The first official image from Iron Man 2 has arrived online, courtesy of USA Today, and it shows Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) hard at work in his secret workshop surrounded by several different versions of the Iron Man suit. From the look on his face, he seems like a man with a mission – but just what exactly that mission is will remain a mystery for at least a little while longer.

At the end of the first Iron Man, Tony Stark’s secret persona is exposed while the entire world awaits his next move. Similarly, that’s kinda what’s going on here – now that Iron Man was so successful, folks anticipate even greater things from the sequel. Director Jon Favreau seems a little worried about expectations; he tells USA Today: “I really enjoyed when we were a dark horse and no one knew much about us. ... I hope we can find that place again."

Do you expect Iron Man 2 to be even better than the first one? Is this your most anticipated movie of 2010? And what’s up with the new picture – does it reveal anything new?