding you that X-Men Origins: Wolverine exists.
Rogue: Debbie Reynolds (Posthumously)
We have another actor who’s passed. I’ve wanted an authentic Rogue in film. Debbie Reynolds is a classic film alumna. She’s gone through several film roles and character personality types, has a strong resemblance to Rogue in comics, and is all around cool. I could easily imagine Debbie Reynolds as the take-charge, no-nonsense, badass Rogue from both the comics and the original X-Men Animated Series.
Beast: Kelsey Grammer
I’ve adored Kelsey Grammer as Beast since X-Men: The Last Stand. From minute one, I felt less like he was an actor playing a role and like Beast come to life. Despite the other issues with X-Men: The Last Stand, Beast was the one element they nailed.
I love it when the MCU pays homage to what came before. As Marvel changes, it’s important to remember where it began, for better and worse. Sorry, I got philosophical there for no reason. Where was I? Oh yeah, Kelsey Grammer would be a great Beast.
Magneto: Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington’s Magneto would be a great contrast to Morgan Freeman’s Professor X. I’ve learned (from Geekly News) that the MCU may be considering Denzel Washington for the part of Magneto. If this is the case, that’s absolutely genius.
Not only does Denzel Washington have experience with dark, conflicted roles, but Magneto’s personality was originally based on Malcolm X. This is too perfect because Denzel Washington has already portrayed Malcolm X. The idea that this could come around full circle is too much for me to resist.
Emma Frost: Samara Weaving
Harper, you nailed this one. I’m familiar with Samara Weaving from her role in Ready or Not, so I know she can be elegant, selfish, powerful, and intimidating. After seeing your suggestion, I can’t imagine any other actress in this role. Thanks again for your suggestions, Harper. I hope Marvel is listening.
Mr. Sinister: Robert Pattinson
Considering Robert Pattinson’s increasingly dark film roles, he could pull off Mister Sinister. Since his Twilight days, Pattinson has scored some solid film roles: The Lighthouse and The Batman. Pattinson has lent himself to suspenseful and dark themes. Enter Mister Sinister. First, there’s never been a cinematic Mr. Sinister. That needs to change. Second, if that does happen, make him like a horror movie monster. That would be memorable and unique to his character. Given those requirements, Robert Pattinson’s career turnaround is dying for this surefire blockbuster hit.
Juggernaut: John Cena
This is less what I want, and more what I’ve accepted modern Hollywood will likely do. What’s the deal with John Cena? Why is he in so many movies now? Maybe I should be asking the same question about The Rock, but I don’t want to give Marvel any more ideas. For whatever reason, Hollywood has started putting Cena in everything. With Marvel, I feel like it’s only a matter of time.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle again. Those were some interesting picks, Skye. You may have given Marvel more than one idea. Since you mentioned Charlton Heston and Debbie Reynolds, I expect Marvel to superimpose their faces on other actors’ bodies, Rogue One style. Samara Weaving may have competition with Marilyn Monroe. Real soon, we’re going to see Marilyn in everything.
JK…I hope. Thank you again, Harper. Keep the casting ideas flowing, and if anyone else wants to participate, join the party in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
jkgeekly.com 