Superhero Media: Iron Man (2008)

As I write this, it is the last week of August 2019, Avengers: Endgame came out on Blu-Ray a couple of weeks ago, so I got to watch it and Iron Man within a couple of days of each other. It's been really interesting to see the beginning and an ending so close like that, especially as there is more than a decade between the two. In many ways, Iron Man more resembles films like Ghost Rider and Blade than much of the MCU, stripping out a great deal of the fantastic for a more "grounded" approach, something Marvel Studios would abandon a few years later with The Avengers. It made sense at the time, tie this new superhero experiment into reality so as not to alienate viewers and maybe make some money back; at the time, there was no MCU or even a plan beyond vague ideas in Kevin Fiege's head. Yes, even the famous Nick Fury post-credits sting, which is both iconic and brilliant, was a throwaway just in case Iron Man became a hit. Iron Man is, technically, an independent film, as Marvel Studios wasn't attached to any major American production company at the time, so really, the whole thing was a much bigger gamble than it appeared in retrospect. But why was Iron Man, a B-list hero at best, such a hit? 

Sorry, but there's no magic answer here, it's simply that all of the elements of Iron Man come together really well and add to to a great whole. The whole cast are great, not just RDJ, there are just enough references to excite longtime fans and the action sequences are tightly directed; I've said before that Robert Favreau is way better than he gets credit for, and I'll stand by that statement. The story is a pretty standard, striped-down Joseph Campbell hero's journey, with Tony entering the "underworld" of the Ten Rings in the opening minutes of the film. The more I watch Iron Man, the less I tend to get out of it, as the third act, especially the Iron Monger fight feels a bit tacked-on after the Golmera sequence. That said, having not watched it for years before coming back to it made me love it all over again. I think this must have been the first superhero film since Spider-Man 2 that made a huge impact on me (I came around on The Incredibles later), I'm pretty sure I saw it six times in the cinema. 

There is something about Iron Man that resonated with people, beyond the basic quality, and I tend to believe that it's not another "Batman" case of people being able to see themselves in the suit. If the fluke had just been down to the character and RDJ, then the rest of the series would have tanked, but people did end up connecting with just about every hero, even Hawkeye and Captain America. Yes, I like both those guys, but I figured they were the hardest sells. The world wasn't as "grounded" and "gritty" as people claim they wanted, it was actually pretty light and fun for the most part, especially the ending, which usurps the secret identity trope that the Batman films continue to cling to. Iron Man was something new, coming at the tail-end of the first X-Men run and being a strong contrast to the Nolan Batman trilogy. Even if you don't like the MCU films, you can't really deny that they've resonated with the public in a big way, and it started here, with Tony Start stomping out of a cave. More than a decade later, Stark will sacrifice himself to stop a fascist alien from destroying the universe. It's a hell of a ride and it starts here.

Obligatory Doctor Who Fancasting Post

As a fan of Doctor Who, I tend to asked now and then how I would cast the programme, especially the lead role. Whilst that's not as interesting to me as discussing how I would like to see the programme ran, I do have some thoughts. I'm a tad reluctant to share them, as I typically don't consider the post-2004 "New Who" as being part of my headcanon, and haven't watched any in a few years. I have heard that Jodie Whittaker is good in the role, and I keep meaning to try it out, but never quite seem to get to it. I have no objection to The Doctor being a woman, it works well with the nature of the Time Lords as I see them, but I felt Whittaker was a little bland and too conventionally attractive for the role. The best incarnations of The Doctor have been 'interesting' looking, and rarely attractive, with Paul McGann being the exception. Similarly, I don't care what race The Doctor is, so long as the character works and the writing is good.

That said, I do think if The Doctor is going to be in a non-male or POC incarnation, then it should mean something. Now, I acknowledge that the previous sentence is something someone may couch their bigotry in, but such is not my intention. One of the reasons The Doctor works so well as an older, white (especially British) gentleman, is the internalised deference that many in the Global North will have to such a person. The Doctor gets away with his bluster much of the time because he looks like the kind of person who would have authority. Now, if you make The Doctor someone outside of this group, then many historical periods and totalitarian regimes will probably not accept the bluster and The Doctor will get pushback. Of course, race and gender don't have to have anything to do with this, The 2nd Doctor got that kind of thing all the time. It needn't be every episode or story, but if The Doctor is a woman, then they/she should probably have to fight a little harder to be taken seriously in say, the Victorian era, think Leela in The Talons of Weng-Chiang.

