One Marvel editor itted that he dislikes how the MCU has changed a classic character, making them “virtually new” in his opinion. The MCU has given numerous Marvel icons massive exposure, introducing these beloved characters to a new audience. However, in some cases, the MCU leads to a change for the character in the comics, and one Marvel editor laments this exact thing happening to a powerful magical hero.

On his personal Substack, Marvel Executive Editor Tom Brevoort was asked by fan Biggu for his opinion on certain characters returning to life. Biggu pointed to Brevoort’s initial reluctance to bring Bucky back as the Winter Soldier, asking him how he reconciles “what is good for business” against “what feels right?” Brevoort explained:

That all said, the reality is that I don’t own the characters of the Marvel Universe, Marvel does. And so, if the organization (or somebody placed higher up in it) decides that a change is to be made and I disagree with it, assuming that I am unsuccessful in convincing them as to why that change would be a bad idea, my objective has to switch to focusing on telling the best version of that story that it’s possible to tell. But if you’re talking about something that’s already been done somewhere else and is already popular with a big segment of the audience, then it’s even more of a no-brainer than before, in that without selling comics, we won’t stay in business to be able to make comics.

Brevoort then mentioned a more current example of this trend: the de-aging of Agatha Harkness, in response to Kathryn Hahn’s breakout performance as the character. He elaborated further:

So, for example, I don’t really love the fact that Agatha Harkness has been rejuvenated and transformed into virtually an entirely new character these last couple of years. But I’m well aware that Agatha had a sum total of zero fans before that change, and that an awful lot of people are incredibly invested in her as portrayed by Kathryn Hahn. So following suit in the comics simply makes good sense.

Agatha Harkness was last seen in the Marvel Universe tending to the child version of the Darkhold.

Agatha Harkness' Marvel History, Explained

Agatha Harkness Was an Unlikely MCU Success Story

Of all the success stories of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Agatha Harkness’ is one of the least likely. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appearing in Fantastic Four #94, she was originally the governess for Franklin Richards. Agatha is also a powerful magician, and a perennial runner-up for the title of Sorcerer Supreme. Thanks to her long association with the Scarlet Witch, she appeared in 2021’s Wandavision limited series, played by Kathryn Hahn. The series was a hit with fans, and Hahn’s performance as the scheming Agatha was singled out for praise.

Kathryn Hahn’s performance was so well-received that a spin-off, titled Agatha All Along, was created, which led to a massive change for the character in the comics.

Kathryn Hahn’s performance was so well-received that a spin-off, titled Agatha All Along, was created, which led to a massive change for the character in the comics. For many years, Agatha Harkness was depicted as a frail-looking elderly woman. Over time, the frailness was downplayed, but Agatha was still very much a senior citizen. Yet during the buildup to Agatha All Along’s premiere, Marvel went all-out on deaging Agatha, reverting her back to a younger appearance. She was also given a new costume, reflecting the one she wore in the MCU.

Agatha Harkness Is Now Caught Up in a Big Comics Controversy

Should the MCU Lead to Changes in Comics? Especially If It Helps the Character?

Tom Brevoort was correct in his assessment: Agatha Harkness had very few fans before Wandavision. Hahn’s portrayal of Agatha enthralled audiences, and Marvel responded by bringing the comic book version more in line with her MCU counterpart. This explosion in Harkness’ popularity justifies the change, but this practice remains controversial. For some fans, the most egregious example of this was, for a period during the mid-2010s, Marvel quit pushing the X-Men family of titles, simply because parent company Disney did not own the film rights at the time. Instead, the Inhumans were elevated in the comics.

While Marvel eventually backpedaled from this move, it ignited a debate over whether the MCU was truly beneficial for the comic book versions of these characters. While the Inhumans/X-Men debacle is an example of changing the comics to suit the movies for the worse, the revamping of Agatha Harkness makes the case for it being a good thing. She gained many fans thanks to Kathryn Hahn’s performance, and Marvel was correct in changing her in the comics–even if Tom Brevoort was not a fan of doing so initially.

Source: Tom Brevoort