August, 2019 - Softonic English

How to make your own costume for Halloween or cosplay

Making your own Halloween costume (or a costume for someone else) earns an indescribable sense of satisfaction. Especially when October 31 comes around and you see the assorted plebs with store-bought jammies!

Heh. Casuals.

The fact is: Halloween is a yearly opportunity for wannabe costume makers to give it a good ‘ol try, and a chance for veteran designers to impress their friends with wonderful creations! This guide offers suggestions for newbies and some pro tips to boot.

So, welcome to the party! Let’s chat about…

How to make your own Halloween costume

Planning the Costume

“A problem well-stated is half-solved” – Charles Kettering.

Figuring out what costume you’d like to make and how to do it is certainly half the battle.

Step 1: what is your costume?

Hopefully, you came to this article with an idea in mind. But if you didn’t…

There are some basic questions everyone should ask themselves: what characters do you like? What clothes/accessories/props do you have around the house? Do any of your friends want to make a group costume? Do you want to try a particular form of costume making? Finally, do you look similar to any of the characters mentioned?

(Looking like a character is NEVER required, but zoiks! If you bear a particularly strong resemblance to Shaggy and like his character, why not?)

Keep a log of character ideas and narrow down the list by asking a few more questions: how long will each costume take? How long do you have? What is your estimate of the cost? Which one excites you the most? Most importantly, which of them allow you to use the restroom easily?

Hopefully, these questions vastly narrow down the playing field so you can choose the perfect costume!

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Step 2: How are you going to make it?

There are a couple of common ways we’re going to discuss. However, you should take a good look at your costume now and start deciding: which parts of this outfit would be best attained by…

Gathering items from your house or friends or family
Shopping
Sewing
Foam work
Electroluminescent lights
Crafty business

Sometimes, costumes require many of these skills! Take, for example, a knight. The process may involve wearing your own shoes, buying a prop sword, sewing a tunic, designing fitted foam armor, or crafting a sword with woodworking expertise. Who knows! Because…

When it comes down to it, the process depends on how you want to make this thing and how you want the costume to look. Admittedly, a purchased product will sometimes be faster, cheaper, and better looking! Other times, you can save money and design a fabulous accessory that makes you feel like a costume boss.

Just remember: you don’t have to set your plan in stone yet. You can take each piece as it comes.

Hunting and Gathering

Never be discouraged from using what you already have.

Have an old tuxedo that could work for your cel-shaded Archer cosplay? No problem there! Have the crimson pants, black shoes, and green shirt for a Shaggy cosplay? Done! Do you have a Master Chief helmet lying around? That’s one step you don’t have to worry about!

Archer cosplay at NYCC from pics

Of course, if you don’t have the particular clothing item yourself you can always ask friends and family for something to borrow or keep (if you’re cel-shading your Grandpa’s coat, he probably won’t want it back).

NOTE: this step and the next are best for clothing items that were popular during the 20th and 21st century, things that are often still around. If you can’t buy or borrow, you may want to build. BBB!

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Thrift Shop

Okay, we admit this is a stretch, since shopping isn’t exactly “making” your own costume…but hear us out! We give a free pass for you to purchase a costume and call it self-made if your costume requires normal clothing (this pass doesn’t apply if it violates the rules of a costume contest).

Look at Archer, Shaggy, the Addams Family, a mad scientist, a Mafia group, Walter White. All these outfits require components that will likely be easier, cheaper, and less time consuming to purchase. Why reinvent the dress when Goodwill may have something perfect?

Still, if you’re dead-set on learning to tailor your own coat or can’t find what you need…

Sewing

Some days you just can’t find the perfect Jedi cloak.

When that day comes, or you’ve simply decided to become a creative badass, it’s time to take up the pedal and become a sewing legend.

This requires, first and foremost, access to a working sewing machine. Weird side note: our local library lends them out. Does yours?

Almost every project under the sun goes through these steps: planning, material gathering, pre-prep, and execution. Have a good time with it!

1. Plan how you want to create your article of clothing. For some costumes, this may require looking at your character and doing some mental math. For others, it may require purchasing a clothing pattern, helpful design kits available at any sewing store!

2. Gather the materials. You’ll require at least two things: the fabric itself and the thread, which should usually match the fabric color. If your sewing machine needs new needles or bobbins, those can be helpful as well. We recommend trying Joann, but there are plenty of other sellers!

While you’re at the store, find fabric that matches the color and material you’re looking for. Take comfort into consideration! If the material will be close-fitted, wearing coarse fabric may be itchy. If it’s warm outside, using faux leather can be incredibly hot. Think ahead!

If you’re new to this process, please note: you purchase fabric by taking the full wrap to your store’s cutting counter (usually in the middle) and request a certain number of yards (fractions are acceptable). After your fabric is cut, you’ll take your snip to the front and purchase it afterward.

Also: we recommend buying a little more than you think you’ll need to save an unwanted trip back to the store.

3. Pre-prep. First things first, learn how to sew by hand and/or operate your sewing machine (yeah, that’s a whole different lesson). You should know how to prepare your thread and bobbin, then sew fabric on the platform.

Remember, it’s a journey! We dealt with terrible thread issues until reading our manual and discovering that a SINGLE KNOB controlled how tight the thread is pulled, which was leading to thread snafus. That simple detail changed everything, and got us back on track. Stay wary!

4. Cut your fabric. If you’re using a pattern, go by the design. If you’re playing it by ear by holding your clothes to the fabric or laying down on it or placing your hand over the glove material…best of luck. Just make sure to leave extra space! You can always sew the fabric so it’s tighter. Loosening up areas requires a large amount of painful de-threading.

5. Sewing! You have the pieces of clothing, you know how to sew, you’re ready to go!

Just remember: as you’re completing the pieces, make sure to try them on everyone once in a while to make sure everything’s coming together. When it’s all attached, you may want to fit it better in certain places.

Tip: if you fold the edge and sew it, your costume will look crisper and be far more durable. If you fold it twice, the unraveling edge is safely tucked inside the fold, never to be a problem again! Mwahaha!

Foam

Honestly, foam armor is still a dream of ours. A “someday” kinda deal.

In the meantime, if you’re making a costume that requires some foam work, there are some other great tutorials online! We watch this video occasionally and dream about the creations that could be…

Electroluminescent Lights

Strings of neon are a great way to make any costume pop out on a dark Halloween night, and they’re even better when they actually make sense for your costume! But hey, why can’t Little Red Riding Hood look like she’s going to a rave?

