Iron Man #5 – Review

By: Kieron Gillen (story), Greg Land (pencils), Jay Leisten (inks), Guru EFX (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Tony hunts down the last batch of Extremis, but what happens when he discovers that it’s in the hands of someone who might actually be making good use of it?

The Review: I really wish that I could like this this title more than I do.  Part of that is due to my being a huge fan of Matt Fraction’s run just prior and the other part is that it’s clear that Kieron Gillen has a very good handle on Tony Stark’s voice and character.

Tony oozes charm and is very much…him.  Anyone with even a passing acquaintance with the character will recognize him.  He’s charismatic, likable, and intelligent under Gillen’s hand.  Moreover, Gillen does a great job of explaining Tony’s rationale for heading off into the final frontier of space.  It makes total sense for the character and allows Gillen to write some solid stuff relating to Tony’s constant concern about his legacy and his need to always be pushing boundaries.  It’s all very true to the character and it’s solid character-work overall.  Clearly that need to keep pushing higher and farther is pivotal to Gillen’s understanding of Tony Stark and I think that he’s definitely on the mark there.  I’ll also add that Tony’s new AI for his new away-from-home space armor was a very nice touch.

Iron Man #1 – Review

By: Kieron Gillen (story), Greg Land (pencils), Jay Leisten (inks), Guru eFX (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story:  After coming back from a much needed vacation, Tony ha discovered that Extremis is on the loose, weaponized and on sale to the highest bidder.

The Review:  Pairing Kieron Gillen with Tony Stark is just a combination that makes sense and this first issue only serves to substantiate that.  Gillen’s strength is in his dialogue and when he gets to work with whip-smart characters, he shines so, naturally, the dialogue here is excellent.  It’s quick, dynamic dialogue that alternates well between gravitas and humour, with Tony’s words being an apt mix of charm and self-deprecation.  He doesn’t so much talk to other people so much as he bounces around and it’s a joy to read.

Only further cementing Gillen’s strong hold of the character are the later scenes where Tony suits up and delivers a monologue.  This allows Gillen to emphasize the different sides to Tony, and what we see in those text-boxes differs dramatically from the dialogue we got from Tony in a nightclub.  It hammers home the difference between Tony in the club and Tony in the Iron Man suit – one is all charm and winking humour while the other is a man riddled with guilt and a heavy burden, attempting only to do what’s right.  It’s a wonderful juxtaposition between two sides of Tony that both feel genuine and come together to create a nuanced, multi-faceted character.

Of course, for many comics fans, Gillen’s strong performance was never in question.  Rather, the spectre of Greg Land’s artwork is probably what will be most likely to cause readers some hesitation.

While there are definite problems, it’s far from Land’s worst work.  Indeed, I can honestly say that for the most part, I think he did a fairly good job when drawing Tony in the suit.  The Iron Man looks pretty good under Land and things are fine as long as they’re kept superheroic and Land is able to focus on machinery and blasting stuff.  Hell, I’ll even go so far to say that the first couple of pages of this comic are really quite beautiful, with Tony in the sky, ruminating.  The backgrounds suit the mood perfectly and the suit looks great.  Of course, much of this is due to Guru’s efforts on colors – he really puts real emotion and life into those backgrounds and his bright, saturated colours give Land’s work an energy and likability it might not otherwise have.

Invincible Iron Man #19 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Salvador Larroca (art), Frank D’Armata (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: World’s Most Wanted comes to an end as Hill, Pepper, and Black Widow try to escape HAMMER and Stark tries to survive the Iron Patriot.

What’s Good: The best thing I can say about this book is that it feels like the giant finale of a 12-part arc.  As far as scope, scale, action, and closure, there’s nothing underwhelming.  This issue truly does feel like a high-budget, high-stakes blockbuster summer movie.  Everything reads and looks very cinematic.

The fight between Osborn and Stark feels highly personal despite the  two metal suits scrapping.  Stark’s last words are fantastic, the definition of bittersweet.  It’s tragic, but impossible not to smile at in a way only Tony Stark could make you smile.  Similarly, the image of the Iron Patriot after the battle with Stark is truly one of the most memorable panels you’ll find in any Marvel comic this year.

Norman Osborn, as the cover suggests, is the real centerpiece of this issue and Fraction writes what is perhaps the definitive Dark Reign Norman.  Arrogant and professional with that cackling villain always seeping through, Norman continually straddles the line between asshole and lunatic.  With all his evil and menace, he eats up every page he appears on and he was an absolute joy to read.

