Marvel Comics’ mystery SHIELD replacement has its eye on the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane. Founded by Silas Ravencroft, the Ravencroft Institute is basically Marvel’s equivalent of Arkham Asylum. It’s particularly well known for housing Carnage and was destroyed during the recent Absolute Carnage event.
But there’s still a need for a place like Ravencroft, and as a result, it’s been rebuilt. During the process, a group of mixed heroes and villains - including Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four and Misty Knight - discovered the journal of Silas Ravencroft. This revealed the dark history of Ravencroft, including the ancient curse that predated the Institute. They learned that Ravencroft has been tied to dangerous experiments conducted by everyone from Mr. Sinister to Professor Andre Thorton of the Weapon X Project. History appears to be repeating itself, given that Ravencroft’s new staff includes consultant Norman Osborn.
But it seems the new Ravencroft will be closely watched. SHIELD has been disbanded in the comics, but over the last few months, there have been hints they’ve been secretly replaced. Bleeding Cool has published a preview for Frank Tieri and Angel Unzueta’s Ravencroft #1, and it reveals that Misty Knight has been assigned there to keep a close eye on things. It’s still unclear who Misty is working for - she describes them as “an organization so secret I don’t even like to say their name out loud.” Still, the preview shows Misty being briefed by her superiors, who are hidden in the shadows.
This is the first glimpse of the SHIELD replacement’s power structure. It’s very much reminiscent of the World Security Council in The Avengers, faceless and formless, sinister and controlling. Remarkably, the contents of the Ravencroft Journal have led this group to consider Ravencroft the most dangerous place on the entire planet. Misty isn’t convinced; she suggests that’s probably the Savage Land. Still, the fact remains that the SHIELD replacement is particularly interested in the Ravencroft Institute.
Writer Frank Tieri is carefully and deliberately raising the stakes for his Ravencroft series. He’s rewritten Ravencroft into the history of the Marvel Universe, linking it to everything from the original Captain America to a forgotten Skrull invasion. Now he’s establishing Ravencroft as a central location in the modern Marvel Comics, the most dangerous place in the entire world. Even if the SHIELD replacement is exaggerating, this is a place where the world’s next nightmare can be born.
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Source: Bleeding Cool
