Rejected Marvel vs Capcom Fighter Revealed

by

Summary

  • The original Marvel vs. Capcom considered including Howard the Duck, but the character was rejected due to a lack of popularity.
  • A development essay revealed initial plans for the game, with Howard meant to be a joke character similar to Street Fighter’s Dan Hibiki.
  • Marvel had rejected many iconic characters for the game, including Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, and Venom.

As a seasoned movie critic with a penchant for gaming and a soft spot for 80s pop culture, I must confess that the tale of Howard the Duck’s near-inclusion in Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes has left me both amused and saddened.

Initially, Howard the Duck was proposed for inclusion in the Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes lineup, but this idea was turned down by Marvel Comics. The Marvel vs. Capcom franchise is renowned for its crossover events, with Capcom’s collaboration with Marvel beginning in 1995 through the release of X-Men: Children of the Atom. This was followed by Marvel Super Heroes, and later, in 1996, X-Men vs. Street Fighter emerged as the first significant crossover between these two brands, marking the start of the iconic Marvel vs. Capcom series.

1998 saw the release of “Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes,” a game that marked the third installment in the series. This version brought in numerous fresh characters while preserving its 2 versus 2 team-based gameplay. Notable figures like Ryu, Mega Man, and Morrigan represented Capcom, while Wolverine, Cyclops, and Spider-Man were the faces of Marvel. Back in a 1998 development essay by Capcom producer Kenji Kataoka, it was disclosed that some early ideas for the game included the exclusion of Howard the Duck from the character roster.

I recently stumbled upon an essay, archived and translated by EventHubs, which originally appeared on a now-defunct website that offered exclusive insights into the development of Marvel vs. Capcom. Intriguingly, Kataoka initially proposed Howard the Duck as a comical fighting game character, emulating the quirky essence of Street Fighter’s Dan Hibiki. The character designer was on board with this idea, envisioning Howard as a unique and amusing addition to the roster.

Marvel vs. Capcom’s Other Roster Rejections

It was disclosed by Kataoka that initially, Marvel vs. Capcom wasn’t meant to be another crossover game with Capcom, but instead, it was intended as a sequel for the original Marvel Super Heroes. The proposed roster for this potential Marvel Super Heroes 2 included characters like Captain America, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk, Iron Man, Mighty Thor, Psylocke, Venom, Jubilee, Mr. Fantastic, and Howard the Duck, with Galactus planned as the final boss. However, most of these character choices were eventually turned down by the team. Kataoka expressed his thoughts on the rejected characters saying, “Iron Man? No. The Fantastic Four? No. Venom? Absolutely not… Howard the Duck? Definitely not… No, no way, no how, a complete STORM of rejections.

It’s understandable that Marvel might have been cautious about featuring Howard as a character after the poor reception of the 1986 “Howard the Duck” movie, which left a lasting impact on the Marvel brand. Despite this, the film has developed a cult following over time. Since then, Howard the Duck has made occasional appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, most notably in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films. It’s possible that Howard the Duck could make an appearance in the upcoming “Marvel vs. Capcom”.

Read More

2024-12-28 00:23