Goofy Gadgets - Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty

Captain America is back on the World War II battlefield in Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty for iOS devices like iPad and iPhones.  HYDRA led by Red Skull has kidnapped three of the Howling Commandos including Bucky.  Outnumbered only Captain America can rescue them from the battlefield, factory and plane were they are being kept behind enemy lines.  To free his men, Cap will have to fight HYDRA soldiers, put on an acrobatic display and use his shield to defend himself.

This is the second Avengers themed app I have tried out.  In many ways Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty is like that first game Thor: Son of Asgard in that fact you play the hero and walk through levels defeating opponents as you get closer to your goal.  And like Thor, Cap has a throwing weapon that can be launched from a distance.  However, the fighting sequences seemed a little clearer in Cap’s game and not as jumbled to me.  Like the Thor game, the user is taught how to use moves as you walk through the game so you can learn as you go.  Players can also find extras, unlockable historic comic cover images, by picking up HYDRA files.  

The navigation is different however.  In Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty, players use their finger to draw where Captain America should walk or hit!  So to go right, draw your finger right on the screen.  Likewise you do the same to go left.  However, it took me a few levels before I realized all I had to do to stop Cap’s running was double tap on the screen.  Additionally, this drawing control is quirky to me.  To hit you also draw toward your opponent.  But sometimes, oftentimes, when I draw to hit I start Cap running.  And if Cap is running he is probably not hitting!  

Captain America in Action

I don’t typically pay for apps and I got this one for free.  For that price it is an enjoyable game that I will play for a few weeks and then totally forget about.  This is also my pattern with games I typically pay for.  That’s not all bad as it has helped me move away from Temple Run: Brave.  I do not believe I would pay the original $4.99 price tag on it however, though the regular price of $2.99 seems solid.  I do like this game better than Thor: Son of Asgard.  But I also like Captain America better than Thor in most movies and comics.  For anyone who has dreamt of being Captain America, this game is for you and will give you several hours of fun.     

Between Books - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Screenplay

When searching the library for something else I stumbled on Captain America: The First Avenger - The Screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.  And being a guy who loves the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), I had to grab this Between Book!

Captain America: The First Avenger - The Screenplay puts the movie's official screenplay in the reader's hands.  The text is a shot for shot script of the movie, complete with traditional screenplay notations.  The story is familiar to anyone who has seen the film, the saga of how Steve Rogers was transformed into Captain America who leads the fight against evil Hydra during World War II.  Along with the script, readers are given storyboards for the "Kruger Chase Scene". 

It is quite an adventure reading a screenplay.  There are a number of notations I had to research such as why were scenes omitted, they were once in drafts of the script but are now removed though a placeholder shows their past existence.  And O.S. meant nothing to me until I through Google learned it was "Off-Screen".  As you can see it is a very different reading experience.  I am very familiar with this story.  So sometimes the lines are not the same as I remember them.  I assume that that in these cases an alternative line was edited into the film that was not included in the script.  I will not say I liked this experience better or worse than reading a typical book, but it is definitely different.

I really read the book to get greater insight into the movie.  One such insight is I have always called Dum Dum Dugan, Gabe Jones, Bucky and Captain America's other elite fighters the Howling Commandos due to press pieces.  The Howling Commandos traditionally include Dugan and Jones, but in comics are actually related to Nick Fury.  The script never calls them the Howling Commandos, instead they are referred to throughout the screenplay as the Invaders.  The Invaders in comics was Captain America's World War II team that included Bucky but also superheroes such as Namor and the Human Torch.  And I can see how in the script stage that the Invaders would have been a more natural name than Howling Commandos.  Another moment that worked better for me in print is the final crash scene.  There is a moment where you want to say that Rogers did not try very hard.  But the screenplay really does a good job breaking down the options for me.

Another aspect that I found illuminated was how bare a script for a major action movie can be.  The scenes I know are all here.  But background and action sequences are rarely broken into deep detail.  I can now see how important the work of the production staff really is because there is clearly a large amount of conceptual and design work behind the script to make the image a eye popping action romp.

Captain America: The First Avenger - The Screenplay retells a story that many of us know and enjoy.  The screenplay mostly follows the movie that we know.  But it does help fill in some details.  And it leaves some questions, like what cities were omitted from the war bond tour?  Did Cap come to my town?  I totally want to know!

