An R-rated Marvel series scores a surprise renewal, but there’s a Kevin Feige-sized catch

As the company’s chief creative officer, Kevin Feige holds dominion over every aspect of the comic book conglomerate’s output, so it’s with huge surprise we discover that R-rated animated series Hit-Monkey has been renewed for a second season.

After all, Hulu was originally supposed to house four episodic projects based on Marvel properties that would have dovetailed together into what was sure to be an insane crossover event. Patton Oswalt’s M.O.D.O.K. was unceremoniously dumped after one season, while Howard the Duck and Tygra & Dazzler never even made it past development, nixing the prospect of The Offenders seeing the light of day.

Following Disney’s takeover of 20th Century Fox, its increased stake in Hulu, and Feige’s disbanding of Marvel Television as a standalone entity, it looked as though Hit-Monkey was inevitably facing the axe. And yet, while the show will live to fight another day, it’ll be doing so without arguably its biggest selling point.

It may have previously been known as Marvel’s Hit-Monkey in an official capacity, but the second season renewal has come burdened with the condition that the irreverently offbeat adventure needs to drop all branding – and presumably associated marketing – that mentions the outfit by name.

It’s plain old Hit-Monkey from now on, then, which instantly raises questions as to whether or not Feige got involved to state his demands, seeing as he was gracious enough to let the first season of M.O.D.O.K. be completed and released before he put it out to pasture.