Other than the addition of Deadpool, Resident Evil’s Chris Redfield and Devil May Cry’s Dante, MvC3 is evidently business as usual for the beloved Versus series; though that’s not a bad thing by any means. The savage Hulk and Extremis suit Iron Man, while being different in appearance from the last game, clearly play exactly the same as before.

Question is, now the game is in 3D will there be alternate costumes? Or will Capcom be saving those for extortionately priced DLC?

The finer superhero movie franchises have so far followed a pretty rigid formula. The first instalment acts as an origin story, the superior sequel throws a greater and/or more personal threat upon our established here, and the third movie spoils it all by cramming as many super villains, geek references and condensed comic storylines as possible into a 2 hour timeframe.

Quite unexpectedly, Iron Man 2 is closer in structure, ambitions and failings to threequels Spider-man 3 and X-Men: The Last Stand than the usual follow-up fare. It’s an absolute mess, a protracted, convoluted muddle that at often juggles so many themes, subplots and CGI slugfests that it looks to collapse in on itself. But somehow, thanks to a brilliant cast and Jon Favreau’s underappreciated direction, Iron Man 2 not only holds together but is a better movie/experience than those aforementioned second sequels. Just.

Iron Man 2 - Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark

Again, this movie’s strength is in its cast. Robert Downey Jr. staggers about misbehaving and mumbling incoherently if he never took the tuxedo off, portraying a Tony Stark who is randomly selfish, heroic, super-cool and a total loser. But it’s the villains who steal the show here. Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer has re-summoned the sleazy old-school pizzazz of his Chuck Barris from Confessions of a Danger Mind, while Mickey Rourke pretty much dominates every scene he’s in as Russkie stereotype Ivan Vanko (a.k.a. Whiplash), a tattooed barbarian with the brain of a brilliant scientist. Gwyneth Paltrow offers fine mousy support as “Pepper” Potts, even if her role is once again undernourished.

That Mickey Rourke talking to his cockatoo proves more entertaining than Iron Man and War Machine (Don Cheadle taking over as Lt. Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes, a far more likeable presence than Terrance Howard) battling a dozen military killing machines really accentuates the problem Jon Favreau has getting us to emphasise with Stark in-costume. Once Downey Jr. slips into his gold-plated titanium alter ego we suddenly find ourselves watching a video game.

Iron Man 2 - Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow

But these CGI battles wouldn’t be an issue were the film that little bit leaner. After an exhilarating first act, Favreau lets the conflict between Stark and Vanko drift to the roadside as Samuel L. Jackson’s Nicky Fury takes the stage. Marvel so desperately wants to introduce the Avengers to the moviegoing public that they’re willing to sacrifice a 200 million dollar movie in the process. A clueless Scarlett Johansson also wanders on as a bland depiction of the Black Widow. Sure, she looks stunning in a catsuit, but her character could have been excised entirely from the final film and nothing would have changed.

Of course, it’s easy to tear these overdeveloped big budget movies apart, but there’s plenty to enjoy here, from Downey Jr.’s drunken romps to an inventive confrontation with Whiplash at the Circuit de Monaco.  Ultimately, Iron Man 2 is a movie that is less than the sum of its many parts, primarily because Favreau and Marvel couldn’t quite decide what they were making; a sequel to 2008’s surprise Box Office hit, or a prequel to an overambitious project that hasn’t even gone into production yet.

6/10

Howard Stark recently made an appearance in Iron Man 2, played by John Slattery. Cooper will portray the pioneer some thirty years before Slattery’s Stark Expo footage, in the film’s World War II segment.

Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau had previously stated that Stark Senior would make an appearance in The First Avenger, to further emphasise that Marvel’s movies all take place in the same universe.

Cooper was also rumoured to be playing another Marvel comic role; Fandral of The Wariors Three in Kenneth Branagh’s Thor, but this never panned out.

Marvel, 3.99
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Olivier Coipel
Inks: Mark Morales
Colours: Laura Martin

Now that Siege is halfway through, is it an epic “seven years in the making” or yet another oversized crossover that is more likely to bore me off the Marvel Universe for good than lengthen my pull list? A return to the action packed superhuman slugfests of old or a simplistic and convenient way to revert the MU to a pre-Civil War state?

All of the above, really.

Siege #2 - Variant cover

If last issue offered few surprises – Marvel has been marketing Osborn’s assault on Asgard and the return of Steve Rogers for months now – this second issue at least had a few moments of brutality that made up for the predictable direction the entire Siege event is taking.

Bendis has clearly set out to deliver an action-orientated finale, consequently the title lacks any level of character development, or even the more intimate character moments that previous big events have allowed. The Sentry has been Osborn’s not-so-secret weapon since the formation of the Dark Avengers, but it’s sad to see what was once an interesting and conflicted character devolved to a lambent-eyed killing machine.

