El Aguila

El Águila (Alejandro Montoya) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Mary Jo Duffy, Trevor Von Eeden, and Dave Cockrum, the character first appeared in Power Man and Iron Fist #58 (August 1979).[1] El Águila belongs to the subspecies of humans called mutants who are born with superhuman abilities.[2][3] He is a swordsman vigilante with the power of bio-electricity.[4][5] He was originally an adversary of the superheroes Luke Cage and Iron Fist but became their ally over time.[6]

For the professional wrestler, see Mr. Águila. For the baseball player, see Chris Aguila. For other uses, see Aguila (disambiguation).
El Águila
Alejandro Montoya / El Aguila
Art from Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearancePower Man and Iron Fist #58
(August 1979)
Created by
In-story information
Alter egoAlejandro Montoya
SpeciesHuman mutant
Team affiliationsPenance Corps
Notable aliasesThe Master
The Eagle
Abilities
  • Electrostatic charges generation
  • Trained hand-to-hand combatant
  • Excellent acrobat
  • Skilled fencer

The character made its live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, portrayed by Joseph Castillo-Midyett.

Development

Concept and creation

El Águila is patterned after the literary hero Zorro.[7][8] His name is Spanish for "the Eagle."[9] Writer Mary Jo Duffy recounted the creation of El Águila, "El Águila was designed by Dave Cockrum and he had this big Zorro thing, and Zorro was another one of these characters that I was just crazy about and Power Man and Iron Fist was tricky. These were not guys who could fly. Their superpowers were defensive and if they were offensive, it was going to be hands-on, and it's remarkably tricky inventing a villain for somebody like that ... It seemed to me that someone like Zorro but with one or two powers would be about the right level and since Iron Fist was a little bit easygoing and unworldly, and Power Man was just so cranky and completely grounded in the here and now, giving him somebody with this playful panache would be frustrating. Iron Fist wouldn’t even get it, Power Man would be infuriated by it, and it would give El Águila a certain amount of charm. So I wasn’t just thinking of the power problem, though it was a problem, but in terms of the characters—it had to interest me. And Power Man and Iron Fist were so well-realized as characters that if a villain wasn’t as equally well-realized, then what was the point in doing it?"[10]

1970's

El Águila debuted in Power Man and Iron Fist #58 (August 1979), created by Mary Jo Duffy, Trevor Von Eeden, and Dave Cockrum.[11] He later appeared in the 1982 Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions series. He appeared in the 1982 Marvel Fanfare series. He appeared in the 1988 Marvel Comics Presents series.

2000's

El Águila appeared in the 2005 G.L.A. series. He later appeared in the 2006 Marvel Westerns: Outlaw Files. He appeared in the 2006 The New Avengers series. He appeared in the 2011 Power Man and Iron Fist series.[12][13]

Fictional character biography

Alejandro Montoya was born in Madrid, Spain, and later moved to America. Upon discovering his mutant powers, Alejandro decided to use his unique abilities as a swashbuckler and costumed crime fighter, taking up the mantle of El Águila (Spanish for "The Eagle"), an identity passed down by his ancestors. As El Águila, he preys upon drug dealers and criminals that take advantage of the poor and needy. He is not a certified law authority and is wanted by authorities. Soon after launching his crime-fighting campaign against drug dealers, slumlords, brutal police, and other wrongdoers, Águila encountered Iron Fist, Power Man, and Misty Knight.[14]

Águila aided Power Man and Iron Fist against female assassins out to kill Jeryn Hogarth.[15] He also battled Hawkeye while investigating Cross Technological Enterprises when Hawkeye was serving as their head of security.[16]

Águila teamed up with Power Man and Iron Fist to capture the Slasher, and fought the Constrictor.[17] Alongside Colleen Wing and Misty Knight, he battled mercenaries working for Ward Meachum and fought Fera.[17]

He aided Power Man, Iron Fist, Colleen Wing, Bob Diamond, and Rafael Scarfe in an attempt to rescue Misty Knight and D.W. Griffith from captivity by Ward Meachum's mercenaries.[18]

Águila returned to Spain briefly on a request of his cousin Migdalia to save her village from the mutant Conquistador.[19]

Águila was confirmed to have been depowered[20] following the events of "M-Day". Though Alejandro now has no powers, he was still considered a "potential recruit" for the Initiative program[21] because of his expertise in sword fighting and hand-to-hand combat.

Powers and abilities

El Águila possesses the ability to generate electrostatic charges within his own body.[22] He is able to discharge up to 100,000 volts of electricity.[23][24] He often uses his double-edged steel sword for this purpose. Additionally, he is a skilled fencer with extraordinary swordsmanship skills, an excellent hand-to-hand combatant, and an acrobat.[25]

Reception

Critical response

Kevin Melrose of Comic Book Resources called El Águila " fun and flashy."[26] Shawn S. Lealos of Screen Rant included El Águila in their "10 Best Cameos In She-Hulk" list.[27]

In other media

El Águila appears in the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episode "The Retreat," portrayed by Joseph Castillo-Midyett.[28][29][30][31] This version is a participant in a spiritual retreat run by Emil Blonsky called Summer Twilight.

