Iron Man 2: Expectations High.

Iron Man was not something I wanted to see at first. Marvel chose to release it during a point in time when Tony Stark was among the least most popular characters in the whole universe, (See Marvel:Civil War), and he certainly didn't have the exposure of the X-men or Spider-man.You see, Tony Stark isn't a misunderstood misfit mutant. He isn't a sympathetic web slinging loser. He's filthy rich, a womanizer, a boozer and he's not afraid of putting these traits in your face.  He's hard to identify with. Period.

Like I stated, I was not looking forward to the film.

Then I heard Jon Favreau was directing. Previously to Iron Man, he had directed Made, Elf, and Zathura, three films that didn't cement my belief that the man could reign in Tony Stark. 

Again, I was wary. But then I heard that Robert Downey Jr. had been cast to play Tony Stark. 

"Well played Jon Favreau...well played" I sneered from my rotating villain chair, "But will your next move be as wise?"

Jeff Bridges was then cast as the antagonist Obidiah Stane. I was defeated. I was going to the movie.

Needless to say that I, like nearly everyone else, loved the movie. It had everything you could want in a well polished film and more. The drama wasn't over played, the comedy was fresh and funny... it isn't any surprise that many critics chose it OVER The Dark Knight as the best comic film of the year. 

Naturally,  and this is something I'm certain everyone else does, I started thinking about the sequel. What was next for Tony Stark? Would he join the "Avengers Initiative" (awesome)? Will there be more Samuel L. Jackson in future (Yes. He's signed on for NINE films with Marvel)? There were many questions floating around my brain as I walked out of the theatre that night.

The biggest of all was "Ok. So now they have to top Jeff Bridges in the next film. What villain could they possibly use?"

Naturally there's Iron Man's arch nemesis The Mandarin, a character that is not only horribly racist (He is the MANDARIN after all), but uses magical rings. The Ten Rings was the name of the terrorist group in IM, a nice nod to the villain, and Iassumed we'd see him next. 

Then there's my personal favorite, the industrial spy known as the Ghost. Ghost has a power suit too, but his let's him pass through solid objects and become invisible. Imagine how cool that would be! Right? A spy at Stark Industries, stealing Iron Man suit secrets! 

Meanwhile, a little film known as "The Wrestler" was released. Mickey Rourke fever sweeps the nation. I have always been a fan.  

Marvel decides to nearly kill me with fangasmic awesomeness when I discover they were courting him to play a villain in the sequel.  (Sam Rockwell's Justin Hammer is not yet set in stone yet *fingers crossed*)

"Well played Favreau..."

It is my great pleasure to announce that Mickey 

Rourke has in fact signed onto the film, to play... Whiplash. ->

Uhm. Wut?

Ok. Let me be fair. This is an old picture of the guy, but I wish I was being facetious when I say that this is his coolest costume.

Ok. Let be be fair once more. According to the Iron Man 2 people, he will also have elements of the Crimson Dynamo (see below) within his character as well.

So now, again... I am wary.  I've had bad experiences with poor mix matching (X-3's Callisto-Caliban-Quicksilver and Hulk's Daddy Banner-Absorbing Man-Zzazx... oh is my nerd showing?) before...

Even more so now with this announcement: Scarlett Johansson will be portraying Marvel's premire Femme Fatale The Black Widow.

ScarJo is pretty. I'll give her that. But can she play hardened Post Cold War operative? 

We'll see.

I just hope they go with ...erm....better.... costume for Rourke... something like this maybe...