The author of that must not have seen Superman 2. In that film, Superman crushes a Zod's hand (who is now "mortal" at this point) and throws him against the wall and to his eventual death in the FoS - all while smiling and wisecracking. Zod and Co. in Superman 2 no longer posed an imminent threat. Did we think any less of Superman?

That's a great point, though to be fair the audience doesn't really "see" the death.  I never really thought of Zod and company as falling down a deep well to splatter on the frozen ice below - maybe the fortress cyrogenically freezes them or something?  I guess the difference for me is not knowing and not seeing it versus watching Supes snap someone's neck. 

I'd also absolutely agree with having to kill someone to save innocent lives.  I haven't seen it yet, but given the situation as I've read it the script put him in a position where he was justified in killing.  However, that's really in direct contrast to his boy scout nature depicted in decades of comics, TV, and movies.  It was clearly done for shock value, which is always going to make some people happy and some people not. 

Someone did mention that the reaction moments after killing Zod was light hearted, which does feel like a missed opportunity to show some remorse for the loss of life.  I think this is the kind of thing that directors forget these days - taking 60 seconds to show some human reaction and emotion.  One of my favorite scenes in Star Wars is when Luke is yearning to live his own life and sulks off to watch the horizon as the twin suns are setting.  No words, no crazy CGI - just that honest sense of heart ache that everyone in the audience can relate to.  It's too bad that scenes like that have lost their place in the big budget action world.

Haven't seen it yet, but intrigured to from all the posts.  I have to say on the surface, I agree with QGJ is saying about Superman's ending.  Seems like he would have tried to find another way.  Great article on the whole issue right here from EW.

They set up the drinking storyline in earlier flicks, but never followed it through to him having a real problem with it.  I can take the kid, but panic attacks were clearly rewritten to replace drunken episodes and that didn't really work for me. 

  When Shane Black attempted to make Iron Man 3 more of a character study about Tony, I get the sense that the audience wasn't on board as much as they had been for Iron Man, Iron Man 2 and Avengers. 

You get the sense the audience wasn't on board?  Based on what research Nick?  Come on - this has to do with your opinion, not some gauge of the viewing public.

And you want to take this character study to an even darker place?

Even darker than what, panic attacks?  I'd hardly call the movie dark, but yeah, I think people could handle a darker storyline with a flaw Stark will have to chip away at the rest of his life.  Were you happy with how they resolved the panic attacks?  He just magically overcomes them by fixing things?  What a cop out. 

Try reading This writer's opinion.  I like the way he sums it up: 

"I think it would have been great to see darker elements of Tony Stark’s lifestyle dealt with in the film. Overcoming one’s own weaknesses—real weaknesses not just being scared of putting on tights—is even tougher than fighting Ben Kingsley in makeup, and suggesting that being responsible about drinking and staying in recovery would have been a powerful message about what makes a hero. Maybe next time?"

And what about your star?  Robert Downey Jr. has been through a very rough and public battle with substance abuse.  He's defied the odds and managed to turn his life and career around.  He's also one of the most gifted actors of his generation.  And if he was going to do a movie with a character arc that revolves around substance abuse, I think he would want it to be done the right way.

Maybe, but we don't really know what RDJ's opinion is.  Maybe he signed on for this character thinking he could play out a story of substance abuse and redemption.  Maybe he would come across as incredibly believable and realistic because of the fact that he's gone through it in real life.  Maybe taking on that challenge and hitting it out of the park would give this movie some emotional firepower.  The best movies teach you something about yourself or give you a moral to rally behind.  What was the moral of IM3?

As I originally stated, this is Disney coping out and playing it safe.  Better to get a solid base hit than shoot for a home run in their eyes.  I can understand that with lots of money on the line, I just don't agree with it.  Even Black and Pierce note "you pick your battles" which suggests that they wanted to go this route too before getting shot down.  As your article points out, there are a few crazy moms who were already speaking out against the drinking in earlier movies.  Catering to the crazy few and playing it safe is the definition of selling out - I'm just not a fan of that.  This story had the potential to be so much more than it was.

Go back and read the story revision I told with Iron Man's panic attacks replaced by drinking.  Why does he end up in the middle of nowhere after the Mandarin's attack?  He was drunk beforehand and blacked out flying.  Why does the Iron Patriot even get involved?  Stark's too drunk to handle it.  Why doesn't Stark use his army of suits in every fight?  It could have been something he developed after sobering up or even a contingency plan he put in place because he was worried about being drunk.  Do you think any of that would have made the movie worse somehow?  I gave IM3 a 7 out of 10 - with the alcoholism in there it would have gotten a 10 from me and maybe made it something really memorable instead of just yet another glossed over action sequel.

I hear Superman has Zod follow him to his fortress of solitude and preforms a light trick that sucks Zod's super powers out of him turning him mortal.

LOL! 

Yeah - along with that, it's not like we've seen a wave without some kind of reissue/repaint in a long time either.  I could see them just taking the exact same figure with a different paint job or tweak and releasing as a Bespin wave.

Probably all moot since we don't even know that we'll see any SW Kubrick info at this point...

Awesome.  That means Hoth Soldier can't be far behind.