SHIPPING LIST: MAY 19, 2010
Disclaimer: You can probably find complete shipping list updates on most major comics sites. Consider this an opportunity to either do all your info-shopping in the one place, or get a speculative perspective on what might be worth checking out. These are untested reads. Secret Wars on Infinite Earths can offer no guarantee or endorsement of quality. These are simply titles that may be of potential interest. Some items may ship late.

The Infinite Wars now has a gift shop!
Now you'll find Amazon purchase links to hardcovers, trade paperbacks, and other collections, not only on regular entries -- but also new releases at the bottom of the Shipping List, and now a whole catalogue of potential purchases via the Infinite Wars: Amazonian Gift Shop. [Men are also welcome!] By shopping with Amazon via our purchase links, you not only find yourself a great deal, but also sponsor future entries on the Infinite Wars.

The Independents...
FEB101068 2000 AD PACK APR 2010 $18.00
MAR100785 ANCHOR #8 $3.99
MAR100708 ARCHIE AMERICANA SER TP VOL 10 BEST OF 70S BOOK 2 $11.95
MAR100706 ARCHIE DIGEST #264 $2.69
JAN100456 ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #23 $2.99
FEB101071 ATOMIC ROBO REVENGE O/T VAMPIRE DIMENSION #3 (OF 4) $3.50
SEP090280 COMPLETE INVINCIBLE LIBRARY HC VOL 02 $125.00
FEB100018 END LEAGUE TP VOL 02 WEATHERED STATUES $16.99
MAR100882 EXPENDABLES #1 (OF 4) $3.99
JAN100463 JERSEY GODS #12 $4.99
MAR100713 JUGHEAD #201 (NOTE PRICE) $2.99
MAR101032 KILL SHAKESPEARE #2 $3.99
NOV090360 SHADOWHAWK CHRONICLES TP VOL 01 $19.99
MAR100375 SPAWN ORIGINS TP VOL 05 $14.99
MAR101045 TANK GIRL ROYAL ESCAPE #3 (OF 4) $3.99
FEB100403 WALKING DEAD #72 (MR) $2.99
MAR101134 WWE HEROES #3 $3.99

The Corporates...
MAR100508 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN PRESENTS AMERICAN SON #1 (OF 4) $3.99
MAR100187 BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM #12 $3.99
MAR100536 ENTER THE HEROIC AGE #1 HA $3.99
JAN100330 EX MACHINA #49 (MR) $2.99
FEB100451 GIRL COMICS #2 (OF 3) $4.99
MAR100546 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #26 HA $2.99
MAR100173 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #45 (BRIGHTEST DAY) $3.99
MAR100478 RESCUE #1 $3.99
MAR100214 SPIRIT #2 $3.99
MAR100203 SUPERMAN WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #3 (OF 4) $2.99

The Spotlight...
- MAR100534 AGE OF HEROES #1 (OF 4) HA $3.99
As Marvel exits the heroic depression of their Dark Reign concept, I find myself drawing vague comparisons to DC's direction of the past few years. I don't know that it's entirely fair, but with the arrival of this four-issue anthology series compiling heroes of various tiers of relevance, the comparisons get more specific. Marvel's recent history with anthology titles has been pretty grim, inflecting little actual material via their inadvertent house style of writing. With interesting choices like MI:13 and Brother Voodoo putting in a showing next to the Avengers et al, here's hoping they can make the best of it. Brightest Day has really defied the expectations of it's vignette style, so the competition is certainly tough!

- MAR100516 AVENGERS #1 HA $3.99
- MAR100520 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 HA $3.99
All roads lead here as the Heroic Age begins!
If nothing else, Siege has definitely painted a sunburst picture of the new period Marvel Comics are about to enter. My greatest hope is that the new Avengers series, and Marvel in general, can avoid event comics all together, returning to the tradition of fly by the seat superhero comics. Heroic Age really projects an attitude of hope, not just for the superheroes in the fiction, but also readers who might've grown tired with the approach of the company. Of course, I cynically reserve judgment about Brian Bendis' ability to deliver a satisfying first issue, especially with the Avengers, noting in particular that the change in guard that's placed Steve Rogers in charge of whatever SHIELD-type organization will be created, almost feels like it should apply to the people directing Marvel Comics. It feels as if their time should be passed and a bright new voice should be heard. We'll see if Bendis and Co are up to fulfilling that type of self-aware juxtaposition, or if they merely steer themselves toward the already accused DC-lite.

- MAR100161 BRIGHTEST DAY #2 $2.99
Brightest Day definitely has me -- but keeping me will be another challenge all together. Last issue confirmed that the Blackest Night isn't completely passed, with Aquaman and Mera baring witness to some undead sea life. Mystery hangs over all twelve key plotlines of the resurrected heroes (and villains) -- hopefully this second issue starts to at least infer some answers. Black Manta's return is a nice surprise, feeling like Brightest Day will serve as a Rebirth style mini-series for Aquaman, if not the other key players in this series. Not a bad way to revise the method that brought Hal Jordan (Green Lantern: Rebirth) and Barry Allen (Flash: Rebirth) back to us, if that proves to be the case!

- MAR100176 DC UNIVERSE LEGACIES #1 (OF 10) $3.99
Right or wrong, modern readers like to feel nurtured by the big two comics universes, so historic revisions aren't entirely misplaced. For the initiated, it takes a special approach to keep the material feeling fresh and worth the money. The Marvels Project showed how not to do this, but will DC Universe: Legacies be any more likely to succeed? That's the million dollar question! Thanks to their steady maintenance of properties, DC's Golden Age material feels much more alive and endearing than Marvel's, so the opening JSA-centric issue of Legacies will have that much going for it. I'll be looking for a lively, natural comic book classic feel to really appreciate it. DC have been progressive in this department, but it's also fair to say that this simply might not be the book for me. TV's Smallville certainly showed how versions of the classics can have significant appeal to a wider and younger audience than I.

- MAR100882 EXPENDABLES #1 (OF 4) $3.99
Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Arnold Schwarzenegger, "The Natural" Randy Couture, Eric Roberts, Stone Cold Steve Austin. These are the banner stars of the Stallone penned film of the same name coming in 2010. If you have a shred of appreciation for the action movies these men starred in throughout the eighties and nineties, then you must see this film. Whether or not you must read the comic book published by Dynamite Entertainment, remains to be seen. At four $3.99 issues it's a mid-range investment, but as is wont of these sorts of projects, buyers should probably exercise Van Damme-style caution. Don't turn the project down outright like you're some kinda Belgian hotsot, too good for these guys after an award-winning film titled after your initials. Just do the splits across your kitchen counter and make sure the water isn't electrified before you commit to buying up.

