Maya Lopez Echo | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | As Echo: Daredevil #9 (December 1999) As Ronin: The New Avengers #11 (November 2005) |
Created by | |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Maya Lopez |
Species | Human |
Team affiliations | Daughters of Liberty New Avengers The Hand Avengers |
Partnerships | Matt Murdock / Daredevil |
Notable aliases | Phoenix Ronin |
Abilities |
As the Phoenix Force:
|
Echo (Maya Lopez) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by David Mack and Joe Quesada, the character first appeared in Daredevil #9 (December 1999). [1] Lopez is a Cheyenne woman, and this background as an indigenous character informs many of her arcs and storylines. [2] She is also half-Mexican-American. [3] Her Echo guise includes a white handprint that covers part of her face. [4] She is one of the few deaf comic book characters. [5] She has also adopted the Ronin codename and was a host of the Phoenix Force. [6]
Maya Lopez is the adopted daughter of the supervillain Kingpin. [7] She is also a supporting character of the superhero Matt Murdock / Daredevil. [8] The character has been a member of the Avengers and the New Avengers at various points in her history. [9]
Alaqua Cox portrays Maya Lopez in the Disney+ / Marvel Cinematic Universe, debuting in the television series Hawkeye (2021), and starring in her own spin-off series Echo (2024).
Writer David Mack created Maya Lopez to mirror Daredevil, saying, "Daredevil deciphers much of his world from sound instead of sight. Echo grew up not having access or understanding of this "audible world" and therefore learned to decipher all of the visual cues of the world as a language that she pieced together by an acute pattern recognition." [10] He was influenced by his Cherokee uncle who told him Native stories as a child to develop the character. [11] Maya Lopez uses American Sign Language to communicate with others. [12]
The Ronin identity was an attempt by Brian Michael Bendis to create a mystery after the apparently male character was depicted on several comic book covers, including issues of The New Avengers and one The Pulse issue. Fan speculation was high, with the most common guess that Ronin was Matt Murdock; Bendis eventually revealed this to be the original intention despite initially denying that this was the case. [13] The decision to depict Maya Lopez as Ronin was initially supported by David Mack. [14]
Maya Lopez debuted as Echo in Daredevil #9 (December 1999), created by writer David Mack and artist Joe Quesada. [15] She later debuted as Ronin in The New Avengers #11 (November 2005), created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist David Finch. [16] She appeared in the 2021 Phoenix Song: Echo series, her first solo comic book series. [17] She appeared in the 2022 Marvel Unlimited Marvel's Voices Infinity Comic series. [18] She appeared in the 2023 Daredevil & Echo series. [19]
Maya Lopez was still a young girl when her father Willie "Crazy Horse" Lincoln was killed by the Kingpin (Wilson Fisk). Crazy Horse dies, leaving a bloody handprint on Maya's face and a last dying wish: that the Kingpin raise Maya well. Kingpin honors his dying wish, caring for her as his own daughter. Believed to be mentally disabled, Maya is sent to an expensive school for people with learning disabilities. There, she manages to completely replicate a song on the piano. She is subsequently sent to another expensive school for prodigies.
Maya is sent by the Kingpin to prove Matt Murdock's weakness, telling her that Matt believes Fisk is a bad person and that she is the only way to prove him wrong. As Maya believes Fisk, it would not appear to be a lie when she tells Matt. [20]
Murdock and Maya soon fall in love. She later takes on the "Echo" guise to hunt down Daredevil. On her face, she paints a white handprint, similar to the bloody handprint left by her dying father. Maya proves more than a match for Daredevil, having watched videos of Daredevil and Bullseye fighting. After several failed attempts, noticing that Daredevil can easily move through the dark, Maya easily figures out Daredevil's weakness and exploits this by having a fight in a place where Daredevil's heightened senses are useless. Maya easily takes down Daredevil and nearly kills the vigilante, refusing only when she finds out Matt and Daredevil are one and the same. Matt manages to expose the Kingpin's lies. In revenge, Maya confronts and shoots Fisk in the face, blinding Fisk and starting the chain of events that lead to the man's eventual downfall (Kingpin later partially recovered eyesight through reconstructive eye surgery). [21]
After realizing the horror of her actions and the lies with which she has grown up, Maya flees the United States to do some soul-searching. When she comes back, she tries reuniting with Murdock, only to find out Matt is now with a blind woman and that the Kingpin is still alive (despite Maya's attempts). Leaving Matt, Maya visits the Kingpin in prison who tells her that he does not blame her for what she did, and (that despite all that had happened) the Kingpin still loves her like a daughter. Unsatisfied and still needing peace, Maya turns to the Chief (her father's old friend) noted for wisdom. The Chief sends Maya on a vision quest to calm her soul. On her quest, she meets and befriends Wolverine who helps her recover and passes on knowledge of Japanese culture and Japanese organized crime. Soon enough, Maya makes peace with her past and is back doing performance art. [22]
After a recent identity crisis and feeling unable to join the New Avengers due to a refusal to tarnish the reputations of heroes by working alongside them, Maya dons a suit that conceals her identity as well as her gender and rechristens herself Ronin (Japanese for "wanderer", a class of masterless samurai).
