While the newest addition to the roster of the Guardians, Pom Klementieff’s Mantis, proved to be a hit with audiences, the character’s co-creator Steve Englehart has revealed to Polygon that he wasn’t happy with her portrayal in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. That’s not to say he didn’t enjoy the movie mind, but rather he felt that Mantis was too far of a shift from the established comic book character.
“Well, I was not happy with Mantis’ portrayal,” said Englehart, who created the character with Don Heck in Avengers #112. “That character has nothing to do with Mantis. I will say that I liked the film quite a bit overall, they’re doing good stuff and I enjoyed my night at the movies so long as I turned my brain off to the fact that that’s not Mantis up there. I really don’t know why you would take a character who is as distinctive as Mantis is and do a completely different character and still call her Mantis. That I do not know. I wasn’t impressed with what they did with Mantis but the Mantis on the screen was entertaining, I liked her but that’s not Mantis.”
In the movie, Mantis comes from a race of empathic insectoid beings, and was orphaned as a larvae and taken by Ego to his planet, where she lived alone in servitude until meeting with the Guardians. In the comics however, Mantis is a human who was raised by the Priests of Pama, a Kree sect who believe she might become the Celestial Madonna, the mother of the Celestial Messiah, “the most important being in the universe” (they’re eventually proven correct). An accomplished martial artist, Mantis’ mind is also enhanced by the Kree, granting her telepathic abilities.
SEE ALSO: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 concept art features alternate designs for Star-Lord and Mantis
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What did you make of Mantis’ portrayal in Guardians Vol. 2? Should they have stuck more closely to the source material, or did you enjoy the character regardless? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…
Set to the backdrop of ‘Awesome Mixtape #2,’ Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 sees director James Gunn reuniting with returning cast members Chris Pratt (Star-Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax), Bradley Cooper (Rocket), Vin Diesel (Groot), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Michael Rooker (Yondu), Glenn Close (Nova Prime), Sean Gunn (Kraglin) and Laura Haddock (Meredith Quill) alongside new additions Pom Klementieff (Oldboy) as Mantis, Elizabeth Debicki (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) as Ayesha, Kurt Russell (The Hateful Eight) as Ego the Living Planet, Chris Sullivan (The Drop) as Taserface, Tommy Flanagan (Sons of Anarchy) as Tullk and Sylvester Stallone (Creed) as Stakar.
Originally published May 19, 2017. Updated November 30, 2022.