- MAR100210 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #1 $3.99
Traditionally I'm just not a fan of the Legion, but you know how this story goes. With arcs presented in Action Comics and Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds; Geoff Johns honed the army of characters to their finest, indulging in the best of their complexities without painting a picture spread too thin, or too thick. The balance got wobbly with co-features in Adventure Comics that felt like Johns was just rushing through. It remains to be seen if this will effect the continued enjoyment of their presentation, especially under the potentially rusty pen of recently resigned DC President, Paul Levitz. At the very least, it doesn't look as if the board has been completely cleared as Levitz promises to pick-up on threads built up by Johns' Final Crisis story, beginning with the induction of a reborn 30th Century Green Lantern Corps! Not a bad way to start things off!

- MAR100234 ZATANNA #1 $2.99
I hate to do it, but I'm going to continue what is becoming a routine critical opinion of Marvel, versus their DC counterparts. If you've been with the Comic Book Fight Club since 2005, you know I'm an old Marvel man at heart. They've lost my well informed support over the last half-decade for a multitude of reasons, and in the wake of Her-Oes, Girl Comics, and various other releases this week, you get a look at the disingenuous side of Marvel's marketting and creative that I don't like.

Undoubtedly, the female comics reading audience has become an important and vocal part of the readership. Their dedication online is evidenced by sister sites I read, like When Fangirls Attack and Girls Gone Geek. Without wanting to speak for them, or be too critical of their opinions, I think they're smarter than the recent Marvel female-pitched line of comics gives them credit, and that's why there remains a huge discrepency between the volume of the female readership's enthusiasm, and the sales figures. All too often it's a shallow, big grinning comic book with boobs on the cover that's pitched to the girls by Marvel (and DC), delivered more like a high school boy pretending to be sensitive so as to reach third base. That's not how you make a good book, if you ask me. I don't go out of my way to buy a comic because I know it panders to the superficial aspects of my gender. I'm looking for stories that take for granted the sex of the character and are driven by well written creative direction. Maybe I need to look deeper into the titles I'm accusing, but certainly, from a light rummage through previews and solicitations, it seems as if they're insulting my intelligence. The titles certainly do!

Zatanna makes the overdue leap to a much touted on-going series, bringing with her the well qualified Paul Dini. He's written Zatanna to great results in Detective Comics and Gotham City Sirens, and should be well equipped to write not a great series starring a woman and pitched at a female demographic, but rather, a great comic series. One aware of it's character, it's medium, and the universal necessity of a good story. Oh yeah, he married a magician too. That's gotta be useful for research!

READ THE PREVIEW - VISIT THE SITE - BUY THE COMIC
Know Your Trade...
JAN100295 ATOMIC KNIGHTS HC $39.99
JAN100294 BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM HC VOL 01 HUSH MONEY $19.99
SEP090280 COMPLETE INVINCIBLE LIBRARY HC VOL 02 $125.00
MAR100665 DESTROYER TP (MR) $19.99
FEB100018 END LEAGUE TP VOL 02 WEATHERED STATUES $16.99
JAN100331 EX MACHINA DELUXE EDITION HC VOL 03 (MR) $29.99
FEB100190 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES ENEMY MANIFEST TP $14.99
NOV090360 SHADOWHAWK CHRONICLES TP VOL 01 $19.99
MAR100375 SPAWN ORIGINS TP VOL 05 $14.99
MAR100629 SPIDER-MAN GAUNTLET PREM HC VOL 03 VULTURE MORBIUS $19.99

Hero of the Week 2010 #19: The Sentry

THE SENTRY (Marvel)
Real Name: Bob Reynolds
First Appearance: The Sentry #1 (September, 2000)
Group Affiliation: Dark Avengers, Avengers (former)
Gaming Credentials: Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 (2008); Marvel vs Capcom 3 (TBA); Marvel Super Hero Squad Online (TBA)
Infinite Wars Ranking: #93


Big news in the gaming-comics world this week was official confirmation of Captain America and Deadpool as playable characters in Marvel vs Capcom 3. Even bigger than that was developments in Marvel's Siege -- a series undoing the power trip of Norman Osborn, aka; Iron Patriot aka; Green Goblin, who rose to power in the Marvel Universe when an alien shape-shifter invasion created doubt about, and made a scapegoat of, former dominant power, Tony Stark. Siege is the culmination of five years worth of rolling plotlines that disassembled the classic Avengers, pit the heroes against each other in a civil war, led to Osborn's dark reign of wolves in sheeps clothing, and now comes back around to a "Heroic Age" that reinstates the classic trio of Cap, Iron Man, and Thor as heads of the Marvel superhero fraternity and Avengers franchise.

Siege will also be remembered for pulling the pin on one of Marvel's most loaded characters, both in the sense of bringing about his (un)timely demise, but also in revealing the long suspected nature of his ability to be evil.

The Sentry came from not-so humble beginnings.
In fact, in 2000, the character was launched as one of the unsung creations of the Marvel Era, supposedly forgotten on the scrapheap of ideas that led Stan Lee to co-create the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, Spider-man, Hulk, and the various other superheroes that have made him a legend.

In truth, The Sentry was created by Paul Jenkins, Jae Lee, and Rick Veitch; the result of a metamorphasis that began with a simple pitch about a flawed tired everyman hero, which turned into the hoax of the new millenium.

To embellish their fantastic claim of an undiscovered pre-FF Stan Lee hero, Jenkins and Lee, who had garnered attention for their Marvel Knights Inhumans mini-series, were granted the opportunity to create a false history for the character. Through various one-shots and mini-seres, the saga of Robert Reynolds, aka; The Sentry, was laid to bare, connecting him to all of Stan Lee's greatest Marvel creations, with unforseen results. He became a great friend to the X-Men's Angel, Mr. Fantastic, and Hulk -- even exhibiting a calming effect on the latter that made he and the green goliath an unstoppable crime-fighting duo!

