Iron Man 3 Kids' Novelization Introduces the Movie's Kid Sidekick

It's that time again, folks--the time just before the release of a major motion picture that there are dozens of tie-in products and books for children which combine the somewhat fantastical interpretation of events written for adults with the more straightforward spoilers that our readers love, or hate, or love to hate. Up now is the Iron Man 3 junior novelization, a few images from which have appeared online today. Well, information had already come out that during the "down and out" portion of Iron Man 3, Tony Stark befriends a kid in the country, who plays a key role in getting the superhero back up on his feet. It's even been referenced in official Disney interviews, so it's arguably no longer much of a spoiler--but new pages from the junior novel confirm that Harley does exist--and what he and his workshop look like. Take a look at Tony in that second image--that's what most of the audience probably looked like when they heard about this Cousin Oliver storyteling device character had been introduced in the film. Selling him to the over-12 audience will be an uphill battle, so it will be interesting to see the degree to which he's used in promotional materials for the film leading to its release in Europe later this month and in the U.S. next month. It's also fun to note that even in a novel written for kids, they have quotation marks around calling Maya Hansen Tony's "old friend." They know even the tykes aren't buying that one.