Possible Avengers Villain Revealed?

Alright, this is kind of a spoiler.  But only kind of.  It also includes a spoiler for Thor, which YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN BY NOW!




So we know Loki will be being a colossal dick during the Avengers, and will almost certainly be bringing the Cosmic Cube with him.  Loki is dangerous enough as it is, and giving him an artifact of unbelievable power sounds like an Avengers-level threat.  But Loki could never be the only villain for the team to face, and we know that from the beginning.  Thor alone has already beaten up his brother (and I'm sure has given him a fair share of wedgies over the years), so it would be kinda lame if it took a whole team of heroes to take down this one guy.  So we knew there was another.  And honestly, it's a bit obvious.


So the long standing rumor was the alien Skrulls, which would be perfect if you ask me, and will certainly appear sooner or later in a Marvel movie.  But now where hearing something different that the other villain will be....Thanos!  Master of Death, he has frequently waged war to bring the entire universe to it's demise.  Wielding reality controlling Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos is one of Marvel's most powerful villains, and also one of their most interesting.  As such a powerhouse, he's one of the few individual villains that could go up against the entire Avengers team.  And why was this obvious?  Oh, mostly because this was shown at Comic-Con last year.

It's kind of a dead giveaway.

The Gauntlet was revealed during SDCC, and also made a blink-or-you-miss-it appearance in Thor, as one of the artifacts in Odin's vault.  So yeah, Thanos being a possible villain shouldn't surprise anyone.  Marvel clearly put some effort into designing this thing, and we're going to have to see it on screen sooner or later.  Although I still prefer to see the Skrulls (they give the team an army to tear apart), a live action Thanos could be unbelievable if done right.

The Adventures of Dr. McNinja: Greatest Webcomic Ever

One of the beauties of the internet is the existence of truly great webcomics.  Amidst some of the more obnoxious forums and terribly written blogs (the one you're reading right now being a perfect example), diamonds in the rough such as Axe Cop or Dinosaur comics make existence itself just a bit brighter.  And I have to say that I've found my favorite webcomic yet: the Adventures of Dr. McNinja!

Yes that is a raptor.  And his name is Yoshi.

The basic premise is full of internet tropes and cliches.  It has ninjas, dinosaurs, zombies, pirates, and ...  However, somewhere between the undead clone of Benjamin Franklin recreating Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and Dracula's Moon Base, you realize how wildly imaginative this comic is.  The world of Dr. McNinja is one giant Mortal Kombat stage, where even the most basic stunts shatter physics.

He's both a doctor AND a ninja, you see.

Despite the over the top nature of the material, Dr. McNinja works because it is actually really, really well written. It's consistently hilarious, and some plot elements slowly develop over years of material.  Chris Hastings has an unbelievable sense of humor, which you can actually get a taste of in the issues of Deadpool he's writing as a tie in to Fear Itself.  I'm struggling to come up with my favorite moments from the series, because there are just so damn many to choose from.  Doc fighting his way through an ancient temple for tennis match to decide the fate of the world?  How about Monster gangland wars?  Or every single word that comes out of his father, Dan McNinja?

Dan O'Clock is not a real time.

I can't say enough about this webcomic.  It's just beyond wonderful.  Nothing about it should work, and none of this I insist you give it a shot.  And besides, this is the internet.  It's not like your paying anything for it.

http://drmcninja.com/newreaders.php

First Look at Bane in The Dark Knight Rises!

That was quick!  Official filming just started and Warner Bros. has already started taunting us with teasers and pictures.  I wasn't expecting this until July, at best.  If you went on their twitter, you would have been able to put together a number of snapshot into this mosaic of Batman's new villain, Bane!

Other than Chris Hemsworth's Thor, this is easily one of the most jacked up comic book characters yet.  Tom Hardy has put on all the muscle you could ask for, and oh damn, he's going to beat the crap out of Batman isn't he?  Yes, Batman is going to be pummeled to a bloody pulp during this movie, and it will take all of his willpower to win this war.  The Joker may have tested the limits of your moral code, but Bane is going to test the limits of your spinal cord.