The Sentry experiment was completed with a conclusion that justified it all as Marvel canon -- an end that revealed the Sentry's penchant for creating a dark mirror of his impossibly powerful and heroic self -- The Void! In a final moment of self-sacrifice, the Sentry completed the meta-hoax of his fictional creation, erasing himself and all references to him from the Marvel canon with the aid of Dr. Strange and Reed Richards. With the true nature of the project revealed and the story concluded, it would seem that was the end of The Sentry's saga, but when Brian Michael Bendis relaunched the Avengers in 2005, he set about to bring the character back to the forefront of a Marvel Universe he had dominated in a history that never was.

It might sound like a pretty reasonable idea to bring a character of such fanciful fiction into the Marvel Universe, but for a new generation of readers that had been recruited through the launch of millenial projects like the Ultimate comics, and longer serving readers too, it would prove a tough sell.

The Sentry was uncovered during the first arc of New Avengers, which started with a breakout at the super human prison, The Vault. Here, the Sentry made his shocking return to the Marvel universe, bearded and tired, bursting with the power of a thousand exploding suns. The exact nature of his unfathomable powers had never quite been defined in the quaint adventures explored by Jenkins and Lee, so it was to be a memorable demonstration for fans when, on 'return', the Sentry demonstrated his abilities by flying long reviled nineties creation (by Bendis and a vocal majority of jaded comics readers), Carnage, into space, where he tore him asunder.

This single event not only introduced the hero as a penfing prospect of the newly reassembled Avengers, but also confirmed that everything we'd been told by Jenkins had happened, and that the Marvel Universe was now a world of mixed histories. A fact that came to the fore in Siege: Fallen Son, which revelled in the hollow sentiments of a universe more aware of The Sentry's heroic triumphs than a good many readers.

The character and his secret history was explored through mini-series and continued adventures in various Avengers titles, but the more the Sentry was exposed to the readership, the less liked he seemed to become. By 2010, many prominent comics commentary sources were [humorously] offering a bounty to any Marvel writer who'd finally return The Sentry to the nothingness from whence he came -- such was the struggle to sell this concept to a readership under the illusion that their most familiar heroes were defined by weakness.

The Sentry, clad in primary colours and large S insignia, was a none-too-subtle analogue to DC's Superman -- a character many credit as the start of dominant superhero culture. Borrowing from the Superman archetype is nothing new in comics [I've done it myself], but for Marvel Comics, this was, in many ways, their first longterm mainstream attempt to enfuse the classical superhero with their own brand of flaws and foibles. The result -- an emotionally disturbed individual whose fragile psyche was as dangerous to the success of a mission as kryptonite and magic.

I personally regard the assumption that Marvel is somehow unique in their application of character flaws as a massive misconception. In the internet age, ideas like these have been propagated to be an interesting discussion piece embraced as fact by the uninitiated and unconfident, alike. In some ways, I think The Sentry is a karmic reflection of this widespread illusion of the Stan Lee superhero model, which gave these fans the logical realization of what they were claiming. Ironically, while I frown upon spreading this myth of Marvel's uber-humanity versus DC's capes, I actually find the Sentry an interesting concept -- one that never got time to be explored to it's fullest extent.

The Superman model raises so many questions, it's supported series from every major publisher, and a good many independent obscurities as well. Alan Moore tackled the subject with Rob Liefeld and Supreme; Marvel's had a crack with various analogues, including various incarnations of Hyperion and the Squadron Supreme; Mark Waid and BOOM! Studios have exploded with their dark take, Irredeemable; and DC themselves have even explored the adaptive relevance of the character with popular stories like The Dark Knight Returns, Kingdom Come, and Superman: Red Son. Each story tackled elements of Superman's relevance to ultimate power, alien perspectives, paranoia, nature vs nurture, judicial systems and law enforcement, government responsibility, legacy, and iconography. The Sentry, unfortunately, struggled to reach these lofty topics, bogged down in the assumption that the summary of his character was his emotional flaw and penchant for bursting into tears and explosive panic attacks mid-battle -- an interesting idea, but one that blew up in Marvel's face, to a large extent.

The Sentry is the US Government's Deus Ex Machina when Hulk lays waste to New York City in World War Hulk.

The Sentry had his highlights. Like the many fantasy fight debates about whether or not a certain hero could combat Superman; The Sentry's battles in the Marvel Universe satisfied the basic lust for competition that exists in many readers. If nothing else, The Sentry succeeded in delivering some exciting action moments that will be remembered by many fans fondly, including his last-issue showdown with Hulk in World War Hulk, and even last minute bouts with Thor and Ares in Siege.

It seems entirely likely that The Sentry might return at some point in the future, reprising his out-of-control role as The Void. For the time being, it seems there'll be very little love lost for many readers, who've viewed the past five years cynically with few reasons to think otherwise. This was potentially a very interesting subject -- the existence of a Marvel Superman -- but in the end, the character is one that remains waiting to be redeemed, without the burden of similarities to other Superman analogues like Mr. Majestic, or Miracleman (aka; Marvelman). It remains to be seen whether or not The Sentry might get a second shot at life through games like Marvel vs Capcom 3, or the just announced MMO, Super Hero Squad Online. I'd call those odds a longshot, at best.

The death of Sentry and end of Norman Osborn's Dark Reign has brought about a Heroic Age in Marvel Comics, but before sunbursts takeover the lay of the land, you can check out Siege #1-#4 for all the important action. Further details lie in final issues of Dark Avengers and Avengers: The Initiative, and for those that appreciated the character, an elaborative farewell lies in Siege: Fallen Son. You can find more information on all of that at Marvel.com and good comics retailers.

<< Hero of the Week 05/23: Thor       [Home]       Hero of the Week 05/09: Nick Fury >>

Originally posted: http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9030579

SHIPPING LIST: MAY 12, 2010
Disclaimer: You can probably find complete shipping list updates on most major comics sites. Consider this an opportunity to either do all your info-shopping in the one place, or get a speculative perspective on what might be worth checking out. These are untested reads. Secret Wars on Infinite Earths can offer no guarantee or endorsement of quality. These are simply titles that may be of potential interest. Some items may ship late.

