Invincible Iron Man #500.1 – Review

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

The Story: Tony attends a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, where he retells his history and his struggles.

What’s Good: This is one incredibly well-written comic.  Given that there are a lot of words on the page, as it’s basically one giant monologue from Tony, there’s a lot of room for Matt Fraction flex his muscle as a writer and the product is an impressive display of his talents.  It’s abundantly clear this month just how intimately Fraction “gets” Tony Stark as character, superhero, and, above all else, human being.  From his self-deprecating candor, to his vulnerability, it’s a compelling read in that it makes clear that Iron Man, one the most iconic superheroes around, is really just a man.

With the whole thing revolving around an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, Fraction makes the comic feel real, concrete, and fully believable, regardless of the crazy cosmic events he has Tony describe.  Suffice it to say, by issue’s end, it’s impossible not to both like and empathize with Tony.  Part of the reason for this is that Tony is so aware of his own failings and vulnerabilities.  His self-analysis is comprehensive and astute and so it’s easy to both respect him and feel affection for him.  What we’re left with is, under Fraction’s hand, perhaps the most engaging and compelling leading man in superhero comics today, a fully three dimensional character that is infectiously readable.

Salvador Larroca’s artwork was also a big surprise for me this month.  He’s been working so steadily on Invincible Iron Man that I’ve come to associate that look with him so much that it’s hard to believe that he’s’ capable of anything else.  This month though, Larroca essentially becomes two different artists.  The present day portions are illustrated in his typical style, but when tasked with drawing flashbacks, he adopts a more old-school look.  It’s still detailed, but a little less super-realistic, less glossy, and a bit more scratchy.  I actually had to double-check to make sure there wasn’t a guest artist on board this month.

Invincible Iron Man #6 – Review

By Matt Fraction (Writer), Salvador Larroca (Artist), and Frank D’Armata (Colorist)

The Story: Matt Fraction concludes the opening arc of his new Iron Man series with the much anticipated showdown between Tony Stark and Ezekiel Stane. As always, Mr. Stark has a plan, but Stane isn’t willing to go down without a fight. Can Iron Man outwit and defeat the son of Iron Monger?

What’s Good: As cerebral as it is physical, the battle between the two geniuses does not disappoint. I was a little worried that the things that made this arc such a joy to read would take a back seat to slam-bang action but, thankfully, that is not the case. Matt Fraction’s words give each strike an emotional, personal impact and masterfully cashes in on the personal examination Tony Stark has been doing since the first issue. At the same time, Salvador Larroca delivers his best work on the series through some strong facial expressions and surprisingly brutal violence. A fitting and unexpected deep conclusion to what has been a fantastic arc.

Believe the hype because The Invincible Iron Man is the very definition of a must-buy series.

What’s Not So Good: That I couldn’t shake the feeling that this might have been a bit more visually attractive with a different artist attached to it. Larocca does some fantastic work when the Iron Man suit is in play, but his people just seem a bit off from time to time. It is far from a damaging negative, but it would be nice if the artwork was as strong as the writing is.

Conclusion: You really can’t go wrong by picking this issue up, especially if you have been following this series since it debuted. The payoff is great and everything comes together extremely well. A near-perfect read for new, casual, and hardcore fans alike. Also, as a side note, be sure to pick up the David Aja variant. It rocks!

Grade: A

-Kyle Posluszny

Ultimate Iron-Man II #1 (of 4) – Review

By Orson Scott Card (writer), Pasqual Ferry (artist), Dean White (colorist) VC’s Cory Petit (letterer)

This sequel to Ultimate Iron Man takes place right after the events of Volume 1. But don’t let the sequel status throw you off. Even though one may think it’s unaccessible to new readers, the first page synopsis does a good job on bringing you up to speed. The premise is simple: Tony Stark’s father has been framed in the murder of his corporation’s top competitor. Now, Tony has no choice but to take over in his father’s absence.

So far I really like the way the story’s progressing. Orson Scott Card does a good job of using an attack on Stark Industries to warrant Tony using his prototype armor to protect the building. He is severely injured (losing an arm), and has to sit out for a while to recover from the explosion. As Tony is in the hospital he monitors the news and the public’s reaction – they believe Stark’s Industries has a “robot” that may be a threat to the public.

As the issue continues, it’s revealed that there are other people involved with the attempt to destroy Stark’s building, while two government officials that resemble secret service meet with Tony. Their intention is for Tony to build them a robot (which is really Tony in his armor) by the weekend so that they might use it to eliminate a band of terrorists housed within a country that isn’t in a current state of war with the U.S.

Tony and James Rhodes (both in their prototype armor), finally get to use their suits for some real world tests. This sequence shows them learning how to control their flying and weapon systems. As the firefight (or slaughter) begins, Tony prevents Rhodes from taking any risks, as he can’t regenerate his body like Tony can.

After the killing stops, a boy is revealed and appears to have a bomb strapped to him while Rhodes warns Tony there may be a detonator around. The boy pleas for Tony and Rhodes not to kill his father who is reveled in the final panel in a struggle with another man. This puts them in the situation of who to kill and who not to kill.

The story’s strong in this debut issue – I really liked it. Because there’s not a lot of random chatter, Card is free to give the characters more personality. The art and colors are really done well and I can’t wait to see how the rest of this series plays out. Definitely worth a look in my book. (Grade B+)

-Matt Allen