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More War Machine? Seriously? Seriously. I know, I've been overdoing it. But the Iron Man 2 movie is out next week and I figured it would be timely to toss out one more. Anyway, I've got it out of my system now. So next week, get ready for two months of Street Fighter Alpha here on Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

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Ahhh yes! My favorite of the Sean Chen Weapon of S.H.I.E.L.D. Month wallpapers. Kudos to inker Sandu Florea and giant kudos to Jay David Ramos for his amazing colors. Oooh and big shout to Joe Caramagna for the great SFX! Next week, well, I guess you could say it's a fill-in Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

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Okay, this Weapon of S.H.I.E.L.D. Month wallpaper doesn't have all the hi-res sizes as the rest of the offerings. But it does have Crimson Dynamo! Git back herr next week for a super-fierce Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

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Weapon of S.H.I.E.L.D. Month continues as Rhodey throws some dangerous surprises at the Skrulls. Be back in seven for a little less variety in your next Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

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It's Weapon of S.H.I.E.L.D. Month starring War Machine, and we're introducing more wallpaper sizes! That's right -- we're going extra widescreen, baby!!!

So dive in and enjoy this week's gorgeous art by Sean Chen, Sandu Florea, and Jay David Ramos, and then be here next week for another Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

For the back story on these tales and more, check out Superhero History: War Machine.

9. Iron Man v1 #169-171 (first Rhodey as Iron Man, along with his second adventure in the Iron Man armor)

8. War Machine v1 #1-7 and 11 (first solo War Machine run minus crossovers; Rhodey leads Worldwatch)

7. The Crew v1 #1-7 (Rhodey avenges the death of his sister and makes some new friends in the process)

6. War Machine v1 #8 and Iron Man v1 #310 (first War Machine vs. Iron Man)

5. Iron Man v1 #281-283 (first appearance of the War Machine armor, worn by Tony Stark)

4. Iron Man v1 #300 and Marvel Comics Presents v1 #151-155 (introduces a street gang called the War Machines and events send Rhodey on a crusade to clean up the streets)

3. U.S. War Machine v1 #1-12 (alternate MAX continuity with a fleet of War Machines working for S.H.I.E.L.D.)

2. Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. #33-35 (a.k.a. War Machine: Weapon of S.H.I.E.L.D.; War Machine vs. Skrulls)

1. Iron Man v1 #284-291 (first Rhodey in War Machine armor; first Iron Man and War Machine team up)

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = War Machine.

Only this Rhodey was now disfigured and more machine than man. The explanation for this came in War Machine: Weapon of SHIELD (a.k.a. Iron Man Director of SHIELD) #33-35 by Christos Gage and Sean Chen, my personal favorite modern War Machine story (as for classics, I recommend Iron Man #281-291). [Check out my Top 9 favorite War Machine stories next Monday!!! P.S. That link won't work until then!]

Readers finally found out how Rhodey became deformed and robotic. Apparently, somewhere between Marvel's Civil War and the start of The Initiative, Rhodey was seriously injured while fighting on behalf of the USA in the Middle East. Tony Stark found a way to save his life, but he had to augment Rhodey with cybernetics to do so.

After kicking some serious Skrull ass, Rhodey assumed the reigns of War Machine v2 by Greg Pak and Leonardo Manco. But by this time, he was a true War Machine. Killing was no longer a problem as long as it was a means to an end.

I must admit to having only read issues here and there of WM v2, which just recently ended with #12. I know it had something to do with Rhodey's cloned body being captured by Norman Osborne, as well as WM's international vendetta against criminals that prey on the innocent, but that's about all I can say.

WAIT! That's not totally true -- I know that there were multiple War Machine armors being worn by Rhodey's different associates. That's a throwback to the concepts behind U.S. War Machine MAX and Iron Man #300, which both showed Rhodey with crew of friends sporting a fleet of customized armors. To what extent this concept of Team War Machine still exists in the current Marvel Universe, I'm not sure. But keep an eye out for it to pop up again in the future.

Now that we're all caught up to the present in the Marvel 616, I would be remiss if I didn't elaborate on Rhodey's love life. When it comes to the ladies, it seems like he's always the "second choice" to his best buds. Rhodey's first serious love interest that I can remember was the power-hungry heir to Stark Enterprises and former Stark flame, Marcy Pearson. She left Rhodey after Stark promoted him above her at the time of his "death."

Then came Rae LaCoste, a woman who was also originally courted by Tony and acted as Rhodey's love interest in War Machine v1. Rae and Rhodey seemed to have a healthy thing going on, but he abandoned her during the holidays after she received a very cold reception from his potentially racist parents.

Then, for a while, lovers came and went, never really sticking around for long. Finally, a new longterm player entered in Busiek's Iron Man run. Later picked up in Austen's U.S. War Machine and Pak's War Machine v2, Glenda Sandoval was shown to be THE woman of Rhodey's desires. Thing is, she ended up with Rhodey's other BFF, Parnell Jacobs, instead. Ooops!

Anyway, there are a lot of War Machine appearances going on lately that don't play into the character's larger Marvel 616 continuity. The Ultimate comics line by Marvel has seen Rhodey AND the War Machine armor explored at length, first in the Ultimate Iron Man minis by Orson Scott Card and now in Ultimate Comics Avengers by Mark Millar. In the Marvel Zombies continuity, Rhodey made a recent foray into the action, fighting on the human side as successor to the Iron Man mantle.

As for animation, Rhodey was featured in the incredibly uneven 90s Iron Man show. During that era, he also made small appearances on other Marvel animated programs. More recently, the Ultimate Avengers 2 movie utilized the War Machine armor (albeit worn by Tony). And the new Iron Man: Armored Adventures co-stars a young Rhodey Rhodes as Tony's classmate and moral compass.

Not to be forgotten, there's the impending Iron Man 2. I can't say much for War Machine's unseen film origin yet, except that 2009 Comicon Int'l footage appears to show Rhodey getting his War Machine weapons from Justin Hammer (a baddie!). Well, that, and film goers are certain to be perplexed by Rhodey's sudden transformation from Terrence Howard into Don Cheadle.

As for the future of War Machine, Marvel's Editor in Chief Joe Quesada claims that we'll be seeing a lot more of James Rupert Rhodes in the comics spotlight soon, possibly even in another ongoing series. With Iron Man 2 ready to hit in a few months, that seems pretty damn likely.

But regardless of what happens, I think it's safe to say that War Machine will be highly visible in 2010, emblazoned on all manners of Iron Man 2 merchandise. For fans like myself, that'll be a welcome opportunity to publicly display my love for this complex and experienced character who's gone from sidekick to breakout to cop out to cyborg and beyond.

UPDATE w/ SPOILERS: From what I understand, Rhodey is no longer a cyborg -- he's safely inside a body cloned for him by Tony. Also, WM is going to be on the newly announced Secret Avengers team (I assume it's Rhodey in the armor).