The Infinite Wars now has a gift shop!
Now you'll find Amazon purchase links to hardcovers, trade paperbacks, and other collections, not only on regular entries -- but also new releases at the bottom of the Shipping List, and now a whole catalogue of potential purchases via the Infinite Wars: Amazonian Gift Shop. [Men are also welcome!] By shopping with Amazon via our purchase links, you not only find yourself a great deal, but also sponsor future entries on the Infinite Wars.

The Independents...
MAR100711 BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #204 $2.69
FEB100823 BLACK TERROR #10 $3.50
MAR100044 BPRD KING OF FEAR #5 (OF 5) $2.99
JAN100209 JOURNAL BETTIE PAGE HORIZON $9.99
FEB101070 JUDGE DREDD COMPLETE CASE FILES TP VOL 15 $36.99
MAR100714 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #160 $3.99
AUG090320 LIBERTY MEADOWS TP VOL 01 EDEN (NEW PTG) $14.99
SEP090292 LIBERTY MEADOWS VOL 02 CREATURE COMFORTS TP (NEW PTG) $14.99
MAR100436 SAVAGE DRAGON #160 $3.50
JAN100494 WITCHBLADE #136 $2.99

The Corporates...
MAR100473 ASTONISHING X-MEN XENOGENESIS #1 (OF 5) $3.99
FEB100432 AVENGERS INITIATIVE #35 SIEGE $2.99
MAR100185 BATMAN #699 $2.99
MAR100169 BIRDS OF PREY #1 (BRIGHTEST DAY) $2.99
MAR100526 BLACK WIDOW #2 HA $2.99
MAR100493 DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #893 $2.99
MAR100212 DOC SAVAGE #2 $3.99
FEB100436 FALLEN SIEGE $3.99
FEB100158 FIRST WAVE #2 (OF 6) $3.99
MAR100257 HELLBLAZER #1 NEW PTG $1.00
MAR100615 PUNISHERMAX #7 (MR) $3.99
MAR100201 SUPERMAN WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #2 (OF 4) $2.99
MAR100603 WOLVERINE #900 $4.99
MAR100610 X-FACTOR FOREVER #3 $3.99

The Spotlight...
- MAR100499 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #631 $2.99
A slow start to the Lizard component of "Shed" was disappointing after last month's opening to the Juggernaut/Captain Universe story was similarly over stretched. I'm not sure if The Gauntlet is still officially in effect, but at the very least, #630 promised big things for this issue. Zeb Wells and Chris Bachalo inject a youthful vibrance to the story without stripping gravitas from the simmering beast beneath Dr. Curt Connors. I'm not entirely convinced Lizard will remain the same come the conclusion of this arc, but I'm loving any glimpse of the classic villains. Black Cat appearances felt like stuffed-in cameo filler, as the saga of Peter Parker's love life continues, but at least offered some editorial consistency to the hum of the series. One finds it difficult to not want to bash Joe Quesada over the head for that relationship-oriented lull, but the hate might be better earned by the upcoming O.M.I.T arc. It becomes presiently apparent that The Gauntlet concept was the real joy of this series. I'm hoping future projects will prove there's more at work here than that, though.

- MAR100178 BATMAN RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1 (OF 6) $3.99
If a few years ago you told me I would love a Batman and Robin book, I would've laughed in your face. If you told me I'd be even more excited about a time travelling tale that introduced action figure styled "Caveman" and "Colonial" Batman variants, I might've punched you in the face. Such is the mysticism of Grant Morrison's ability to invest in a concept and creatively rationalize a balance between the absurd and sublime. Everything about The Return of Bruce Wayne seems to be wrong, but if Morrison's last few years of unlikely Batman topics have been any indication, then it will all work out for the intriguing best.

Following up on Wayne's being stranded in time by Darkseid via the effects of his Final Crisis delivered Omega Sanction; Return ironically rests on the premise of being an event undoing the effects of a previous event. This might have some muckrakers feeling discontent, but it would be an unsubtle analysis of the construction of this story that has apparently been in play throughout the entirety of Morrison's run, pre-Batman and Robin included. Chris Sprouse should add a little sugar to the medicine with previews showing off a very attractive start to the super-sized six issue series.

- MAR100529 DAREDEVIL CAGE MATCH #1 $2.99
Ed Brubaker's DD had meandered somewhere distinctly toward irrelevance by the time he placed The Hand in the control of the man without fear. Sadly, Andy Diggle hasn't set the world on fire with deliberate references to the goings on of the Marvel Universe and it's Dark Reign, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in the upcoming DD-centric event connecting loosely to the Heroic Age. Tough to know how much material in Cage Match will feel like the main meal, and how much will be referencial backstory acting as a primer to the Shadowland event (DD vs Avengers), but chances are it'll be a fun read for anyone not overly familiar with Daredevil and Luke Cage's history as Power Man. Worth investigating.

- MAR100171 FLASH #2 (BRIGHTEST DAY) $2.99
Time travel is probably a given when it comes to The Flash, but I thought we might start with something a bit more Earthbound than murdered Rogues from a distant future. My first reaction is that it might be too impersonal a way to indoctrinate readers into the life of a resurrected Barry Allen who got good integration out of Rebirth and early Blackest Night appearances, but was somewhat absorbed by the enormity of the Blue Lantern/Blackest Night concepts. More pedestrian fare might've been nice, but I quickly realise that Geoff Johns rarely leads us astray in matters such as the construction of a character and his world. He brings back the end-page teaser, this time for what appears to be a future filled with references to the contemporary heroes of the DC Universe, Superman and Batman in feature. Too early to tell where it's all going, but I'm definitely keen enough to find out!

- MAR100165 JUSTICE LEAGUE GENERATION LOST #1 (BRIGHTEST DAY) $2.99
Beginning with 2004's Identity Crisis and continuing right up to the present; the cast of characters affectionately known as the Justice League International (or, Formerly Known as the Justice League) have pretty much been fair game in the DC Universe deathpools. Fans of the now legendary Keith Giffen/JM DeMatteis run have been calling out for a reprieve for quite some time now, and while fan favourites like Blue Beetle and Elongated Man remain among the deceased, Captain Atom is back to join the rest of the team in a hunt for the Beetle's resurrected killer -- Maxwell Lord! Lord was among the the twelve heroes (and villains) resurrected by the White Lantern's light at the end of Blackest Night, and will presumably have a greater role to play when the nature of those resurrections is revealed later in the year. For the time being, it looks like his portion of the Brightest Day tale will at least appease fans of the JLI as they reunite to hunt their former ally. It'd be a treat if the Captain's resurrection since flipping out as Monarch and getting killed in Countdown could be explained here, but I won't be holding my breath.

