AI Reimagines Marvel Characters As NBA Players (Thanos Is A Slam Dunk)
Whenever someone gets superpowers in a fictional world, they either become a superhero or a villain, wanting to use their newfound abilities to change the world. It's rare for someone to just want to play some ball, but that's precisely what Instagram user @roguerobot.ai has used AI to portray, taking some of the biggest names in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and putting them on the court.
The slideshow starts strong with Thanos (Josh Brolin) dunking on some other players, sporting a purple Los Angeles Lakers jersey to match his purple skin. Playing for the Lakers is far from the worst thing Thanos has ever done, and he's even managing to dominate the game sans Infinity Gauntlet. Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) also show off their dunking skills. One Avenger who seems to be violating NBA rules is Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.).
He's still wearing his Iron Man armor, giving him an unfair edge. Thanos and Hulk may have super strength, but that's merely their biology. It's high time for Tony Stark to show off his mad skills without robotic assistance. Given his mass fortune, resulting in a very expensive house Iron Man lives in, he seems more suited to own a basketball team rather than play for one.
Which Marvel characters have actually played basketball?
The MCU needs to show a pick-up game between the new Avengers roster at some point. It could be a solid bonding exercise before they run off to save the world. It's nice to have those quieter moments where superheroes enjoy one another's company, as exemplified in "Miles Morales: Spider-Man #24," written by Saladin Ahmed with art from Carmen Carnero. The issue sees Miles Morales engage in a one-on-one game with Ms. Marvel, whose stretchy abilities come in handy. It makes sense a couple of kids would want a breather by shooting hoops. With "The Marvels" confirming that Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) is assembling a Young Avengers team, perhaps she'll lead them in a quick match-up.
Other characters from Marvel Comics have far more of a connection to the basketball world. A recent addition to the Marvel pantheon is Morris Sackett, aka Mosaic, an Inhuman who originally played professionally but then harnessed terrifying powers after exposure to the Terrigen Mist. He loses his corporeal form and must inhabit other people's bodies, gaining their memories. "Mosaic #1" was written by Geoffrey Thorne with art from Khary Randolph. Thorne explained to Inverse where Mosaic falls on the Venn diagram of superheroes and supervillains: "We think we're the heroes of our story, but most of us are not black or white. We're grey. [...] Wolverine is an anti-hero; he murders people. Mosaic is not a hero, yet. But, anti-hero might be too far to count."
Sadly, Marvel fans will likely never see Thanos dunk in the movies. If viewers are lucky, someone like Mosaic could make the leap to the big screen instead.