I Can't Get That Stupid Black Sabbath Song Out Of My Head

Iron Man. Directed by John Favreau. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, and Gwyneth Paltrow

John Favreau is a freaking genius. I saw Iron Man on Sunday, and it's definitely one of the best superhero film adaptations to hit the silver screen since Batman Begins. Like Nolan, Favreau has a really good understanding of what makes the source material tick.

I'd always thought the All-American superhero was Superman. But I was wrong. I mean, what could be more American than Tony Stark, inventor, billionaire, and dandy? It's as close to an egalitarian vision of a superhero as you are ever going to find this side of Green Lantern. However, unlike Green Lantern, Iron Man doesn't depend on a stupid magic ring that is vulnerable to the color yellow.

True, he is the scion of wealthy parents, but apart from the whole trust fund thing, pretty much anybody could be Iron Man if they put their mind to it. Well, that, and they would have to be able to fit into the armor. I'm sure Steve Jobs could figure out some way to customize Stark's armor on a mass scale. How much would you pay for an iSuit?