To get a couple more things out of the way, I would have suggested Sach Dhawan as a good casting, but he's played The Master in the most recent season. I hear he's pretty good in the role, but after seeing him in the second season of Iron Fist, I was thinking he's make a good, if particularly intense Doctor. Imagine a 7th style Doctor with the refinement of the 3rd. He's polite, well-spoken and knows which is the fish fork, but he will burn the world down if he has to to win. I guess that's a Master-esque Doctor in a way, right? Anyway, he's not on this list only because I don't think it would work, even with a Superior Spider-man style body-swap story on the cards.

Finally, if I'm making a fantasy take on how I'd run Doctor Who, then the actor playing The Doctor is only part of it. If we're asking The Miracle Question, then everything since Scream of the Shalka is rendered non-canon, we move back to weekly, half-hour episodes over a full broadcast season and the team is Producer and Head Writer/Script Editor, so no more of one person setting the tone for an entire run. Yes, I'm dreaming, but why not? I want Doctor Who to be more like the Doctor Who I enjoy, not what is popular, so that's what I'm aiming for here. I'm still leaning to white, cis-men from the UK, because that's what I've liked in the past and it's just kind of how I think of the series. I'll admit that it's a bias, but one I think I can park when need be. While I've got you, The Doctor's clothing should always be anachronistic, which New Who has never really done, so I'd like to see that changed as well. So I hope you'll take the following at face value, as it is intended, and enjoy where my head has gone with this concept.


Olivia Colman

Probably getting a little "too famous" for the role of The Doctor (an issue with this list, I'll admit, but it is really hard to find obscure British actors who suit the role), when I first heard that an actor from Broadchurch was taking on the role of The Doctor, I had thought it would be Colman. Aside from her familial connection to the series, Colman has a huge depth of range as an actor and I can see her taking the post-regeneration madness concept that torpedoed Colin Baker's run before it started and actually running with it. An unknowable alien intelligence that is mostly beneficent, but can turn at any moment into a monster; and you're traveling with it. I see Colman's Doctor embodying the "blank space in history" that they tried with Eccleston, arriving to a crisis, resolving it and moving on without a backwards glance.


Sean Pertwee/David Bradley/Whoever is still alive

Ok, so hear me out on this one, why do we only ever have one incarnation of The Doctor on TV at a time? I'm not saying that multi-Doctor stories should be more common and less special, but why not have one story a season just not feature the current Doctor? Instead of the "Doctor-lite" episodes, just have 1st (Bradley), 3rd (Pertwee) or even 7 or 8 do a story to give the main cast a rest. Also maybe 9, but we'll get to him later. And to be clear, I do mean do a past Doctor story, not just put them in a new story. Have 3 driving and being an all-action-man, have 7 manipulate the enemy into their own demise, that kind of thing. As well as celebrating the legacy of the programme, this kind of approach would enable new fans to get a "taste" of previous eras without having to wade through the morass of the poorer episodes or online fan communities. Probably should have mentioned this above, but this is basically how I would run the series, given the chance.


Brian Blessed

No, I swear this isn't a meme, I actually think Brian Blessed would be a great Doctor, let me explain. First of all, don't think of his previous Doctor Who appearance, or even Flash Gordon, check him out in King Lear. Blessed has an underrated subtlety that rarely gets used and I think would work masterfully for The Doctor. Think John Fallstaff, especially in The Chimes at Midnight, yes he can be bombastic and blustery, but when the bravado slips, there is a wounded man inside who can't quite deal with what he has lost. A world-weary incarnation who keeps fighting because it is all that he knows, rather than a calling; a sad Doctor who can explode when pushed and needs his companions around to keep going some days. Also, Blessed's health has declined of late, which means he may not be able to return to the stage in major roles, so why not let him round out an astonishingly great career with an iconic role?


Tom Hollander

Do you know this actor? Chances are you've seen him in quite a few films and series, but may never have known his name. Seriously, check out this guy's IMDB page sometime, he has a hell of a lot of credits to his name. In various cable television programmes, such as The Night Manager and Taboo, Hollander plays creepy, sexual-predator types, but always with a smack of mad genius about him. I can see Hollander being a good take on The Doctor as a scientist, fixing problems with his knowledge and expertise, rewiring control panels and mixing batches of chemical smoke to cover his escape. Hell, go all out and have him teach a little chemistry, biology and/or physics during the episode to the companion, and thereby the kids watching, that'd be neat. A scatterbrained genius dragged around by the companion and not as prone to the big speeches so much as he likes a big reveal to show off how smart he is.  "And that, my dear Davros, is why you don't mix acids and bases!"