All throughout this era, it's important to note that killing was never taken lightly by War Machine. A few baddies were killed here and there, but that led to many a crisis of conscience for our hero. I bring this up because the War Machine of the 90s is largely remembered as the "Iron Man that kills." He may have been more aggressive, but killing never came any easier to Jim Rhodes back then.

Anyway, by this point, the War Machine armor we all know and love was missing in action after Rhodey's time traveling journey back home from WWII in War Machine v1. And the Eidolon Warwear armor didn't last long either, as Rhodey was soon separated from that alien suit and left without a costume.

Oddly enough, it was at this time of Rhodey's greatest dip in comic book popularity that he received his most high-profile mainstream attention to date. At the end of the 90s, War Machine was featured as the newest playable character on the Marvel Comics side of the arcade smash hit, Marvel vs. Capcom. Granted, you never see War Machine unmask in this fighting game, but it's obviously intended to be Rhodey inside the suit -- you can tell by his playful quips and hard line attitude.

But back in the comics, James Rhodes was making only the most peripheral of supporting appearances from the late 90s into very early 00s. The only notable action came from Kurt Busiek and Sean Chen's run on Iron Man. Rhodey and the War Machine armor saw a bit of a resurgence, but this time the armor was piloted by the character of Parnell Jacobs, Rhodey's heretofore unknown "other best friend."

Busiek's War Machine story was short but notable, as threads from the tale would inform the armored character for the rest of the decade. This was evident when writer / artist Chuck Austen put his indelible mark on on the character in the U.S. War Machine MAX series.

Though Austen is always a hot-button topic for online comic book fans, most will agree that USWM was his finest work for Marvel and it left Rhodey in a better place than it found him.

Unfortunately for the 616 Marvel Universe, U.S. War Machine isn't in continuity. It occurs in an alternate reality where Rhodey was the first armored pilot and Stark was instead the second (along with some other stuff about building the armor with Victor von Doom). This book was released as a weekly series in black and white, Marvel's rare stab at a more manga-style of publishing, I guess.

Meanwhile, in the main Marvel 616 continuity, after quick set of very small supporting appearances in Frank Tieri's Iron Man, Rhodey became the headlining character in the ensemble adventure, The Crew. This comic was a "Money Train"-esque mystery by Christopher "don't call me Chris" Priest and Joe Bennett. It saw Rhodey pawn off the last of his War Machine armor and go at it plainclothes style while getting revenge for the death of his junky sister.

Dying after a short seven issues, Rhodey spun from the The Crew directly into Sentinel Squad O*N*E, which was both its own book and a short lived superteam of sorts in the X-Men Universe. Rhodey was the head of a military outfit that helped police the dwindling mutant population following M-Day (the culminating event of the House of M crossover).

In O*N*E, Rhodey piloted both full-sized Sentinel armor as well as his own Sentinel-esque personal armor (sort of like a fuchsia and blue Iron Man suit, if you will -- it actually looks pretty awesome). Rhodey could be found fighting with the Sentinels all the way up through Civil War, where he briefly appeared in Reggie Hudlin's Black Panther as one of the few characters to stand neutral in the epic hero vs. hero crossover battle.

Then, after years spent out of the own armor and mixing it up on the sidelines, War Machine was appointed the overseer of The Initiative program, starring as one of the more experienced members of Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli's superhero military outfit in Avengers: The Initiative.

But something wasn't quite right with Rhodey, as quick peaks here and there revealed that he was now more machine than man. This deformed and robotic Rhodey was a mystery for readers, as there was no foreshadowing and barely any flashbacks to fill people in on the deal.

Avengers: The Initiative would, alas, hold no substantive answers as Secret Invasion soon took hold of the Marvel Universe and sent Rhodey charging into the story arc known as War Machine, Weapon of SHIELD.

NEXT: It's War Machine on the battlefield in Superhero History: War Machine - Part 4, Back in Black!!!

Writer Len Kaminski and artist Kevin Hopgood "killed" the longstanding title character and put his best friend at the helm in Iron Man #284. And by best friend, I'm talking about James Rupert 'Rhodey' Rhodes, of course.

As I detailed in Part 1, Before the War, Rhodey was no novice to the Iron Man mantle. He'd held it years earlier when his best friend and employer was defeated by alcoholism. But the story in Iron Man #284-288 by Len Kaminski and Kevin Hopgood was different -- this time, Rhodey was inside the War Machine armor, a totally different type of suit that was designed by Tony Stark with Jim Rhodes in mind.

At this point in the early 1990s, Rhodey hadn't officially adopted the "War Machine" moniker. I think it was circa Iron Man #291 -- when the red and gold suit was first seen fighting alongside the black and silver armor -- that the title of War Machine became legit. The name itself was made famous by the cryptic diaries of Leonardo DiVinci that contained schematics for "war machines," one of which was a mechanized suit of armor.

Story short, War Machine a.k.a. Rhodey got pretty pissed off when he found out that Tony Stark never actually died. Instead, the billionaire inventor just put himself into a cryogenic deep freeze in the attempt to stall his impending death and buy his doctors enough time to upload his body with some new nervous system software (yes, I mean software -- Tony Stark's body had been running on an artificial computer-esque nervous system due to previous health problems).

Rhodey was ready to storm out of Stark's infirmary room, throwing his armor on the floor and telling his former best friend that he doesn't want a damned thing to do with him anymore. He was practically out the door when Stark made a challenge that would stand as character motivation for James Rhodes for some time to come -- (and I paraphrase) "If you don't like the way I do it, then do it better."

Stark can really be a @#$% sometimes, but he said what he said with sincerity. Basically, Tony told Rhodey to use his anger as motivation and be guided by his moral compass even when Tony himself is too caught to follow his own. Begrudgingly, Rhodey took the armor and left. This, sadly, was the beginning of a fairly longstanding separation between the two best friends.

This emotional event spun into events of Iron Man #300. The lead story in that issue showed Rhodey leading a crew of fighters all wearing different Iron Man armors, a theme which would be heavily picked up on again in the future. A backup story in that issue also followed War Machine, but that particular story led to a solo adventure in Marvel Comics Presents.

A few more quick appearances here and there, and it was obvious that War Machine was ready for the big time -- a solo series!!! James Rhodes was soon seen in the early issues of War Machine v1 as the new CEO of Worldwatch, a humanitarian organization that attempted to intervene in international situations through the use of diplomacy.

Ironically, Rhodey ended up bringing the War Machine armor everywhere he went, so diplomacy always seemed to take a backseat to superhero aggression whenever Worldwatch showed up. Similar to the tone of War Machine v2, this first solo book often attempted to insert Rhodey into realistic conflicts over human rights and military power.