- FEB100546 MARVELS PROJECT #8 (OF 8) $3.99
I hate to say it, but another plodding Ed Brubaker special comes to it's conclusion. I really wanted to get on board with Marvels Project, but this was the kind of series that really required patience for the writer's monotoned style, it's snail's pace, and the fact that it was elaborating on material that's basically familiar to a lot of readers, myself included. At some point this revised version of Marvel's history might be nice to have on a shelf in collected format, but I can't help but feel this was an exciting concept that just never reached it's full potential. In the early goings, at least, this was far from a marvel.

- FEB100435 NEW AVENGERS FINALE #1 SIEGE $4.99
After just sixty-four issues over a handful of years, I can't help but feel this is an abrupt end to a series that took a very long time to get on it's feet, and never quite had any time to be itself. Brian Bendis walks away having written the entirety of the run, concluding in the same fashion as the first volume Avengers with a special. I'm not convinced it warrants an epilogue, but I'll certainly miss what only recently became one of Marvel's best bets in the monthly stakes. At $4.99, this is a tough sell, especially if there's any validity to the suspicion that it might be an overwrought nostalgia dump with little or no connection to the next few years. Bendis has a nasty habit of spinning his wheels on the "character driven" non-space without any of the really significant emotive justifications that would make that acceptable. Further investigation required!

- FEB100421 SIEGE #4 (OF 4) $3.99
[Brian] Bendis features again with the wrap-up to Siege -- a series that promised to be all meat, but was almost nothing but chewy fat. While DC have shown an intelligent design to their shared universe events, Marvel feel like pretenders as scenes from Siege play out to greater significance in tie-ins, leaving only a string of story to carry the core book. Four-issues seemed like a great way for the team to live up to the promise of nothing but action and meaning, but with rare exception, it's just meant there's less of that. If nothing else, Siege will finally resolve the dangling question of The Sentry's role in the Marvel Universe, while also giving the basic detail of how Norman Osborn's Dark Reign will be dethroned and the classic Avengers [Captain America, Iron Man, Thor] will be reunited. It just lacks the punch and gravitas that a series like this should've had. Like Secret Invasion before it, Siege feels like a clunker of summer blockbuster proportions. Maybe the meat's in the final issue?

- MAR100174 TITANS VILLAINS FOR HIRE SPECIAL #1 $4.99
We saw Deathstroke acting as a villain for hire in last week's issue of Batman and Robin, but I'm not sure that's any kind of sales pitch for an unknown quantity of $4.99 proportions. Tattooed Man on the cover jumps from the cover, reminding me of the potential that character had when he played an honorary role with the Justice League during the post-apocalyptic barney of Final Crisis. It's a shame nothing ever came of that, but I digress. Traditionally I'm not much of a fan of (Teen) Titans-related paraphernalia, but the high concept pitch of villains hunting heroes is a great one! I really dislike the popular theory that villains cannot star in a comic book. This pandering notion that villains are unrelatable or unlikeable is absolute nonsense. Granted, in corporate comics, it's unlikely to be a sustainable model when the team's targets are the likes of The Atom, but as far as tangents go, it could be fun!

READ THE PREVIEW - VISIT THE SITE - BUY THE COMIC
Know Your Trade...
MAR100666 DOCTOR VOODOO AVENGER OF SUPERNATURAL TP $16.99
MAR100668 ESSENTIAL X-MEN TP VOL 03 NEW PTG $19.99
FEB100231 EX MACHINA TP VOL 09 RING OUT THE OLD (MR) $14.99
MAR100638 INCREDIBLE HERCULES PREM HC ASSAULT ON NEW OLYMPUS $19.99
JAN100209 JOURNAL BETTIE PAGE HORIZON $9.99
FEB101070 JUDGE DREDD COMPLETE CASE FILES TP VOL 15 $36.99
AUG090320 LIBERTY MEADOWS TP VOL 01 EDEN (NEW PTG) $14.99
SEP090292 LIBERTY MEADOWS VOL 02 CREATURE COMFORTS TP (NEW PTG) $14.99
FEB100193 QUESTION TP VOL 06 THE PEACEMAKER $19.99
FEB100267 SWEET TOOTH TP VOL 01 OUT OF THE WOODS (MR) $9.99
FEB100200 WONDER WOMAN WARKILLER TP $14.99

Hero of the Week 2010 #18: Nick Fury

NICK FURY (Marvel)
Real Name: Nicholas Fury
First Appearance: Sgt Fury and His Howling Commandos #1 (May, 1963)
Group Affiliation: Secret Warriors, SHIELD (former)
Gaming Credentials: The Punisher (1993); The Punisher (2005); Marvel Ultimate Alliance (2006); Spider-man: Friend or Foe (2007); Spider-man: Web of Shadows (2008); Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 (2009); Iron Man 2 (2010); Marvel vs Capcom 3 (TBA); The First Avenger: Captain America (TBA)
Infinite Wars Ranking: #DNR

Iron Man 2 has officially hit cinemas (and consoles) around the globe, and if you're meeting these characters for the first time, you've probably noticed something a little askew about the mugshot of today's Hero of the Week -- Nick Fury's caucasian!

Samuel L. Jackson stars as Nick Fury in the film, elaborating on the brief post-credits cameo he made in the previous movie. This marks the first of a potential nine Marvel movies that will feature Jackson in the role as a lynchpin figure that ties together various properties such as Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, culminating in an ensemble Avengers film with all three. The convergence of film plot lines will probably borrow from the same contemporary resources that gave us Samuel Jackson's version of the character -- the Ultimate Marvel comics.

Nick Fury first appeared in 1963 as a Sergeant leading a ragtag team during the Second World War. This retroactive Marvel history was rapidly followed up with a contemporary equivalent that sought to capitalize on the popularity of secret agents in the mould of James Bond. Thus; Nick Fury's aging has been retarded over time to allow him to remain the stalwart leader of SHIELD -- Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage Logistics Directorate. It's a role he lost recently in the comics, but is no doubt about to regain as part of Marvel's Heroic Age revamp that reconfirms the heroes of the Marvel Universe after they were scattered by the 2005 Civil War event.