Fortunately, we already made a nifty guide for these lights:

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Getting Crafty

When all’s said and done, there are a ton of different ways to make any costume, accessory, and prop. Armor alone could be made from foam, hot gluing popsicle sticks together, or blacksmithing a legit metal cuirass. For a costume sword, make a wood replica or borrow from THAT friend!

You know which of your friends has the sword.

The point is, when you’ve finished finding, buying, borrowing, sewing, and lighting your costume, there are almost bound to be things that are difficult to find or create through these means. Perhaps it’s a Caesar‘s crown of olives, Palutena‘s staff, or Loki‘s helmet.

When these type of things pop up, get crafty: snap a branch off and call yourself Ceaser. Use hair gel and a mop to form Palutena’s staff (no idea if that’d actually work, but that’s the point). Paper mache yourself into the persona of Marvel’s best on-again, off-again antagonist!

You can do it.

Final Step: Rock It

I dressed as Amazon Prime and won my office Halloween costume contest today! from halloween

Some people put on a costume, others WEAR a costume.

If you go as Jake, from State Farm, you’d better be ready to confusedly say: “Ahhh…khakis?” If you’re a Borderlands psycho, you should be ready to maniacally scream, “I’m already dead tomorrow!” And finally, if you’re Fat Amy from Pitch Perfect, you’d better gosh darn be ready to say, “I’ve wrestled crocodiles and dingos simultaneously”!

Among any other catchhprases of your character.

The point is, the single most important part of costume is your personality and what you bring to the table. If you want to truly “make” your character for Halloween, have yourself a grand old time playing the part.

We hope you have a happy Halloween!

The 10 most anticipated games of 2019

2019 has been a banner year for gaming so far, but the best is still yet to come. As the year closes out and we inch closer and closer to 2020, there are still tons of hotly anticipated titles on the horizon. Whether it be remakes of old classics or totally original titles, the next few months have plenty in store for gamers. Here, we’re counting down ten of our favorite upcoming titles for 2019 (and beyond).

The 10 most anticipated games of 2019

10. Pokemon Sword and Shield

Pokemon fans, rejoice! You’ll be getting not one, but two brand new Pokemon titles this coming November. The two companion games, Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, will be loaded with all the Pokemon goodness fans have come to expect from the series. Front and center are the bright, vibrant new graphics and lush settings. In addition, players will see some exciting new gameplay changes like co-op raids and new, open-world exploration. Last but not least, Pokemon Gyms are finally making their long-awaited return. Pokemon Sword and Shield are certainly shaping up to be the best Pokemon games in recent memory.

9. Final Fantasy VII Remake

Another blast from the past, Square Enix made waves earlier this year with the surprise announcement that Final Fantasy VII would be getting a total HD remaster. The classic title is widely cited as one of the best entries in the Final Fantasy franchise, and the remaster looks like it certainly measures up to that high bar. Everything fans loved about the original is returning, from characters to plot to setting, but not much has been revealed to date about potential gameplay changes. What is known is that the remaster is going to be split across multiple episodic entries, with the first part due out next March.

8. Gears 5

Fans won’t have to wait long for Gears 5. Due out September 5th, the game is already available for pre-load on Xbox. The latest entry in the Gears of War franchises promises just as much action and co-op as earlier entries. This time around, the game will focus on newcomer Kait Diaz as she hunts for the origins of the Locust and her own mysterious past. Don’t worry, though: JD and Marcus Fenix are making a triumphant return, as well as Delmont Walker from Gears 4.

7. Jedi: Fallen Order

Jedi: Fallen Order is shaping up to be a solid entry in the Star Wars franchise. The game is set in the period between the prequel and sequel trilogy, after the fall of the Jedi order. Players will take the role of a young Jedi in hiding as he evades Imperial forces attempting to hunt him down. The game promises lightsaber combat, of course, but will also expand the Star Wars lore by taking a closer look at the rise of the Empire. It’s been a banner year for Star Wars fans, and Fallen Order looks like it will continue that trend.

6. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

2019 seems to be a good year for remakes and remasters, but Link’s Awakening is both. A remake of the 1993 classic title, the game’s stunning art style is front and center. With a bright color palette and cartoony characters, Link’s Awakening promises to be a refreshing change from all the gritty shooters and action games that also populate this list. In addition to the original’s trademark top-down gameplay, new sidescrolling and platforming sections have also been added to provide some variety to gameplay. With a combination of classic elements and a fresh new look, Link’s Awakening is sure to please all gamers, not just Zelda fans.

5. Cyberpunk 2077

Wake up, samurai. Since the title was first announced, CD Projekt Red’s massively ambitious RPG title has been stealing the headlines. As the name implies, the game is set in a cyberpunk future, with players dropping into a massive and immersive futuristic world. Starting with a jaw-droppingly detailed character creator, players will have a say in everything from combat to their dialogue choices and can interact with hundreds of fully realized NPCs. Oh, and it’s also got Keanu Reeves. What more could you possibly want?

4. Skull and Bones

Skull and Bones turned a few heads when it was first announced at E3, and certainly promises to shake things up in the gaming world. Skull and Bones will transport players back to the swashbuckling golden age of piracy. Fans of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag should take notice; the game is being built by a lot of the same team members that worked on the AC title. That means players can expect the same solid core of naval combat, and Ubisoft is also teasing some supernatural elements thrown in. Davy Jones, perhaps? Or maybe we’ll be seeing some undead pirates? Either way, this upcoming title certainly has our attention.

3. Modern Warfare

call of duty modern warfare 2019 — Image courtesy Infinity Ward

The original Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare totally changed the world of gaming, and rewrote the rules of first-person shooters. The new Modern Warfare seems set to do the same. 2019’s Modern Warfare is being billed as a “reboot” of the original. Though it shares a title, the game will have a totally different plot and focuses more on the dark side of conflict. It doesn’t shy away from the grittier side of war, and the campaign already promises to be an immersive experience. In addition, a multiplayer beta has already been released showcasing the fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping new gameplay, and is already being praised by fans and critics alike. Oh, and long-time fans needn’t worry: Captain Price is back.