Daredevil recommends Maya to Captain America to aid the Avengers in seizing the Silver Samurai in Japan. [23] After joining the Avengers, Maya returns to Japan to keep an eye on dangerous assassin Elektra Natchios rumored to be leading the Hand, check on the Silver Samurai from time to time, and hopefully solve the conflict between The Hand and Clan Yashida. Around the conclusion of the Civil War between the pro-registration and anti-registration factions in America, Maya fights Elektra and is killed, but is soon resurrected by the Hand with the same process used to raise Elektra. Maya is taken captive with the intent of turning her into an assassin for The Hand. Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Doctor Strange, Spider-Woman, Iron Fist, and the new Ronin rescue her and escape, leaving Elektra to furiously send the Hand after them. During a brief lull in the fight with the Hand in which Luke tries to negotiate with Elektra to buy time, it is revealed that the Hand has been successful in brainwashing Maya, as she subsequently stabs Dr. Strange with a sword given to her by one of the Hand. [24] She continues to fight the New Avengers until Dr. Strange is able to release an astral form with Wong's help, and frees Maya from the brainwashing. Maya then charges straight for Elektra (who is fighting Luke) and stabs her, revealing that Elektra is a Skrull warrior in disguise. [25] They return to New York, after Spider-Woman's apparent betrayal of stealing Elektra's Skrull impersonator's corpse. [26] The Avengers hide in a hotel room (Strange's magic making it appear that Maya is the only person in the room) before returning to Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum. Maya officially hands the Ronin identity over to Clint Barton after they arrive. [27] After Strange confirms their identities by casting a spell that shows everyone their true nature - Maya appearing dressed in a female variation of Daredevil's costume - the team heads to Stark Tower to stop the Hood's attack on the building. There, they encounter the Mighty Avengers locked in battle with an army of invading symbiotes, one of which latches on to Maya before Iron Man manages to cure those infected. [28]
Echo attempts to defend Rick Jones from Hiroim and Elloe of the Hulk's Warbound during their attack on the Sanctum Sanctorum to capture Doctor Strange. She is defeated and captured, along with Iron Fist and Barton. [29]
During the Invaders' appearance in the present due to D'Spayre's manipulations acquiring a Cosmic Cube, Echo proved vital in defeating the villain as her deafness meant that D'Spayre was unable to manipulate her emotions. [30]
After the defeat of the Hood's criminal organization, [31] Echo remains on the team as Doctor Strange departs to the astral plane to heal himself, setting up base in a building owned by Iron Fist's company but technically leased to Samuel Sterns for the year. [32] After a brief run-in with a Skrull disguised as Daredevil, Barton admits being attracted to her, and the two sleep together. [33]
Echo goes with the rest of the New Avengers to the Savage Land when a Skrull ship crash lands. When the ship opens, it reveals various superheroes in outdated outfits. Echo joins with the Mighty Avengers and New Avengers to fight the "old" heroes from the Skrull ship. The battle is then broken up by a dinosaur causing everyone to split up. [34] Later, she encounters "Spider-Woman" who is actually the Skrull Queen and the force behind the Skrull Invasion. "Spider-Woman" incapacitates Echo by repeatedly blasting her with venom blasts and then slams her into a nearby tree trunk. [35] Echo helps the other Avengers kill all the other Skrull impostors, then heads to New York and confronts an army of Super Skrulls along with various other heroes and villains. [36] She is invited back to Captain America's apartment by Iron Fist but does not show up. [37]
Following the reformation of the New Avengers during the Heroic Age , Cage and Jessica Jones seek a nanny for their child; Echo is one of several respondents to the offer, but declines and then angrily asks if Cage even remembers that she used to be a member of the Avengers. [38]
Echo appears in the fourth Moon Knight series, where she worked undercover in a strip club in L.A., until she blew the cover saving Marc Spector. [39] Moon Knight later proposes that they join forces against the West Coast Kingpin, and invites her to dinner. [40] Moon Knight is obviously attracted to Echo and it is suggested that Echo feels the same, [41] despite punching Moon Knight in the face for kissing her. [42] When she meets up with Moon Knight, they are attacked by the Night Shift. [43] Although Echo and Moon Knight beat them, the police arrive, and attempt to apprehend the duo as well. [44] Echo is killed by Count Nefaria, the man trying to be the new West Coast Kingpin.[ citation needed ]