References
  1. Anderson, Jenna (September 28, 2022). "She-Hulk Episode 7 Introduces Two Classic Marvel Characters". ComicBook.com. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  2. Tom Power (September 29, 2022). "She-Hulk episode 7 characters explained: who are Man-Bull, El Aguila, Saracen, and Porcupine?". TechRadar. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  3. Melendez, Marcos (September 29, 2022). "Meet She-Hulk's Supervillain Support Group And Their Comic Book Counterparts". /Film. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  4. Trenholm, Richard (October 5, 2022). "'She-Hulk' Episode 7 Recap: Marvel Goes to Therapy in the Best Episode Yet". CNET. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  5. Tash, Kevin (September 30, 2022). "All the Supervillains at Blonsky's Retreat in 'She-Hulk' Explained". Collider. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  6. Marston, George (September 30, 2022). "Mutants, vampires, and more: Meet all of She-Hulk's obscure Marvel villains". Newsarama. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  7. Callahan, Timothy (December 2010). "Power Man and Iron Fist". Back Issue!. TwoMorrows Publishing (#45): 3–11.
  8. Iacobucci, Jordan (August 14, 2022). "MCU: 10 Characters Confirmed To Be Introduced Before The End Of Phase 4". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  9. Clough, Rob (August 18, 2022). "The Untold Truth Of The Abomination's Support Group In She-Hulk: Attorney At Law". Looper. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  10. Callahan, Timothy (December 2010). "Power Man and Iron Fist". Back Issue!. TwoMorrows Publishing (#45): 3–11.
  11. Vaux, Robert (October 3, 2022). "She-Hulk Somehow Found The Silliest Villains for Marvel's Most Serious Heroes". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  12. Langshaw, Mark (February 4, 2011). "Marvel teases 'Power Man And Iron Fist'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  13. "POWER MAN AND IRON FIST #4 (OF 5) (FEB110589)". Previews World. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  14. Duffy, Mary Jo (w), Von Eeden, Trevor (p), Green, Dan (i). "El Aguila Has Landed" Power Man and Iron Fist, no. 58 (Aug. 1979).
  15. Duffy, Mary Jo (w), Gammill, Kerry (p), Villamonte, Ricardo (i). "An Eagle in the Aerie" Power Man and Iron Fist, no. 65 (Oct. 1980).
  16. Boatner, Charlie (w), Von Eeden, Trevor (p), Rubinstein, Josef (i). "Swashbucklers" Marvel Fanfare, no. 3 (July 1982).
  17. Duffy, Mary Jo (w), Gammill, Kerry (p), Villamonte, Ricardo (i). "Slasher" Power Man and Iron Fist, no. 99 (Feb. 1982).
  18. Duffy, Mary Jo (w), Gammill, Kerry (p), Villamonte, Ricardo (i). "Day of Dredlox" Power Man and Iron Fist, no. 100 (March 1982).
  19. Lobdell, Scott (w), Alexander, Larry (p), Sinclair, Jim (i). "A Piece of Cake" Marvel Comics Presents, no. 9 (Late Dec. 1988).
  20. Bendis, Brian Michael (w), Deodato, Mike (p), Pimentel, Joe (i). "The Collective Part 2" The New Avengers, no. 18 (June 2006).
  21. Byrd, Ronald; Flamini, Anthony (w), Kolins, Scott (p), Kolins, Scott (i). Civil War: Battle Damage Report, no. 1 (March 2007).
  22. Raymond, Charles Nicholas (July 31, 2022). "The MCU's Next Mutant Character May Arrive Sooner Than You Think". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  23. Anderson, Jenna (July 25, 2022). "She-Hulk Trailer Could Reveal First Look at Several Obscure Marvel Characters". ComicBook.com. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  24. Glazebrook, Lewis (September 29, 2022). "She-Hulk's Weird Retreat Villains Are All Real… Seriously!". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  25. Chico, Fran (September 30, 2022). "¿Quién es El Águila? 'She-Hulk' nos presenta al primer superhéroe español de Marvel". Fotogramas (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  26. Melrose, Kevin (January 17, 2014). "Fans revive Marvel's El Aguila in pitch-perfect fashion". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  27. Lealos, Shawn S. (October 15, 2022). "10 Best Cameos In She-Hulk, Ranked". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  28. Kaplan, Rebecca Oliver (September 30, 2022). "Man-Bull and El Aguila: Who Are the New She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Marvel Characters?". MovieWeb. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  29. Mitovich, Matt Webb (September 28, 2022). "She-Hulk Sneak Peek: Blonsky's Back, With a Pair of Marvel-ous Friends". TVLine. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  30. Louis, Brandon (October 14, 2022). "She-Hulk Almost Included Another Marvel Comics Hero". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  31. Raymond, Charles (September 29, 2022). "Marvel Introduces Yet Another Mutant To The MCU". Screen Rant. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
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