iron man

With Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans promising a big surprise on Jimmy Kimmel Live, we knew it had to be something special — that something is the first trailer for Captain America: Civil War. Not a teaser, but an actual, full trailer, dramatically highlighting the growing divide between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark, which will divide the Avengers and pit them against one another in what could be Marvel's most epic film yet.

Everyone loves comic book trivia, but with 75 years of superhero comics behind us right now, there’s always some new obscure fact to learn. That’s why ComicsAlliance is going deep into the minutiae of your favorite characters in our continuing video series. You think you know comics? Well, here’s a few things you might not know! This week we are taking a look at everyone's favorite genius billionaire playboy substance abuser, Iron Man! In this video, we will cover such pressing questions as whether or not he has lost his mind, whether he can see or if he is blind, and whether he can walk at all, and several other equally interesting facts.

Marvel has revealed a slate of new titles at a retailer summit in London ahead of this weekend's MCM Comic Con, including the long-touted second Iron Man book from Brian Michael Bendis, International Iron Man, which sees him reunited with his former Daredevil collaborator Alex Maleev. Marvel also announced a new Punisher series from Becky Cloonan and Steve Dillon; a Nighthawk series from David F. Walker, with no artist named; and a Hyperion series from Chuck Wendig and Nik Virella, plus a digital first five-issue mini series, X-Men: The Worst X-Men Ever, from Max Bemis and Michael Walsh, which is not about Maggott and is therefore misleadingly named.

The gods of Marvel are not like our friendly, crinkly-eyed Judeo-Christian gods. They are the furious, tempestuous gods of old, and they demand a proper tribute from the fleshy weaklings on Earth. The Spartan Marching Band of Michigan State University saw fit to give glory to their chosen deities through the only method they know, combining humanity's three highest art forms: music, flag-twirling, and arranging standing human bodies in intricate patterns.

Even if you didn't make it to New York Comic Con this past weekend, it's likely you heard about the awesome Iron Man Hulkbuster cosplay that towered over all the show's attendees. Developed by Thomas DePetrillo and Extreme Costumes, the massive costume made waves both at the show and online. To be fair, it's pretty easy to stand out when you're in a costume that's 9.5' tall no matter where you are. While a big surprise to many of the attendees at NYCC, Extreme Costumes had actually shot a brief "making of" video in the time leading up to the convention. In the short, DePetrillo can be seen piecing the Hulkbuster together bit by bit, including putting the fine technical touches on the various electrical systems. "I'm not the kind of person that starts with a big block of stone and carves inwards," DePetrillo said. "I'm much more likely to be the guy that starts with nothing, and puts on a million pieces in a row until it looks just right."

With October just around the bend, that means it's time for cooler weather, cooler costumes and the biggest comic book convention on the east coast. Yes, New York Comic Con is bearing down on us faster than we're prepared to deal with it, but that's okay. We'll make do. In addition to incredible amount of stuff happening at the show, there will be a lot of great stuff up for grabs. As busy as Funko was at San Diego Comic-Con, its plate looks to be equally as filled at NYCC this coming year. This week, Funko is unveiling all of its planned exclusive items, with a new batch coming every single day. While the availability of each is likely to be a bit more open than it was at SDCC, these things will still be limited. If you're hoping to get any, definitely plan ahead and around any and all panels you hope to make it to this year.

It may seem hard to believe, but Marvel has now completed two phases of films, ending Phase Two with Ant-Man before entering Phase Three next summer with Captain America: Civil War. The new MCU kicked off back in 2008 with Iron Man and ended with the first Avengers in 2012 — which already seems so, so long ago. As we prepare for Avengers: Age of Ultron to hit Blu-ray and DVD, one fan has put together this 10-minute retrospective looking back on the films of Phase One.

Just because there's not a new movie on the slate for a few years doesn't mean you've seen the last of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Avengers, my friends. Aside from guest-starring in each others movies at an increasingly exponential rate, there's still an endless array of collectibles based on these silver screen heroes coming, too. Kotobukiya's been steadily putting out Avengers: Age of Ultron collectibles to bolster its already impressive Marvel line-up, and next up the company will be bringing Iron Man's latest armor to life in 1/6 scale. While there have been a multitude of Iron Man pieces over the past seven years, the collectible market is always just a tiny bit behind when it comes to the most recent incarnation of Tony Stark's armor. Very rarely are the most current suits available when they first appear on film. However, just as the Age of Ultron is about to hit home video, Koto has announced pre-orders for its Iron Man MK XLV ArtFX statue. Even though it won't be actually available until January 2016, this first look at the piece does show plenty of promise in Iron Man's new duds... which will be outdated just a few months later in Captain America: Civil War.

Although cosplay has been present for decades within the comics, anime, and sci-fi/fantasy fandoms, social media has played an integral role in the thriving communities of costuming that exist, such as Cosplay.com and the Superhero Costuming Forum. Over the years, the cosplay community has evolved into a creative outlet for many fans to establish and showcase some impressive feats of homemade disguise, craftsmanship, and sartorial superheroics at conventions. In honor of the caped crusaders of the convention scene, ComicsAlliance has created Best Cosplay Ever (This Week), an ongoing collection of some of the most impeccable, creative, and clever costumes that we’ve discovered and assembled into a super-showcase of pure fan-devoted talent.

Well, this is weird. Mary Jane Watson, model, nightclub owner, and ex-wife of Peter Parker (it's a fact, you gotta deal with it) is making a transfer to the Iron Man supporting cast in the fourth issue of Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez's Invincible Iron Man this December. Marvel made the announcement on its website today, declaring that she will take on a new, "unexpected" role.