2. Borderlands 3

Borderlands is exploding back onto the scene with it’s biggest entry yet. With new playable characters, tons of new and wild weapons, and a huge galaxy to explore, Borderlands 3 is already looking like a ton of fun. Borderlands 3 blends the shoot-and-loot gameplay that made the first entries stand out with a bunch of new features. Namely, players will be able to take the action off Pandora for the first time, and explore other unique planets in the massive Borderlands galaxy. Fans won’t have to wait long to get in on the action either, as the game is due out mid-September.

1. Death Stranding

We’d love to tell you but Death Stranding is about, but we don’t entirely know ourselves. In typical Hideo Kojima fashion, much of the game’s plot is still shrouded in mystery. What we do know is this: the game is set in a post-apocalyptic future, where the United States is struggling to recover from some kind of cataclysm. The survivors live in isolated cities, and couriers are responsible for shuttling supplies between the settlements. Players take on the role of one such courier, Sam Porter Bridges, played by Norman Reedus. As they explore the gorgeous and massive landscape, they’ll need to contend with ruthless mercenaries, marauders, and the extraterrestrial shadow-like entities that populate the world. Though we still don’t know much about the game, it looks absolutely amazing, and also boasts a star-studded cast with the likes of Mads Mikkelsen and Lea Seydoux. Death Stranding is due to release this November.

Though the year may be coming to a close, gamers still have plenty to look forward to. So many games, so little time.

How to use military tactics in shooter games

We all like to play the lone wolf, running into an enemy outpost like Rambo and swinging a chain gun around while yelling “Leroy Jenkins!” It’s the way shooter games may play in our head, but unfortunately it’s not going to net you many wins (and if it does, thank your teammates). The best shooter games take inspiration from actual squad-based combat, and even if at the end of the day you’re still just playing Fortnite or Battlefield, some strategies and maneuvers still bleed into the experience. Here’s our selection of squad-based military tactics that will give you an edge over players, even when the odds are stacked against you.

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1. Location, location, location

If you’re a fan of shotguns in video games, you’ll need to stay out of wide, open fields. Likewise, you’ll want to keep far away from close quarters if you’re playing a sharpshooter. Where the fight happens is up to you; avoid running into a place where you’re outnumbered, outmaneuvered, or have poor mobility. Before Napoleon Bonaparte sent off his invading armies, he hired cartographers to sketch maps of enemy settlements and terrain.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Outpost heat map — Studying this heat map of Outpost from Modern Warfare 3 can shed light on areas to avoid.

Instead, keep to familiar territory where you have a clear advantage. If you’re not sure where that is, look up the map online. Check your loadout. Plan where you want to make your stand. This tactic also works great in games that offer gadgets like thermal vision, smoke grenades, or trip mines. Keep your entrances covered, and outlast your opponents.

2. Use team chat

You know how people like to scream and hurl insults about your mother over game chat? While this is charming you can also use this tool to coordinate a team (provided you can establish the ethos for them to take you seriously). Don’t just use it to call out enemy locations either. In an actual military situation you’d be doing a lot more communicating than shooting, and it’s this way for a reason – knowing is half the battle. Which of your teammates can offer cover fire with a sniper rifle? Does anyone have eyes on the objective? How many enemies are converged over x position? If you know what you’re up against you won’t be understaffed.

Splitscreen shooter — “Who needed a carbine? There’s one by me.”

If you’re on a team with some outlandishly good players, but you find you’re still having trouble capturing a territory or completing an objective, it’s probably because your team’s talents aren’t being put in the right places. Stop banging your head against the wall and coordinate an effective push. Take a second to rethink your strategy. There could be a weakness you were too frustrated to see. Re-evaluate and exploit it, this time with numbers behind you!

3. Move in formation

The military deploys its units in small squad formations, and it’s not just because it looks cool. The way your team is positioned can make all the difference once a firefight erupts. Where are you positioned? Where are your teammates positioned? Can you effectively move, react, and shoot as one cohesive unit, or could one well-placed grenade take you all out at once? Know the best time to employ the best shape.

One of the most effective formations in a game like PUBG or Battlefield is the Fire Team Column which positions your squad mates in a parallelogram (the bottom formation pictured below). This is a great shape for controlled mobility in any direction, and also allow for an immediate, reactive counter in case you get ambushed. If you move together and keep moderately spread out you’re forcing your enemies to pick a single target. Once they do, communicate and retaliate as one cohesive unit. It’s also great because you can easily and intuitively switch formations from the Fire Team Column:

4. RTR

RTR stands for React, Take Cover, Return Fire. If you find yourself separated from your team for whatever reason, this is an effective defensive strategy should the enemy gets the drop on you. In a more realistic shooter experience you’re not going to have health bars a mile long, or shields made out of magic. Your best defense is to threaten with your own firepower, and retreat to a more advantageous position. That’s what RTR is all about:

Battlefield — No one likes getting shot at. Go prone and return fire. See how they like it.

When you get shot at, your first reaction may be to run or hide, but it’s actually better to shoot back at the enemy – even if you know you can’t kill them; that’s not what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to get them to stop shooting at you. If you lay down suppressive fire (React) you can buy yourself enough time to do step two (Take Cover). If there isn’t a decent cover to duck behind, crouch down, drop to the ground, or at least zig-zag back and forth. It’s better than standing there doing nothing, and jumping around isn’t as helpful as you’d think. Once you’re in a better spot for avoiding enemy shots, you can take proper aim (Return Fire) from a safer position.

5. Flank

This is a classic ‘hammer and anvil’ tactic employed by the Alexander the Great and the Macedonians. The idea is to keep your opponent preoccupied with an unbreakable force in front, while you’re circling around to hit them with a hard-hitting elite force from behind. It looked something like this:

Flanking is such an overused, obvious tactic that it’s often discarded as a something overly predictable. The whole point of a good flank is that it is unpredictable. If you’re just attacking from two directions at once, you are technically flanking an enemy, but there are ways to do so more effectively: Surrounding and pincering, misdirecting, or attacking from a wholly unexpected angle.

You may have noticed that most of these strategies involve working with a team. Yes, that’s the point. Even if you’ve spent the entire match bad-mouthing your teammates for a having bad K/D, at the end of the day even bad players can group up and at least hold the advantage of numbers – they just need to be properly coordinated. Hop on team chat and start playing the macro game! If they won’t listen and just keep shouting insults about your mother … at least you tried.