Some fans are complaining a bit about how this Bane isn't as monstrously enormous as his comic book incarnation sometimes is, which I strongly disagree with.  Make Bane a CGI or special effects monster and he no longer becomes human.  We'll have officially crossed into the super powered realm, and Bane will become something less relatable.  Now it's still possible that Bane's drug of choice, Venom, will still be included, and the structure of his mask suggests it might

While Tom Hardy certainly looks the part, and I'm certain has charisma for a great villain, what's going on with that mask?  Maybe a clearer view would give me a better idea of what I was looking at, but it's a little iffy at the moment.  At first I could have sworn that was a skeletal hand connected to it, but upon close inspection they do look more like metal tubes.  The whole thing looks a little funky, like a cross between Psycho Mantis from Metal Gear Solid and Jason Voorhees.

But hey, let's be honest.  There's no way this movie could possibly be bad.  Even if it doesn't reach the same heights as The Dark Knight, Nolan has yet to do a movie that hasn't been awesome.  Inception?  Awesome.  Batman Begins?  Awesome.  Memento?  Awesome.  I don't see any reason to doubt the man.

Red Hulk Revisited

Warning, this article does spoil the identity of the Red Hulk, which was a long running (and how!) mystery in comics.  But that was revealed what, a year ago?  If I'm spoiling this for you, you're falling behind on your comics!

I don't know when exactly I started hating the Red Hulk, or what exactly put my dislike for him over the edge.  Maybe it was his cringe worthy dialogue about how he was so much smarter and badass than everyone else, or the Jeph Loeb's stubborn refusal to reveal his identity.  Maybe because his identity was unrevealed, there was this huge part of the character's motivation and personality that was missing.  Or, I don't know, maybe when he punched out half the Marvel Universe and went cruising on the Silver Surfer's board.  Probably that last one.  But despite my initial interest in the mystery and suspense in the character's origin three years ago, I found myself not caring about his eventual reveal as General Thunderbolt Ross.

And today, I find myself reconsidering that hatred.  With a new writer and a new purpose, Red has become alot less despicable.  There is no longer this huge, awkward divide between Ross and his new alter ego.  They're always the same person with the same personality, and it feels all the more natural.  The series has started exploring Ross and his mindset, rather than this weird, unknowable jerk.  I've always liked Ross.  That man never took shit from anyone, and I admire the man who will walk up to Hulk and shoot him in the face.  This is a man who can act tough, hates hippies, and is too stubborn to back down.  It's been increasing interesting watching Ross deal with the fact that he's become the very thing he hunted for a big chunk of his life.  Or how he's now being hunted down by a former protege (Rulk's identity isn't public) in the same way the Hulk was.  Thrown in a revamped MODOK and a few more original-and surprisingly compelling-villains and, wow, that's a damn fine supporting cast.

So if you were like myself and wrote off Rulk as a complete waste of a character, take a second look.  The current Hulk series has been a solid comic, and the Ross centric book is a breathe of fresh air from a relatively stagnating franchise.  It's a challenge to tell new Hulk stories, and with Ross in the spotlight, you're getting just that.

Wonder Woman Series So Bad It's Already Cancelled

That title might sound a bit cruel (it is), but Wonder Woman can't seem to catch a break these days.  She's hasn't been able to get that live action movie going, despite the best efforts of Joss Whedon a few years back.  Her big costume change and shift in direction in the comics has been almost entirely abandoned.  And now, the latest attempt at a TV show has been brought to a screeching, hilarious halt.  The pilot was filmed, and much like the Aquaman series, was received poorly by test audiences and not picked up.  So don't expect to see Wonder Woman on NBC anytime soon, although I'm pretty sure most fans are praising the comic book deities for this one.


So what went wrong?  Oh, so very, very much.  We can start with the costume, for one.  Yes, the updated version looked significantly better than the over plastic, ludicrous original image.  But first impressions do mean everything, and the show started off on a terrible first note with fans.  It's like he weird kid from elementary school becoming a jock in college.  Sure he might be cooler now, but you'll always associate him with picking his nose in the first grade.  And in the end, Wonder Woman was essentially caught picking her nose.