Mousey Movies - Captain America: The First Avenger

I do have standards and despite what you may think I do not declare every movie is Mousey.  First, I need to find a minimum of four hooks that tie into the Disney legacy.  So when I rewatched The Incredible Hulk, I could not find those four hooks and I declared it not Mousey.  Other movies that I have simply not enjoyed I refuse to declare Mousey out of spite.  For example I will not call Gnomeo and Juliet Mousey, despite the role of Elton John and a Kermit t-shirt on a clothesline because I did not enjoy it.  I do have standards!  Despite that I really want Captain America: The First Avenger to be Mousey.  It is the last offering from the Marvel Cinematic Universe before The Avengers with the post-credit scene likely running straight into the 2012 blockbuster. 

Now a friend, let us call him Universal Urgings or Harry Hangover, and I discussed the possibility via email.  And he thought my reasoning was weak!  Honestly, he may be right.  I truthfully cannot use links to the other Marvel films to declare the movie Mousey.  And though it also has Stan Lee in a cameo, that really does not count for declaring a movie Mousey.  Sadly, there is no Agent Coulson, unless you count the bonus features or the trailer immediately after the post credit scene.  So I had to get creative.  You be the judge, was I too hasty in declaring Captain America: The First Avenger Mousey?:    

·     Driven to Serve:  Puny Steve Rogers is driven to serve. He wants to do his fair share in the war effort against the Axis powers in World War II.  But he is disqualified over and over again because he is too sickly, too small, too weak.  In order to overcome these obstacles he agrees to become a super solider, undergoing a treatment that gives him strength and speed.  He uses these super abilities as Captain America to thwart Germany’s foremost scientific organization, Hydra, and its leader the Red Skull. 

There is a real life parallel with Walt Disney.  During World War I, Disney also wanted to serve and do his fair share in the war in Europe.  His older brother Roy O. Disney was serving in the Navy and Walt thought he should be carrying part of the burden of the war effort.  At age 16 he dropped out of school and tried to join the Army.  He was rejected for being too young.  But like Rogers, Disney found a way to overcome his obstacles to service.  He joined the Red Cross and drove an ambulance in France.  Unlike Rogers, Disney’s service was all in peace time.  He did not begin his year in the Red Cross until after the November 11, 1918, armistice.            

·     Are You Mad:  Sebastian Stan plays Steve Rogers best friend and companion in arms Sergeant James Bucky Barnes.  Barnes prepared for his role by studying hours of World War II films and documentaries.  This leads me to ask, how does one prepare to be the Mad Hatter  Stan steals an entire episode of ABC’s Once Upon a Time as this iconic Disney character.  It is nice to be reminded that some worlds, including ours, need magic!  

·     Rockets Away:  Director Joe Johnston clearly knows two things.  First, he has been successful with films set during World War II.  Second, he has a proven track record with using fantastic scientific devices as a plot device.  Third, what wait three, he knows how to direct his bad guys as German baddies.  Johnston not only was successful with this formula in Captain America: The First Avenger but also in the cult classic The Rocketeer. 

·     Ohana: The movie is scored by prolific composer Alan Silvestri.  Silverstri’s past Disney credits include but are not limited to Lilo and Stitch, Flight of the Navigator, and The Parent Trap (Lindsey Lohan version).  Silvestri was nominated for a Grammy for a Disney offering, 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit.  

Well, did I pull it off?  Do you agree this is a Mousey Movie?  It sure does smell like it to me!  Take that Potter Pal, you have been defeated.  And good will carry the day as we await the release of Disney and Marvel’s The Avengers.  

Oswald Opines - Marvelous Missteps?

Captain America: New World Order

 

Marvel Cinematic Universe movies are expensive! The reality is to make a profit they need to bring in not just hardcore fans, but also those with just general interest.

Also, in our post-pandemic world, it has become more difficult to convince moviegoers to leave their couch and visit a theater. I’m shocked to say that at this moment there are two movies I have seen in the theater with Deadpool and Wolverine and Beatlejuice Beatlejuice. I’m honestly not sure I couldn’t have waited for Tim Burton’s latest even with me enjoying it. There is a chance that I will be catching two in-theater movies during the Thanksgiving weekend, but that’s due to the occasion and family plans.

Here is my worry.