Best sites for making and printing your own calendars

There are a lot of reasons to make calendars!

In 2018, we created our own “mustache calendar”, using 12 fake mustaches with 12 costumes in 12 different locations, and gave the result to friends at a Christmas party so they could remember us year-round. Frankly, they were ecstatic:

View this post on Instagram

Introducing my 2018 mustache calendar! . . . . (A gift for my friends for Christmas)

A post shared by Trevor Hutchins (@trevormhutchins) on Jan 1, 2018 at 11:49am PST

However, there are plenty of other reasons to make a calendar: you might be giving non-mustache related gifts, you could be an artist looking for new ways to monetize your skills, or perhaps a new year is coming and there are simply no commercially available calendars you enjoy! Occasionally, if you want something done perfectly you must do it yourself.

So, let’s talk about the…

Best sites for making your own calendars!

Snapfish

We chose Snapfish for our calendars! Like Mixbook, our other option, their core business runs on the sale of quality photo prints. However, that ability lends itself well to calendar making…

Head on over to the website!

The front page offers a great example of why we loved Snapfish: the system is easy. You select your calendar design, upload your photos, then finaegle with the program to make your perfect creation!

What are the options, you ask? Snapfish has a good number: various sizes of wall calendars and even 2 iterations of desk calendar! (Including the popular wood block version.)

Compared to Mixbook, Snapfish does have cheaper prices. The 8.5×11 wall calendars are $19.99 here and $24.99 with Mixbook. We still recommend looking into Mixbook despite the cost difference: their customization program has a lot to offer, and the quality may be worth the price!

Let’s say you start with an 8.5×11 calendar:

Here, you can change to another calendar size or even (this is important) choose the starting month! This unusual option will be helpful for some, but everyone else should remember to change the setting to January.

When you hit “Make this Calendar”, you’re off to the creation environment!

We love this user interface! Aside from the cool, minimalistic design, it’s one of the easiest programs to use: backgrounds are easily chosen on the left. Once photos are uploaded, they can be dragged and dropped. You move and resise photos in the month view, easy as that. Every date can have events added and pictures placed on specific dates!

We recommend playing around: it’s fast, it’s intuitive, and it’ll look great in no time flat. After that, you can order your calendars and expect them within two weeks, or one week if you get speedy shipping! We can say from experience: these are quality calendars with good materials and crisp print.

Mixbook

If snapfish isn’t your cup of tea, Mixbook has a robust offer as well! They’re a trusted company that produces excellent photo calendars at great cost (your first print comes with a good coupon deal, too). Head over to their website to begin:

You can jump right into the themes page or scroll down to visit their three options: 12×12, 8.5×11, or 11×17:

We should note: while these prices are higher, Mixbook does offer more discounts. Unfortunately, when deals aren’t explicity stated on a website, most people will assume the price is explicitly as stated. So, keep in mind: you should be able to reduce the price on your first visit.

When you select one of these options, you go to the themes page. The search is narrowed for your size selection, but you can restrict it further with a few filters:

Note: what you see doesn’t have to be what you get, these are just examples. You can change everything about the calendars once inside the creation environment, so feel free to find something close to your vision!

Then, enter the next phase: photos.

Mixbook is clever! They insist you add a few pictures before creating a calendar, and give a number of easy options for doing so. It’s a great way to introduce you to the program before you enter the full window:

Here we are! Like Snapfish’s creation environment, we love the simplistic nature of this application: pictures are on the left, along with your layouts (very useful when rearranging each month), backgrounds, and stickers. Photos are still easily dragged and dropped, but you must cycle through the months without an overview. Also, to manage month events and more, you must use the tabs above the month view, which could be better or worse depending on your personal taste.

Whatever the case, when you’re finished you can add your creation to the cart and proceed to checkout! With a little effort, your calendar will look absolutely amazing.

Conclusion

Making calendars yourself works as a great gift for others or yourself: the turn of every month marks an exciting reveal of your own personal effort. We hope you enjoy customizing a calendar with one of these excellent sites, have a good time with it!

Legend of Zelda love interests, ranked from worst to best

Despite the fact that Link constantly voyages to save Princess Zelda and stop the evil Ganon/Ganondorf/Calamity Ganon, he actually has a plethora of love interests throughout the series!

As everyone knows: love makes the world go ’round, and we’re certainly suckers for romances stories. And guess what? Link’s relationships are fun to follow and make his grand adventures all the more interesting!

Before going on, we should be clear about two things:

1. “Worst” doesn’t mean bad. Even the lower relationships have their merits. Usually…

2. This isn’t shipping. There’s nothing wrong with shipping, of course, but there is a difference: shipping combines any two random characters for the pleasure of adoring fans, while we’re examining relationships that have been canonically established. Usually…

Now that’s finished, let’s get to it and check out the-

Love interests in Legend of Zelda from worst to best!

(And yes, many of these will be different Zeldas)

Just Friends – The Kiddos

Sometimes, Link is a kid! Since there could clearly be a relationship with these folks when everyone grows up, we’ll give them recognition. However, until they’re older, these are simply Link’s candidates for BFF:

Medli (Wind Waker)

I’ve been looking for a cute wallpaper and i found this. I instantly fell in love. from zelda

Medli has a great story that we find incredibly sad: after saving Dragon Roost Island and helping her brother find courage, Link realizes that sages need to constantly worship the gods to actualize the Master Sword’s power. Poor Medli is then dropped in an underground temple indefinitely, likely to become one of the withered sages from Breath of the Wild.

But if that wasn’t the case, Link could’ve been great friends with this adorable Rito kid. Hopefully, Link will bring the pirate ship around every once in a while to say “hello” and “thanks for saving us”!

Oh, and for Makar as well.

Purah (Breath of the Wild)

Purah from Zelda Breath of the wild #Zelda #ゼルダの伝説 pic.twitter.com/cqMDyBtcKd

— Daz / Arthur Charlon (@ArthurCharlon) February 15, 2019

Ah, one of Link’s many platonic Breath of the Wild crushes! It becomes especially platonic when she turns herself from a 100-year old woman into an intelligent and peppy child of, what, 7 years?

Still, now that Link and Zelda are back together and scouring the land for new horizons, we’re sure they’ll enjoy the occasional visit to Hateno Ancient Tech Laboratory every once in a while.