Did that analogy actually work?  Well, neither did this costume.

But we can ultimately trace the failure of the show, and most Wonder Woman projects, back to the core concept.  Making Wonder Woman a corporate executive struggling to deal with the expectations of the business world with her own love life and crimefighting?  When has that ever been what Wonder Woman's about?  Actually don't answer that, because that character has been through dozens of incarnations.  Which is also part of the problem.  We know instinctively what Batman or Spider-Man are "about".  We know what purpose the X-Men are trying to serve, and how they represent minorities in the world.  There has yet to be strong take on Wonder Woman that explains who she is.  Because just being a feminist icon isn't enough.  Buffy Summers was a powerful female role model, but she was successful simply because she was a "strong" character.  Wonder Woman's claim to fame is ultimately that she was the first female hero, but her character is ever changing and frequently boring.  And throw in one of the most loosely defined origin stories and you have a character everyone knows but no one knows "about".  Ask anyone what Superman's origin and they will tell you without fail.  Ask a random, non-comic book fan what Wonder Woman's is and you'll get a blank stare.

Sooner or later, we can only hope Wonder Woman finds a definitive take on the character that will win the public over.  And this might happen soon, considering WB still has plans on making that movie.  Then again, they have for the past decade and a half.  Will we see Wonder Woman on screen any time soon?  Probably not, but we can still hope, eh?

X-Men Pregnancy Crisis!

Oh, oh this is just too wonderful not to write about.  We here at Captain Otter consider ourselves above petty gossip and celebrities, instead devoting ourselves to the proud, respected tradition of writing about superheroes and dinosaurs (and ninjas).  We also like talking in the plural form, despite the fact that the blog is run by one person.  But January Jones, who will play Emma Frost in the upcoming X-Men movie, is now pregnant.  Despite how stunningly gorgeous and awesome she is on Mad Men, we normally wouldn't care (again with the we?-Ed.).  However, the good ol' rumor mill is revealing that the child's father is actually...another X-Man! 

Well, we know it's not Cyclops because he won't stop whining about it.

Obviously this is all Magneto's fault.  Just look at Michael Fassbender.  That man is a badass.  Of course Magneto and Emma Frost hooked up, it just makes so much sense.  So what kind of powers would the child have?  Well, it goes without saying it will be born an anti-hero, sometimes using morally dubious methods to accomplish it's valorous goals.  Considering Emma Frost can turn her body into diamonds, and Magneto has control over metal, I don't know.....he can turn his bod into steel?

Oh, snap!  This is how they're explaining Colossus' origins!

Either Matthew Vaughn is the most dedicated director of our generation if he made this happen or this is a fabulous coincidence.  Regardless, I want to see Colossus revealed as the love/hate-child of Emma Frost and Magneto.  Come on guys, this isn't the stupidest change you've made to the source material.  Not by a long shot.

Batman Artwork Sells for HOW MUCH?!?!!

Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns" is a comic book landmark.  Look up a list of the top Batman comics, and it will be there every time.  Yeah, it may have taken the grimdarkness of the character to new levels, but it's still regarded as legendary.  And hey, they're selling off some of the original artwork!  Pretty cool, right?  You can own a piece of this momentous comic for the price of...

Oh.

Oh Dear God.

Four.  Hundred.  Thousand.  Dollars.

Take a minute to dwell on that.  One piece of artwork.  Action Comics #1, a full comic, will only occasionally sell for a $1,000,000.  Well, I hope it's that classic cover of Batman with the bolt lightening flashing behind him, and image so iconic it's been utilized by almost every character since.  Well no, it's this.

  

Dammit.

