Iron Man 2: Dissecting the Black Widow

Iron Man 2 has been out for a while so moviegoers have had a chance to watch it and form their opinions.  I imagine non-comic fans were plenty pleased by Scarlett Johansson and her portrayal of Black Widow.  But what of true comic book fans?  Would they buy Scarlett's portrayal of the Russian super(hero) spy?  I was very happy with it, for the most part.  The costume was an excellent "real world" depiction of the comics, displaying equal parts utility and sex appeal.  There was also one fantastic fight scene where Black Widow engages a dozen henchmen.  Natasha Romanova's knack for espionage is also showcased as she spies on Stark on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D.  Now you might ask, with all these positives what could possibly have gone wrong?  Well, seeing as I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, my gripes are little more than nitpicking.  For starters I wanted more display of a Russian background apart from Black Widow's name.  I have no problem with Scarlett speaking with a clean American accent - any self-respecting spy would pull that off in real life - but it wouldn't have hurt to throw in line or two spoken in Russian.  At one point Black Widow mentions her ability to speak Latin.  Latin?!  This was a totally wasted opportunity!  My only other gripe is Scarlett's youthful appearance.  When I think of Black Widow I conjure a more mature-looking woman like Olga Kurylenko from Quantum of Solace.  Still, Scarlett's performance did make me a believer that she'd be perfect as the second modern Black Widow Yelena Belova from the comics!
 

Psylocke Polystone Statue (Sideshow Collectibles)

Do you have $264.99 to burn?  Well, here's a great way to spend it: Psylocke!  I've mentioned before how Betsy Braddock is my favorite X-Man (by far), so you can imagine my delight at Sideshow Collectibles making a polystone statue of her.  The statue is gorgeous with great attention to detail from the hair to the katana to the environment and, of course, the costume!  This statue surpasses all others I have seen on the market, including a noteworthy Psylocke effort by Bowen Designs (also sold on the Sideshow Collectibles website).  Is the $265 price tag (not to mention shipping) a bit much?  Definitely.  But for die-hard Psylocke fans who can set aside the green, it is well worth it in my opinion.
 

Psylocke #2

My favorite X-Man has to be Psylocke.  Elizabeth "Betsy" Braddock started as an English telepath, and sister to Captain Britain, before being transformed into an Asian telepathic ninja.  Yeah, when it comes to convoluted backgrounds, they don't come much wilder than Psylocke's.  The important thing is she sports one of the hottest costumes around and gets to kick all sorts of ass in it!  And even though she was killed off for a spell (bonehead move there, Marvel) she has returned to her rightful place in the X-Men comics - even having her own 4-issue mini-series!  In Psylocke #2 of said series she engages Yukio in a fight that is beautifully illustrated over several pages.  Even without this fight, the series is well worth collecting for all Psylocke fans.
 

War of the Marvels

Dr. Karla Sofen, a.k.a. the villainess Moonstone, began her tenure as Ms. Marvel in issue #38 after Carol Danvers refused to follow Norman Osborn's Dark Avenger team.  And boy did the good evil Doc wear the original costume well!  As any fan might have predicted, it was only a matter of time before Danvers returned to reclaim her mantle in the "War of the Marvels" story.  The event spanned Ms. Marvel #41-46 but you could go back as early as issue #39 to see the seeds planted for Carol's return.
 

Incredible Hulk #606

I've never been a fan of Red Hulk. Since his arrival he's been given ridiculous victories over established heroes like Thor and Iron Man. I guess that makes me a hypocrite because that's exactly what I love about the Red She-Hulk! A super-strong villainess with a scary attitude to boot. Incredible Hulk #606 delivers the moment I've been craving since her debut: a throwdown with original She-Hulk Jennifer Walters! Sadly it's given only a few panels as a backup story, but I'll take what I can get!