I feel like before Avengers: Endgame there were generally a story and cast linkage that kept moviegoers coming. Yes, Guardians of the Galaxy was risky, but even there we had an Infinity Stone to bring the skeptical into the story. By the time that Doctor Strange hit the screen there was some trust to get moviegoers who knew nothing about the Sorcerer Supreme would go and view the film.  

Now, in the shadow Deadpool and Wolverine, I have worries. The next films have no cast or story connections to the only MCU movie of 2024! So I don’t think Logan or Wade can halo the next MCU film to a massive hit.

This got me thinking about what’s next. We have Captain America: Brave New World and I think this will be a hard sell. Let’s take a look!

 

First, we have politics. I’m not sure that with real-life politics and tension this is going to pull fans to the movies. Let’s add, that I’m not sure that even those who have watched Falcon and the Winter Soldier are going to be fully immersed in the complexities of their political difficulties. I don’t even know what I should be tracking as important with the complications of Disney+’s Secret Invasion which best might be forgotten like Kang. Harrison Ford may have replaced the alien-hating President from that series. But who knows and who cares? I don’t even know if need to see this as a sequel to one specific Disney+ mini-series, which I’m not sure how many watched. And I’m vague because I’m not sure what series it is a sequel to!

February 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World has three things going for it. First, the title indicates to viewers that this film is a continuation of the Chris Evan’s franchise. Second, it features Anthony Mackie who helps that feeling by giving us a familiar face we can cheer for and who was present before Avengers: Endgame. And finally, as Disney fans we all love Harrison Ford, and find ourselves amused with the fact he was willing to join the franchise. I think, or maybe hope, that Captain America: Brave New World will perform okay, with it being the next film after a hit and some familiar faces, even if many fans don’t understand or want to understand the political atmosphere post-Snap (sorry it’s the Snap not Blip to me). 

Thunderbolts*

Now, the next release for May 2025, really has me worried with Thunderbolts*. 

When I watched this trailer with family who have matched most of the MCU, they kept saying, who, what, and when. This is also someone who has fatigue in tracking all MCU threads. Also…not to be mean, but this is another Disney+ sequel. Black Widow, sadly, was a Disney+ movie. Falcon and the Winter Soldier, with Bucky the one pre-Endgame hero was Disney+, and that’s the only place we have seen John Walker. And poor Ghost, by this viewer, was forgotten from Ant-Man and the Wasp. Honestly, most of these anti-heroes except for Bucky, Red Guardian, and Belova Widow were at the back of my mind. And let’s toss in the fact that Bob is really not a known hero, he’s not a cult favorite, and he’s really not “fun”. Many are going to look at the trailer and compare it to Suicide Squad which was not a good time for everyone. I just think this is going to be a harder sell to broad audiences. So I worry that Thunderbolts* is not going to do well, I worry we are looking at our next Eternals unless Han Solo can give them a halo effect!


So Robert Downey Jr. is coming back, now as Doctor Doom. There are a lot of people who are saying this is a bad move. This is a necessary move. This is the type of casting that will remind average fans of his days as Iron Man. He is an award-winning actor who’s done great things since leaving the MCU. He’s also a face and name that audiences connect with the franchise. Is it odd that is he playing someone else, yeah sure. But is it familiar to see him doing press for the MCU, yes..yes it is. The MCU needs to be a little less risky and experimental at the moment as it reasserts itself!


To have nice things, we need people to pay for them. I worry that the MCU isn’t going to grab the attention of moviegoers in this current resistance to theater seats unless they do something drastic. Bringing back familiar faces that audiences love could be that piece to move us back. And if we learned anything from Deadpool and Wolverine we need permission to have fun again in our tights and bed sheets. I believe that by the time we get to the Avengers movies that Kevin Fiege will have us back on course. But first, we may have to allow a downturn again.

Mousey Movies - The Avengers Primer

With John Carter behind us we move onto Disney’s guaranteed blockbuster, The Avengers.  Disney you say, why yes, yes it is.  Though we find Marvel characters and rides in Universal Studios Orlando, Disney owns the Marvel universe.  If you question whether or not the Avengers or Marvel is part of the Disney family, prepare yourself for an Avengers monorail wrap much like we saw with Tron Legacy.  Disney may not be able to host Iron Man or Captain America meet and greets in the parks due to the Universal contract, but the Marvel presence is soon to be evident in our favorite vacation spots.  Bob Iger at the 2012 Annual Meeting stated that there are plans to introduce Marvel characters into the theme parks.    