The Thor Review: A Fan's Perspective

If you want to see a well written, neutral, and unbiased view of Thor, then there are already dozens of looks at that.  So I decided to change things up, and look at Thor from the perspective of a fan, something I can do very easily.  This review is going to be spoiler-ific,


The Casting
I don't know if it's a testament to Branagh's skills casting people or directing them, but the actors drove this movie.  Chris Hemsworth makes a breakout performance as the God of Thunder, and brings a sense of life and depth to the character.  He's funny, charming, and can bring all the emotion the part demands.  And damn, when he's in that armor, he's huge.  Physical presence is an important part of the role, and he brings it.  Tom Hiddleston as Loki is another stand out, bringing the restless intelligence and passion you'd expect from the character.  There were times he honestly surprised me with his ability to lie, and is quite possibly the most sympathetic villain we've seen in a comic book movie yet.  This is a character who feels betrayed, and then somehow still demands approval from his family.  Loki clearly wants to be the hero, and so many of his claims about his brother and Asgard ring perfectly true.

For the rest of Asgard, I have nothing but good things to say.  The Warriors Three were all awesome, and it makes me sad they couldn't get more screen time.  They shouldn't have gotten it, since the movie is about Thor of course, but that doesn't change how cool they are.  Joshua Dallas especially impressed me, since he was a complete unknown who came in at the last second.  He handled his limited screen time with the confidence and flair I would expect from Fandrall.  Ray Stevenson has the jolly demeanor necessary for Volstagg, and I just wished they let him ham it up a bit more.  Jamie Alexander works well as Sif, walking that wonderful line between being lady-like and a true warrior.  And yet I'm going to give Idris Elba the most praise for his performance.  Heimdall is typically a somewhat stern, slightly boring character.  He's stoic, and that's a quality that isn't always translated well into comics.  But Elba gave such a focused, intense performance that had such an otherworldy quality to it.  Truly, this is how a God of Asgard would behave.

For the earth cast, I was pleased.  Kat Dennings was hilarious, and every one of her lines was pure gold.  Natalie Portman didn't have the deepest character and could have used more screen time, but she's so cute and adorable and I bought into it anyway.  Stellan Skarsgard was a bit inconsistent, offering some great lines and moments while sometimes looking a bit confused as to what to do.  We'll be seeing more of him in the future, but more on that later.


The Tone
One thing needs to be said: Thor is funny as shit.  I don't think there was a single joke in the movie that I didn't find.  The movie in many ways does take itself very seriously.  The audience is going to listen to the political intrigues of Asgardian gods, and they're going to buy into it.  But at the same time, it's going to have fun when it wants to.  It's not afraid to just have fun and be enjoyable.

And that's something that makes me a bit sad.  This movie was highly entertaining, but that's it.  A whiles back, I was hoping that Thor would have the right elements to possibly earn a best picture nod, and that's just not going to happen.  The movie was missing the polish, the cohesiveness and the thoroughly dramatic tone it needed to elevate itself beyond a blockbuster.  In some ways, Branagh and co. actively chose not to aim for that path, and I can't decide if they made the right decision.  Yes, fantasy movies like the Lord of the Rings can be dramatically successful, but maybe they figured Thor was a bit too out there to exist on that level.  Or maybe they just wanted to make a fun piece of adventure.


Design
One of the movie's great strengths.  I for one love the costumes and design of everything, although if you hate what you've seen already you won't change your mind seeing it on screen.  Asgard wonderfully captured, with the Rainbow Bridge perfectly re imagined.  The frost world of Jotunheim is cool, although they could have gone a bit wilder with it.  The Frost Giants make for great enemies, and watching Thor tear into them with Mjolnir was one of the best action sequences in recent memory.



Pacing
If there is a reason why Thor is getting some bad reviews here and there, it's this.  The movie is paced so damn unevenly.  Thor's origin is just so complex with so many moving pieces, it never has time to breathe.  With Iron Man, scenes took as long as they need to develop, and that was the film's recipe for success.  Things feel a touch rushed, and jump around slightly awkwardly from Asgard to Earth.  Some parts of Thor's time of Earth, such as his raid into the SHIELD headquarters, felt like they weren't fully required for the story, and yet they were.  Part of the challenge was that Asgard demanded equal attention while Thor was away, effectively creating two competing stories.


