So I was thinking that it has been a while since Iron Man was released - May 2nd, to be precise, and in the last week we were blessed with the release of a second Hulk movie (the Incredible Hulk) which helped many comic book fans to forget the dissapointment that was the first Hulk release of a few years ago.

I was wondering: what's next? What do we have to look forward to from here?

So, what's next?

Well, next up will be the Wanted movie (June 27th); this is the adaptation of a Mark Millar anti-hero miniseries that was very dark in nature as a comicbook. It looks as if the story has become more of an Angelina Jolie vehicle however, with her supporting character from the comic being developed into more of a primary player opposite a relative Hollywood unkown costar ( James McAvoy ), as well as the script losing most of the colorful costumed villains from the original comic storyline (Darnnit!).

July 2008 looks to be the big month for the remaining comicbook movie releases however. The biggest comic book movie month starts off with a bang, with the July 4th release of the Will Smith super hero parody Hancock movie. This is the story of a washed up alcoholic super hero who is helped to reinvent himself by a PR man ( played by Jason Bateman), much to the chagrin of Bateman's cynical wife (Charlize Theron). BTW, if you are a fan of Smith's more lighthearted efforts then make sure you take advantage of this one, because his next project (scheduled for a December release) is the Seven Pounds movie and focusus on the plight of a man contemplating suicde.

July keeps coming at us with the July 11th release of Hellboy II: The Golden Army. I really enjoyed the last Hellboy movie so if this one stays true to form then I expect to be suitably entertained again - especially with director, Guillermo del Toro, once again at the helm. From what I have gleaned from the latest trailer, the plot should involve some crazy otherworld creatures who see the Earth as theirs for the taking.

Okay now, july 18th is the big deal week, because that is when we will see the release of the much anticipated Batman: The Dark Knight, a film that was heavily anticipated even before the tragic and untimely death of one of its stars (Heath Ledger). I'm sure I am not the only one who still feels a subtle sense of tragedy when they think on the fact that he was still in the prime of his career and offering up some of his best performances to date...

So there you have it: the remaining days of Summer comic book movie fun mapped out before you. I hope you enjoy the rest of the ride...

In my previous hub entry, I mentioned some of the Summer super hero movies coming to the screen for 2008. Of those movies, only one has the distinction of not being based on an existing property: Will Smith's upcoming comedic super hero feature, Hancock. I expect that unlike previous super hero parodies with no traditional comic book tie-in (Meteor Man, anyone?), Hancock will actually be a huge success and this has got me to thinking that the likelyhood of a Hancock-based comic is pretty good. I am not even going to take the easy way out and say tha there will probably be a comic book adaptation of the movie, that would be too easy. No, instead, I am willing to predict that before the Hancock movie has come and gone from theatres, there will be a comic put out with all new adventures of Will Smith's title character, 'inspired by the movie'.

Notice, however, that I am not willing to make any bets on the actual quality of any such effort...