WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for The Marvels #2 by Kurt Busiek, Yildiray Cinar, Richard Isanove, and Simon Bowland, on sale now.
The Marvels has been taking readers on an adventure that spans the course of several different Marvel eras. While superhero tour guide Kevin Schumer is already fated to join Captain America and others on the battlefield, how exactly he will come to find himself there is yet to be seen. Although he may not seem like much more than a tour guide turned amateur photographer, Kevin's professional endeavors have been aided greatly by his collection of recycled and repurposed super tech, which comes courtesy of the classic Spider-Man villain, the Tinkerer.
Kevin's career providing superhero-themed tours of New York City is a hit with those hoping to catch a glimpse of Spider-Man or the Fantastic Four in action, and it's a venture greatly aided by the Fantasti-Car that Kevin somehow acquired. It's hard to imagine how a seemingly normal and average New Yorker has come to own such amazing tech, and The Marvels #2 presents an inside look at his studio featuring all sorts of incredible items.
Using an old Goblin Glider and Chameleon tech, Kevin is able to trail and record the Human Torch and Thing without being noticed, and even catches up with Black Cat while digging through the wreckage of the previous day's explosive events. Black Cat isn't happy to see someone interfering in her affairs, at least not until she recognizes Kevin as "the nephew," telling him where to find weapons in the ruins to bring back to one of the most remarkable mechanical talents in the world.
Phineas Mason has been one of the premier providers of super-tech in the Marvel Universe since his introduction all the way back in Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's Amazing Spider-Man #2. In his first appearance, the Tinkerer was working with what appeared to be extraterrestrials in a ploy to ensnare Spider-Man in his trap and do away with the wall-crawler for good. Since then Mason has committed fewer and fewer crimes of his own, instead opting to design and construct weapons and tech to sell to any villains in need of an edge.
While he has on occasion donned a suit of armor and gone to bat for himself, Mason seems to have once again settled down and refocused his efforts on less action-oriented affairs, and Kevin is willing to help in exchange for some extra cash. Mason been supplying Kevin with much of his gear, while Kevin has been acquiring and selling even more tech and weaponry back to his uncle.
Phineas Mason might be an angry, conniving old man, but he has also shown a propensity towards genuine kindness when he isn't in over his head with supervillains looking for a new suit or heroes hoping to thwart him. Not only that, but his enterprising ways and engineering prowess have certainly left a mark on Kevin, who is fated to use the devices he gets from his uncle to fight beside Captain America.
Kevin Schumer might not be a hero just yet, but he is far from the villain his uncle once was. Hopefully, everything that has rubbed off on him over the years will be put to good use, or at least won't fall into the wrong hands before Kevin can help stop the next great threat to the Marvel Universe.
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