Hey guys!
No, this profile isn`t dead. Let me tell you why. I`m just not happy with my skill and what I do. I just think I can do better - don`t worry, it`s not one of those depressing updates - so that`s why I`ve stopped posting. Right now I`ve signed on to some (awesome) concept art and digital painting classes. It`s a lot of hard work and we start with the basics, so right now there`s nothing to report (except for the fact that it`s a combination of fun and hard work). Apart from that, I`ve been gradually making graphic design my main job, so all the more reasons to evolve.

Apart from that, East European Comic Con happened This probably merits a journal entry all onto itself, but right now I`ll just say this: John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) not only excels at performing, but also at holding panels. And giving life lessons without making it awkward.

So now onto Iron Man 3.
It just premiered here on the 26th of April, I went to see it a couple of days ago. Want my honest opinion? I loved it. yes, I did. If you haven`t seen it, well, I`m not gonna spoil much, but I will refer to possible spoilers, so tread lightly ahead.

Ready? OK, you have been warned.
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First of all, I loved that fact that Tony has PTSD. Come to think about it, out of all the Avengers, he is the only guy who hasn`t received any combat training (not counting Bruce Banner, who has the 'benefit' of being the Hulk). Like he said in the Avengers, he is not a soldier and this movie is all about exploring the full impact of that statement. He has been in battle before, sure, but the stakes were much lower and the enemy much more familiar. Also, I liked the fact that he spends more time out of armour, relying on his wits, rather than his tech. That just puts more emphasis on the genius aspect of the character and it does compliment that idea that even without the suit, he really is Iron Man. The ending, I think, feels very rewarding. As an end to a character arc, it feels very organic to have Tony find closure, something he`s been seeking since the first movie.

Secondly, let`s address the elephant in the room. The Mandarin. Allow me to come clean: I never understood why he is such a core Iron Man villain. Is the magic vs. technology angle? To me, he always seemed like one of those 'freak show' villains of the golden age. Wooo, he`s Oriental and thus strange....How will Tony fare against him? He`s nothing like the historical mandarins anyway, who were bureaucrats and civil servants. Honestly, I liked what they did with him in the movie and I like the social commentary he`s associated with. But, then again, I am pretty much sold for these kinds of commentaries. The could have tried the Armored Adventures-style Mandarin, where the Rings are advanced tech, but that would have been more pop-corn and less clever. But that`s just what I think and if you are a Mandarin fan, I can understand why you dislike the re-interpretation.

And to wrap this up, personally, I do enjoy comic book movies that take elements from the source material and combine them into something new, rather than recreate the comic panel by panel. Honestly, we already have those stories, why not go for something new? Why not have our heroes go on a different adventure and tread off the beaten track?

Let me know what you think!
Cheers,
D.