Mysterious circumstances later lead to Maya's resurrection. During her first team-up with Daredevil since her return, she helps save New York from a sonic virus created by Klaw. [45]
Echo later aids Captain Marvel and her friends against Radioactive Man. [46]
During the "Enter the Phoenix" storyline, Echo is chosen by the Phoenix Force to participate in her tournament alongside many other heroes and villains to decide her next host. [47] Along with the other champions, Echo is empowered by a spark of the Phoenix's cosmic fire and is pitted against Namor in an underwater match. [48] Due to the vast disadvantage, Echo is soundly defeated by Namor, presumably eliminating her from the tournament and losing her portion of the Phoenix's power. [49] However, despite her loss, Echo's despair and refusal to die draws the Phoenix to her, making her the new host of the entity. After taking the Phoenix's power from the remaining participants and brutally beating Namor as payback for her earlier defeat, Maya declares herself as the new Thunderbird and fully bonds with the entity. Maya is telepathically congratulated by the Phoenix's previous host, Jean Grey, who also gives her words of advice on controlling the entity's power. [50]
Maya Lopez is an Olympic-level athlete. [51] She possesses "photographic reflexes" or the ability to perfectly copy other people's movements. [52] While watching other people, she has become a concert-level pianist, a strong martial artist, a highly skilled acrobat, and a gifted ballerina (and on one occasion even piloted a Quinjet for a few minutes). [53] In addition, she has also gained Daredevil's acrobatic abilities and Bullseye's aim after watching tapes of their fights.
Her absolute reliance on visual cues renders her helpless in the dark, and her ability to communicate by reading lips prevents her from taking oral commands and communicating with people who are wearing masks or are not in direct visual contact; when she initially meets the Avengers, Captain America has to repeat all of Iron Man's questions for her. Notably, she has been incorrectly depicted as able to hear and respond to voices despite not seeing the person's mouth when standing away from them or the person talking right behind her. It has since been established that Maya Lopez can read lips from some distance or with the corner of her eye even if the talker is wearing a mask if the mask is thin enough (as the rather simple fabric masks used by Clint Barton and Spider-Man), and relay their conversation to closer individuals. She still retains her inability to communicate with people wearing sturdier or thicker masks or fully covering their mouths. [54]
Additionally, Maya Lopez has been a host of the Phoenix Force. [55]
Cian O'Luanaigh of The Guardian stated Maya Lopez possesses an emotional backstory unlike the majority of deaf characters in literature, calling her a "superhero like no other." [56] Dais Johnston of Inverse said Maya Lopez made a "resounding splash" since her introduction, calling her a "great female role model and foil to the blind Matt Murdock." [57] Deirdre Kaye of Scary Mommy called Maya Lopez a "role model" and a "truly heroic" female character. [58] Beaty Drew of Screen Rant named Maya Lopez one of Marvel's most notable Native American heroes, saying, "Maya's inclusion among the publisher's most well-known and minimally flawed heroes reads as honest and realistic." [59] As well as Indigenous, Echo is half-Mexican-American. Comics scholar Frederick Luis Aldama describes Echo as "one of the most fascinating and compelling Latina superheroes to date." [60]
Maya Lopez has been described as Marvel's first deaf and indigenous superhero. [61] She is the first deaf, indigenous, and amputee character portrayed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). [62] Her own miniseries Echo became the first Marvel television show centered on a deaf Native American superhero. [63]
According to Diamond Comic Distributors, Phoenix Song: Echo #1 was the 59th best selling comic book in October 2021. [64]