Len Kaminski, Scott Benson, and Gabe Gecko (now better known as artist Gabriel Hardman) told this tale for a mere eleven issues. After that, Dan Abnett and a rotating crew of pencilers picked up the ball and ran with it until War Machine v1 #25. On the way to the end, Rhodey wound up: reliving the plot of Jean-Claude Van Damme's "Hard Target" but with added super armor, time traveling to Nazi Germany, and eventually gaining an alien suit of armor called the Eidolon Warwear. Somewhere around there, he also found the time to join Force Works.

Wait, back up a second... did I say "an alien suit of armor called the Eidolon Warwear"? Why yes, I did. See, Rhodey somehow lost the classic War Machine black and silvers on his way back from Nazi Germany to the present. But by the following issue, he was piloting a crazy blue, green, and gray alien battle suit that he conveniently encountered on a fishing trip.

The alien armor responded to Rhodey's thoughts, but not because it was an advanced piece of machinery. No, the Eidolon Warwear responded to Rhodey because it was an actual telepathic living being... sort of like a hybrid Iron Man / Venom, if you will. It took War Machine from a very terrestrial existence and turned him into a cosmic player for a short span.

Unfortunately, the alien look didn't strike a cord with fans and War Machine v1 (much like Rhodey's comic book popularity) unceremoniously dropped off the face of the Earth with War Machine v1 #25.

NEXT: War Machine no more in Superhero History: War Machine - Part 3, Missing in Action!!!

That's pretty much all you NEED to know about Rhodey. That, and he's Tony Stark's best friend. But if you dig deeper, there's a lot of complexity and interesting character development at work.

Over the course of the following four installments of Superhero History: War Machine, I'll give you a personal account of Rhodey's superhero exploits and character history... sort of like Wikipedia, but less stiff and more geared towards helping you understand the character, not just rattling off a list of events.

However, before we really get rolling, I should note that my expertise is in Rhodey during the War Machine years, so this pre-WM history you see here is a working summary at best. It's to get you up to speed and understand the character's historical foundation.

Truthfully, I skipped over Rhodey's first appearance in Iron Man #118 and his "origin" (of sorts) in Iron Man #144. Story short, Rhodey and Tony met overseas during wartime. I get real mixed up by Marvel's sliding timescale, and, frankly, I don't know if Vietnam is still part of Rhodey's back story. But for a long time it was.

The important thing to know is that Rhodey was hired by Tony Stark to be his helicopter pilot. Even more important is that Rhodey would eventually become his employer's #1 confidant and one of the very few who knew that Iron Man was in fact Tony Stark.

This comes into play in a big way in Iron Man #169, when Tony succumbs to alcoholism to the extent that he can no longer pilot the Iron Man armor. Responding to an immediate threat on corporate Stark property, Rhodey slides on the red and gold suit and kicks some ass.

Rhodey remained as Iron Man for a good stint, working with the Avengers, starring in the first Secret Wars, and even joining in on the original West Coast Avengers lineup (to the best of my understanding, very few knew it was Rhodey inside the armor at this time).

Then, in Iron Man #200, Denny O'Neil and Mark Bright introduced the Silver Centurion (red and silver) armor. This had been predicated by preceding issues that told the story of a newly sober Tony Stark who was forced to reclaim his mantle after the classic red and gold suit induced Rhodey into a slow-building rage (something about the helmet not being balanced to his mental frequency).

Anyway, even after his tenure as Iron Man, the former Marine from south Philadelphia still hung around the comics as Tony's best buddy. But Rhodey stayed out of the armor until Iron Man #215-216, two issues that marked the return of Rhodey's co-creators, David Michelinie and Bob Layton, to the Iron Man series.

This short story arc is notable for its use of the "Rhodey's afraid of the armor subplot." A destructive incident on Stark's orbiting satellite / space station requires Rhodey to don the armor once more. He doesn't want to put it on in the first place, considering the whole "the armor makes me mad" thing, but it's either wear the damn armor to get back to Earth or die out in space.

To make matters worse -- apparently due to the armor being an older model and not properly fashioned for space flight -- Rhodey literally lights on fire during his descent into Earth's atmosphere. Methinks that Michelinie and Layton weren't too crazy about Rhodey as Iron Man... I mean, they were only back for one issue before they symbolically lit the guy on fire inside his own armor!

Flashbacks and a fear of burning alive inside the Iron Man gear kept Rhodey out of the suit for a good 50 issues or so. He was still an integral part of the original Armor Wars story arc (Iron Man #225-231), but he didn't actually wear the suit again until the excellent Armor Wars II (Iron Man #258-266) by John Bryne and John Romita, Jr.

Shortly thereafter, things took a turn for the worse for Tony. Stark's nervous system was failing and it looked like he was going to kick the bucket for good. As a last hurrah, he created a new suit of highly-weaponized armor, but he didn't have the time to paint the damn thing!.

This unpainted suit is -- you guessed it! -- the War Machine armor. Iron Man #281 introduced the black and silver costume, but with Tony as its pilot.

A mere two issues later, Tony Stark really died. Well, about as much as any heavily licensed publishing property can really die in a free market environment (which is to say that he was "dead" for about two or three issues).

Right before his "death," Tony promoted Rhodey to second in command, thus making the former helicopter pilot the official head of Stark Enterprises. But that's not all that Tony left behind for Rhodey, In fact, he bequeathed him a rather valuable gift that ended up changing his best friend's life forever.

NEXT: Enter the War Machine in Superhero History: War Machine - Part 2, Let's Get It On!!!

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War Machine Month is ruined! See you in 2010 when Hyper Combo Wallpaper swirls into Storm Month!

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War Machine Month continues its streak! Come and get the best of the best next Sunday in Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

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Is this a cheat? YES! But in the comics, James Rhodes is War Machine and he's previously piloted a personalized Sentinel armor... so this still sorta works! Whatever. War Machine Month gets streaky in the next Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

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Enter the War Machine Month... it's Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

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Here's an extra special non-schedule wallpaper to get War Machine Month started off right. Check ya next Sunday for our regularly scheduled Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

P.S. BTW, here's the hi-res (1500 px X 2221 px) Iron Man 2 movie poster jpeg.

8. Banshee

7. Falcon

6. Power Girl

5. Vision

4. War Machine

3. G-Man

2. Storm

1. Superman

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Awesome. Now that’s what I call math.

Behold War Machine's tiny yet threatening fist!

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Be back here next Monday for a Cyclops vs. Storm Hyper Combo Wallpaper as Versus Month continues!

8. Jim Rhodes wears the Iron Man armor. To me, this is a staple of the Iron Man legacy. When Stark just can't continue on, his best friend is there to carry on the fight. While I prefer Rhodey in the War Machine armor, there's something special about the way he puts on the red and golds to help his best bud when he's down.