Richard E Grant

Look, in my head-canon, Scream of the Shalka is official and Richard E Grant is the real 9th Doctor, so I may as well discuss it. Grant's version is a fascinating take on the character and not what you'd expect from his brief appearance in The Curse of Fatal Death, he is haunted, reluctant and clearly working for the Celestial Intervention Agency after some kind of incident, which I assume was the death of Grandfather Paradox in the 8th Doctor novels. To keep himself sane, and to punish himself a little, The Doctor has built a robot version of The Master, played by Derek Jacobi, to pick at all his ideas and suggest selfishness. Doesn't that just sound like an awesome premise for a series? Utterly unique and utterly Doctor Who at the same time, I can't believe no one has tried it again since 2005. Seriously, check out Scream of the Shalka if you get the chance, it's more clever than good, but it's really bloody clever.


Essie Davis

Do people outside of Australia know Essie Davis? I know Miss Fischer's Murder Mysteries is huge in China and there is a local remake that's pretty damn good, but how well is she really known? Of course, being a little obscure is kind of perfect for an actor playing The Doctor, so why not? Now, the eye of the beholder and all that, but I'd say Davis does violate my "no attractive actors" rule, except that she is very interesting to look at, especially when she plays the part of Phryne Fischer. Now, The Doctor as a 1920s flapper does sound tempting, but I'm thinking something a little more out-there with this one. Keep the "smartest person in any room" aspect of the 3rd Doctor and dress Davis up like a Governess; The Doctor as Miss Marple. Smart as a whip and a bit matronly, a great take for a female incarnation and still echoing what has come before.

Guy Pearce

Another entry in the "do non-Aussies know about this" category, in-between big Hollywood roles, Guy Pearce plays a burnout small claims lawyer who solves mysteries on Australian television. It hasn't come through the backlog yet, but I wanted Pearce to play Doctor Strange before he was cast in Iron Man 3 and I think he would have owned the role, he could easily deliver all the classic "Wands of Watoomb" stuff with a straight face. And that's kind of where I see him as The Doctor, a more flippant and silly incarnation like Tom Baker, maybe even bordering into camp. Probably a little too famous for the role right now, but I think that perception may be changing, and if it does I think Pearce could fill the scarf well.

David Suchet

Whenever I mention Suchet near Doctor Who, people make a lot of Hercule Poirot assumptions, but that's really not where I'm going with this. I once saw a documentary where Suchet followed the travels of the Apostle St John in which he demonstrated himself a masterful storyteller. Quiet, pensive and possessing a taciturn intelligence, Suchet has a brilliant energy to bring to the role of The Doctor. I'm picturing the thoughtfulness of 5 with the keen intellect of 2, not quite the 7th Chess-master persona, but certainly an incarnation that is already ahead of you and is only letting you think you're winning. Tweed jacket and a bamboo cane feel like a must.

Superhero Media: The Mask

I'm fairly sure I haven't seen The Mask since I saw it in cinemas as a child, and I probably wouldn't have bothered with it if it hadn't been on television and I hadn't just read some of the comics. To say that The Mask comics are different to the film adaptation is almost redundant now that DC Vertigo have republished the old Dark Horse series and most fans are aware that the comics were a violent and bloody romp. Yes, in The Mask comics, Stanley Ipkiss (and others who later wear the mask) is a cartoonish serial killer on a rampage of petty revenge, leaving a trail of corpses in his wake. It's certainly an interesting read if you get the chance to check it out, but that's not what we're talking about now. The film adaptation plays the story much lighter,with Ipkiss still being out for revenge, but not killing anyone and only seriously wounding people who try to hurt him. The power of the mask is seductive, and Ipkiss must struggle against it to maintain his own identity. 

Where as The Mask comics are about the darkness inside everyone, the film is more about overcoming the temptation to take the easy way out. It would be simple for Ipkiss to become the Mask the entire time, give up the life where he has to work and struggle and live outside of the law, but he makes the choice to be who he really is, flaws and all. In an interesting twist, the journalist that seems genuinely interested in Ipkiss rather than the Mask is the woman who betrays him, instead of the mob moll singer he's obsessed with; it actually took me by surprise, which was nice. Much of The Mask is played for laughs, which makes sense with the cartoon affectations and weird setting, but a sinister undercurrent runs through the entire film. The local nightclub is run by organised crime, the beautiful sunsets are caused by methane pollution and the public park is built over landfill, but no one really seems to care so long as they can get money and make a life. Hauntingly relevant. 