Rewatchability?
Interesting topic.  I will be seeing it again, that's for sure, but unlike Iron Man or the The Dark Knight I don't feel and overwhelming need to go back in the theater or else I'll explode.  This was an adventure, a thrill ride.  I want to see more of Thor and Loki, but I want to see a sequel or the Avengers more than this movie again.



The Post Credits Scene
Talk about dropping a bomb on the audience.  This is obviously the biggest spoiler, so take one last chance to go away.





All set?  Good.  Cosmic Cube.
Loki has control of Stellan Skarsgard's character, who is now brought in by SHIELD to unlock the mysteries of the artifact.  So Loki effectively has the cube.  And you wondered what the Avengers would have to fight.  I still maintain that Loki won't be "the" villain, but now we know how he starts such chaos.

My only question is this: how will Thor be joining his earthbound comrades?  After destroying the bifrost bridge, he's stuck home in Asgard.  Does Loki bring him in, using this as an opportunity to destroy his brother?  Natalie Portman won't be in the movie, so she can't locate him.  Thor can't just come in at the end, and it would have made for much easier set up if Thor had stayed on Earth to protect it.  But I'm more than certain Marvel has a plan, and that this was all set up for a reason.  I just want to know what it is!

To wrap things up, Thor was a blast.  I wish I could say it was more, but I can't.  It brings us to new worlds and introduces some extraordinary character, but you're not going to walk away from it blown away like you might have in Iron Man or the Dark Knight.

Thor Quick Take

That.  Was.  Awesome.

The full analysis will be up soon, but that was one fun movie and a great midnight showing.  I don't know where to start.  It has to be with the perfect cast.  Chris Hemsworth is nothing short of brilliant as Thor, bringing infectious levels of charisma and charm to the part.  And, dear god, he's built like a truck.  I think it's impossible to say anything bad about his performance.  And it wasn't all gusto, there was some really well done subtleties and looks that made the character come alive.  Tom Hiddleston as Loki was everything I hoped he would be, and Anthony Hopkins was an amazing Odin.  The Warriors Three, Heimdall being a beast, and even the human characters we all perfectly cast.

The action and special effects were wonderful.  Thor's rampage on Jotunheim was incredible, and watching Thor and Loki battle it out was completely believable.  And it was all bound together by a masterful sense of humor.  I laughed throughout the whole thing, and I think I must have said "Oh my god, Thor is such a dick" every five minutes. 

The film was not without it's flaws.  Thor's time on Earth is a bit choppy, and isn't and feels a bit mashed up.  One of the flaws of an origin story is that you have to introduce the character, set up the conflict, and then finally bring the action.  I think if the sequel could bring a more unified script, it could be something bigger entirely.  Despite the flaws, you will go to this movie and have a great time.  It's just so much fun.  It will leave you wanting more, which is both praise and slight criticism.  But say hello to the definitive take on Thor, the most unified, cohesive view of the character yet.  And I can't wait to see him next to the rest of the Avengers.  I'm excited.  And now I need to go pass out.

Thor Countdown

The wait is almost over.  Three years ago, it was announced that Thor would be hitting the big screen.  And now?  Less than two hours.

And it's not just Thor.  Yes, I am highly looking forward to seeing the Thunder God wreak havoc across the world the Frost Giants and seeing Loki stage wild, brilliant plans.  Thor does need to stand on his own as a force to be reckoned with.  But this is the next step.  Thor was the X-factor in the Avengers project, the one that was so easy to get wrong.  Or that's what critics said.  For us comic fans, we know how Thor can fit into the Marvel Universe because we see it happen every month in the comics.  Thor ushers in the cosmic, truly extraordinary elements of this universe.  Thor is the key that opens everything up.  It's the first chapter of a new saga, and the next stage in something bigger.  And it should make for one hell of a ride.

Latest Green Lantern Trailer Released!

We take a quick break for our Thor rantings to look at the newest Green Lantern trailer!  With only weeks to go before it's release, WB has kicked their advertising into overdrive.  Check it out.