Captain America is Ready to Meet You, But Not at Walt Disney World!

As a kid who grew up reading The X-Men, The Amazing Spiderman, and the occasional Avengers I have been excited about what I have informally referred to as the “Avengers Project” for over five years.  And after Disney bought Marvel after the project kicked off, my interest went straight through the roof. 

Development of The Avengers actually started in 2005, years before Disney purchased Marvel Comics.  So in many ways, Disney inherited a string of blockbusters.  The concept was to release several Marvel hero movies and then have then all wrap together into one movie that included the stars of the previous films.  The connective tissue was a initially minor character, Nick Fury.  Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson in the Avenger movies, is the longtime director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (The Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division) a government agency working to ensure the overall security of the United States.  S.H.I.E.L.D. would appear first in 2008’s Iron Man in Agent Coulson, brilliantly played by Clark Gregg, but Fury would not appear until a short interaction with Tony Stark after the credits!  Though the role of Nick Fury was expanded in some future offerings, especially Iron Man 2, Fury has largely been a secondary plot point which guided viewers forward to this year’s The Avengers.  The following are quick summaries of the movies to date leading to The Avengers including which major characters key to the plot of The Avengers are introduced, as we know it to date:

Iron Man (2008) 

·        The audience is introduced to billionaire playboy and arms manufacturer Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr.  Kidnapped in a foreign land the genius Stark develops the Iron Man suit of armor.  Stark struggles with balancing his own personal failings with becoming a public superhero and fights to save his technology and company from falling into the hands of his business partner and mentor turned bad.

·         S.H.I.E.L.D. comes out of the shadows to discuss with Tony the implications of his technically advanced suit of armor.  Agent Phil Coulson is charged with investigating the Iron Man technology.  The unintimating Coulson proves to be more than a man in a suit but an ally in Stark’s struggle to control his invention.

·         Nick Fury after the credits visits Stark on a recruiting visit to work with S.H.I.E.L.D.  

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

·         In this semi-sequel to the 2003 Hulk, Doctor Bruce Banner, played by Edward Norton, struggles with overcoming the Gamma radiation poisoning that turns the bookish scientist into the mindless and destructive Hulk.  Norton taking over the role from Eric Bana, plays a more cerebral Banner and is a character more familiar to fans of the 1970’s Bill Bixby The Incredible Hulk, than a smash everything brute. 

·         A cameo from Tony Stark after the credits notes that a team is being put together. 

·         Honestly this is the one Avengers movie that I have never watched more than once.  So I think many forgot its role in moving forward the Avengers story. 

·         Norton is replaced as Bruce Banner/Hulk by Mark Ruffalo in The Avengers.  In my opinion, Ruffalo’s appearance appears to be in the brainy Banner mold, not the hunkish and rock hard action hero.  

Iron Man 2 (2010)

·         Iron Man 2 was released after the Disney acquisition of Marvel and was promoted heavily by the Walt Disney Company as seen by the merchandise found in places like the Disney Store. 

·         Tony Stark returns and seriously loses his mojo as he faces death due to a heart defect.  He is also confronted by business rivals and a new villain that insists that Stark’s business and personal life should be his own.

·         Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, with the aid of Agent Coulson put Stark on a path to hopefully restore Tony’s groove.  Fury does question if Stark is able to cooperate with others and be material for the team he is assembling. 

·         Another S.H.I.E.L.D. agent The Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson is introduced.  The Black Widow is a martial arts and espionage expert assigned by Fury to keep a watchful eye on Stark and will return as a member of the Avengers.

·         Coulson is called away to a situation in New Mexico.  After the credits, Coulson calls back to report he has found something.  This scene leads us into the next Avengers themed movie. 

·         Many prefer the first Iron Man movie to the sequel but as a Disney fan this is my favorite due to its Mouseyness.  The parallels between Howard Stark, Tony’s father, and Walt Disney are impossible to miss. 

Thor (2011)

·         This film introduces another member of the Avengers team in the Norse god Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth.  Thor due to a poor decision making is thrown out of his home of Asgard by his father Odin.  Thor must find himself and his power again during a busy weekend in New Mexico.  As he finds himself, he struggles for control of Asgard and with his brother Loki, brilliantly portrayed by Tom Hiddleston. 

·         A post credits scene with Nick Fury hints that Loki will return.  The trailers for The Avengers confirm that Loki returns as a major villain.