The more heroic take on the Mask/Big Head Killer really could have some legs if you wanted to explore it as a character concept in gaming, sort of a more violent Plastic Man or Ambush Bug. The Mask is heroic, to a degree, but his propensity for violence and selfish behaviour would place him on the outs of most teams, but his presentation is a bit much for the Nightstalkers or Thunderbolts. I think the superhero film scene is diverse enough in its current form to accommodate a version of The Mask closer to the comics, but I could equally see this more generally palatable version making a return as well. Hell, why not both, as a counterpoint? After all, we have both Supergirl and The Boys, contrast and comment are always welcome and interesting. As regular readers will know, I'm big on discussing superheroes in a broader context and the two versions of The Mask are a pretty good starting point.

Team Finished: Blackwing Androids

In a world of superhumans, alien invasions and supernatural creatures, few things strike fear into the heart like the killer robots known as the "Blackwing Androids". Appearing seemingly from nowhere, these monsters have only one mission, to destroy super-humans. Countless lives have been lost to the Androids since they first appeared and attacked both the Equalisers and Pendragon Security as the two foes were engaged in battle. From time to time, one of the Androids is seemingly destroyed, though it always returns and any tracing of the parts only leads to the defunct Blackwing Robotics, a former division of the enigmatic and elusive Raven Corporation. Whatever their origin and purpose, the Blackwing Androids represent a major threat to the world, with all superhuman peacekeeping forces making their complete destruction a priority of the highest order.

The Blackwing Androids. From left to right, Seeker, Anvil, Tinker, Razor and Sink, Gunbugs in front. 

The Blackwing Androids 

Despite the best efforts of the Equalisers, European Union Super Soldiers and others, the Blackwing Androids remain a major threat to superhumans the world over. Each robot appears to have been specifically designed to combat a common power-set, and when they work in tandem, they can be almost unstoppable. As well as famous names, it is suspected that the Blackwing Androids have hunted and killed countless emerging mutants and neophyte heroes before they could become a threat to their unknown masters. 

Tinker (Wyrd) and the Gun Bugs (kitbash) 

Tinker: The least aggressive of the Blackwing Androids, Tinker performs most of its murder by proxy, as well as being the security expert and hacker for the team. Not overly strong or tough (by robot standards) Tinker builds small attack robots out of scrap to overwhelm foes in a whirlwind of stabbing metal. Though these miniature killing machines take the form of whatever happens to be around Tinker in terms of raw materials, weapons-based constructions, known as "Gun Bugs" are seen more often than not when Tinker arrives prepared to a mission. This has led to investigations of various munitions companies as possible origins for the Blackwing Androids, but nothing new has yet been uncovered.

Sink (Infinity) and Seeker (Horrorclix) 

Sink: Whilst most of the Blackwing Androids demonstrate "powers" based on engineering, Sink's ability to "switch off" superpowers is decidedly more esoteric. Just how the android achieves this remarkable feat is yet to be determined, but the effect is no less deadly for lack of understanding. More than one hero has been caught out when their invulnerability has been "switched off" by Sink just as a crushing blow from Hammer is about to land. Due to its otherworldly abilities, Sink is the only Blackwing Android to have an international warrant for capture on it, rather than extermination. 

Seeker: A hunter par-excellence, Seeker masqueraded as an independent superhero called "Guardian" for a number of years, infiltrating the superhero community and learning weaknesses before it struck. Seeker is a repository of knowledge on Earth's superhumans, especially how they can be defeated in the most expedient and efficient manner. As a tribute to its prowess, Seeker's first act upon revealing its treachery was to defeat both Wildcat and the Anachronism in hand-to-hand combat; beginning what came to be known as the "Blackwing Assault". Although each of the Blackwing Androids functions independently, if they were to be said to have a 'leader', that role would fall to Seeker. 

Hammer (converted Heroclix) and Razor (Games Workshop) 

Hammer: A large lump of metal with powerful limbs and sharp spikes, Hammer is not subtle and nor is its combat role, battering foes into submission. Ponderous, but far from slow, Hammer's dynamic servos propel it across the battlefield and bring smashing blows raining down on its target. In battle, Hammer and Razor often work in tandem, preying on a single victim at a time. 

