Impressions of First Picture of Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull in 'Captain America: The First Avenger'

The first picture of Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull in "Captain America: The First Avenger" has made it to the internet. As a comic book fan, this picture has left me with many positive impressions. I am hopeful that Hugo Weaving's portrayal of the Red Skull leaves as many positive impressions in my mind as this first picture has.

The Stance

I was recently in a comic books store, and overheard a disagreement by two fellow fans. One fan stated that he believed that this first picture of the Red Skull showed him sneering in disgust. The other fan believed that the picture showed a character that was getting ready to strike. Whatever the intended meaning of the stance, both possibilities would align perfectly with the character.

Ready to Strike

Remember that the Red Skull was usually shown as a character of action in the Captain America comic books. By looking at this picture of Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull, those that believe that he is getting ready to strike should realize that the Red Skull rarely hid from danger like so many villains, he struck out at it. A portrayal of a major villain like this could make Hugo Weaving's performance one of the best in superhero movie history.

Sneering in Disgust

If this picture from "Captain America: The First Avenger" is meant to show a Red Skull that is sneering in disgust, it would make perfect sense as well. Think about the fact that he is supposed to be Adolf Hitler's second in command. Think about his ties to the Nazis, and HYDRA (the international terrorist organization that he leads in the movie). It would only make sense that an embodiment of hate, like the Red Skull, would sneer in disgust to anyone (quoting the comic) below his master race.

The Skull

Over the years, the skull of the Red Skull has been portrayed many different ways. There are times where the head of the character looks more like a skull that has been colored red, while at other times, it looks more like a muscular face with a layer of red over it. The picture of Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull is a mixture of the two.

Some fans do not realize that the Red Skull originally wore a red mask until his face was disfigured to the point that his face resembled the mask that he wore. This picture leaves many fans wondering which version the writers are going with. Is it his face, or is it a mask. I like the fact that you cannot tell simply by looking at the picture.

I have to say that the impressions that I got from looking at this picture for the first time went a long way in knocking out some of the negative first impressions that I had about "Captain America: The First Avenger." As a life-long Captain America fan, I know that I will be there opening night to see if Hugo Weaving can breathe life into one of the scariest and most amazing super villains of all time. No pressure.