Thor: The Dark World Invades Marvel: Avengers Alliance

So I've been playing the turn-based social RPG Marvel: Avengers Alliance on Facebook for a while now, and just when I thought I could give this game a rest, out comes the chance to (sorta) relive the action of Marvel's latest movie Thor: The Dark World!

Their latest Spec Ops (Special Operations) event has the dastardly Malekith raising hell in London with his fellow Dark Elves, and it's up to you and your team of superheroes to stop him...by grinding waves of enemies and doing some menial in-game collecting just to get to the final boss. It's funny that way.

The All-seeing Heimdall is the final reward for completing all 25 Spec Ops missions, and from what I've seen so far, he's got some uber hax going on. Not only can he take the battle to the Bifrost bridge, where all your characters get major buffs, but his special attack Vigilance gives him the power to stop enemy attacks COMPLETELY. Oh, Malekith wants to punch your face? Nope, he can't. He just...can't. I've got a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of Heimdalls on defense in PVP.

And of course, the newest Lockbox recruit is none other than the God of Mischief Loki in his movie garb! Lockboxes are special items you collect that contain either items/consumables or a comic book cover. Collect all eight covers required and you get the prize, which in this case is Loki. Getting Lockboxes is ridiculously finicky, and getting all eight covers even more so, so better stock up on that 'patience' thing.

As of this posting, you and I have 21 days left before the deadline to finish all Spec Ops missions and recruit Heimdall or get Loki. And now that song is stuck to my head. Good luck!