Razor: Where Hammer is a blunt instrument, Razor is precise and swift. Armed with deadly blades on its hands and feet, Razor tumbles through combat, slashing and cutting down anything unfortunate enough to get in its way. A complex array of lenses and sensors, as well as a radar-invisible plating enable Razor to strike from the shadows and withdraw before the victim is aware of what has transpired. 

Name: Tinker

BP: 85

Affiliation: Blackwing

AP: 7

Strike: 3

Strength: 3

Dodge: 4

Sense: 4

Toughness: 5

Mind: 3

Resolve: 4

Damage: 3

Powers

Soulless – Immune to Mind-based attacks and Healing. Automatically fails KO Checks

Extra Forms – 3AP place Gun Bugs within 3”, Activate independently, must stay in LOS

- Renewable – Can recreate KOed Gun Bugs

- Additional Form – Can create up to 2 Gun Bugs

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

KO

Name: Gun Bugs				BP: 50
Affiliation: Blackwing				AP: 6
Strike: 5 (1)	Strength: 5	Dodge: 5	Sense: 1
Toughness: 5	Mind: 1	Resolve: 1	Damage: 5
Powers
Soulless – Immune to Mind-based attacks and Healing. Automatically fails KO Checks
Climbing - Can move up and down vertical surfaces, may not Charge.
Super-Strike 1 – May use Strike for Initiative Rolls
Henchman Team, 5 Members

Name: Seeker

BP: 85

Affiliation: Blackwing

AP: 10

Strike: 8 (1)

Strength: 5

Dodge: 7 (1)

Sense: 2

Toughness: 5 (1)

Mind: 2

Resolve: 3

Damage: 5

Powers

Soulless – Immune to Mind-based attacks and Healing. Automatically fails KO Checks

Instant Stand – Cannot be Knocked Down

Super-Strike 1 – May use Strike for Initiative Rolls

Super-Dodge 1 - +1D to resist fall damage

Edge 3 – May add +1D after or +2D before a roll per level once per game

Tactician 3 – 3AP, Grant 1 Re-roll to friendly model within 15”, up to three times a turn

Super Toughness 1

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

KO

Name: Sink

BP: 85

Affiliation: Blackwing

AP: 9

Strike: 2

Strength: 2

Dodge: 2

Sense: 5

Toughness: 4

Mind: 7 (3)

Resolve: 5

Damage: 2

Powers

Soulless – Immune to Mind-based attacks and Healing. Automatically fails KO Checks

Sense Weakness (Hunter) – +2D on Attacks against Prey designated at start of game

Dispel – 4AP 15” Range, Mind vs Power Dice, turns off Active Powers

- Supress – Can target Attributes and constant effect Powers. Attributes lose super and drop to 2D

Super-Mind 3 – May use Mind for Initiative Rolls

- Second Sight – Can target models with Dispel without LOS.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

KO

Name: Hammer

BP: 85

Affiliation: Blackwing

AP: 7

Strike: 5

Strength: 7 (2)

Dodge: 4

Sense: 2

Toughness: 9 (3)

Mind: 2

Resolve: 4

Damage: 7 (2)

Powers

Soulless – Immune to Mind-based attacks and Healing. Automatically fails KO Checks

Density Increase (Always On) - +3D Toughness, +1 Super Strength + Toughness

- All Attacks cost +1AP, Counts as a Class A Object

Immovable 2 – 2” Less Knockback

Bodyguard – May become the target of Toughness Damaging attacks targeting friend within 3”

Super Toughness 2, Super Strength 1

X

X

X

X

X

X

KO

 

Name: Razor

BP: 85

Affiliation: Blackwing

AP: 12

Strike: 7 (2)

Strength: 5

Dodge: 6 (1)

Sense: 3

Toughness: 4

Mind: 3

Resolve: 2

Damage: 5

Powers

Soulless – Immune to Mind-based attacks and Healing. Automatically fails KO Checks

Instant Stand – Cannot be Knocked Down

Super-Strike 2 – May use Strike for Initiative Rolls

Super-Dodge 1 - +1D to resist fall damage

Combat Reflexes – May break from Combat with an Opposed Dodge Test and Charge again

Foresight – Counts one less for in Multiple Combats, may re-roll one scenario die

Invisibility – 2 AP +2D Dodge and Strike against Foes, +2D Doge to resist being spotted

Super Toughness 1

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

KO