As far as Larroca’s art goes, that cinematic flare wouldn’t be possible without him.  All of those memorable images stand alongside continually impressive displays of destruction, technology, and flight.  Rescue in particularly is rendered gorgeously.  If there were such a thing as a high-def comic, this would be it.

Finally, I should mention that the cliffhanger ending is made of pure, hair-raising awesome.  If gut reactions are anything to go by, Marvel’s going to have a good 2010.

What’s Not So Good: Larroca’s art epitomizes both his strengths and weaknesses.  While his depictions of machines and the Iron Men look absolutely stunning, his faces often leave something to be desired, particularly when it comes to our three female stars, whose facial structures and features seem to change throughout the issue.  In particular, Larroca seems to really struggle to separate Widow and Pepper and the result is some truly bizarre work on Ms. Potts.

Also, while the resolution of Stark and Osborn’s battle made sense and felt good, I can’t help but see it as being nearly identical to how Fraction resolved the recent Utopia crossover.  The unfortunate thing is that it was actually done here far better than it was in Utopia, but Utopia came out first.  That being said, this doesn’t change the fact that Rescue/JARVIS felt a little bit too convenient as a plot device.

Similarly, Maria Hill’s final escape tactic was also bit easy and familiar.  She essentially gets out by doing what Nick Fury has been doing since the beginning of Dark Reign.  The result, which should feel like impactful characterization, borders on being a little contrived.  It’s also not entirely believable that HAMMER soldiers would have her back, given how they treated her when she was fired at the beginning of World’s Most Wanted.

Conclusion: Overall, it’s satisfying. That said, it’s the Michael Bay movie of comic books: epic, explosive, pretty, with some awesome moments, but not without narrative corner-cutting.

Grade: B

-Alex Evans

Invincible Iron Man #9 – Review

By Matt Fraction (Writer), Salvador Larroca (Art), and Frank D’Armata (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ll admit that I was a bit worried that the excellent Invincible Iron Man series would lose a bit of it’s flavor now that it’s a major part of Marvel’s Dark Reign. However, all doubts were quickly laid to rest upon reading the first issue to tie into Dark Reign. I was glad to find that the strong character work remained and that the series remained loaded with potential.

The Story: With his brain now acting like an extremely advanced external hard-drive (thanks to the “Extremis” tech) and housing pretty much every bit of information Norman Osborn would like to have Tony Stark’s plans to erase the contents of his brain. With the help of Maria Hill and Pepper Potts, big changes are in store for Stark the man and company name. Meanwhile, Norman Osborn begins his plan to label Tony and his friends the most wanted people in the world with the help of H.A.M.M.E.R. and a helpful media.

What’s Good: Turns out, the Dark Reign story might actually end up being even stronger than “The Five Nightmares,” and that’s no small feat. I mean nearly everything in Invincible Iron Man #9 is a high point. For starters, the high-concept, high tension plot is ripe with potential for a character that has pretty much hit absolute rock bottom. In addition, Matt Fraction elevates the supporting cast to new heights with some great stuff written for Mariah Hill, Pepper Potts, and, in particular Norman Osborn. That’s not to say the title character takes a back seat. Far from it. In fact, I would go as far as to say this might be the best issue for Tony Stark as a person (and super-genius) yet.

What’s Not So Good: One thing for sure that isn’t a high point is Salvador Larroca’s artwork. Sure his take on Iron Man looks pretty great, but it can’t make up for the fact that his facial work looks borderline awful at times. And in an issue that’s almost entirely devoid of the iconic suit, it almost drags the whole effort down. Maybe Larocca should have sat on the sidelines for this arc.I can only handle so many ugly, bloated looking people in one comic.

Conclusion: Comics don’t get much better than Matt Fraction’s Invincible Iron Man series. The character work is outstanding and the storyline rocks. The latest issue is no exception. Pick it up.

Grade: A-

-Kyle Posluszny

A Second Opinion

The Story: It’s part two of “World’s Most Wanted,” and to say Tony Stark has fallen on hard times would be a severe understatement.  Stripped of his leadership of the Mighty Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D., Stark now finds himself fighting a losing battle with Norman Osborn, who is determined to possess everything Stark once held dear.  However, Tony has one last ace up his sleeve. The sole database housing the secret identities of every registered hero now resides in his head.  Norman wants the database, and will kill to acquire it.  Tony knows this full well, and is willing to destroy his own mind to keep Osborn from getting it.