7. Tony Stark gets an artificial nervous system. In the first Iron Man movie, repulsor technology was brilliantly re-imagined as a life-support system mixed with a massive energy source (in compact form, to boot). Another concept from the Iron Man comics that could use this touch is the artificial central nervous system Tony Stark implements in his own body following his faked death. It's especially fascinating to watch Tony code his own nervous system like he's writing software code.

6. The Hulkbuster armor. C'mon, you know you wanna see it too. This will probably have to wait for the Avengers movie, if that!

5. Tony Stark succumbs to alcoholism. Again, maybe this is best in a a sequel or another film. Like, if we see hints of it in Iron Man 2, even more hints in Avengers, and then Iron Man 3 showcases Tony's struggle - that might maximize the emotional impact. Still, I feel this plot should start in earnest with Iron Man 2.

4. The Blacklash costume. This costume is a classic supervillain faux pas, featuring a neon green ponytail in the cowl and hot pink / fuchsia in the body. It's so insane that I would love to see Iron Man 2 attempt it. BRING ON THE CHEESE! Alas, it appears that Whiplash will never progress into his insane Blacklash threads, however, because he's a hybrid of Whiplash AND Crimson Dynamo in Iron Man 2.

3. Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan hook up. Tony Stark is a man who can have just about any woman in the world... so what happens when the one woman he genuinely cares for decides she'd rather be with his driver / (non-armored) bodyguard? This is classic drama!

2. The Telepresence armor. Tony Stark is incapacitated, but that doesn't stop him from being Iron Man. Using technology that allows him to virtually pilot a suit of Iron Man armor, Tony remotely controls his infamous red and golds. There is still a risk, of course, because neural feedback from damage to the unmanned Neuromimetic Telepresence Unit can still manifest physically on Tony's end...

1. The War Machine armor. Luckily, I already know that my top choice is going to be in Iron Man 2. However, I am dismayed that the Comic-Con Int'l footage featured Rhodey getting his gear from Justin Hammer. Hopefully this is well weaved into the plot, because I think it's essential that Rhodey dons the suit to fight for right!!!

More: The Top 9 Moments in X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Awesome. Now that’s what I call math.

Shove the AudioShocker podcast RSS feed into your favorite RSS reader. Review the AudioShocker on iTunes. Call the AudioShocker Comment Line at 412-567-7606 or have our comment line call you.

Shove the AudioShocker podcast RSS feed into your favorite RSS reader. Review the AudioShocker on iTunes. Call the AudioShocker Comment Line at 412-567-7606 or have our comment line call you.

Ye olde fist of War Machine is coming at cha, baby!

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Obviously I have some sort of weird addiction to War Machine. He's in about 50% of all the Hyper Combo Wallpapers I've ever published. And my love for Marvel vs. Capcom certainly doesn't diminish my infatuation with War Machine whatsoever.

While browsing the Internet for more hi-res Rhodey art, I stumbled upon an early Dan Slott issue - What If? #63: What if War Machine Had Not Destroyed the Living Laser? The art you see here is courtesy Manny Galan. I extracted the War Machine image from the cover, Photoshopped it at a high DPI using the cutout filter, and ended up with the excellent desktop wallpaper you see here.

Thanks to Demian's Gamebook for the cover scan. Now go make sure that you get your ass back here next Monday for a new Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

More: War Machine Hyper Combo Wallpaper Archives!

I was roped into helping via Wayne Wise, my friend and comics mentor from Phantom of the Attic Comics in Oakland (make sure to be at Phantom @ 12PM on June 14th for an awesome podcast experience!!!). By roped, I mean recommended. And by helping, I mean sitting behind a table and reading comics while occasionally selling a few art prints. It was a fun night, especially after I received some company in the form of the Comic Book Pitt.

The strangest thing about the fundraiser was the crowd. It was a bizarre mix of indie artist types (from Pittsburgh's Dr. Sketchy's, mainly), comic book creators and/or fans (like myself), and well-dressed (seemingly) rich people (who I assume are frequent patrons of the arts). Oh, and I almost forgot about the cougars. That's right. Hot, sexy, mature women in their 40s and 50s walking around in tiny tight dresses. It was surreal to see them mixed in with everyone else.

The arts patrons were an odd mix unto themselves. There were young couples that looked like they should be going out to the clubs in the Strip, and there were older couples that looked like they should be attending a lecture at the Carnegie Museum. The indie artists and the comic book people? I expected them. But the rest of the crowd caught me off guard.

Seeing Ron get the award was by far the highlight of the night. Of all working artists in comics today, he certainly deserves it. Apparently this was his first award, too. That's criminal.

The runner-up highlight? Sitting down to sell prints and noticing a stack of old Iron Man comics at the table to my left. I was wearing my War Machine t-shirt, and I coincidentally snagged Iron Man #269-272, where a drunk Tony Stark's behavior first forces Rhodey to put on the Iron Man armor. AWESOME!

Sadly, none of the other attendees noticed the confluence of shirt and reading material that I had going on. They were too busy clapping for Ron Frenz and Tom DeFalco... and, of course, ogling the cougars.

Rhodey vs. Tony... All Out Aerial Assault!

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Hero versus hero is what Marvel vs. Capcom is all about! It's no secret that I'm not a fan of the arcade version of Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. However, that's the only way you can fight War Machine and Iron Man against each other.

This image comes from the cover of Invincible Iron Man #11 by Salvador Larroca and Frank D'Armata. Thanks to Comic Box for the hook up. They always have the best hi-res comic book solicitations on the Internet. Be back here next Monday for a new Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

More: War Machine Hyper Combo Wallpaper Archives!

Even More: War Machine (Iron Man 2 Movie Poster) Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

So let me be the first person that I know of to go on record by saying that Len Kaminski's run on Iron Man is THE SHIT. No, it's not shit… it's THE SHIT. It's smart. It's fun. It's gripping. It's awesome.

And, of course, Kaminski didn't do it alone. Len had some excellent collaborators in the form of Kevin Hopgood and Tom Morgan. With Hopgood, Kaminski co-created the War Machine armor (and, in turn, the superhero War Machine). Not being a huge Shellhead history buff in my early years, I had no idea that Tony Stark originally piloted the War Machine himself (albeit for only a few issues) previous to Jim Rhodes. (Tony's War Machine was different, though, and by the time Rhodey stepped into the suit, it had upgraded.)

With Tom Morgan, Kaminski closed out his amazing run of Iron Man tales, attempting some rather ambitious storylines including an early adventure (literally) on the Internet and a "fantastic voyage" into Captain America's bloodstream (via the science of Hank Pym, naturally). Morgan also drew a few fill-in issues during Kev Hopgood's run, mixing well with Hopgood's unique artistic imprint.

So why has this run been overlooked by the fandom haunts I've frequented? Maybe it was the forums of discussion I visited. The message boards at Newsarama and Comic Book Resources tend to be full of high-turnover users who have more to say about the present than the past. At my local comic shop, none of the employees are Iron Man fanatics and none of the customers I know espouse their love for Stark Enterprises.