·         It is revealed that the item Agent Coulson has found in New Mexico is Thor’s mystical hammer Mjolnir.  S.H.I.E.L.D. has a major presence in the story, guarding and investigating Mjolnir. 

·         Another Avenger is briefly introduced.  As Thor attempts to steal back Mjolnir from S.H.I.E.L.D. he is under the watchful eye of Clint Barton or Hawkeye played by Oscar nominated actor Jeremy Renner.  Hawkeye is a sharp shooter whose weapon of choice is a bow and arrow.    

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

·         Captain America: The First Avenger is the last piece of The Avengers puzzle at it introduces World War II era hero Captain America played by Chris Evans.  Lightweight Steve Rogers fails in his attempts to be inducted into the Army to fight the Axis powers.  Noticed by a government scientist he is selected for a program that gives him superhuman strength.  Under the name Captain America he fights a faction of Nazi scientific elite called HYDRA under the command of the Red Skull. 

·         The ending of the movie, sorry for any possible spoilers, transitions to the modern day as Nick Fury introduces an unaged Steve Rogers to the modern world.  After the credits, Fury returns to ask Rogers about joining a team he is putting together.  

Setup your Netflix queue or visit your local Redbox because you have your homework to finish before May 4^th.  The Avengers, unlike one of my favorites of this year John Carter is sure to be a hit for Disney.  And as a Disney fan we are sure to be seeing much more from the Avengers team and these individual superheroes to come.  Follow-up movies from Marvel Studios have already been announced including an Iron Man 3, Thor 2, and Nick Fury.   Superheroes are going to be supported by the House of Mouse for years to come! 

Between Books - Marvel Masterworks Presents the Avengers

I’m really excited about The Avengers.  I wonder if you noticed!  This is a Disney blockbuster that is easy to get behind, but it should be high quality and successful enough to promise us more.  I have been preparing for The Avengers rewatching the Avenger Initiative movies and watching Ultimate Spider-Man and following Clark Gregg on twitter.  Yeah, I’m pumped.  For my final preparation I decided to go back to the beginning, to visit 1963 when the Avengers assembled for the first time. 

To do this I picked up a copy of Marvel Masterworks Presents The Avengers.  The graphic novel collects the first ten issues of The Avengers from September 1963 to November 1964.  All ten stories are written by the legendary Stan Lee, the creator must have a legendary cameo in this movie.  Mr. Lee provides an introduction to the collection, noting that in the heyday of Marvel’s renaissance in the 1960s they realized that team-ups were profitable, leading to a permanent team-up book in The Avengers.  The first 8 stories are drawn by legend Jack Kirby with the last two being drawn by Don Heck.  Instead of providing an overview of every tale I want to give you my observations from this read and how they may link to The Avengers movie.  I apologize for spoilers, but these tales are nearly 50 years old!  Did Stan Lee even have a mustache back then?:

·         Original Sin:  From The Avengers trailer we know that Thor’s brother Loki is a primary villain this May.  This is so appropriate as it was Loki that originally brought the first Avenger team of Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man and Wasp together.  It’s a great throwback to the first story that many fans won’t know about.            

·        What’s in a Name:  Most of us know the alter ego of the Incredible Hulk as Dr. Bruce Banner.  Though some of us may remember Bruce Bixby playing Dr. David Banner on television during our formative years.  Hulk goes by three different names in these original stories.  They use the familiar Dr. Bruce Banner often.  But he is also referred to as Dr. Bob Banner.  Now this one through me since I had not heard it before.  Now technically he is Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, so Bob does pass the sniff test.  But in one instance a friend calls him Dr. Donald Blake.  Now this is an instance where an editor was needed since Dr. Donald Blake as we know from Thor is not Hulk but Thor.  Clearly this was a mistake where an editor failed to pick up on the goof.  But it is right that Hulk struggles with his true identity.  In The Avengers a third actor in three films will be taking on the role.  Mark Ruffalo takes over from Edward Norton who followed Eric Bana as Banner.  The Avengers simply continues 50 years of identity confusion for the green avenger.      