Tetra (Wind Waker)

Yeah, she’s also Zelda. However, we call her Tetra because – much akin to Sheik’s character switch – she has an entirely different personality in and out of costume! Tetra plays up the swank, smack-talking pirate queen role and constantly jokes with Link. Frankly, she’s pretty badass for a kid! The moment she becomes Zelda in Hyrule’s ruins, Tetra suddenly reverts a delicate princess in need of saving.

For that reason, Tetra, not Zelda, is our top choice for Link’s friends!

Relationships

Now begins the true quest!

Princess Ruto (Ocarina of Time)

Overly Attached Ruto from zelda

Full disclosure: while relationships with Zoras like Ruto and Mipha are blantantly obvious, they make us a bit sad. Why, you ask? Because their love is almost totally unrequited and yet they’re unswayed regardless! We might even consider this particular relationship “bad”…

Here’s why: Princess Ruto sees Link for the first time and says, “You’re gonna be my husband, deal with it, yo”. That would be okay if the decision was passed off as the capitulations of a strong-willed young princess, but when they grow up she’s still chasing the pipe dream of a relationship. Link had a relationship with Mipha, but no love has formed here.

The necessary time to develop a connection is important for story and relationships in general.

Now, we aren’t going to claim this relationship only gets attentions because some fans find adult Princess Ruto hot… We WILL say that she was intended to be comedic relief and works well as such! It can be pretty funny to watch her chastise Link for taking his time showing up to save Hyrule.

But is this a good, healthy relationship? No. Absolutely not.

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Zelda (Zelda II: The Adventure of Link)

Zelda from “Zelda II” is the only one we’ve included from the originals. Why? Because most of these titles don’t show anything between Link and the princess! In the first game, you simply quest to find Zelda as a heroic night, and in “A Link to the Past” the princess telepathically butt dials calls you to her aid shortly before your uncle gets brutally killed in Hyrule’s defense.

So, yeah, not much there…

At the very end of Zelda II, however, Link gets a solid hug from Zelda, which is enough to imply there’s something romantic happening. It’s happens quick, it’s at the very end, but it’s there!

And sorry about your uncle, Link. Press F.

Saria (Ocarina of Time)

Always Saria over Zelda from gaming

Ah, poor Saria.

Aside from having a great song and taking care of the Kokiri people, Saria supports Link with the other sages. Similar to poor Medli, that means she’s destined to be a sage for a very, very long time.

Still, she’s a great character that takes care of others and even journeys to the Forest Temple in response to spirits calling her to help. Props to her!

Unfortunately, once she becomes an adult there’s not much between Saria and Link. They meet briefly and he helps her before she’s sage-ified. Otherwise, this relationship would have way more potential!

Ilia (Twilight Princess)

Ilia won last month's patreon character poll ? pic.twitter.com/LWy9h97uXw

— Luisa (@_lulles_) May 14, 2018

Sometimes, Link has a relationship with Zelda. But in “Twilight Princess” he had an actual girlfriend and only meets Zelda a few times for frivolous things like getting info, saving Midna, and defeating Ganondorf!

Saria and Link start the game in Ordon village, where her father is the mayorchief. Long story short, she gets captured and loses her memory, then spends much of the game helping out in a bar and being used to torture Link with creepy visions, the weirdness of which rivals Major’s Mask!

Still, what screen time she gets is actually pretty good: Saria helps Link, makes sure he takes care of his horse, and helps save Prince Ralis, a wounded Zora. After Ganon is defeated, love is entirely possible!

Mipha (Breath of the Wild)

Mipha’s Grace from zelda

Aw yeah, Mipha’s awesome!

A great trident wielder with unrivaled fluidity and grace in battle, Mipha brings the bearing of a princess and the sweetness of a soft-spoken battle medic to this metaphorical table of romance.

So why does she fall so low?

Well, for one, she’s dead. Two, Link clearly has a relationship with Zelda that begins before and ends after his relationship with Mipha, making love a little difficult. Finally, like Princess Ruto, she declares Link to be her husband of choice! To be fair, though..

Mipha doesn’t delude herself: she understands Link cares deeply for Zelda and opts for helping him when possible, with healing and fitted Zora armor (a symbolic gift from a Zora to her beloved). We’ve decided to accept these actions as a commendable acceptance of their relationship status.

That’s very mature of you, Mipha!

Ghirahim??? (Skyward Sword)

Ghirahim is fabulous from zelda

Haha! Just making sure you’re paying attention.

Ghirahim is a ship, folks: there’s no reason Link would get together with this flamboyant, closeted demon sociopath. Still, he does have the Joker’s odd lovability, along with a few great boss fights, so we’ll give him that.

But only that. Don’t lick Link, dangit!

Zelda (Skyward Sword)

Zelda and Link begin the game as good friends with romantic inclinations, and they end with the decision to leave their floating home in Skyloft so they may live together happily on the surface world until the end of their days…

Which is AWESOME! It’s nice to have a relationship in Legend of Zelda that ends successfully with a loving companionship.

Of course, let’s address the elephant: Skyward Sword is hated by a lot of people. It’s one of the easiest Zelda titles and the controls (many of them being tested in preparation for the beloved Breath of the Wild, like the stamina mechanic) were a tad wonky, but…frankly, we thought it was nice!

It’s a good-looking game, we enjoy the pastel artwork, there are some good new characters introduced, the background into Hyrule’s past fills in some gaps, and the romance between Zelda and Link is wonderful!

Midna (Twilight Princess)

Midna and Link from RoleReversal

What can we say? Twilight Princess, despite all odds, is a favorite!

Midna is the twilight princess, a member of the Twili people, who were sent to a prison realm that was created by the gods to punish ancient wannabe triforce thieves. You meet her in an impish form as she accompanies you on a journey to stop Zant from bringing endless Twilight. In the end, the two worlds are separated once more and Midna, in her full form, gives Link a sad farewell before closing off a portal between the worlds.

Not only did we like their transition from arguing couple to good friends, we found her sacrifice impressive and sad. Anyone who’s played the game (and enjoyed it) probably found her departure as sad as Fi’s.

But hey, sometimes sadness can be a good thing.

Marin (Link’s Awakening)

I made Link and Marin at the beach! (22,000 perler beads and 6 full days of my life) from zelda

While one of the handheld games, we needed to include Marin for obvious reasons! She and Link have a worthy, well-formed relationship that ends with tragic beauty.