And then, of course, these comics came out during the 1990s. Before I proceed down this tangent of discussion, let me say that I have nothing against the comics produced during the 1990s. I love them as much as the books from any other decade. BUT many people out there – whether they've actually read comics from the last decade of the 20th century or not – bring a heap of preconceived notions to the table when discussing comics produced during the 1990s. It's generally accepted as a low period when savage success for the medium transitioned into savage decline.

While those assumptions of the 1990s hold some weight in the realm of comic book marketing and business practices, most preconceived notions about the superhero comic book content of that era are flat out wrong. True, books back then often tried to up the "gritty" quotient following Watchmen, Born Again, and The Dark Knight Returns. But many cosmic comics of that time had more colors and insane concepts than ever before (and anything since!), while attempts to explore the explosion of information technology yielded some interesting results.

The latter was where Len Kaminski shined on Iron Man. His explorations into the notions of technology in a recently information-rich business world are fascinating. Modern business vs. the demands of modern technology is a constant theme throughout Kaminski's work. And who in superhero comic books is equipped to better deal with that relationship than Tony Stark? None, of course.

I could go on for countless paragraphs about the interesting themes explored within the pages of Iron Man #278-280. I could probably write a fucking dissertation exploring the dialectical relationship between Tony Stark's human frailties and his adventures to the very boundaries of known technology only using examples from Kaminski's work. I could even accuse Google of ripping off Len Kaminski's restructuring of Stark Enterprises in Iron Man #306.

But instead of continuing endlessly in shameless praise, I'll settle for a HUGE "Thank You" to Len for his awesome work on Iron Man. Another GIANT "Thanks" goes to Kev Hopgood and Tom Morgan for the excellent imagery (along with the letters by Phil Felix and the colors by Ariane... and of course, Nel Yomtov, who edited the whole damn thing).

In closing, I'd like to extend a personal plea to all superhero comic book fans out there to go back and dig up Iron Man #278-318. Hell, you can even just start with #280 if you want (since #278-279 are Galactic Storm crossover issues). Most importantly, I challenge the tastemakers who evangelize about superhero comics on a regular basis to read Len Kaminski's run on Iron Man and see if you can restrain yourself from praising these comics up and down. I bet you can't do it.

P.S. With that said, I'd LOVE to see Marvel reunite Len Kaminski and Kevin Hopgood in time for the debut of Iron Man 2 in 2010. If we're going to see War Machine in action in that movie, I think it's only fair to bring his creators back to the Iron Man comic books, if only for a short miniseries akin to David Michelinie and Bob Layton's Legacy of Doom mini (which came out around the time of the first Iron Man flick).

When it all ends, Neal and Nick talk X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Straight up? Neal hated it. Nick liked it. They argue the pros and cons of the Hugh Jackman solo flick including Will.I.Am, Emma Frost, Gambit, Deadpool, and more. Then Nick delivers his report on the Death Note: L, Change the WorLd one-night-only subtitled presentation. Then pure media mayhem erupts into Nick of Time, Must Love Dogs, Darkstalkers, Free Comic Book Day 2009 comics, Collage, Carlitta Durand, The Clipse, Kanye, KRS-One, Eminem and the Punisher, and tons more.

Wallpaper of War Machine on a Tank... Wait, He is the Tank!

DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200

Okay, so the image above doesn't fully convey the insanity of War Machine being plopped on top of a tank and using it for a pair of glorified (and deadly) legs. But the 1280 X 1024 and 1600 X 1200 versions of this wallpaper capture the moment a bit better than the 1440 X 900 that you see here.

If I had to give it a name... I guess I would call this War Machine's Dark Reign armor. It comes to us courtesy of illustrator Leonardo Manco and colorist Jay David Ramos. The source? An interior page from War Machine (vol 2) #2.

I have a feeling that this image will become an infamous touchstone in Rhodey's career for years to come... for better or worse. Take some notes, Marvel vs. Capcom. Special move for the (elusive) third installment, perhaps?

Thanks to Mecha Image Of The Day for the image. This is the third and final installment of a three-part War Machine wallpaper series. Be back here next Monday for a new Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

More: War Machine Avengers: The Initiative Armor Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

And more: War Machine Original Armor Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

War Machine Wallpaper - Avengers: The Initiative Armor

DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200

Welcome illustrator Stefano Caselli and colorist Daniele Rudoni to the War Machine wallpaper hallowed halls of fame! They delivered this awesome interior page image of Rhodey in Avengers: The Initiative #11. It's too bad that Mr. Rhodes never got to bust it out like this in Marvel vs. Capcom series. Still, his Proton Cannon special is pretty @#$%ing sweet.

Thanks to Marvel Avalon for the image (I've been getting my hi-res scans from them for years). This is the second stunning installment of a three-part War Machine wallpaper series. Be back here next Monday for the third War Machine Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

More: War Machine Original Armor Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

And more: Classic issues of War Machine reviewed... in webcomics form!!!

War Machine Wallpaper - Original Armor

DOWNLOAD WALLPAPER :: 1280 X 1024 :: 1440 X 900 :: 1600 X 1200

Whoa boy! A few firsts going on this week with the Hyper Combo Wallpaper. Rest assured that we're still bringing you your favorite characters from the Marvel vs. Capcom series. That's just what we do. But we're kicking it up a notch this time with three different sizes of wallpaper!!!

We're also bringing you the first of a three-part War Machine wallpaper series. AND this is the first time we're using non-Capcom art for the wallpaper! This week's shot is from the cover of Iron Man #283, by penciler (and War Machine co-creator) Kevin Hopgood, inker Bob Wiacek, and (maybe?) colors by Mike Rockwitz (he did the interiors, so maybe he did the cover too).

Granted, well-read Iron Man fans will know that this week's image is a bit of a cheat. This armor was never worn by James "Rhodey" Rhodes himself... it was only worn by Tony Stark. By the time Rhodey slapped on the suit in Iron Man #284, it was redesigned and modified with a few more toys. But Tony is in both Marvel Super Heroes and Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes, so this DOES count.

Thanks to Marvel Avalon for the image (I've been getting my hi-res scans from them for years). Be back here next Monday for another Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

More: War Machine, Captain America, and Gray Hulk Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

And more: Classic issues of War Machine reviewed... in webcomics form!!!

Transcript :: War Machine #15-17 (Vol 1, 1995) :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: This story is by far the most ambitious thing attempted in War Machine's solo series. Time War puts Rhodey in the thick of a WWII Nazi battle. Now back in 1941, War Machine teams up with Cap and Bucky to tussle with Axis forces. With the future at stake, WM kills a Nazi leader. Emotional ramifications plague Rhodey. Even worse, Jim lands back in the present without his suit! The War Machine armor is lost in time!!!