Dustin Hilland of Comic Book Resources called Phoenix Song: Echo #1 an "enthralling first issue that sets the stage for a thrilling and complex new series," stating, "Phoenix Song: Echo #1 introduces several sources of tension in Echo's life and hints at the beginnings of a few different confrontations of epic proportions. But this comic's strength lies in the intimidating and fascinating character that Roanhorse and Maresca are developing in Echo. Her struggle to maintain her identity while harnessing the power of the Phoenix Force seems to be propelling this series into new and exciting directions." [65] Matthew Aguilar of ComicBook.com gave Phoenix Song: Echo #1 a grade of 3.5 out of 5, writing, "If Phoenix Song: Echo continues the momentum of this issue's second half and delivers on the promise it holds, we could have an amazing series on our hands. If it stays at the surface, it could still be enjoyable, but it won't come near to what it could be. Here's hoping the former is true because all of the elements are here for Phoenix Song: Echo to be something truly special." [66]
An alternate version of Maya Lopez appears in the miniseries Daredevil: End of Days . She is old and retired from the Avengers. She is now working as a college professor. She is later interviewed by Ben Urich for a story about Matt Murdock's death. [67]
An alternate version of Maya Lopez appears in an alternate reality depicted in the 2021 miniseries Heroes Reborn . She was empowered by the Phoenix Force and imprisoned in Ravencroft Asylum before Blade and Captain America break her out to help them restore their reality. [68] [69] She later recruits Thor to help them further before the Avengers confront the Squadron Supreme of America. [70] [71] After eventually defeating the Squadron, Lopez and Star Brand use their powers in conjunction with the Pandemonium Cube to restore reality to how it was previously. [72]
An alternate version of Maya Lopez appears in the Ultimate Marvel universe. Echo makes a cameo in Ultimate Spider-Man #122. She appears in a police station shouting "Who can you trust? WHO CAN YOU TRUST?!", referencing Brian Bendis' frequent use of the character in New Avengers and Secret Invasion . [73]
Elektra Natchios is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She was initially created as a supporting character for the superhero Matt Murdock / Daredevil, to whom Elektra has functioned as a villainous adversary, love interest, and later, a heroic ally. Created by Frank Miller, the character first appeared in Daredevil #168. Her violent nature and mercenary lifestyle has served as a divisive point of conflict between her and Daredevil, which, in 2020, culminated in her becoming the second Daredevil.
The Kingpin is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #50. The "Kingpin" name is a reference to the crime lord title in Mafia slang nomenclature.
Bullseye is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and John Romita Sr. Depicted as a psychopathic assassin, Bullseye uses the opportunities afforded by his line of work to exercise his homicidal tendencies and to work out his own personal vendetta against Daredevil. He is also an enemy of the Punisher. Although he possesses no superpowers, Bullseye is able to use almost any object as a lethal projectile, be it weapons like shuriken and sai or seemingly harmless objects like playing cards and pencils. His marksmanship is uncanny, at a nearly supernatural level.
Spider-Woman is the code name of several fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first major version is Jessica Drew, the second major version is Julia Carpenter, and the third major version is Mattie Franklin. Several alternate reality incarnations of the character have additionally received notoriety, including the Ultimate Spider-Woman, Ashley Barton, and Gwen Stacy.
The New Avengers are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The title has been used for four American comic book series. The first two were written by Brian Michael Bendis and depicted a version of Marvel's premiere superhero team, the Avengers. The third was written by Jonathan Hickman and depicted a group of characters called the Illuminati. The fourth is written by Al Ewing and depicts the former scientific terrorist group A.I.M., reformed as "Avengers Idea Mechanics", whose field team has appropriated the name "New Avengers" for itself.
Barbara "Bobbi" Morse is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Astonishing Tales #6 in 1971 as a supporting character and eventual love interest of Ka-Zar, with a Ph.D. in biology. She is soon revealed to be the highly trained Agent 19 of S.H.I.E.L.D., taking the moniker Huntress in Marvel Super Action #1 in 1976, and Mockingbird in Marvel Team-Up #95 in 1980, before going on to be a member of several Avengers teams, briefly marrying and subsequently divorcing Clint Barton/Hawkeye.
Ronin is an alias used by multiple characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It was first adopted by Maya Lopez in The New Avengers #11 by Brian Michael Bendis and Joe Quesada. Following this, the Ronin mantle has been taken up by characters such as Clint Barton, Alexei Shostakov, Eric Brooks, and Bullseye.