As Director of SHIELD, Fury came to be connected to almost every corner of the Marvel Universe, acting as the gruff watchdog with hidden motives and redtape up the yin yang. So when it came to reinventing Marvel's properties for a contemporary audience in 2000, the Ultimate version of the character was made a fundamental part of the new universe from the beginning. Borrowing liberally from the successful world of cinema and celebrity (inspired by their own entry with Blade and X-Men), Marvel reinvisioned Nick Fury deliberately as a fond reference to Sam Jackson -- making him the destined man to take the role that a few years earlier had been manned in a TV-movie by David Hasselhoff. Strange, but true!

Any more elaboration on the design of the character would be unnecessary, but it's worth explaining for the uninitiated that the Ultimate Marvel universe is completely seperate to the core series. That is to say, Ultimate Avengers exists in the context of the "Ultimate" comics, but New Avengers and similarly titled series are part of the central Marvel Universe, which has been in effect since the sixties (with references dating back to the thirties, ie; Captain America and Sub-Mariner).

Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury isn't the first time superhero comics-to-film adaptations have run across race relations. Tim Burton's reign over the Batman franchise saw Billy Dee Williams take the role of Harvey Dent -- Gotham's District Attorney destined to become the villain, Two-Face, who was made famous in The Dark Knight by Aaron Eckhart. 2003's Daredevil tossed up various ethnic shifts with Michael Clarke Duncan's African-American Wilson Fisk, Colin Farrel's Irish Bullseye, and a less than Greek Jennifer Garner as Elektra. Other examples persist.

It's one of the many underlying motivations that slowly reshapes comic books, reinventing the white-washed origins of 1930s and 1960s superhero comics that were almost exclusively created by pasty Americans and American-Jews. Jackson's Fury benefits from a contrived sourced logic that other examples haven't had, but the irony remains that Iron Man boasts one of the many memorable African-American heroes to come from comics in James Rhodes, aka; War Machine! War Machine already got in on the Iron Man 2 action earlier in the HOTW cycle, late last year.

Nick Fury commands the heroes of Ultimate Alliance from the SHIELD Helicarrier in the hit 2006 game..

Ultimately [pun not intended]; the coexistence of these different versions of a character has been easy to reconcile. It would be insulting if the change were to suddenly erase forty years of history, but the Ultimate Marvel Comics, at least in their inception, set out to create something edgy and new, inspired by the Hollywood world Marvel was just entering in 2000. Unfortunately, that purity of vision has been lost over the last decade, rendering the Ultimate comics nigh irrelevant to any but those who were indoctrinated through them. Never the less, Samuel L Jackson's performance, which should be a persistent part of the movies coming over the next few years, remains a tribute to a brief moment in comic book history.

The original version remains active in the comics, front-and-centre in Marvel's wrapping Siege event that sees Fury, his Secret Warriors, Captain America, and the Avengers throw in with the Norse Gods of Asgard who've come under siege from Norman Osborn and his Dark Avengers. This story leads in to Marvel's galvanized version of itself, dubbed the Heroic Age. Nick Fury's also appearing in one of the sleeper hits published by Marvel Comics, Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of our Fathers, which I would recommend strongly for anyone interested in the title heroes, or WWII Nazi fighting superheroics. You'll find more info on these and other comics at Marvel.com.

<< Hero of the Week 05/16: Sentry       [Home]       Hero of the Week 05/02: Black Widow >>

Originally posted: http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9029676

SHIPPING LIST: MAY 5, 2010
Disclaimer: You can probably find complete shipping list updates on most major comics sites. Consider this an opportunity to either do all your info-shopping in the one place, or get a speculative perspective on what might be worth checking out. These are untested reads. Secret Wars on Infinite Earths can offer no guarantee or endorsement of quality. These are simply titles that may be of potential interest. Some items may ship late.

The Infinite Wars now has a gift shop!
Now you'll find Amazon purchase links to hardcovers, trade paperbacks, and other collections, not only on regular entries -- but also new releases at the bottom of the Shipping List, and now a whole catalogue of potential purchases via the Infinite Wars: Amazonian Gift Shop. [Men are also welcome!] By shopping with Amazon via our purchase links, you not only find yourself a great deal, but also sponsor future entries on the Infinite Wars.

The Independents...
FEB100678 ARCHIE & FRIENDS #143 $2.99
MAR100873 THE BOYS #42 (MR) $2.99
DEC091018 DARKSTALKERS NIGHT WARRIORS #2 (OF 3) A CVR LEE $3.95
MAR101031 DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 $24.99
MAR101030 DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS SERIES 3 #3 $3.99
MAR100675 GLAMOURPUSS #13 $3.00
MAR100042 HELLBOY IN MEXICO OR DRUNKEN BLUR ONE SHOT CORBEN CVR $3.50
MAR100871 HOWARD CHAYKIN BLACK KISS HC (A) $24.99
FEB100756 INCORRUPTIBLE #5 $3.99
FEB100755 INCORRUPTIBLE TP VOL 01 (MR) $16.99
MAR100796 IRREDEEMABLE #13 $3.99
JAN100464 KING CITY #8 (MR) $2.99
FEB100367 MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS TP VOL 03 ELECTRIC ALLEGORIES $19.99
FEB100792 PRIDE PREJUDICE & ZOMBIES GN $14.99
FEB100825 PROJECT SUPERPOWERS MEET THE BAD GUYS TP $16.99
MAR101311 SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 37 $12.95
MAR100390 SHADOWHAWK #1 (MR) $3.50
AUG090364 SPAWN #197 $2.99
NOV090362 WALKING DEAD HC VOL 05 $34.99

The Corporates...
MAR100471 ASTONISHING SPIDER-MAN WOLVERINE #1 $3.99
MAR100483 ELECTRIC ANT #2 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99
MAR100224 GREAT TEN #7 (OF 10) $2.99
MAR100293 IZOMBIE #1 (MR) $1.00
MAR100254 JONAH HEX #1 NEW PTG $1.00
MAR100227 JONAH HEX #55 $2.99
MAR100230 SECRET SIX #21 $2.99
MAR100513 SPIDER-MAN FEVER #2 (OF 3) $3.99
MAR100497 ULTIMATE COMICS NEW ULTIMATES #2 $3.99

The Spotlight...
- FEB100481 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #630 $2.99
Arguably for the first time this year, Amazing Spider-man took a dive, labouring three full issues on a story that just didn't support it, despite the exciting feature of Juggernaut and Captain Universe.

