Iron Man

I love superheroes. I have been collecting comic books since 1977. Marvel Comics Spectacular Spider-Man #13, released in December of 1977. I bought that comic with my allowance, spending a whopping 35 cents. I was totally hooked and could not look back. Today, my comic collection is modest, with some great issues that bring me back to my childhood whenever I revisit them. I have a large collection of action figures, at home and in the office. And I love superheroes.

When I was young, though, the only visual medium we had for superheroes was television. Super Friends, Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter, you are a real wonder woman), and Batman. Those shows were all DC Comics. Marvel Comics had a little less, giving us the Nicholas Hammond version of Spider-Man and the classic Bill Bixby Incredible Hulk. Not much to choose from, but all classic. Today? Well, as the man sings, "I'm in Heaven ..."

We have Spider-Man movies, and Batman movies, and there's the X-Men movies, and more movies starring the Hulk, and Daredevil, and Superman, and Blade, and Ghost Rider. And now, Iron Man!

Let me tell you, this movie looks fantastic! The special effects look tight, and there looks like there will be a lot of action. The element that is drawing me to Iron Man, however, is the lead actor, Robert Downey, Jr. Lots of people give this man the stuff because of his off camera antics. I'm not a big fan of drug addicts, but it is a problem that I can wrap my mind around. He was using drugs and acting out, and now he has cleaned his act up and is back in the mainstream. Good for him. Now, here is the interesting part: Tony Stark, the alter-ego of Iron Man, and the character Robert Downey, Jr. will portray in the Iron Man film, was an alcoholic. A rich alcoholic and a troubled figure. Now, he is being played by a rich drug addict with a troubled past. Downey, Jr. is a fantastic actor normally, even when he was battling addiction in the 1990s. Imagine how well he is going to do with this character. He's going to act the hell out of the Tony Stark role.

Go see Iron Man. Read the comics. Enjoy both.

(Left: The cover of Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #13, released December, 1977)