Link meets Marin on a mysterious island and they form a budding relationship before realizing the world is a dream formed by the Wind Fish. Basically, their quest to awaken it will terminate in the destruction of their universe! Still, they complete their noble quest and share a tearful farewell as the world disappears. Link is saved at the last moment…

When he awakens, the Wind Fish says his memories will always exist in his heart, and a secret ending reveals Marin has been granted her wish of becoming a seagull, truly free as a bird.

We might’ve cried. Seriously, no lie.

Zelda (Breath of the Wild)

Link and Zelda sleeping together [BotW] (crosspost from r/gaming) from Breath_of_the_Wild

Ah, a relationship 100 years in the making!

This particular Zelda met Link when he became her personal guard and the champion of Hyrule after being chosen by the Master Sword. From then on, they were inseparable and went on numerous quests together. Finally, at the end of Breath of the Wild, they’re reunited a century after their bitter defeat at the hoofs of Calamity Ganon!

Aside from being an amazing game, the relationship between Link and Zelda is well-established in the numerous flashbacks gathered throughout the game. Link may not talk, but their mutual love is clear to everyone, including the other members of the Divine Beasts Riders.

Finally, though this probably shouldn’t be permissible as evidence, the teaser trailer for Breath of the Wild’s Sequel shows the two back on the trail of mystery. While it probably won’t go well for them, we sure hope it ends happily this time around. Happy trails, you two!

How to schedule emails in Gmail (and more!)

Sometimes, you need to send an email at a specific time.

Maybe you’re delivering a letter to a significant other and don’t want them to know you were up writing it at 3 AM. Maybe you’re submitting for a job interview and want your application to arrive at the start of the next work day. Finally (hear us out), maybe you’re a freelance writer looking to pitch article ideas you made Sunday on Monday morning…

Whatever your reasons, sometimes it’s necessary to plan emails in advance! If that’s the case, let’s talk about…

How to schedule emails in Gmail (and more!)

First things first, you’ve got to create a new email in Gmail. (We’re going to assume you know nothing of Gmail for the moment.) When you get to the website, hit this button to create a new message:

Once you do that, you’ll have the friendly composition pop-up:

Follow our red arrow to the small blue sliver attached to the “Send” button. While seldom used, this link contains the useful Schedule Send option!

Clicking this new button opens a pop-up window that should look like this:

Generally, these options will be attributed to either commonly used times of day, or settings you’ve used in the past. If none of these suggestions work, you can venture in the the “pick date and time” zone:

Here, you can choose to send the email at any date and time in the future! But only the future, because Google is silly and won’t let you fire messages back into the past.

LAAAME.

Once you have your date selected, you can select Schedule Send from this menu, and your message will be ready to go!

A Few More Email Tricks

How could we let you go without a few more tidbits? If you’re working on an email in Google, check out these additional “hidden” features:

With the lock button, you can set confidentiality preferences that allow you to stop all forwarding, copying, printing and downloading of your email! You can even make the ban last a certain amount of time.

Upon opening the option, you’ll find this window:

The next button right of the Lock, a money symbol, has Google’s payment options! If you need to send money, you have the option to quickly do it through your personal Gmail..

When you hit the button, you’ll see this friendly payment screen: use it to deliver money as you would with Venmo or PayPal!

While two of our favorite options, these functions are accompanied by other fun features that you can use to enhance the way you send emails! Pick through the option bar, you never know what you’ll find.

Conclusions

Want to know another great reason to schedule messages? Fights. If you’re writing an angry email, maybe schedule it for lunchtime tomorrow, and revisit it when you’re feeling more level-headed…

Life pro tip!

We hope you enjoy using this guide, best of luck with the scheduling.

Which MCU villain are you? (Quiz)

It’s a blast getting to be a superhero, but let’s be honest – it’s way more fun to be the bad guy. You get to blow stuff up, watch the good guys scatter and run, laugh maniacally as your army invades planets, and sit back on the throne of a new empire. With the villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe the scariest part is that oftentimes they’re not even wrong. So which one of these vindictive villains are you?

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Happy with your choice? If not, we suppose you could go and wreck the nearest planet in a frustrated tantrum. Or at least you could turn out the lights and let out an evil cackle. Come on, you know you want to.

How well do you know the MCU?

Take the quiz ►

Watch: final ‘Joker’ trailer gives us first look at Robert De Niro

Still too early to tell whether or not ‘Joker’ will be the saving grace DC needs.

With just a little more than a month until it comes out, the final trailer for “Joker” has given us the first look at Robert De Niro’s character.

De Niro is playing Murray Franklin, a Johnny Carson-like character who mocks Joker during his late-night talk show.

It looks like Franklin might be the final straw that causes Joker to snap and become the Clown Prince of Crime. After being shunned by society, getting the snot kicked out of him, and finally mocked so publicly, Joker looks like he finally wants to get even with the world.

It’s still up for debate whether or not “Joker” will be a hit or a flop. It could be just what DC needs to get out of their slump, or it could be high school theater.

We’ll keep our hopes up for now, but we’d highly recommend that you wait for the first reviews to come out before you see this one for yourself.

How to save money with Ibotta

Hopefully, this article can help give Ibotta some of the attention it deserves.

Gen X had Pong, while Millenials have Halo, Uncharted, and now Fortnite! Once there was The Brick (yeah, we know what that is) and dial-up telephones, now we have powerful cell phones with relatively godlike internet capabilities in our pockets.

There once were coupons…now there’s Ibotta.

Ibotta is the natural, digitized step up from coupons and coupon books: by partnering with hundreds of stores both physical and online, it’s able to give buyers considerable savings in a user-friendly way! For older users, it’ll be an upgrade. For younger users, it’ll be a fresh experince with savings.

And if you still don’t believe us, check the all-knowing reviews on the Apple store: 5 stars from over 600k responses! That’s a TON!

How to save money with Ibotta!

Getting the App

We have the app in our Softonic catalog. Click here to download Ibotta.

Ibotta Download Free ►

Making Your Account

There are two options: email and Facebook.

You don’t even need to enter your bank information at this time, so that’s really all there is to it! Once that’s finished, you’ll find yourself in:

The App

Welcome to the Ibotta app! Everything happens here.

