It looks like Marvel is exploring the multiverse in a novel new way – Marvel Entertainment has announced a collaboration with Random House, a publishing subsidiary of Penguin Random House. Three new stories, each set in their own, distinct corner of the Marvel Multiverse, are set to be released in 2024 under Marvel’s What If…? banner.
A press release accompanied the announcement via Random House Worlds, which operates under a division of Penguin Random House. Random House and Marvel Entertainment will be collaborating on an adult novel series which re-imagines its characters in new and complex situations. Audio versions of the stories will also be published by Penguin Random House audio. The series is set to launch in 2024 with three titles, including What If… Loki Was Worthy? A Loki and Valkyrie Story, followed by What If… Wanda Maximoff and Peter Parker Were Siblings? A Scarlet Witch and Spider-Man Story, and finally rounded out with What If… Marc Spector Was a Host to Venom? A Moon Knight and Venom Story.
Noticeably, all of the novels are companion pieces of sorts. The first novel focuses on Loki and Valkyrie, while the second novel focuses on Scarlet Witch and Peter Parker, and the third focuses on Marc Spector and Venom. The reason why this might be is unclear – it might just be a creative decision – but each individual premise does sound pretty interesting.
What is What If… Loki Was Worthy? about?
Marvel’s own website posted a look at the first upcoming novel, What If… Loki Was Worthy? A Loki and Valkyrie Story, by Madeleine Roux. The book features a timeline in which Loki accidentally kills Thor in a (admittedly over-the-top) prank gone wrong. By rerouting the Destroyer to New York City, Loki unleashes a wave of destruction which claims the lives of many bystanders, including Thor himself.
Banished to the realm of Midgard by Odin, Loki must find meaning in a now-meager life. Though he realizes that he deserves his punishment, Loki is drawn back into action by the arrival of a Valkyrie who tells him of Thor’s wish that his brother locates Dr. Jane Foster and find the true heir to Mjolnir’s power.
But one of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes has not forgotten about the Asgardian attack on New York. Tony Stark has forged some new Asgardian-inspired armor that’s meant to go to war against Odin and his realm. Loki must grapple with his worthiness while also saving Asgard. The book’s cover is a sleek, emerald design featuring Iron Man in Destroyer-inspired armor as Valkyrie and Loki look on.
What If… Loki Was Worthy? A Loki and Valkyrie Story hits shelves on March 12, 2024. Roux is known for her series Asylum and is well known for her work in the paranormal and horror genre. She also happens to have written tie-in material for both the World of Warcraft and Dungeons & Dragons franchises.
What is What If… Wanda Maximoff and Peter Parker Were Siblings? about?
Marvel has not provided much details on its Wanda Maximoff and Peter Parker story, though it sounds pretty straightforward. It sounds likely that it’s exactly what it says on the tin, with the storyline set in a world where Scarlet Witch and Spider-Man are siblings. How this happens in the story is a mystery – are they biological twins? Adopted siblings? How does Quicksilver fit into this? What about Magneto? Actually, how does Magneto fit into Scarlet Witch’s canon origin story, anyway?
We’re sure all will be revealed in time, but What If… Wanda Maximoff and Peter Parker Were Siblings? is currently set for a July 2024 release. This entry is set to be written by Seanan McGuire, an author who’s known for her work in the urban fantasy genre. A perfect fit, really, as a Scarlet Witch/Spider-Man joint adventure; fantasy and urban stories will surely collide. McGuire’s 2016 story Every Heart a Doorway is an award-winning novella, and McGuire herself is a regular fixture at the Hugo Awards. She’s also written for Star Wars before, and has been an author on Marvel’s Spider-Gwen comic run.
What is What If… Marc Spector Was a Host to Venom? about?
What If… Marc Spector Was a Host to Venom? A Moon Knight and Venom Story is also something of a mystery. Marvel has yet to release any synopsis for this story either It’s likely that the story’s title is quite literal, with the Venom symbiote grafting itself to Marc Spector, who’s more commonly known as Moon Knight. It’s not certain if he’ll also be Moon Knight when this happens, or if Venom will be attaching to Marc Spector himself, who may or may not be a civilian instead of a superhero in this universe. Hey – anything’s possible.
Seeing a Venom-enhanced Moon Knight would be a fun story, but it could also be interestingly poignant. Marc Spector’s Dissociative Identity Disorder has been presented, at times, as similar to what a symbiote host might experience. This may make for an interesting relationship with the symbiote. The tale is sure to be one to look out for.
What If… Marc Spector Was a Host to Venom? A Moon Knight and Venom Story is the last of the three announced novels and is tentatively set to be published in Oct. 2024. The novel is set to be written by Mike Chen, who, like his fellow authors, has also worked on franchise tie-ins before. His work spans the science fiction genre, and fits his previous works like Star Wars. He’s also known for his own novel, Here and Now and Then, about a time traveling man left stranded in 1990s San Francisco.
Are the novels connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
It does not appear that the novels have any connection whatsoever to the Marvel Cinematic Universe beyond being tied to the ‘Marvel’ brand. Though the MCU is currently in its multiverse saga, the novels appear to be linked more closely to the comics side of things – hence a story in which Marc Spector and Venom team up, which would be quite difficult to pull off in the MCU, considering Sony owns the film rights to Venom.
The MCU does have its own What If…? show, but it’s only an adaptation of a decades-long line of comics known as Marvel’s What If…?. Much like the comic book series and novels, the TV show also explores moments that could have gone a little differently in the narrative – with drastic results.
When does Marvel’s What If…? season 2 come out?
What If…? is currently on hiatus. Its first season concluded way back in Oct. 2021, and no official word has yet dropped on when season 2 will be released. Animation can take quite a bit of time, and the pandemic did not help speed up production time whatsoever. It’s likely that it’s closer to release than we might assume, however; Marvel Studios has been pumping out content at record speed these days, and it’s clear the IP is one Marvel intends to continue investing in.
In fact, their What If…? program has already secured a spin-off in the form of an animated Marvel Zombies TV show, currently in production. One of What If…?‘s key characters, Captain Carter, also made the jump into live-action in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Or at least a variant of the character did before being killed by Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch – I doubt Marvel’s going to kill off the character in such a bleak way after having just introduced her.
The two mediums are going to have some very different pros and cons, that’s true, but this literary take on the characters sounds like an interesting project. Marvel Entertainment has released novels about its comic characters before, actually – though they aren’t quite as well known about as the movie side of things, the company clearly supports branching out its characters into some fun new directions. These new novels have some interesting names attached to their narratives in every sense of the word.