I'm really torn over this movie.  One on hand, this movie fill fulfill the space opera void in my life that never gets filled outside of video games.  I'm really dying to see the heavy sci-fi elements of the movie, and it feels like ...  And then every time Ryan Reynolds opens his mouth, I die a little inside.  All the funny jokes that prove how charismatic..  Reynolds excels at the more self deprecating, sarcastic style that doesn't work when the character is trying to be a classic hero.  When he tries to be serious, it feels so forced and awkward.  Just the way he carries himself is more of loose and jokestery than firm and confident.  He just doesn't project enough force as a superhero, which is necessary for an action piece.

We do see more detail on the nature of Parallax, including a look at the symbol of the Sinestro Corps., surely a sign of good things to come.  Parallax looks to be kinda interesting as a villain, although I think he's too physically large to provide an interesting fight.  When a monster gets big to a certain point, it's more like watching someone fight terrain than an enemy.  Michael Clark Duncan is decent as Kilowog.  I prefer a more grizzled, rough voice on the Lantern, but this different interpretation could work well.  Blake Lively is continuously put in the trailer as little as humanly possible, which I'm assuming is a wise decision.  Green Lantern is doing alot of things right and this footage has more than a few cool visuals, but will need to bring alot of heart to the final product if it wants to win audiences over.

The Asgardians Left Behind

Odin, Loki, the Warriors Three, Sif, Heimdall, Frigga.  That's a pretty impressive group of gods populated Asgard, and those are only the ones in the movie.  The comics has an even wider supporting cast, and now we're going to look at the other Gods who didn't make the cut, and how likely it is to see them in a sequel.

Balder
Thor's other brother.  The one who isn't a murderous, duplicitous bastard.  Balder the Brave is one of Thor's most stalwart allies, eternally loyal to his kingdom and the path of good.

Chances We'll See Him: Moderate to Low.  Thor already has a healthy stable of BFFs in Asgard, and I think it would be wiser to develop them first before expanding the number of characters.  That being said, if Marvel wants to use Ragnarok as a potential story, it would be smart to introduce Balder.  His death foretells the beginning of the Norse end times, and that's certainly a story worth telling.


Tyr
The God Of War, Tyr has usually stood alongside his fellow gods against the enemies of Asgard.  Although a relatively minor character, Tyr has been tricked into joining of of Loki's plots now and then.

 Chances We'll See Him: Very Low.  Unless he gets an overhaul as a villain, don't expect him to show up on screen.  Balder is a much more likely addition, and sadly Tyr adds little that the rest of Thor's cast doesn't already bring.

The Enchantress and the Executioner
9 out of 10 times when something bad happens in Asgard, you can blame Loki.  The other 1 out of 10, blame the Enchantress.  Frequently a love interest of Thor, she also has a nasty habit of trying to murder him.  It's true love.  She brings along Skurge the Executioner, her loyal protector and complete badass.  Together, the two can challenge Thor and pack a damn unstoppable one-two punch.

Chances We'll See Them: Moderate.  The pair could be a great foe for Thor, but they sometimes struggle to produce the grand, epic threats that Loki does.  And we certainly don't need the Enchantress as a love interest.  One of the more likely routes for a sequel, but far from definite.

The Valkyrie
I love comics.  In a world of crazy space viking gods, Marvel decided to base their Valkyrie almost directly off of the Richard Wagner opera.  Brunnhilde, like most gods in Asgard, just loves war.  It's totally her thing.  This will sometimes make her into somewhat of a bother, but she's also on of Odin's greatest warriors.  And she's currently working for Captain America in the comics on his covert Secret Avengers team, so she has that going for her too.

Chances We'll See Her: Very Low.  Much like Tyr,the Valkyrie is very cool but adds little else story wise.  I don't see a Valkyrie centric story line that offers Thor any good character development, and with Sif owning the the "badass warrior goddess" role, Brunnhilde will just have to settle for the comics.

Hela
Goddess of Death, and one of the most powerful Gods in the Marvel Universe.  Although technically not an Asgardian, she's still a god, so close enough.  She commands the legions of the dead, and has tried to destroy Asgard on more than one occasion.