Then Justique, Neal, and Nick talk about Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, Street Fighter IV, The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian, famous film names re-titled to be porn movies, Jigoku Shoujo anime a.k.a. Hell Girl, the Watchmen movie, Secret Invasion hardcover collection by Bendis and Lenil Yu, and Iron Man: Armor Wars.

This Hyper Combo Wallpaper features my three favorite playable Marvel characters from Marvel vs. Capcom. Capcom switched from Iron Man to War Machine in this fighting game, and I love the change. Captain America is a perennial favorite of mine, always holding up well against the best of characters. And Gray Hulk? Well, personally, I just like him better in his Joe Fixit colors. (Gray is Hulk's secondary costume choice in MvC... select the character using your kick buttons.)

Thanks again to The Fighter's Generation for the Capcom drawings, and be back here next Monday for another Hyper Combo Wallpaper!!!

Marvel vs. Capcom Wallpaper - Download Full-Size 1440 x 900

12:00 PM

I emailed Jay Faerber and Chris Giarrusso. Jay and I have been planning to talk about Dynamo 5 as the series approaches its semi-relaunch. I emailed Chris because Wednesday saw the unexpected appearance of Mini Marvels: Secret Invasion on the Diamond Comics shipping list.

Within the next few weeks, you can expect to hear Jay Faerber on our weekly podcast talking about Dynamo 5 #0 and the future of the series. Also expect to hear from Chris G in the coming weeks. We'll be talking about the new Mini Marvel digest, as well as his upcoming G-Man digest from Image Comics.

6:00 PM

I worked my way thru a Pittsburgh mini-blizzard to get to Phantom of the Attic Comics on Craig St. It was Wednesday, after all. And I needed me some new comics. And some old comics too.

Last week I gave my retailer a back issue wish list. At the top? Iron Man #215-232. David Michelinie and Bob Layton join up with penciler Mark Bright to take Tony Stark and Rhodey Rhodes into Armor Wars (and BWS bats cleanup on #232, an Armor Wars epilogue). I was inspired by the reviews on Advanced Iron to grab this whole run.

And there's more. I also snagged Iron Man #285-299, filling in the middle between the landmark War Machine issues of #284 and #300. AND I picked up Marvel Comics Presents #152-155, a four-part War Machine story. Expect to see some of these issues pop up in my 3 Panel Reviews.

New stuff? Black Panther #1, X-Men: The Times and Life of Lucas Bishop #1, X-Men Vs. Hulk, Tales of the TMNT #53, Black Lightning: Year One #1 (for free thanks to a misprint!), and Dynamo 5 #19. My retailers were awesome enough to toss me the variant cover of Black Panther #1 (probably because I'm the most rabid T'Challa fan at the shop!). Sadly, my shop didn't have any copies of Mini Marvels: Secret Invasion... I'm not sure if they didn't order any (which would be odd) or if Diamond didn't actually ship the book (which would NOT be odd).

I made a pretty serious decision about my comic book purchasing habits as well. These $3.99 books are killing me. I decided that stuff like yesterday's Secret Warriors #1 is just gonna have to wait. Stuff like the Bishop mini and Claremont's X-Men Vs. Hulk one-shot are going to take precedence. I'd rather indulge in more unique side projects. Vixen, Terra, Hulk one-shots, MC2 books, and X-Men minis are the sort of intriguing things I want to pick up.

8:00 PM

After sitting on it for a few days, it was time to crack open the Hulk Vs. DVD. First up? Hulk Vs. Wolverine. It's awesome that Jeff Matsuda was the character designer for this half of the Hulk Vs. project. But I need some character exploration too. While the animation was strong and the voice performances were decent, the story of Hulk Vs. Wolverine (which really should have been called Hulk Vs. Weapon X) needed more gripping character development. This just didn't reach the heights of Ultimate Avengers or Next Avengers. Hopefully Hulk Vs. Thor will really knock it out of the park.

9:00 PM

Shh!!! Justique's asleep and I have a whole mammoth stack of Iron Man back issues to read!!!

I slowly snuck over to my new reading regiment and selected Iron Man #215. As I crept back to the couch, Justique opened her eyes! DAMN IT!!! But I didn’t put the issue away. I know my girlfriend well. She was back to sleep within two minutes. Then I cracked open #215 and started to read.

Thursday, February 5, 11:59 AM

9:00 AM

Iron Man #225 and #228. That's what I needed. My shop had EVERYTHING from my wish list save for these two issues. I ended up paying $10 for the two of them online, which kind of sucks. But considering I only paid $1 per issue for the entire Armor Wars run, I'm already well ahead of the curve.

11:00 AM

I want to see this Push movie. Chris Evans was great as Johnny Storm. Plus, Push is a super powered action flick… so much so that a few movie reviewers actually think this film is based on comics... like this guy from the Orlando Sentinel.

But the movie could go either way. It sounds reminiscent of last year's Jumper, which sucked. My movie theater has Push projected digitally, which Fandango describes as having "impressive clarity, brilliance and color and a lack of scratches, fading and flutter."

Not sure if I'm buying it, Fandango. I mean, can it really be that much better than regular projection? Isn't it awesome enough that movies get projected 50 times bigger than the screen on my crappy TV set?

Transcript :: War Machine #12-14 (Vol 1, 1995) :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: Oh man! Where should I start? Rhodey takes a trip home for the holidays, and he invites his GF, Rae LaCoste. Problem is, his parents are racists! In typical hero fashion, Rhodey is soon distracted by a bigger issue: The Rush Club, a crew of deadly, heavily armored playboys out for blood! Rhodey crosses the globe throughout this fun and unexpected read. But what happens next makes this ambitious tale tame by comparison...

Read this article wherein Fox News claims there are only a few black superheroes and then goes on to support its claim in the worst way possible by showing tons of evidence that there are lots of black superheroes (for example, they mention the Museum of Black Superheroes).

Tom Brevoort (not known to be a huge fan of this blog) gets a quote in, but it feels like FOX News managed to choose the worst quote possible from Tom. Then the article gets quotes from a lot of guys I've never ever heard of who completely misrepresent black characters in comics. What, was it too hard to talk to Dwayne McDuffie or Christopher Priest? Or did they just know better than to let themselves get quoted by FOX News???

Erik Larsen is actually the most eloquent commentator on the subject, saying, "The characters in comics are often too ethnic for a white audience and too embarrassing for a black one." While holding a bit of hyperbole, the statement does manage to nail down a lingering problem at most major comic book companies: their black characters are trying to hard to be "black."

Basically, writers often overstress the heritage of non-white characters, especially black characters. This has not always been the case (see War Machine vol 1) nor is it a huge problem nowadays, but it does explain a lot. In particular, it explains the one thing FOX News manages to get right in this article - few black superheroes "have achieved mainstream appeal" (though Blade, Storm, and John Stewart have done pretty damn well for themselves).