The Good: This is shaping up to be an amazing story, possibly even better than the opening storyline of the series!  In true dramatic form, Stark has gone from enjoying unparalled power to now being a fugitive on the run, and I’m excited to see where this storyline will take him.  Fraction and Larroca took Bendis’ ridiculous premise and are turning it into another story worth reading, but I should have expected as much from them.  I especially enjoyed the sense of peril and suspense they created here, the feeling that Osborn’s reign of terror is actually the greatest threat they faced yet.  This story was incredibly well-balanced, skillfully and stylistically blending the tender moment between Tony and Pepper, Maria’s dramatic capture and escape, and Osborn’s psychotic villainy.

The Not So Good: Honestly?  Nothing.  No joke.  Well, okay, maybe the cover design is a little lame, but if you judge this comic solely on its cover, you’re missing a treat here.

Conclusion: From Fraction’s writing, through Larocca’s art, and on down to D’Armata’s lush colors, these guys have crafted yet another story that has all the feel of a summer blockbuster movie.  Whether you pick this up in individual issues or wait for the graphic novel, you won’t be disappointed.

Grade: A-

-Tony Rakittke

Iron Man #28 – Review

By Daniel & Charles Knauf (writers), Roberto de la Torre (art), Dean White (colors)

The Iron Man / Mandarin saga comes to a close after what I believe was about a whole year’s worth of story. Writers Daniel and Charles Knauf have done an outstanding job pacing this story out as a political thriller. What’s even more ironic, is how quick the United Nations turns their backs on Tony, branding him a terrorist for his extreme actions. And maybe for the first time since instating The Initiative, Tony understands why Captain America fought on the opposing side.

Everything comes to a close very nicely, though I do feel some of it was a bit rushed. Tony finally saves Maya from her incarceration, but the moment comes and goes so quickly that we don’t even see him drop her off somewhere safely. I mean, did he just break her free and tell her to run away or did he actually take her to safety? Because one moment they’re talking and the next he’s flying in the sky (by himself). Other than this little nagging problem, the rest of the issue worked well for me.

In some ways, this storyline reminded me of a good Tom Clancy novel. But, as I reached the final few pages it reverted back to its superhero roots. And what I got was another fantastic brawl fest care of Roberto de la Torre. This time it’s Iron Man (in his silver centurion armor), versus The Mandarin, and boy, does Torre make every punch hurt. Much like David Aja’s work on Iron Fist, Torre’s fight scenes are electrifying and intense. This is probably one of the most brutal fights I’ve seen with these two characters, and a couple of panels almost made me squirm.

If you’ve been following this book for the past year or so, prepare for a very gratifying conclusion. For the rest of you waiting to jump on, wait till next month when we’ll most likely get a Secret Invasion related story. Or, you could pick up this issue for the buttkicking alone. Either way, it’s a win-win situation. (Grade: B+)

– J. Montes

Iron Man #27 – Review

By Daniel and Charles Knauf (writers), Carlo Pagulayan (pencils), Jeffrey Huet (inks), Dean White (colors)

Month after month, this series goes unnoticed by many readers. Maybe it’s because Iron Man’s in every single Marvel Comic these days that no one cares. Whatever it is, it’s a shame that writers Daniel and Charles Knauf don’t get the recognition they deserve. I’ve heard lots of people anticipating Matt Fraction’s upcoming Iron Man title; they say this is the Iron Man they want to see and frankly, that makes no sense to me. First of all, they haven’t even read it yet. And second of all, if any of those people actually gave this title a try they might find it just as compelling and mature as Ed Brubaker’s Daredevil run. The writing’s not the only thing that’s good, this book is gift wrapped by Carlo Pagulayan’s art which perfectly fits the title.

Lecture aside, Iron Man #27 draws many similarities to what’s going on in Captain America. We’ve got a large scale conspiracy going on with Mandarin. This issue showcases just how devious and cunning he can be when we get the big reveal. Tony Stark is racing against time to foil Mandarin’s plot while the Government brings him and his senior SHIELD officers up on terror charges. Everything in this plot is very large in scope and my biggest misgiving is that none of these events are echoing in Marvel continuity. This is serious stuff!

Iron Man may not be as consistently good as Marvel’s top tier titles like Captain America, Daredevil, and Iron Fist, but it’s got a strong mature story that’s been brewing for quite a while. It’s not fun super heroics like Spider-Man, it’s a serialized drama that acts very much like a TV show. And the villains are no joke either. This version of the Mandarin portrayed is the one we’ve always wanted to see. And if they do make a second Iron Man movie, this is how he should be patterned after. (Grade: B)

– J. Montes