Olivier Coipel’s art continues to impress, though by favouring close-ups of the large cast, he’s so far failed to convey the sense of magnitude that an assault on a mythical city should. Coipel’s work on Straczyinski’s Thor revival accomplished just that, and it’s perhaps Siege’s greatest failing that this war of gods and superpowers feels so small in scale and scope.

Love Siege or hate it, the event is simply a transparent catalyst for the reunion of the traditional Avengers line-up we all know and love. Seven years in the making? More like a last minute antidote to previous crossover events. Nevertheless, unlike Avengers: Disassembled, Civil War, Secret Invasion and Dark Reign, Siege isn’t just another temporary shock to the MU that will shake up the status quo but one that looks likely to restore it.

7/10

While the Civil War crossover event a few years back turned out to be a big fuss over nothing, one of several highlights was the Front Line miniseries, which detailed the unfolding events post-Stamford from journalist Ben Urich’s perspective. And with Siege looking to be a similarly empty affair, it’s comforting to find that the new Urich side-series Siege: Embedded is just as entertaining as Front Line was.

Siege: Embedded #2

Brian Reed has so far made this series everything it should be. Firstly, he makes it clear that despite the presence of Asgard in the MU’s USA, Siege is happening in a world very similar to ours, providing some crude (but undeniably funny) satire along the way. The scenes with right-wing bastard Glen Beck – oops, I mean Todd Keller – are fantastic, as is Urich’s “interview” with an ignorant gas station assistant.

Secondly, by viewing Norman’s assault on Asgard from the perspective of two inconsequently mortals, Reed endows Embedded with a real sense of futility. We know that Captain America will rise from the dead, that Iron Man will get the opportunity to redeem himself, but Urich and cameraman Will Stern are granted no such destiny.

And lastly, this issue is just fun. Volstagg has always been a comical character, but Reed makes him a proud yet loveable buffoon who is too single-minded to quite appreciate the consequences his actions will have. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that both the art by the talented Chris Samnee and Matthew Wilson’s gaudy colours are perfectly suited to this title.

Unfortunately, after a brief tussle with some H.A.M.M.E.R. goons, Siege: Embedded is looking to take a slightly darker direction next issue. Which is a bit of shame, as I’d have happily read an entire series focussing on this unlikely trio’s road trip. ‘Urich, Stern and Volstagg Across America’… How about it, Marvel?

8/10

Iron Man: Virus

Hopefully this synopsis should whet thine appetite:

Iron Man: Virus

In the clear blue skies above Long Island, two airplanes collide. Tony Stark watches  the scene in horror and wishes he had the technology that is almost within his  reach—a new hyper-intelligent instant control system that could have given the  aircraft advance warning. But Stark, an obsessive, increasingly troubled  recluse, doesn’t know that his invention has been compromised.

In fact, the collision was a carefully crafted hit on Madame Hydra, the final stage in Arnim Zola’s plan to seize control of HYDRA and get rid of Iron Man once and  for all. The cunning adversary has already infiltrated Stark Industries security to develop a version of the instant control mechanism that will take over the armoured suit and turn it against Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D. While Tony races to track down the source of the intrusion, Zola unleashes direly  ingenious computer viruses and the ultimate secret weapon: a murderous clone  army based on Stark’s most trusted friend. A puppet master of self-replicating  terror, Zola is plunging a city into a war that threatens to consume all in  its wake.

To win yourself a copy of Iron Man: Virus, simply email us here (subject: Iron Man Comp) with your name and the answer to the following stupidly easy question.

Which villain will Mickey Rourke play in the upcoming Iron Man 2 movie?

The competition will end midnight Sunday 7th March, and winners will be notified soon after. Please note that this competition is only open to residents of the United Kingdom. Sorry, everybody else!

UPDATE: The competition has ended.

If you’re still feeling lucky, punk, then feel free to enter the Solomon Kane adaptation competition.

Iron Man vs. Whiplash #1 Review

Okay, let’s not beat around the bush: Iron Man vs. Whiplash is a shameless cash-in on the impending Iron Man movie sequel. There’s no reason for this plot existing outside of the regular series, other than Marvel seeing an opportunity to cram another title onto the shelves.

As Tony Stark sits before an international criminal court, via several flashbacks we visit the decimation of a small Russian village by what is clearly the Iron Man suit – provoking an all-new, all-vengeful version of Whiplash. Of course, we know Stark isn’t in any way guilty, so the present day frame-story in this issue is ultimately pointles

There’s something decidedly shoddy about this series. At one point the Red Guardian recounts the apprehension of Stark, yet in this same scene Guggenheim and Braga also illustrate Stark pondering his Facebook status via a several thought bubbles. Simply put, Iron Man vs. Whiplash is uninspired drivel, and anyone wanting an entry point into the Iron Man comics should instead jump into the currently superb regular series or any number of classic trades.

