Marvel fans on top of their weekly comic book reading know that the publisher has been working hand-in-hand with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to promote breast cancer awareness in both men and women through variant covers — featuring various heroes and heroines showing their support by donning pink — and Captain and Iron Man discussing the importance of awareness and the foundation’s mission in a full page ad. Continuing this partnership, Marvel allegedly has plans to craft an in-continuity storyline centered around a Marvel heroine contracting cancer. There is no official word at this time as to which one it will be, but Bleeding Cool says currently has four lined up to keep fans guessing.
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No. 1 | Captain Marvel
Admiring the Kree superhero Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers took on the identity of Ms. Marvel after being irradiated by Kree energies -- granting her the powers and abilities of her idol. Sadly, Captain Marvel had contracted cancer when he inhaled a lethal nerve gas used by his nemesis Nitro, dying months after. After years of giving it some thought, Carol took on the mantle of Captain Marvel in his honor. As for Carol contracting cancer, the idea is just a bit too obvious, if not forced. Yes, she adopted his legacy, but not his physiology or diseases. Unless history will repeat itself and she's going to end up inhaling the same gas, Marvel should just scrap the notion entirely.
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No. 2 | Red She-Hulk
Just like her father, Gen. Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, Betty Ross ended up becoming a Hulk after daddy dearest had made a Faustian pact with a group of super intelligent villains to restore her to life. Prior to this, Betty had come down with gamma sickness from her constant exposure to the Hulk. Bruce Banner worked tirelessly to finally concoct a cure, but was sabotaged by his nemesis, Abomination, forcing Gen. Ross to make a deal with a bunch of devils. Though she is now alive and well as the Red She-Hulk, who's to say that the gamma poisoning still isn't in her body?
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No. 3 | Invisible Woman
Marvel's first family of the fantastic -- the aptly named Fantastic Four -- had received their unconventional powers upon being pelted with cosmic rays during a space exploration mission. Superficially, the changes to their bodies are palpable, but it's difficult to say what happened internally. Susan "Sue" Storm, a.k.a. The Invisible Woman, contracting cancer would make for an emotionally charged story since she's not just a hero, but a devoted wife and mother as well, thus having a major impact on those closest to her.
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No. 4 | Rogue
As far as mutant powers go, Rogue is as powerful as they come. One touch and she instantaneously absorbs the power of her target. Granted, it's not always so straightforward since there have been times where her body couldn't handle the strain or the power was too much to wield properly. Going by this, Rogue could possibly contract cancer if she were to absorb the power of a foe that's radioactive or whose body contains another harmful element that can cause cancer. From experience, Rogue takes caution in who she saps powers from, but desperate times to save the life or lives of others necessitate desperate measures.
Marvel’s four potential candidates for this storyline are Captain Marvel (formerly Ms. Marvel), Red She-Hulk, the Invisible Woman, and X-Men’s Rogue. Given their histories, each of them has either known someone with the disease at some point in their lives or have origins that possibly could predispose them to contracting cancer.
(Bleeding Cool via Digital Spy, image via Digital Spy)
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