Hrmm...
How bout comic books?
I'm behind by a couple weeks on my reading right now. But it looks like where CIVIL WAR is concerned, that's not behind at all. Apparently all the CIVIL WAR titles are being held back because the CIVIL WAR series book is delayed, I guess in production. Bleah.
If you're not familiar w CIVIL WAR, going on in the Marvel Universe, let me see if I can summup. In a fracas with the most recent incarnation of the New Warriors, a supervillain destroys several square miles of Connecticut suburbs, including a school full of children. In the aftermath, the U.S. government pushes a superpower registration act thru Congress. The superhero community is abuzz with predictions, criticisms, and support regarding the act, right up until it goes into effect and the government, with SHIELD's "cape killer" squads and the help of registered and deputized superpowered supporters, begins enforcing it. Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, and Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic, both come out strongly in favor of the act, and put their genius to work developing strategies and facilities for containing those who defy registration. Spider-Man, newly enlisted in the new Avengers, is persuaded by Tony and Reed to register and reveal his secret identity to the public, a huge demonstration of faith in registration, or at least, in upholding the law. Captain America, however, disagrees. He is rewarded for speaking against the act by being named public enemy #1. He escapes a SHIELD ambush and goes underground, gathering other heros, and even vigilantes, who oppose the act, and together continuing to protect those who can't protect themselves as best they can...
I'm not completely clear on the letter of the law regarding this Superhuman Registration Act, but I think it's different from previous incarnations of registration seen in Marvel comics and movies in that registration is supposed to legitimize a superhero's activities and use of powers, not restrict and outlaw them (unless they are active and unregistered, or break existing laws). It requires revealing one's identity to the government, but not to the public at large. I haven't seen any instances of what happens to superpowered individuals who cannot control their powers, but imagine that the government, probably thru SHIELD, would want to train and harness them to become legit superhuman policeman or soldiers. I'd thought that it might also have a registered sex offender side to it, involving giving up your identity/location so that neighborhoods can be aware of and anticipate whether they might be endangered by, or enjoy the protection of, a local superhuman. So far, no sign of that side of the law being in play anywhere.
Peter Parker has been having serious second thoughts on the rightness of the act. And once he's given his first tour of the containment gulag that Reed and Tony have constructed in the Negative Zone, he's certain that the registration act needs to be stopped. He has a short heart-to-heart with Reed, whose resolve has recently been shaken by registration blowback that has put Johnny in intensive care, sent Susan to go in search of Captain America, and driven Ben to leave the country as a conscientious objector, a man who opposes the act, but won't break the law, and refuses to be pressed into enforcing it and having to fight his friends...
Pretty heavy stuff, eh? I'm annoyed at how a lot of the crossing over feels very much like contrived throwaway storylines designed to vacuum money out of the pockets of collectors and newbies, but I have to admit that the arcs involving the major players and marquee characters are pretty compelling.
Anyhow, after Spidey has this talk with Reed, Richards seems on the verge of a crisis of conscience. At some point, Peter catches wind of how the registration act has been a windfall for particular defense and technology contractors, specifically Stark Enterprises. Tony is making a huge killing financially by coming up with the tech needed to capture and hold unregistered superpowered individuals. Later, when Peter makes plans to with MJ and Aunt May to spirit them away to safety, Iron Man ambushes him. The actual fight is going to be covered in the next issues of the CIVIL WAR books.
When we've seen Reed and Tony of late, Reed's been caught with 5 o'clock shadow, always at work or lobbying to support registration, and Tony's always armored up, addressing the press or participating directly in rounding up unregistered and rebellious heros and villains.
He's always armored up. He's amassing a huge amount of capital and value in his company. It gets me thinking that he might be a doppelganger. Maybe. I don't love the idea, it's too cliche and dumb, really, but it's a definite way out.
What I'm *really* wanting it to be is that Tony's discovered that he's got a short time to live. It could be his heart condition (shrapnel, was it? or a defect? I can't remember)... Maybe it's scerosis of the liver, him being a recovering alcoholic and all... In any case, I'm thinking, sick in some way that he could counter, at least temporarily, using the technology in his armor. If I remember right, he developed the chestplate for his armor to keep his own heart pumping while in a prison camp...Anyhow, his mortality could be just the thing to push him into whatever camp it is that would ensure the longevity of his business and patent empire, as well as his posterity. He gets to be one of the architects of a society that ensures everyone's safety from walking, crawling, and flying WMDs.
Or, instead... or, ALSO, actually... what with Thor missing, but due for a return to midgard, I'm thinking it could be Loki the deceiver at work. Thor's half-brother, remember? What better reason for Thor to again manifest himself on Earth than his mischief making brother wreaking havoc with humanity, and especially managing to set two of Thor's most respected and beloved teammates, Iron Man and Cap, against one another.
Pretty frickin Loki.
Well... Hopefully I'll get another few clues in a couple weeks.
Excelsior!
Keep on keepin on~
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