Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order has finally released, and fans of all things Marvel are mostly satisfied. Even though it sits at an “okay” 74 on Metacritic, fans of Marvel and the Ultimate Alliance video games are mostly happy. We called it “a gem that should definitely not be missed” in our official review.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 includes most of the fan-favorites from the Marvel comic universe. The roster even includes X-Men, which was a massive controversy with Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. However, there is one character that stands out – Elsa Bloodstone. While she is a fan-favorite from the comics, she is also probably the most obscure character in the playable roster.
Elsa hasn’t made any significant appearances in any of the TV shows or movies. Outside of the comics, she has only appeared in a handful of mobile titles. Though she doesn’t play a significant role in Ultimate Alliance 3, her presence in the game is probably the most exposure she has ever received.
Past Ultimate Alliance games have included popular, yet obscure Marvel characters before. The first game included Genis-Vell and Spider-Woman (the non-Gwen Stacy kind), and the second game had Songbird and Penance. Elsa Bloodstone follows that tradition, and hopefully, her appearance in Ultimate Alliance 3 would lead her to have more fans.
However, since the character is so obscure, now feels like the appropriate time to share the history of Elsa within the comic books. The character’s backstory was briefly mentioned in the origins for the entire superheroes piece we did a while ago, though this time we are only going to focus on Elsa.
Brief History of Elsa Bloodstone
Elsa’s comic history predates decades before she is created. Her father, Ulysses Bloodstone, first appeared in Marvel Presents #1 1975. Ulysses is an immortal monster hunter. He obtained immortality around the prehistoric era; the man who would one day be known as Ulysses Bloodstone was once a tribesman.
He was a hunter for his tribe, until one day he came across a meteor that housed an evil entity. The meteor eventually shatters, and piece of it was embedded in the hunter’s chest. From that point onward, the hunter gained superhuman abilities and became an immortal.
He eventually began going by the name Ulysses Bloodstone, and the piece of meteor stuck in his chest became known as the Bloodgem. Ulysses will develop into a legendary monster hunter, facing against vampires and other creatures of the night.
Elsa, Ulysses’ daughter, wouldn’t make her first appearance until 2001, in Bloodstone #1. Elsa would inherit most of her father superhuman powers, which includes super strength, super healing, super durability, and super speed. She is also immune to vampire bites. Just like her father, she became a monster hunter.
Elsa may have been inspired by the Buffy the Vampire TV series, which was airing at the time. Buffy also stars a female character that needs to fight against the supernatural. Elsa is also handy with weapons, being an expert marksman.
Her next major appearance was as a member of Nextwave; it is in Nextwave where Elsa became more of a fan-favorite character. The Nextwave comics lasted for only twelve issues but developed a massive fan following over the years. The comics would focus on the Nextwave Squad, who are agents of H.A.T.E., which stands for Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort.
The Nextwave comics were well-received for its over-the-top action and ridiculous plot. It is in Nextwave where Elsa would receive her new default look. In her original appearances, she was a young blond woman. In Nextwave, became a redhead and started wearing a long duster jacket and a two-piece orange suite. She also wears a choker with the Bloodgem in it. Her appearance in Nextwave would be the basis for her look in most future occurrences, including in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3.
After Nextwave, she would sporadically appear as an ally for different superhero groups. She became an official member of the Avengers, Defenders, and Midnight Sons. In the 2013 Avengers Arena #1, it is revealed that Elsa has a younger brother named Cullen. Cullen is possessed by a monster and is capable of transferring into a horrid creature.
Though she’s a relatively new character, Elsa Bloodstone still has a fascinating history. Her role alone in the ridiculously fun Nextwave comics is more than enough to warrant her being a fan favorite. She continues to be an active player in the Marvel Comics.