We recommend poking around and exploring the offers available. At the top, you’ll find links to online retailers, where you can engage in some realtime Ibotta refunds. Below that, there will be specific deals for products (like the bananas) and finally, if you scroll further down, you’ll discover seller categories, deals of the week, events, and more!

Honestly, we were a little intimidated at first. The Ibotta system looks and feels a lot like a shopping app, but don’t worry: while some of these buttons will link you to other places (after asking for your permission), you can press whatever you like and add whatever coupons necessary without expecting a penalty. It’s safe, so have a good time with it!

Saving Money

The important stuff! There are three ways to save:

Sending a receipt: when you find a deal you want to use, save it for later. After buying the product, simply scan your receipt! This may feel a lot like using coupons, with a few notable benefits: rather than dragging out tons of papers at the cash register, you can save your deals beforehand and apply them by scanning your receipt in a second.
Link a loyalty card: this works like your average loyalty card. You use the card with supported retailers, and get the Ibotta discount through the app.
Mobile App Purchases: Ibotta offers links to many supported retailers. When you select their icon, you’ll be greeted by a few categories to choose from. Once you’ve decided upon one, you can select “Shop” to open the shopping app within your Ibotta session:

In this case, you can then shop on Amazon’s services with the expectation of a discount!

How does this Work? Why does this work?

It’s only natural to pose the question: who’s losing out here? And while it may be surprising, we believe Ibotta has created a clever win-win-win situation (which would account for the love it’s received through user reviews). Here’s how it works: retailers that partner with Ibotta win thanks to the increased traffic in their stores and on their websites. Ibotta wins through partner contracts. Finally, shoppers win when, at the end of the month, they get money back from expenses paid and discounts used!

Conclusion

Ibotta works as well as the reviews suggest, give the app a try if you haven’t already!

Top 10 times the MCU improved the comics

Despite the creative cleverness and fresh ingenuity of Marvel figureheads and directors like Kevin Feige, Jon Favreau, James Gunn, and the Russo Brothers, the widespread success and growth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe still began with the kernel of the comics. While the MCU has stayed relatively true to its source material, they’ve also taken their fair share of liberties.

Top 10 plot twists in Marvel movies

Some decisions were totally unexpected

While more hardcore Marvel fans might still be salty about Sony’s recent acquisition of Spider-Man, the glaring lack of mutants in the films, or how the Mandarin was cheekily sidestepped in “Iron Man 3,” there’s a lot of decisions the team has made that vastly improved the comic origins. Here’s our top 10:

10. Thor isn’t Donald Blake

If your first foray into Asgard was through the MCU then you probably don’t even know the name “Donald Blake.” While Thor was still born and raised an Asgardian in both, his powers and relation with the mystical Mjolnir was very different. In the MCU Thor is sent to Midgard (Earth) to learn humility and respect in the original “Thor.” He knows what he has lost and it’s only when he starts acting like a true hero that he re-earns his powers.

Thor Mjolnir Donald Blake comics Marvel — “soft-spoken and lame” is right

In the comics Odin sends Thor to Earth for much the same reason. The difference? In the comics Thor is further punished by being sent to Earth in the mortal guise of a crippled young medical student named Donald Blake, forced to hobble around on an injured leg. Furthermore he’s completely stripped of his memories, leading to a long stint as a (surprisingly successful) physician and surgeon, similar to Doctor Strange. It’s honestly pretty weird – “Donald Blake” even opened up a private practice in New York. We think it’s definitely for the best that the MCU decided to forego this unnecessary complication to the plot, and instead that Thor learned to be a hero the real way. No mind-wiping necessary.

9. Scott Lang, not Hank Pym

Hank Pym is one of the most important members of the Avengers in the comics: He’s a founding member, the creator of Pym Particles, and even the mind behind the creation of Ultron. Many fans of the comics were upset by his exclusion in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” when in the comics his character played such a pivotal role. Even when Ant-Man finally got a solo movie it wasn’t Hank Pym in the starring role, but rather Scott Lang. Hank Pym’s role is minimal, and he certainly had nothing to do with Ultron. Here’s why:

Hank Pym slap Janet comics — You can’t come back from some things

In the comics Scott Lang does become Ant-Man, and he’s the second guy to take on the mantle, just like it was shown in “Ant-Man.” Why put Hank Pym on the sidelines?

Well, to put it bluntly, it’s because in the comics Hank Pym beat his wife. Not something you’d likely see in a 2019 movie where you’re supposed to like the protagonist. Plus, the MCU already had one genius with a cool suit, they didn’t really need two. It was a lot more fun to see Scott Lang as the guy in the suit while Hank Pym exasperatedly tries to coach him.

8. Everything about Black Panther

Black Panther in the comics was a cool dude. He was the king of a hidden nation, a noble warrior, a humble leader in tune with his ancestry, and a frighteningly capable warrior. So how did the MCU take that character and improve him? By keeping everything we mentioned canon and focusing on improving everything and everyone around him. We could talk about the cool costumes and sleek technology of Wakanda all day, so to keep this short we’ll focus on a few key supporting characters from “Black Panther.”

Marvel Black Panther Lupita Nyong'o Nakia Shuri — Making Lupita Nyong’o a one-shot villain would be an egregious waste of her talents

Let’s start with Nakia. In the movies she plays T’Challa’s ex-girlfriend and a spy for the throne of Wakanda. Strong, compassionate, pragmatic, and forward-thinking she’s largely the reason T’Challa’s family survived Killmonger’s coup.

In the comics, Nakia is strong, too; in fact she’s one of the Dora Milaje. She was also a wife-in-training openly obsessed with marrying T’Challa (she even threw herself 50 feet into a shallow pool just so T’Challa would perform mouth-to-mouth on her). Ew. Definitely not something that would cast her in a good light in the movies. M’Baku was also radically overhauled in the movies, for which we are eternally grateful. Why? Dude was called “Man-Ape” in the comics.

Let’s just leave it at that.

7. Peter Parker is Iron Man’s protegee

Iron Man is a brilliant engineer and inventor. Spider-Man is a smart kid. On top of that, both are costumed superheroes trying to leave a positive mark on the world. It makes perfect sense that Peter would idolize Tony Stark, and that Tony would welcome his talents during a heated disagreement with his former friend, Steve Rogers.

