Summer Comic Hero Movies

I guess its more like Spring movies since Iron Man is opening on May 2nd. I can’t put into words how excited I am about this flick. Everything and I mean everything I see and read has me confident that this movie will be true to source material, and brought to the big screen in spectacular way. Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau are both building my expectations with their excitement about the project. Every screen shot and trailer I’ve seen since last year at San Diego Comic Con to now has been first rate. Its just looks like they done a great job. SO to say I’m looking forward to it is an understatement. Which is odd, because honestly Iron Man isn’t one of my favorite characters, I haven’t bought an Iron Man book in AGES. I only know what’s going on with the character right now because he’s involved heavily in the Avengers and Captain America titles that I read. This excitement however should be mistaken for unrealistic expectations. This Iron Man film, being the first in what I’m guessing will be a series of movies, suffers from need to include the origin of the character and develop him up to the Iron Man we know and love. This can make a movie suffer a bit, while we go through this big set-up. Honestly I’ll be happy when this first movie is out of the way so the next one can be made without the need for the origin tale. Because as good as this first movie will probably be I’m guessing the 2nd one will be better.

Onto another Marvel character getting a film this summer, the Hulk… I’m a huge fan of the Hulk character. But man is it tough to be a Hulk fan this year. First off the Hulk comic book to me has been terrible. I was going to write a review of the Hulk #3, but just wasn’t in the mood to be so negative. I read it a couple times to give it a fair shake. I’m not going to review it now, either. I just wish I’d read some of Jeph Loeb’s other limited series that are supposed to be brilliant first, without the taint of Ultimates 3 and the new Hulk Series in the back of my mind. Because these recent examples of his storytelling skills are less then impressive.

Getting back to movies, The Incredible Hulk specifically is concerning me. I haven’t had the same bowled over feeling viewing the trailers for this movie as I had with the Iron Man trailers.  Ed Norton’s current silence and what appears to be unhappiness with the direction of the project starts to seed some doubt as well. Plus in my mind Norton doesn’t seem like the natural choice to play Banner. I mean Downey as Tony Stark/Iron Man seemed to be a perfect fit. Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman, is brilliant.. but Ed Norton as Banner, meh I guess its okay. Of course, I’ll have to see him in the role to judge, but right off the bat it doesn’t seem as perfect a fit in my mind.

Regarding the story it sounds cool from what I’ve picked up here and there. The Abomination isn’t might first choice for a villain since it means we’re going to end up with a CGI slugfest. I’d personally think the Leader would have been an awesome choice and would provide a more interesting story… but I’m not paid to write for Hollywood so what do I know. I’d been a long advocate of the Scarecrow as a film nemesis for Batman and it turned out to produce a cool film.

There are a few other films coming such as Batman being a real obvious one, that I’m excited about of course. BUT my time is short tonight, with it being a “school night”.