Anyway, as an antidote to this madness, I would like to link to this list of black female superheroes that just goes on and on and on forever. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, FOX News!!!

UPDATE: Oh, wait, as I was typing this article they added an even more bizarre interactive image to the article. Again, WTF!?!

9. Blackheart - Yeah, Ghost Rider was popular in the late 90s, but Blackheart!?! Along with Shuma-Gorath, Blackheart was a bizarre choice for a baddie. Still, his playability is awesome, with excellent long range attacks and a few really great specials.

8. Cyclops - Personally, I think Cyke is a natural for a fighting game. He's got big power and he's also a scrapper. His eyebeams make him a great long range character, while his kicks make him a strong close range fighter. The only flaw is that he doesn't have more variations in his eyebeam moves.

7. Gambit - In the Capcom series, Gambit is one of your all purpose agile characters, contrasting especially well with with Jin and Strider Hiryu in Marvel vs.Capcom. Gambit has great power moves, like when he smashes your face in with his staff or charges you up to throw you. And his specials are huge.

6. Spider-Man - Spidey is another one of your all purpose agile fighters, with even greater speed and damage hits than Gambit. I like to use Spidey when I've been beat a few times in a row by an opponent. Bringing Spidey out and landing lots of fast, close range hits is especially demoralizing to a challenger.

5. Wolverine - While Spidey does have great speed and close range attacks, Wolvie has the capability to utterly devastate another player when you're in a bind. His charging moves are especially powerful, and his speed can do irreparable damage in a short space of time.

4. Hulk - Big hits. That's what Hulk does best. Often, he accepts far more damage than smaller characters like Wolvie and Spidey, which can be frustrating. But when Hulk lands his hits, the battle is decisive and it ends fast. His specials are decent, but his regular kicks and punches have tremendous power.

3. War Machine - Rhodey is the replacement for Iron Man in the later Marvel fighting games. While they are basically the same character, War Machine has a few extra moves that make him superior. But even beyond that, his playability is fantastic, with wonderful long range projectile attacks, solid close range strikes, and tremendous specials. Plus, the SFX make a little metal noise when he gets hit. How cool is that?

2. Captain America - Okay, Cap has next to no long range attacks. He's not a well rounded character by any means. But he is by far the best close range fighter, mixing agility with strong basic moves. He's not as fast as Spidey or Wolvie, but his hits tend to land better and with greater effect. His specials are solid, and his power moves are always dependable. Plus, it's demoralizing to an opponent to lose to Cap because he doesn't have all the fancy projectiles or flashy power moves.

1. Juggernaut - An odd choice for the top of the list, but well deserving. Juggs has the hit presence of the Hulk, but with greater speed and agility. His blocks are far more dependable than the Jade Giant or Zangief (the other big brawler characters). And his specials always wreck an opponent. To top it off, Juggy is a wonderful character even in assist mode (as a "sepcial hero"). Overall, he's the biggest bang-for-your-buck in Marvel fighting games made by Capcom.

Next: The Top 9 Fighting Games!

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Awesome. Now that’s what I call math.

Transcript :: War Machine #7-11 (Vol 1, 1994-1995) :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: These few issues round out the rest of the original creative team's work on this series. The results are mixed as they provide both good and bad. While #7 and #11 are the best of the whole series, we get the dreadful #8-10 crossover issues that sour the integrity of this decent title. Still, WM's leadership of Worldwatch and his dilemma with killing grow into thought provoking plot points. Good stuff outshines the bad by the end.

Transcript :: War Machine #5-6 (Vol 1, 1994) :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: Deathtoll is the epitome of a cheesy 90s comic book bad guy. War Machine tussles with this antagonist for two issues following his debut arc. Despite all the time spent fleshing out the bad guy, the story remains solid. Deathtoll is used to explore War Machine's unease with killing. Deathtoll glasses! While this story isn't as good as the last arc, strong character development advances Rhodey into the future with quality.

Music (Arists, Singles, Videos, and Albums)

The nominees are:

• Lil Wayne - A Milli / Ms. Officer / any of his collabos.
• Pink - So What / Sober (both from Funhouse)
• Vampire Weekend - Oxford Coma
• The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing
• The Cool Kids - The Bake Sale
• Portishead - Third

The 2008 YOU DON'T SUCK Music Winner is: The Cool Kids

Neal says: It's always hard to decide with music. This is the most subjective category there is. Lil Wayne was stellar, but vocoders prevent us from giving him top honors. Pink returned to relevance with killer singles and Vampire Weekend brought us alternative music (and a video) that didn't suck. New favorite The Ting Tings and Pete's pick Portishead rounded out our noms. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the nominees, but there can be only one winner. The fantastically hip Cool Kids know how to make a good record and their beats have ridiculous knock.

Movies (Films, Flicks, and Moving Pictures)

The nominees are:

• WALL-E
• In Bruges
• Burn After Reading
• Slumdog Millionaire
• The Wrestler

The 2008 YOU DON'T SUCK Movies Winner is: In Bruges

Pete says: In Bruges was the best-written movie of the year and has incredible performances from its three main actors (Ralph Fiennes, Colin Farrell, and Brendan Gleeson). This is the first film from writer-director Martin McDonagh, and in that regard this strikes me as another reason to single out the film, since we can be optimistic about another strong filmic auteur (though the man is, apparently, a well-seasoned playwright) making the scene. Slumdog Millionaire and The Wrestler were excellent, but neither topples In Bruges as my pick for the all-caps not sucking distinction.

Comics (Ongoings, Minis, One-Shots, and OGNs)

The nominees are:

• Avengers: The Initiative #14-19 (Marvel Comics)
• Kill All Parents! (Image Comics)
• Terra #1-4 (DC Comics)
• War Machine: Weapon of SHIELD #33-35 (Marvel Comics)
• Water Baby (Minx / DC Comics)

The 2008 YOU DON'T SUCK Comics Winner is: War Machine: Weapon of SHIELD #33-35

Nick says: I'm obsessed with War Machine thanks to this story arc. These issues (a.k.a. Iron Man: Director of SHIELD #33-35) follow Jim Rhodes after an electronic recording of Tony Stark prompts him to prepare for an impending crisis (Secret Invasion). Christos Gage, Sean Chen, Sandu Florea, Jay David Ramos, Joe Caramagna, Adi Granov, and Bill Rosemann are all in top form as they deliver the best comics of 2008. (This goes without says that I've been nursing an addiction to Marvel vs. Capcom lately and Rhodey happens to be my fighter of choice.)

