I have always dreamt of giant robots. As a child, my dreams took shape in the form of talking, walking, transformable robots aptly named Transformers. They were the pinnacle of technology, pieces of metal and wire that could be repaired if broken. They could fly. They could take punishment that no human could dream. They had other forms that could help them such as jet-fighters and trucks. They had the sentience of a human, but the perfect body of a machine. I was captivated.
Later years saw this shape in many different environments. I loved them all. Metroid, a woman with a power-suit stops an entire race from destroying and ruling the universe. Voltron, a team of teenagers pilot machines that can be combined to create a giant robot. Exo-squad, humans battle neo-sapiens (alien race) in a war of atrition using exo-suits and giant walkers. Star Wars, the empire has four- and two-legged walkers hanging out rocking the universe.
My teen years were where the explosion of giant robots took shape. I found Anime. The Japanese are the masters of the giant robots. Their adult cartoons prove it. Master-pieces like Gundam and Robotech were the beginning. Video-games took root. Armored Core, Front Mission 3, MechWarrior to name a few. The armored Space Marines in StarCraft, the loading walker in Alien, Space Marines again in Warhammer 40k, the power suits and walkers in Command and Conquer: Tiberian Sun. The list goes on and on. I have loved giant robots and power-suits and mecha all my life.
Along with this obsession comes the dream. To someday see one for real, and, pilot one.
Tonight, I saw one as close to real as possible right now. I saw the movie Iron Man. I saw a man create a power-suit. He could fly. He took bullets as if they were flies. He moved with speed. He could take down dozens of men at a time. Perfection. This man was going toe to toe with $3,000,000,000 F-22 Raptors. He broke the sound barrier in his suit. It was amazing.
I was never an Iron Man fan. I always liked the Japanese version of a fast-moving giant robot better. Marvel always presented it wrong. It was as if it was just a steel skin that protected this guy and gave him flight. Oh yeah, he could lift heavy stuff.
This though, this was a mech as it should be. Fast, nimble, powerful, invincible to standard infantry. I have been shown the dream and it is built of alloy and paint. It is beautiful.
Thank you Marvel. You have built my hero of steel.
