When asked how fans will react to the new animated M.O.D.O.K. series, Patton Oswalt said, “With deep horror.” His unexpected and hilarious response was perfect for a panel where Ben Schwartz revealed that maybe he ate his Marvel merchandise when he was younger, and the majority of the cast struggled to remember the acronym “M.O.D.O.K.” actually stood for. Fortunately, both the panel and the trailer for the series delivered the laughs.
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During the teaser, which starts right the beginning of the NYCC panel, we see Patton Oswalt’s animated villain M.O.D.O.K. asking his A.I.M. henchmen for new villainous ideas. His brainstorming session is quickly interrupted by his children Lou and Melissa, played by Ben Schwartz (Sonic The Hedgehog, DuckTales) and Melissa Fumero (Brooklyn Nine-Nine). Although M.O.D.O.K. manages to keep them at bay, he can’t avoid a sobering conversation with his wife Jodie, played by Lucifer‘s Aimee Garcia. As she tries to encourage him to leave A.I.M. behind, he tries to be optimistic about his evil organization’s future.
Outside of the unique premise, the show’s animation style also stands out. M.O.D.O.K. and his family will be rendered in a st0p-motion animation style reminiscent of Robot Chicken (and fitting since Ben Schwartz wrote a few episodes of the Adult Swim program). The show is also shot in such a way that it looks like a handheld camera operator is recording the series, making the big-headed villain and his family look like they’re starring in a reality TV series.
Although we didn’t get to see Wendi McLendon-Covey’s Monica Rappaccini or Beck Bennett’s Austin in the preview, they’ve more than proven themselves as talented comedians. When they bump heads with M.O.D.O.K.’s larger dome, sparks and laughs are inevitable.
Between M.O.D.O.K.’s talented cast of comedians and its ridiculous premise, the series is a lock to be the funniest Marvel show we’ve ever seen. Hopefully, we can officially award the series with a comedy crown when it debuts on Hulu in early 2021.