·         Return of the King:  Marvel warns you in the opening pages of issue 4 to treat the edition as a collectors’ item, because it features the return of Captain America and his addition to the Avengers. In 1954, Atlas Comics, which would later become Marvel Comics, cancelled Captain America and Cap’s days of fighting the Axis in Europe was over!  In 1964, Mr. Lee and Mr. Kirby (who had drawn Cap) brought the Boy Scout hero back from the dead and publication limbo as a member of the Avengers.  Of course, it’s not easy to have been gone for such as long time.  Therefore, Steve Rogers has to battle with the demons of such a long time on ice (pun intended).  In one scene he actually has a physical confrontation with his new partner Rick Jones as he attempts to model himself after Cap’s old deceased partner Bucky.  And I expect in The Avengers will see Captain America dealing with being suspended for over 50 years in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.         

·         The Weaker Sex:  I am a dad of a girl.  And the female heroes in Marvel Masterworks Presents The Avengers are not the role models I am looking for.  The Wasp is well, shallow.  She cares about looks, commenting constantly on how handsome men are or what they could do to be more attractive.  And she is very concerned with her looks.  And the other females in the first 10 stories are not much better.  Susan Storm from the Fantastic Four in her one frame is too busy to discuss a pressing issue, she has a fashion show to go to.  They are pretty much the opposite of the strong and smart Black Widow I believe we will see in The Avengers.  She may be properly accessorized, but she’s does not seem afraid to get her hands dirty!    

·         The Greatest Enemy:  Throughout these tales the Avengers continually fight a reoccurring opponent, themselves.  Often the Avenger to get piled on by the rest of the team is the Hulk.  Poor Hulk, he wants to be a hero but when you express yourself through smashing you are often misunderstood.  And he is not the only Avenger who gets into a fight with one of his teammates.  Let’s just say if we see Thor and Iron Man getting into a fist fight, or anyone trying to smack down the Hulk from the Avenger team the tradition simply continues. 

·         Silly Rabbit:  Reading an old comic book is an adventure!  Stories were not as tight and slang is used that can lead to an unintended chuckle decades later.  The stories here have points that make 21^st century man laugh.  One of my favorites is Captain America’s arch enemy Baron Zemo has had a hood stuck to his head for nearly 20 years after a World War II battle with Cap.  It’s only in his latest struggle that he realizes he may want to search for a solvent, not just revenge, which could actually remove the hood.  He declared he never thought of the idea!  In another scene Wasp uses the phone to call the police.  She’s in her miniature Wasp form not her standard height.  I wonder if she had to scream and sounded squeaky to those on the other end of the line.  Can I be honest, I could use a silly scene or two in the new movie.      

      Marvel Masterworks Presents The Avengers is a great way to get yourself into an Avengers state of mind! In these pages you see the first meeting of the Avengers, the stories that started it all. They are an adventure written and drawn by comic book legends and well worth the read as you prepare for May 4th.   

      

Mousey Movie Review - Iron Man 3

I am a Disney fan, Marvel fan, superhero fan and a heretic.

Contrary to other reviews you may have read already, let me say Iron Man 3 is a good movie but not the greatest superhero comic movie ever. It is not as good as The Avengers, Iron Man 2,or Iron Man (my personal ranking, yes I did put 2 before 1). It is fun and enjoyable though at times (the front) it kind of drags and I have plenty of concerns that brought me out of the movie the first time I watched it. Maybe my expectations were too high!

In the third installment of the Iron Man series, an emotionally maturing Tony Stark, played brilliantly by Robert Downey Jr., is dealing, and not well, with the emotional ramifications of the battle for New York in The Avengers. While emotionally at his wit’s end he enters into a confrontation with the terrorist The Mandarin who is attempting to reeducate the American President. Tony becomes embroiled into this confrontation after one of The Mandarin’s Extermis soldiers hurts someone close to Tony. After a strike on his home, Stark must determine how to defeat the demons of his past, find The Mandarin’s lair, protect those he loves and defend the United States’ government in this Mousey Movie:

• Team Work: Where is Captain America? I assume that Thor is not in the neighborhood but where is Captain America? Shouldn’t Captain America face a challenge against the United States and its leader? Is he not the most natural of Tony’s friends, he has a flag on his chest, to at least fight for the American way of life? Where is S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury? Tony Stark is at least loosely affiliated with S.H.I.E.L.D., so should we not expect Nick Fury (who never shows up) to at least send someone like Coulson’s replacement over to the Stark Ranch after an air strike against it. But nope, no S.H.I.E.L.D. Tony Stark is part of a wider world, so where is everybody? 