Hawkeye is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Allan Heinberg and artist Jim Cheung, Bishop first appeared in Young Avengers #1. She is the third character and first female to take the Hawkeye name, after Clint Barton of the Avengers and Wyatt McDonald of the Squadron Supreme. Her costume appearance is patterned on the first Hawkeye and Mockingbird.
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu, that ran through a self-titled eight-issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008. The story involves a subversive, long-term invasion of Earth by the Skrulls, a group of alien shapeshifters who have secretly replaced many superheroes in the Marvel Universe with impostors over a period of years, prior to the overt invasion. Marvel's promotional tagline for the event was "Who do you trust?".
Veranke is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The queen of the Skrull Empire, she is the main antagonist of Secret Invasion in which she leads her empire to invade and conquer Earth.
Dark Reign is a 2008 to 2009 comic book branding used by Marvel Comics. It deals with the aftermath of the "Secret Invasion" storyline, which resulted in a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward Norman Osborn. The title refers to Osborn's rise to national power and the ramifications thereof. Joe Quesada, then-editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, stated that "Dark Reign is not really an event, it's what's happening in the Marvel Universe." He believes that "Dark Reign leads to an interesting place in the Marvel Universe. I think you'll see a pulling back at the end of Dark Reign, but you'll understand at the end of it what we were trying to get to."
Hawkeye is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Don Heck, the character first appeared as a supervillain in Tales of Suspense #57 and later joined the Avengers as a superhero in The Avengers #16. He has since been a prominent member of several Avengers teams, founding the West Coast Avengers, briefly marrying and subsequently divorcing Bobbi Morse / Mockingbird, adopting the Ronin alias after his death and resurrection before mentoring Kate Bishop as his successor as Hawkeye. He was also ranked at #44 on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes list.
Spider-Girl is the code name of several fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The most prominent version and first to receive an ongoing series is Mayday Parker from the MC2 universe, the second version is Anya Corazon, the third version is Gwen Warren, and the fourth version is Makawalu Akana, the latter three from the Earth-616 universe. Several alternate reality incarnations of the character have additionally received notoriety, including the Ultimate Spider-Girl, Ashley Barton, Betty Brant, April, Penelope and Petra Parker, and Charlotte Morales.
Hawkeye is an American television miniseries created by Jonathan Igla for the streaming service Disney+, based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Clint Barton / Hawkeye and Kate Bishop / Hawkeye. It is the fifth television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, sharing continuity with the films of the franchise and taking place after the events of the film Avengers: Endgame (2019). It sees Clint Barton as he partners with Kate Bishop to confront enemies from his past to be with his family in time for Christmas. Igla served as head writer with Rhys Thomas leading the directing team.
Echo is an American television miniseries created for the streaming service Disney+, based on Marvel Comics featuring the character of the same name. A spin-off from the series Hawkeye (2021), it is the 10th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It sees Maya Lopez return to her hometown where she must come to terms with her past, reconnect with her Native American roots, and embrace her family and community. Marion Dayre and Amy Rardin serve as head writers and Sydney Freeland leads the directing team.
Katherine Elizabeth Bishop, more commonly known as Kate Bishop, is a character portrayed by Hailee Steinfeld in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise—based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Bishop is depicted as a champion archer who grew up idolizing Avenger Clint Barton after he inadvertently saved her life during the Battle of New York. Years later, she meets him and partners with him to uncover a criminal conspiracy and becomes his protégé.
"Echoes" is the third episode of the American television miniseries Hawkeye, based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Clint Barton / Hawkeye and Kate Bishop. The episode follows Barton working with Bishop to learn more about a conspiracy. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by Katie Mathewson & Tanner Bean and directed by Bert & Bertie.
"Ronin" is the fifth episode of the American television miniseries Hawkeye, based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Clint Barton / Hawkeye and Kate Bishop. The episode follows Barton and Bishop continuing to investigate a conspiracy. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by Jenna Noel Frazier and directed by Bert & Bertie.
"So This Is Christmas?" is the sixth and final episode of the American television miniseries Hawkeye, based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Clint Barton / Hawkeye and Kate Bishop. The episode follows Barton working with Bishop to learn more about a conspiracy. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by Jonathan Igla and Elisa Climent, and directed by Rhys Thomas.
The studio also was looking for an actor to play the child version of Cox's character... asked if she had any child relatives that looked like her.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link)