A brand new sneak peek look at the beginning of the first big battle with new villain Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) has been released to the public. The fight scene showcases everything that makes an epic fight well…epic. While debuting a new Formula One car, Ivan Vanko a.k.a. Whiplash ambushes Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) on the race track, delivering punishment with his deadly Electro-Bullwhips. Tony’s driver Hogan and secretary Pepper Potts are trapped in the near vicinity (hope they gets hazard pay) and Tony is forced to don his new experimental Suitcase Armor to deal with this new and staggeringly powerful menace.

Rourke delivers the goods as Whiplash, showcasing his incredible physique in the battle and the Suitcase Suit gets a sweet mechanized upgrade for the film. I’m not a big fan of the Silver Centurion era (the silver and red color scheme) but nonetheless, the Battlin’ Tin Can looks in fine form. That is until Whiplash proves a bit more than meets the eye.

We quickly witness that Ole’ Shellhead must still earn his stripes to become the Iron Man we all have come to love. Whiplash obviously intends to see to it that that never happens.

A supreme battle between two epic juggernauts (no pun intended). Whiplash never got much credit in the comics (lets face it, he was laughable at best trying to take on the toughest member of the Avengers) but this awesome fight preview has finally allowed me to forgive the combining of his story line with The Crimson Dynamo’s in order to make him a more interesting baddie. Marvel Studios has struck gold and with director John Favreau’s announcement that the film will have no cliffhangers, let’s hope the rest of the sequel is just as phenomenal. Guess we’ll find out May 7th!

-Jarod Warren