• The Real World: To me a hallmark of the Iron Man films has been cementing Tony Stark to the real world. So I wondered how The Mandarin played by Ben Kingsley would be handled. The Mandarin is a traditional Asian Iron Man villain powered by ten rings that are either magical or alien depending on the story arc you are reading. He is very non-real world. But I do applaud the fresh and realistic take they give to the Mandarin. He is portrayed in a way that should not be offensive to any culture. And he easily could exist in our world. Since Thor brought us Gods and The Avengers brought us aliens I thought maybe they would take an imaginary leap with The Mandarin. Instead, they followed their past and stayed in our world and I really liked it. And Kingsley was brilliant in his portrayal of this classic villain. 

• Kids and Animals: Kingsley was good, but Ty Simpkins stole the show for me. Who? Exactly! This fresh faced youngster plays a boy named Harley. Harley like Stark is mechanical and an emotional hot mess. If anyone can put the cocky superhero into his place it is Harley. Disney, sign this kid onto a long-term contract. We need to see him in future films as a sidekick to the millionaire, a protégé one might say. With Coulson out of the picture, until the T.V. show premiers at least, I officially identify Harley as my new favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe original character. 

• Tear Jerker: Everyone who has seen the trailers knows that Tony’s home is attacked and his hall of armor is devastated. I used to be sad about this when I saw the first trailers. But I must have come to terms with it, because I was sad but the armor loss did not upset me. But I had forgot there were other items in the garage that I've become emotionally attached to. So despite seeing this scene over and over again I was still left with a sense of loss. 

• Other People’s Property: Punisher, Ghost Rider, Daredevil and Blade are all officially back in the Disney/Marvel family. And it is clear that Disney is concerned with staking claims to their property, intellectual property that is. Along with the return of the Marvel lost children, Kevin Feige has announced that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are planned to be featured in The Avengers 2. This is interesting since Disney does not have movie rights to their daddy Magneto, who is in the X-Men films. And you have to wonder if they can even stay they are mutants? But the move does block these mutant siblings from being used in the non-Disney Marvel movies. Another addition in the second Avengers film is AIM as Aldrich Killian’s think tank. And Roxxon is mentioned as a company within the Disney Cinematic Universe before it could show up in a Spider-Man film. The most interesting marking of the Disney territory is War Machine being re-branded as Iron Patriot. I prefer the War Machine name, especially since Rhodey has never been Iron Patriot. Oh, and Iron Patriot is a villain, a re-purposed Iron Man suit worn by Spider-Man villain Norman Osborn. Is it possible that Marvel and Disney made this name change now to keep an Iron Man-like armor from showing up in the Spider-Man films? Honestly, I have a hard time believing that Sony could include Iron Patriot in their plans without Marvel approval. When all the intellectual dust settles, I wish War Machine was still War Machine! 

• Business Casual: This is a small thing, but it took me out of the movie. Don Cheadle’s Colonel James Rhodes the pilot of Iron Patriot is an Air Force officer. So his uniform when on patrol in the Iron Patriot armor is a polo and jeans that one can buy in any men’s section. Should he not have some sort of Battle Dress Uniform or other sanctioned and logoed military outfit when on official patrol, and not an outfit I could buy in every department store’s men’s section? I guess it does make CosPlay easier! I just keep thinking that Walt Disney demanded that Imagineers be true to details because even if we did not know why something was off we would still feel it. I felt it! 

• Action Jackson: The action sequences are really good, especially the attack on the Stark mansion and the battle finale. The Between Kid saw it with me the second time and I am pretty sure there was no blinking during both of these sequences. And despite having seen the movie once before, I still felt pulled into Tony’s struggles as his house was destroyed around him. The second time I paid to see the film in IMAX 3D, which usually I dislike. But for Iron Man 3 I really enjoyed the feeling of broken glass flying at me or ashes floating throughout the room. 

• Grow Up: I do believe the storyline shows growth for three of our main characters. Tony Stark clearly now cares for someone beyond himself, Pepper Potts. Potts, portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow, is definitely in charge of Stark Industries and comfortable with that role. She says no and yes on her authority and not Tony’s. In fact, Pepper comes off as a very strong figure in the board room, her romantic relationship, and even on the battlefield filled with villains and heroes. And Happy Hogan , played by Jon Favreau, no longer drives Tony or Pepper around but heads all of Stark security. It is nice to see these original three have not been stuck in place. 