5/10

Emily Blunt as Black Widow?

Emily Blunt as Black Widow

Following the news that Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell will be playing the undermined antagonists in the Iron Man sequel, Variety is reporting that Emily Blunt has been cast as the foxy Soviet spy Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff.

Blunt, who is rapidly rising in Hollywood due to such hits as The Devil Wears Prada and Charlie Wilson’s War, will hopefully be able to overcome the career stigma that has actresses such as Halle Berry and Charlize Theron have had to bear, when she slips into a skin-tight catsuit. Whether she’ll be required to slip on a dodgy Russian accent is another matter.

Watchmen Conflict Ends peacefully

The world will be watching the Watchmen movie on March 6, as Warner Bros. have settled an unspecified upfront sum with Fox. All those concerns that the film will not be released this year, by some accounts ever, now seem a little bit silly don’t they?

Here’s hoping that Zack Snyder’s movie is everything it has the potential to be, and isn’t trimmed down into some pale imitation of its former graphic novel self.

Source: Empire

Iron Man 2 Villains

The Iron Man 2 rumour currently spreading across the internet like wildfire, courtesy of THR.com is that comeback kid Mickey Rourke and the excellent Sam Rockwell are in talks to play Stark’s dual antagonists. People are speculating all sorts of roles, including Whiplash (ugh), though the general consensus is that Rourke will fill the suit of Crimson Dynamo and that Rockwell will play Justin Hammer, Stark’s business rival. If this is true, the sequel will likely be heavily inspired by the Armor Wars comic arc.

Also rumoured is that another Russian, former KGB assassin Black Widow will be involved at some point. It wouldn’t be surprising, as her inclusion would make for yet another potential addition to the Avengers roster.

Iron Man - Crimson Dynamo

Thor Hammers Home

The ending of the anticipated Thor movie is apparently being rewritten to accommodate the Avengers tie-in, according to IESB.com. While it had originally been confirmed that the film would take place entirely in Asgard, lending it a strong fantasy vibe, the plan is now to introduce the titular God of Thunder to Earth by the end of this movie, thus leading into the all important, all-consuming Avengers franchise.

Whether Thor’s mortal vessel Donald Blake will be involved is still undisclosed, but it would make sense, as Blake would give the character a more grounded connection to Stark, Rogers et al. Until he swaps his doctor’s coat for Mjolnir and a shiny winged helmet, that is.

From the very first issue, The Ultimates defines its intentions with a suckerpunch; this is the Avengers in our world, driven by our politics and prone to our vices.

The Ultimates vol. 1: Super-human

Back to that first issue. The last hurrah of World War II era Captain America, and his subsequent freezing, sets off Super-human with a velocity that it sustains throughout. By regular Marvel standards not a lot happens, but Mark Millar brings his science-minded supergroup together in a way that is intricate and believable. There are no weak links in this chain; for once Bruce Banner is as valuable a member as his green/grey alter ego, and Steve Roger’s blood may hold the key to an entire army of super-soldiers.

Up until The Ultimates I had seen the Ultimate imprint as a bit of a waste of time. Neither Ultimate Spider-man nor Fantastic Four were substantially different from their counterparts to be of interest to all but the casual reader. Strangely, Millar takes the opposite approach here, taking the familiar faces and worn concept and producing something different enough to stand on its own. While the aforementioned titles catered primarily to those with only a passing knowledge of the Marvel Universe or those curious about Marvel’s finest after enjoying the corresponding movies, The Ultimates can be appreciated as both an inventive re-imagining of the team and a satire in the same “widescreen” vein as The Authority, which both Millar and Hitch previously worked on (though separately).

On a more personal note, though I enjoyed and respected what the creative talents concerned have done with The Ultimates, the series does lack a certain warmth, the likes of which had adhered the Fantastic Four and X-Men runs through their lowest points. Millar’s razor-sharp characterisation has ensured that not one “hero” in this incarnation of the team is remotely likeable. Captain America is now a military bully, Hank Pym is a victim to a gargantuan inferiority complex and Tony Stark… well, Stark hasn’t changed enough. On the plus side the Ultimate Jarvis, now a bitter, sardonic queen, is a riot.

Whereas Ultimate Spider-man took the web-slinger back to his roots, and Ultimate X-Men offered a variation on everybody’s favourite mutants minus the blight of time travel and alternate universe convolutions, The Ultimates stands as an exceptional, if not definitive, team origin book that is smart enough to invite readers from beyond the spandex-crowd, or indeed the comic medium. And that’s high praise indeed.

8/10