I've heard Amazing's pseudo-weekly schedule discussed in a lot of different ways, but I find it's often overlooked that the beauty of rapidfire short-part stories is that there's a significantly quick recovery time. We'll presumably see that first-hand when The Gauntlet gets back on track with the return of The Lizard -- the latest in a long line of classic reprisals over the past six months. If, like me, you skipped out on the second Something Can Stop the Juggernaut issue, you missed a back-up feature setting up this issue's return. I can only imagine the story featured vague details, because as we've seen throughout The Gauntlet, the classics might be back, but they're ripe for reinvention. I look forward to seeing what the webheads comes up with for these final chapters of the best Spidey run of the decade.

- MAR100183 BATMAN AND ROBIN #12 $2.99
I'm sure I've said it before, but it bares repeating -- if you told me a couple of years ago that my favourite comic every month would be a book about Batman and Robin, I would've thought you were insane. Such is the high concept prowess of Grant Morrison, who time and again proves capable of finding an angle and exploiting it to it's pop culture best. The dominoes are quite literally in line as we head toward the exciting culmination of the first year's worth of stories! The identities of the so-called Domino Killer, El Penitente and Oberon Sexton look primed to be revealed, or at least defined, as we head toward the Return of Bruce Wayne mini-series that will run in conjunction with subsequent issues of Batman and Robin. DC solicitations promise the return of a fan-favourite, which might signal the arrival of the promised Joker appearance, but with this story, one is never to be certain! Demonds and Deathstroke are on the menu as Talia al Ghul initiates a plan to kill the current Batman using spinal implants to control her and Bruce Wayne's son, the current Robin, Damien!

- MAR100159 BRIGHTEST DAY #1 $2.99
The previous #0 issue proved to be surprisingly meaty, despite only teasing the various threads that will be followed by twelve heroes and villains resurrected by the White Lantern's light at the end of Blackest Night. It's difficult not to feel a slight hestitation at the prospect of Brightest Day presenting yet another dense tapestry of intertwined stories and issues so immediately after Blackest Night, but all signs so far point toward another good series from DC and Geoff Johns. With the presence of Black Lanterns weighing heavily on future solicitations, it's a reminder that Blackest Night wasn't just another self-contained summer event, but rather something that contributed a roster of new characters and ideas to the entire DC Universe. I'm looking forward to seeing how these new components work, and what bigger idea lies behind the White Lantern -- an ominous tome that almost promises a sinister side, if I'm not just being paranoid. (Assuming the villainy isn't those hideous David Finch covers! Eugh!)

- MAR100585 CAPTAIN AMERICA BLACK PANTHER FLAGS OF FATHERS #2 (OF 4) $3.99
Given that this is The Comic Book Fight Club, it probably wouldn't surprise you to know I have a bit of a pet peev about finishing an issue in the middle of a fight. Flags of our Fathers #1 did just that, closing without even a teaser moment during the battle between a WWII-era Captain America and T'Chaka, the Black Panther. This perhaps speaks to Reginald Hudlin's writing style, which in the past has seemed unashamedly focused on the bigger picture -- "writing for the trade" as it were. Fortunately, the issue packs enough punch to well and truly justify itself as a very exciting book that will almost certainly be undeservedly overlooked by the majority. A lower price might've been more enticing to unsure readers, but if you skipped the first issue, do yourself a favour and flick through both on the stand. I loved the first arc of Hudlin's Panther, and with Red Skull lurking 'round the corner, this is a surprising companion piece that reiterates the writer's vision of the Wakandan power and mystique.

- MAR100042 HELLBOY IN MEXICO OR DRUNKEN BLUR ONE SHOT CORBEN CVR $3.50
It's dawned on me that Hellboy and I haven't spent much time together in a very long time. BPRD has well and truly taken over as the flagship interest of Mike Mignola's myth-laden franchise catalogue. The ensemble on-going collection of BPRD mini-series has benefitted from a sense of flow and character that Hellboy's adventures came to lack, all too often feeling like stylish art books, rather than the mythological pulp texts they once were. The Mignola mystique and subdued tone is always appreciated, but it felt as if it had run amok, sacrificing page and value for cool tones and evocative stills. The prospect of a Cinqo de Mayo romp pitting Hellboy against fiendish luchadores is well worth another look, however, promising the kind of kick in the pants big red probably needed. Should be a lot of fun!

- MAR100192 RED ROBIN #12 $2.99
Last year I lamented on Red Robin's status as one of the most interesting and relevant of the Batman: Reborn launches, but that it would also be the most likely to be forgotten. While I can't speak for the readership as a whole, I know I certainly succumed to a casual disinterest. From inception, Red Robin has been perhaps the most steadily important series to anyone interested in the Return of Bruce Wayne, but despite this, it always feels somehow short of it's goals. One of my noted frustrations has been the long running promise of some sort of clash with Ra's al Ghul -- something that appears to be happening, but was never really the point. I don't have a great affection for DC's teen characters and in some ways that's been to my detriment, making it difficult to have any concerted investment in the Tim Drake character and it's growth. If you are one of those readers who has some interest in Drake or the upcoming Return of Bruce Wayne storyline and missed out, it's probably worth investigating trades or cheap back issues. This really is a series that doesn't deserve the apathy I've shown it over time.

- MAR100199 SUPERMAN WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #1 (OF 4) $2.99
Speaking of apathy -- I still haven't gotten around to reading the FCBD #0 issue previewing Superman: War of the Supermen. It's really a very sound concept, as was the saga of New Krypton, but for whatever reason, I just haven't been interested. Maybe it's the fact that it was so seperatist in it's final execution, whereas I'm always much more interested in the texture of the DC Universe. Whatever the reason, it's at least nice to know Superman is entering the fray once more as the big hero of the DCU. I've avoided the elephant in the room -- James Robinson -- who burnt up a lot of goodwill with his now infamous work on Justice League: Cry for Justice. I really don't want to bring that up every time the man has a story to tell, but given that he's been handed the keys to both the JLA and Superman, one does wonder what the future holds. While not nearly as offensive as his JLA mini-series, there was a certain x-factor of boring that felt present in the execution of some of these big ideas, which, as already noted, really couldn't be faulted on a conceptual level. I'll be interested to see how War resolves these plotlines and makes use of them in the future. It would be an unfortunate contrast to Blackest Night if ultimately, War of the Supermen was about pushing the past year's stories aside. In particular, I'm interested to see how General Zod is dealt with from the perspective of longterm use.