Chances We'll See Her: Pretty High.  Hela is one of Thor's greatest enemies, and one that can provide a plausible threat to the God of Thunder and all of Asgard.  With the legions of the underworld at her command, Thor will need every ounce of godly blood in his veins to stop her.  Seeing Thor journey into Hel would make for an incredible follow up adventure, and something Marvel should seriously consider.

Top Five Things To Look Forward To In Thor

Thor is almost here.  I've waited three years for this, and now I have to wait three days.  Now, some of you living outside of America might have already seen this movie.  And I would like you to know that I hate you, with every fiber of my being I hate you.  Petty, childish jealousy aside, I think we need to count down the five things to look forward to the most in Thor.  Anything to make these last nights go faster.

5. Asgard's Supporting Cast
Although he's not the first superhero you think of when it comes to supporting casts, Thor has one of the best in comics.  Odin?  The Warriors Three?  Sif?  Heimdall?  Volstagg!?  Volstagg the Mighty!?  Volstagg the Voluminous!?!  So many Shakespearean tropes are thrown into Norse mythology with wonderful results.  A collection of awesome actors thrown into larger than life roles should be something special, and watching Anthony Hopkins as Odin scares the living hell out of me.  

Oh god, Odin is smiling.  Something terrible is about to happen.

4. The Nine Realms
I usually don't rave over set design, but the work on Thor looks absolutely stellar.  Whether it's the gleaming palace of Asgard or the frost world of Jotunheim, expect out of this world environments.  Everything we've seen so far has been directly inspired by the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby days, where heavy handed sci-fi and ham fisted fantasy walked hand in hand like

3. Universe Building
This is Marvel's first attempt at doing something completely out of this world.  The original Iron Man was still grounded in reality (movie science!), and at least for the Hulk there was kinda science-y.  But Asgard?  A kingdom floating on a cloud with a rainbow bridge?  Gods who are really aliens?  Who speak in Olde English?  If you can get the audience to accept that, you can get them to accept literally any other crap you throw at them.  If audiences buy into Thor, all of the sudden those fantastical characters out in the Marvel Universe feel a bit more possible.  Dr. Strange?  Let's go for it.  Thanos?  We just saw the Infinity Gauntlet in Odin's throne room!  Marvel has some far out stories, and Thor might just be the start of it all.


2. Chris Hemsworth As Thor
You'd expect this to be a given, but in a cast as stacked as this one it's hard to stand out.  But Hemsworth looks like such a perfect fit for the part, I think he'll own the show.  This guy just is Thor, and I think this whole movie will provide the definitive take on the character, and that includes the comics.  Iron Man worked so well because it had such an engaging character at it's core, one that you honestly cared about.  I'm hoping for lightening to strike twice for the Avengers and if anyone can bring it, the God Thunder would be him.

For a God of Thunder of epic levels of violence, he spends alot of time on his hair.

And seriously people, the man freaking looks like a god!


1. Tom Hiddleston as Loki
Loki is my favorite villain, plain and simple. You have to admire the villain who chooses to make his plans so impossibly convoluted no one would expect them because they're just that ludicrous.  The kind of villain who begs to deliver a soliloquy or monologue every single page.  Fiercely intelligent, he's capably of the most rational and orderly plans, yet is ruled by his emotions.  A character full of contradictions, plagued by jealousy, and yet somehow not fully redeemable.  And while Loki could exist as a villain on his own, his rivalry with Thor takes the character to epic heights.  It's arguably impossible to tell a good Thor story without including his treacherous brother, and the trickster could be destined to fight his brother forever.  And then again, somewhere deep down, the two brothers might just truly love one another.  Yup, that's pretty much exactly how brothers work.

He is planning the shit out of something right now.

Based on every interview I've seen, Tom Hiddleston just gets the character.  He understands the mythos, and seems genuinely thrilled to be a part of it.  Alternatively, he hates the fandom and is just doing a brilliant job of hiding it.  Considering he's playing the Lord of Deception, it's a win-win situation.

So there you have it.  Great set designs, every character being perfectly cast, and an epic story.  You better be at that midnight showing.