Television (Shows, Finales, and Premiers)

The nominees are:

• Chuck
• Avatar
• Metalocalypse
• Mad Men
• The Spectacular Spider-Man

The 2008 YOU DON'T SUCK Television Winner is: Avatar: The Last Airbender

We say: Honestly, was there ever really a doubt? Avatar has been an AudioShocker favorite since before there was an AudioShocker.com! This Nickelodeon original made us sit up and take notice with its tremendous visuals, compelling story, and surprisingly mature themes. We're sad we couldn't give Chuck and Mad Men higher marks, but Buster Bluth and Don Draper would want it this way. Now we're keeping our eyes peeled for new episodes of Big Love, BSG, Entourage, and Spectacular Spidey!

Transcript :: War Machine #2-4 (Vol 1, 1994) :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: These three issues wrap up the initial storyline in War Machine's 1st ongoing book. And the concepts here are much more heady than I expected. Rhodey challenges an African dictator for abducting a famous diplomat. The violent results lead War Machine to question his morality and his limits. Both art and scripting pay off in this first arc, and it's obvious that the quality of this tale inspired Rhodey's brand new series coming out soon.

Transcript :: War Machine #1 (Vol 1, 1994) :: A 3 Panel Review by Nick Marino :: I'm catching up on the past exploits of War Machine to prepare for his new series. Plus, I've been playing a lot of Marvel vs. Capcom lately. Check it out!!! I'm all silver and black like War Machine! Anyway, I went out and bought all 25 issues of his 1994 series. And War Machine #1 is great!!! This comic has the best foil embossed cover ever! The story manages to use flashback to its advantage and the art is solid. It's a strong first issue!

On our next show - Podcast Episode 059 on Tuesday, December 9th - I'll be talking about these recently released covers and descriptions. Way I see it, the AudioShocker will be one of the first podcasts to share our opinions on these changes.

Below is a huge list of links in chronological order of release date. The biggest thing you need to know is that Norman Osborn a.k.a. the Green Goblin is now legally in charge of the government sanctioned Avengers and Tony Stark has become the scapegoat for the entire Skrull invasion of Earth. (Here's more info on the fallout of SI)

Marvel's declassified previews:

SECRET INVASION: DARK REIGN #1

DARK REIGN: NEW NATION #1

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #8

WAR MACHINE #1

AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #20

NEW AVENGERS #48

SECRET INVASION: REQUIEM #1

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #9

MIGHTY AVENGERS #21

DARK AVENGERS #1

WAR MACHINE #2

AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #21

NEW AVENGERS #49

AGENTS OF ATLAS #1

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #10

SECRET WARRIORS #1

DARK AVENGERS #2

MIGHTY AVENGERS #22

WAR MACHINE #3

AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #22

DARK REIGN FILES #1

NEW AVENGERS #50

I might have missed a few comics here and there, but these titles are most of the biggies that will be affected by the end of Secret Invasion and the start of Dark Reign.

8. Iron Man - I would be remiss to not include the Iron Avenger in my countdown. Plain and simple, Tony Stark has become the new Wolverine. Now that he has a breakout Hollywood blockbuster under his belt, his street cred is only going up. For readers of Marvel Comics since Civil War, Tony's star status is a no-brainer. In fact, he's bordering on overexposure lately, and that's why he's so low on this list. The fact remains that Iron Man is more integral to the Marvel Universe now than ever, and it's safe to say that things will be staying like that for quite some time to come.

7. Hercules - The Lion of Olympus is now the proud owner of his own critically acclaimed solo series (shamelessly stolen from Hulk), and from the looks of things, he's going to be in Mighty Avengers after Secret Invasion. After smashing the shit out of Clor in the final issue of Civil War, Herc has been on the fast-track to fandom. He's been the star of some of the best event tie-in stories of the past few years, and if things keep going the way they are right now, Hercules will be one of Marvel's biggest stars in the upcoming decade.

6. Luke Cage - Carl Lucas was the breakout star of New Avengers following Avengers Disassembled. But following Civil War, Luke took leadership of the team and became this top selling title's lead character. Luke is now a bonafide staple of the Marvel Universe after languishing on the sidelines for decades. Need proof? Cage gets name-checked by Q-Tip in his new album Renaissance on the track "Dance On Glass," where Q-Tip calls himself the "Luke Cage of the loose leaf page."

5. Iron Fist - So things were a little weird for Iron Fist during Civil War. First, he was pretending to be Daredevil over in DD's solo title, and then he was "officially" wearing the duds of Daredevil in Civil War (but never named as such during the mini series). However, the post-Civil War landscape has been kind to Danny Rand, granting him New Avengers status and a wonderful solo series. A much-needed costume redesign and a newly invented Iron Fist legacy have granted this son of K'un-Lun a fresh lease on life (if he can survive his 33rd birthday, that is...).

4. War Machine - In the Marvel Universe, Jim Rhodes was pretty much MIA for the first half of this decade (save for The Crew, but even then Rhodey was trying to pawn his War Machine helmet instead of wearing it). Following Civil War, Dan Slott saved Rhodey from obscurity by placing him in charge of the Initiative's Camp Hammond. Since then, War Machine has been slowly heating up. Now, with Secret Invasion nearing its end, he's ready to boil. War Machine has taken over Iron Man: Director of SHIELD, and he's spinning off into his own series post-SI that looks to be a real knockout.

3. Ms. Marvel - Carol Danvers was doing pretty well pre-Civil War, but it was nothing compared to her star status since Captain America surrendered. Ms. Marvel rose to leadership of the government-sanctioned New York state Initiative team in Mighty Avengers, while steering her own solo series into interesting territory. My guess is that Carol won't be the leader of the Mighty Avengers following Secret Invasion, but she's still going big places in the Marvel Universe.

2. American Eagle - Okay, maybe it's a bit of a cheat putting Jason Strongbow so high up on this list. But high his short guest spot in Thunderbolts gave new meaning to stealing the spotlight. He fought off the insane Colorado Initiative team, paralyzing Bullseye in the process. Marvel.com has just launched a digital-only American Eagle comic this past Wednesday, featuring the work of Jason Aaron and Richard Isanove. That alone is enough to make me purchase a subscription to Marvel's Digital Comics Unlimited.

1. 3-D Man - The hero formerly known as Triathlon has been redefined in the page of Avengers: The Initiative since Civil War, currently taking the lead during the Secret Invasion tie-in issues. Delroy Garrett, Jr.'s superhero legacy has always been connected to 3-D Man, but he officially assumed the title following his Initiative graduation. Now, with shape changing Skrulls covering Earth, Delroy can see them for what they are thanks to his goggles (a special gift from Chuck and Hal Chandler, who together formed the original 3-D Man). It's unclear what the future holds for 3-D Man, but his upcoming Skrull Kill Krew mini series stands to be a great read if it's anything like the past story arc of Avengers: The Initiative.

Next: There is no way I can keep filling in "Next" for this column!!! Consider this your last "Next"!

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Awesome. Now that’s what I call math.