We Hunger Games fans were all a bit wow-ed today as eight new character posters rained down on us from across the web . . .

If you’ve not yet seen them, here’s a gallery of all eight:

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The sources for the posters were as follows:

Now, some thoughts on the new posters . . .

Let’s start with Katniss. Every other poster is facing toward our left, but Katniss’ is turned the other way. Why? Because she’s pretty much facing some sort of challenge with each of these in one form or another. With Peeta, it’s literally a competition at first and then later becomes a battle of wills, in a sense. There’s not enough room here for a full exploration of that relationship. With Rue, she wars with herself over what to do about this girl that reminds her of the very sister she’s gone in to save. With Haymitch, it’s a struggle to get him out of his alcoholic coma . . . you get the idea. The placement sets her apart, as it should. Also, her expression is tolerant and not angry. She’s observant, calm, and strong. Those are three adjectives you could use to describe Katniss in almost every situation of The Hunger Games, so the expression is quite appropriate, don’t you think? Any other thoughts on Katniss’ poster?

Moving on, then, to Peeta. Blonde, much? Wayyyy better on that end. As for his look, he’s sweet, he’s earnest, and he looks ready for what’s to come. It’s a really nice capture. This poster alone might help to sway those swing-voters who are still on the fence about whether Josh Hutcherson will be Peeta come March. I think he’ll do just fine.

Next up, Gale. Now, admittedly, I always rooted for Katniss and Peeta. Liam Hemsworth as Gale, though, breathes new light into this Team Gale concept. This poster shows him squinting as though looking at something far in the distance, which is basically what his life must be like during the Games. He’s watching it all from afar, and, imaginably, having a hard time understanding what he’s seeing. It’s no anger so much as it is anguish. Poor Gale. I like it. You?

And now, Haymitch. Haymitch’s poster actually shocked me a bit. This is not what I imagined when I learned that Woody Harrelson would be taking on the part (though I’m still thrilled by that casting decision). The long, blonde hair has thrown me for a loop, though it is nice to see this first glimpse at him in the role. He looks a tad disheveled, and his refined clothing doesn’t seem to fit him just right, so I suppose that makes sense, but where’s the drunken stupor? In place of that is an angry, almost pouting man here. We’ll see what the filmmakers have in store for Haymitch this March, obviously, but for now, I gotta say, I’m thrown for a bit of a loop here.

Effie, on the other hand, was precisely what I hoped to see. This tactless beast of burden most definitely stands out in District 12. She’s all too happy with herself, and that shines through very clearly in this image. The pink is subtle enough, sure, but the bizarreness of the character is definitely present. I love that her smirk is instructive here. Great poster for her.

Now for Rue. Little Amandla Stenberg couldn’t have been more right for the character if they plucked Rue straight out of the book. She’s adorable. Enough to shake the most hardened sensibilities. Her expression is wistful and pitiful, in a way, which is tricky because we’ve learned not to underestimate her in the story. I’m kind of glad that the filmmakers have presented us with a soft version of Rue, though, and not a confident one. It’s befitting.

Cinna is was my favorite poster reveal of the day by far. They nailed it with Lenny Kravitz. My goodness, the subtle gold eyeliner, the passive haunt of his expression that shows he can and will be more than just another stylist for the Capitol . . . it’s all so perfect.

Lastly, there’s Cato. Why? I’m not sure. Where we could’ve gotten a look at Prim or Caesar Flickmann or any one else, we got Cato, the only tribute to last til the near-end of the Games. He’s vicious, and his end is a colorful one, for sure, but it does seem a little out of place to include his character poster in this lot. That notwithstanding, the poster is a very appropriate reflection of the character’s demeanor. Alexander Ludwig is the actor responsible for this animal, and he seems to have been a fine choice based on this picture. Cato is happy to take to task the Hunger Games. He’s sure he’ll win it. He believe he’s the best competitor of them all. It’s all there.

Any other thoughts on these posters? Which was your favorite and why?