- MAR100581 VENGEANCE OF MOON KNIGHT #8 $2.99
I've always been one to scoff the pubescent culture of turning one's nose up at the mainstream. "Selling out" doesn't create bad work, mismanagement does! Unfortunately, Marvel have pushed my understanding philosophy to it's limit, apparently buckling under the cross-media success of characters like Deadpool and Iron Man. By virtue of their exposure in a multitude of series and guest spots, both characters have been nothing but mundane in comics. Still, I have to fully confess to the lure of a Moon Knight vs Deadpool plot, not just for the superhero fisticuffs, but for it's potential to drag Moon Knight back to relevance in the Marvel Universe, and Deadpool back to... relevance of any kind. I don't know that I have the blind faith, pom poms, and short skirt that some do for writer Jason Aaron, but I'd be willing to entertain the idea that things couldn't get much more bemusing for DP.

READ THE PREVIEW - VISIT THE SITE - BUY THE COMIC
Know Your Trade...
FEB100218 BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM TP $12.99
MAR101031 DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 $24.99
FEB100755 INCORRUPTIBLE TP VOL 01 (MR) $16.99
FEB100615 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN TP VOL 03 MOST WANTED BOOK 2 $14.99
MAR100653 IRON MAN ARMOR WARS II TP $29.99
MAR100871 HOWARD CHAYKIN BLACK KISS HC (A) $24.99
FEB100367 MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS TP VOL 03 ELECTRIC ALLEGORIES $19.99
FEB100792 PRIDE PREJUDICE & ZOMBIES GN $14.99
FEB100825 PROJECT SUPERPOWERS MEET THE BAD GUYS TP $16.99
MAR101311 SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 37 $12.95
FEB100264 TRANSMETROPOLITAN TP VOL 07 SPIDERS THRASH NEW ED (MR) $14.99
NOV090362 WALKING DEAD HC VOL 05 $34.99

Hero of the Week 2010 #17: Black Widow

BLACK WIDOW (Marvel)
Real Name: Natalia Romanova (aka; Natasha Romanoff)
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #52 (April, 1964)
Group Affiliation: Secret Avengers (upcoming), SHIELD (former)
Gaming Credentials: The Punisher (2005); Marvel Ultimate Alliance (2006); Spider-man: Web of Shadows (2008); Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 (2009); Marvel Super Hero Squad (2009); Iron Man 2 (2010); Marvel vs Capcom 3 (TBA)
Infinite Wars Cumulative Ranking: #74

If you've been anywhere online lately, you've probably been well informed by countdown advertising regarding the upcoming release of a little film called Iron Man 2! It's the sequel to the 2008 blockbuster of the same name [sans 2] starring Robert Downey Jr as the titular armored hero whose invention initially saved his own life, but is now an instrument for saving others.

Iron Man 2 brings Downey and co-star Gwyneth Paltrow back, alongside an all-star cast that includes: Mickey Rourke as the vengeful Whiplash; Sam Rockwell as rival industry figure Justin Hammer; Scarlett Johansson as Russian super-spy, Black Widow; and Don Cheadle as Tony Stark's military confidant and soon-to-be armored allie, Jim Rhodes aka; War Machine. Samuel L. Jackson also features Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD in a role he first introduced in a post-credits cameo that set the comic book world alight,

Scarlett Johansson in full Black Widow regalia as she appears in promo photos for Iron Man 2!

If the rolling success of comic book features has been any indication, then Black Widow is sure to become the hottest female property in the comic landscape. Marvel Comics have certainly already begun pumping out various related products to capitalize on this exposure, including a brand new on-going series, which makes it tough not to be a little bit cynical about how the machine has come to work since the break-out success of X-Men in 2000.
While it's questionable how much the comic books themselves have benefitted, it's fair to say that with each blockbuster release the starring heroes have been sure to become the most popular for their brief time in the sun. Even reviled works like Daredevil, Elektra, and Ghost Rider have given their respective properties a moment in the spotlight, even if time hasn't been kind to the balance of popular opinion.

Recently, Captain America was featured as HOTW on the back of controversy surrounding the casting of Chris Evans as the famed flag-waving super-soldier. If you ask me, the bigger concern in casting is probably Johansson, who really doesn't impress me all that much. Regardless, it seems increasingly likely that Iron Man will become the lynchpin for Marvel's proposed composite Avengers film franchise, which is set to be canonized by Captain America's arrival to the big screen in a film dubbed, The First Avenger, and will very likely extend an offer to Johansson's Black Widow.

I hope Johansson can live up to the role of the seasoned Russian super-spy, who should carry a considered aura of maturity and capability that I'm not quite sure is inherent to Johansson's acting or screen presence. These doubts extend largely from an uncertainty about the film itself, and whether or not it can rise above bog-standard summer blockbuster fodder to live up to the potential of the property. Last week I gushed about how much I appreciate the Iron Man concept and history, but I must clarify, very little of that was in reference to the film(s). While the first movie put forward a very pleasing and enjoyable experience, Iron Man ultimately felt like an exciting change in aesthetic, rather than a unique vision of the superhero formula. The Iron Man/Tony Stark dynamic offers a lot of potential to do things unique in this field, but the first film felt a victim to it's origin story, which could've been a film unto itself, and gave way to what finished as a fairly standard, formulaic vision of an action movie.

Here's hoping the movie sequel can do what the comics haven't done lately, which is tell an engaging and exciting story with a great character! There's a popular counter-cultural myth that assumes any mainstream success damns a concept or property to mediocrity. Selling out isn't in and of itself a terrible thing, but I think the Iron Man brand will need to invest in itself to have the longevity that Marvel's plans require, and to avoid becoming a stale disappointment.

Iron Man 2 has already begun screening in France and Mexico, and will drip release around the world over the coming days. It's set for an official release in the United States May 7, but if you're lucky, you might find a few early showings. Drop a comment and share your thoughts if you do!

<< Hero of the Week 05/09: Nick Fury       [Home]       Hero of the Week 04/25: Iron Man >>

Originally posted: http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9028952