Echo creator David Mack talked about the impact of the Disney+ show for so many people. After the initial screenings of Echo, critics lauded the representation present in Alaqua Cox’s MCU return. Numerous screenings were held for Indigenous viewers and other fans who are deaf. Marvel Studios has made some real efforts to include American Sign Language screenings since Eternals and Echo might be the most robust offering yet. A lot of Indigenous filmmakers worked on the Disney+ show as well. Mack felt the impact of this character long before there was an MCU TV series to point toward.
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“And there are a lot of transcendent moments in the series too, on so many levels,” Mack admitted to ComicBook.com. “I’m so grateful hat this series is there, because before the series was there, when I was writing it, I would get people who connected to and identified to the character. You know, for whatever reason. But, people who also connected to the indigenous aspect of the character or the deaf aspect of the character. Now, to see this on TV, it has such a larger ripple effect. I traveled for much of the last decade.
“I was overseas much of the time traveling for the US State Department and I taught at the school for the deaf in North Africa, in Asia and Europe,” he shared. “And like in North Africa, a lot of them speak French. So I had the French, I had the French translation of the Echo story and the deaf student. They love it. Like the deaf students all around the world were so excited that there was a whole big collected comic book of a Marvel character who is deaf and like connected to it in such an incredible way. And I got to see that around the world for a period of time.”
Representation Matters In Echo
One of the coolest things the creator has experienced is young fans figuring out that there would be an Echo TV series. Kids already loved the comic, but the show took things to a new level. Mack also talked about the impact of that premiere and taking in such a special scene first hand.
“But, now to see what is happening. There’s an actual TV show of it that is being promoted. You know? Like full force? It’s incredible to see the people,” Mack recalled. “I think we experienced this at the premiere tool, the premiere last week. There’s this incredible feeling. You know, you’re in the superhero world. But, there was an incredible energy.”
“It was very normalized for everybody to be speaking sign language at the premiere. The indigenous community there expressing themselves. All these overlaps of worlds that all came together in an incredible way,” he added. “I met people who were deaf and indigenous and couldn’t believe you hear something that they connect to directly. They expressed that to me and spoke to me about it and it was slo amazing to be a part of that.”
Will There Be Echo Season 2?
With the success of Echo so far, a lot of people are wondering if there will be a Season 2 on Disney+. All of the initial readings seem to indicate that Marvel Studios is keen on continuing Maya’s adventures at some point. However, all that positivity isn’t exactly making Mack blab about anything he might or might not know. He told us that he’s just focused on the response so far.
“I hope that there is more Echo, I shouldn’t say more than that,” Mack began. “I hope to see a Season 2. I would love to see her popping up in other TV shows and other films. I’m really grateful for what those filmmakers have put into it. And, a big shout-out to Alaqua Cox for just inhabiting this character so perfectly. Wow. I’m really impressed. Also, her cousin Darnell, who portrays young Maya Lopez. Wow. Vincent got to work with both of them right?”
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