Alaqua Cox makes for a stoic, believable hero in the latest MCU show LONDON: Another year, another Marvel framing device to wrap our heads around. After the surprisingly entertaining “Marvel Special Presentation: Werewolf by Night” and the continuing “Marvel Studios: What If…?” the start of 2024 sees the introduction of the “Marvel Spotlight” banner, which will focus on more grounded, character-driven stories that don’t require the level of existing engagement typically necessary for modern entries into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In short: You apparently don’t need to have watched all the films and shows in order to understand what’s going on. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @arabnews.lifestyle The first entry in the new collection is “Echo,” a five-part miniseries following Maya Lopez/Echo (Alaqua Cox) as she seeks to escape the retribution of forces loyal to her uncle, Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, after she shot him (as seen in 2021’s “Hawkeye”). All of which seems like a lot of backstory for a show that purportedly doesn’t rely on too much backstory. To make matters even more complicated, Vincent D’Onofrio (Fisk) is reprising his role from the excellent Netflix Marvel series “Daredevil,” and the first episode features a breathtaking fight cameo from that show’s Charlie Cox, who has also cropped up in “She-Hulk” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” If this is what Marvel regards as an entry-level show, then you have to wonder what they have planned for the real die-hard fans. Despite all of the above, however, “Echo” is definitely one of the better recent Marvel efforts. Though introduced as an antagonist in “Hawkeye,” Lopez makes for a believable, even relatable, hero this time around, and her journey to understand more of her Native American Choctaw heritage (coupled with its impact on her impressive fighting abilities) is weaved throughout the five episodes with verve and subtlety. Though a relative newcomer, Cox imbues Lopez with a stoic resilience that typifies much of Echo’s comic book backstory (Cox, like her character, is a deaf, Native American amputee) and makes her an easy hero to root for. And in D’Onofrio’s Fisk (every bit as good here as he was in “Daredevil”), she has a scintillating villain to bounce off. “Echo” is as gritty and rugged as the very best of the Netflix MCU shows (“Jessica Jones,” “The Punisher” et al). Despite Marvel’s protestations, though, familiarity with the backstory is a real advantage. But when the payoff is this good, that investment is worth it.