• False Ending: I really feel like they are trying to give Iron Man 3 a Dark Knight Rises ending where the trilogy of Iron Man films are all wrapped up in a neat little package. But everyone, and I mean everyone to the youngest child knows, knows that regardless of the ending tying up of plot points that Tony Stark and Iron Man will return in The Avengers 2. In fact, the ending could literally end the Iron Man saga, and the Between Tween asked if there would ever be another Iron Man movie. After the post-credit scene we are told Tony Stark will be back and all the emotional work that the ending built up is out the window with a title card. I really felt like they fully do not understand the bigger picture. If this was the true end of a trilogy I would be satisfied. But that is not the situation. In the end, this ending is just misdirection to me. I should not I have debated heavily with a friend about this point, but I still have not been convinced it was the ending we needed. 

Again, good not great. Iron Man 3 does have things we expect and need including the Stan Lee cameo and the post credit scene. Actually the post credit scene was not what I expected, or still believe needed, but was probably one of the best to date. If you are reading this blog, you will probably see Iron Man 3, if you have not already. I recommend sitting back, relaxing and do not look critically. Because when I took that strategy it was a much better movie.

Between Books - Battle Scars

Some moments get a lot of hype. In 2012, Peter Parker “died” within the main Marvel universe. In early 2013 Damian Wayne the current Robin in the DC universe was killed. I apologize if I spoiled something for you, but both of these story arcs led to major news coverage in the mainstream media. Yet, I heard nothing of something I believe is a major shift in the Marvel universe from 2011. Marvel released a miniseries titled Battle Scars written by Christ Yost, Cullen Bunn, and Matt Fraction. Seriously you may have never heard of this series, but you need to Disney fans, because its conclusion the Marvel print world and Marvel Cinematic Universe were reconciled. Because at the end, Nick Fury in the print world was African American and stylized after Samuel L. Jackson!

The trade paperback Battle Scars collects all six issues written by Yost, Bunn and Fraction and illustrated by Scot Eaton. The story follows U.S. Army Ranger Marcus Johnson, whose mother an “innocent” school teacher is killed while his is serving overseas. When Johnson returns for her funeral he discovers that he has a bounty on his head and some of the world’s most dangers assassins including Taskmaster and Deadpool are looking to collect, dead or alive. Though put under the protection of S.H.I.E.L.D., Johnson escapes their custody to solve the mystery of why someone killed his mother, targeted him, and the identity of his father who he never knew. While on this journey, he is assisted by a fellow Ranger named Cheese. The two ordinary men bring their training and friendship into a world of superheroes and super villains. By the time the action packed story concludes, the image of Nick Fury is reconciled with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I enjoyed this story. I did not pick up the trade thinking I would need to think deeply. What I was hoping for was escapist adventure, and the creators delivered that in spades. This story is full of action. It is really fast paced. And you come to sympathize with Marcus as you want to help him uncover the mystery around him. Because I had seen much of the plot in internet searches earlier I was spoiled to some key point story points and reveals. But I still wanted to keep up with Johnson as he uncovered the mystery surrounding his life. Additionally, I really liked the character of Cheese. Though he lacks flash, his skill and loyalty shine throughout the story.

Again, minor spoilers, at the end of this issue S.H.I.E.L.D. gains two key agents. The first Nick Fury Jr., is an African-American with an eye patch and movie matching scars. If anything the biggest difference between this Fury and the movie version is a Captain America stylized uniform, a gift from Cap himself. Additionally this Nick Fury Jr. is a field commander not the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. This role is continued into the Secret Avengers series which launched in 2013. The other agent is Phil Coulson, suit and all. The writers make it clear that this version of Coulson is a highly trained fighter, who is as expected a Captain America fanboy. We get glimpses of Coulson in this book in the midst of fire fights and the reader understands he is a man of action. I like how he is depicted here more than Secret Avengers where he seemed more like a salesman than a hero to me. I would say if the Marvel Cinematic Universe was able to develop the Fury/Coulson back story that we find in Battle Scars, Coulson’s final act in The Avengers would have even more impact!

Fury and Coulson, Together for the First Time!

Marvel has reconciled itself. No longer is the Nick Fury of the Marvel print world an old crusty Caucasian. He is now an African-American, who looks like a younger version of Samuel L. Jackson. I think this is a good move for Marvel as it may help bring movie fans to the comics. I just don’t understand why more was not made of this as help spread the word, Agent Coulson is in the comics!