Spider-Man Homecoming AI — We love the Tony-Peter relationship

What makes this improvement such a stroke of genius is that it also means MCU Spider-Man gets to play with all Iron Man’s gadgets and toys. As we saw in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” it’s a clever way for Stark to pass on the torch and keep his character’s influence present in the MCU even after the character has sadly departed.

6. Bucky is awesome

Before Steve Rogers became a super soldier in “Captain America: First Avenger” it was Bucky Barnes who pulled him out of the fire again and again, “’till the end of the line.” Even after receiving the serum, Rogers still played the shy hero with a heart of gold, while Bucky was the more outgoing, confident, older brother figure. This dynamic was one of the key aspects that made “The Winter Soldier” such a compelling film, and gave such weight to Cap’s wanting to protect and redeem his best friend in “Civil War.”

Bucky comics Captain America — My eyes! They bleed!

It’s times like this that we implore you to remember that Bucky was Captain America’s teenage sidekick in the comics. Yeesh. Introduced during a time when Batman and Robin was all the hype, Bucky originally played the part of Steve Rogers’ eager, plucky sidekick and mascot. This version of Bucky also led a team of teenage soldiers called – wait for it – the Kid Commandos. We get the feeling that if this character had fallen off a train in the final act the audience would have burst into applause.

5. War stories

Some might say that the MCU really hit its stride with the release and unprecedented success of the first “Avengers” film. The aftermath of the Chitauri invasion set the stage beautifully for Phase 2, with the effects of the disaster playing an important role in the subsequent chapters. While this isn’t really a choice you can compare with the comics, it was a brilliant way to interweave several of the themes and threads from the comics into a more streamlined, logical order.

Spider-Man Homecoming Vulture — It’s so cool that Vulture’s wings are powered with Chitauri tech

Right off the bat, we see this come into play with “Iron Man 3.” In the comics, Tony Stark had a serious drinking problem (which they addressed with moderate success in “Iron Man 2“) that was a huge hurdle for the character to overcome. This was repainted as severe panic attacks and an obsessive need to protect the planet as a result of realizing how under-prepared they were for what the universe had in store. Speaking of neat segues, this leads right into our next point:

4. I am Iron Man

Aside from making the smart choice to headline the MCU with a character that at the time was lesser-known (which meant a smaller chance to screw up the series!), placing Iron Man at the center was smart for another reason: His personal journey aligns perfectly with the course laid out by Marvel’s first 3 phases. Aside from Robert Downey Jr.’s performance elevating the character to a whole new level of awesome, it’s his relation with the other characters in the MCU that made such an important figure on a more macro level.

Age of Ultron Captain America Tony Stark nightmare hallucination — Tony Stark was never the same after New York

We already talked about how “Avengers” put Tony Stark on a course that plagued him with anxiety. While he recovered on a personal level at the end of “Iron Man 3,” he still carried this with him in all the later movies. He sees a vision of death and destruction in “Age of Ultron” that inspires him to build a shield around the planet. Thus Ultron was born.

He wants to prevent global disasters and champion a more legal, institutionalized grip on superheroes. Thus the Sokovia Accords were introduced and the Civil War ignited.

He carries the weight of Marvel’s first three phases on his shoulders and brings that weight into every story in which he plays a part, adding his signature gravitas and credibility to situations well into “Avengers: Endgame.” We love you 3000, RDJ!

3. Everything about the Guardians of the Galaxy

If you knew who the Guardians of the Galaxy were before 2014 you are a cut from a very different cloth than most. Seriously, even the most hardcore Marvel fans probably didn’t know these oddball characters terribly well, and certainly never thought they’d see the day when they hit the big screen. James Gunn changed all of that with the huge breakout success of the first “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

Virtually everything about this corner of the Marvel universe needed a serious overhaul and paint job, and this movie managed to do that with flying colors, injecting its trademark humor, heart, multi-faceted characters, and zany, larger-than-life situations.

Guardians of the Galaxy hallway — The Guardians of the Galaxy magically evolved into one of our favorite teams in Marvel

While Rocket and Groot didn’t change overly much from the comics’ formula, the oblivious and hilarious Drax was a delight to watch, and Star-Lord became the anchor the audience could attach to in an unfamiliar world. Playing rock hits from the ’60s and deeply affected by his mother’s passing, we could immediately sympathize and enjoy the new character. Gamora was perhaps the most important of all, with her ties to Thanos and the Infinity War, but we’ll get into that later.

2. To court Death

Humans “are unruly and therefore cannot be ruled,” The Other said to Thanos in the post-credits scene of Avengers. “To challenge them is to court…Death.” This line probably didn’t mean much to fans unfamiliar with the Infinity Gauntlet storyline, but to those who were, it carried on a whole new context.

In the comics, Thanos was obsessed with Mistress Death, one of the Cosmic Entities of the Marvel Universe. The MCU could have gone a very different direction with his character if they’d stayed true to the comics:

Infinity Gauntlet Thanos — Come on, dude, you’re embarrassing yourself.

Thanos in “Infinity War” was portrayed as a dogmatic futurist set out to carve a universe with plentiful resources, a universe that would know neither famine nor overpopulation. This wasn’t the case at all in the comics; everything he did in the Infinity Gauntlet story arc was for the affections of Mistress Death, a love that was never requited. We’re glad the MCU didn’t go this route in the movies; we’re not sure we could have taken him half as seriously.

1. Everything connects

Our favorite thing about the Marvel Cinematic universe is how everything is seamlessly intertwined. Plot threads often return or are revealed to have had a much deeper impact than we previously thought, and it’s one of the coolest parts of setting up a multi-movie franchise. In that way, it’s actually quite similar to the comics!

Of course, there are a lot of differences in the things the studio chose to connect, like turning the Eye of Agamotto into the Time Stone, having Captain Marvel’s plane inspire Nick Fury into launching the “Avenger Initiative,” or making Red Skull the protector of the Soul Stone.

Avengers: Endgame Hulk Ancient One — Did anyone really expect Hulk to run into the Ancient One?

While the comics had their own connections written throughout the series, drawing different connections between different points made these tie-ins special and exciting even to people who thought they knew Marvel comics inside and out.

Agree with our list? What’s your favorite story line or character from Marvel comics that got a shiny, refurbished paint job for the limelight of the MCU? Let us know in the comments below, and stick with Softonic for all things Marvel!