Today’s Comic> Invicible Iron Man #1

Tony's so smug he races space shuttles.

Hey, it was a free reprint.

Invincible Iron Man #1

Marvel Comics (original printing: July 2008, reprint: April 2010)

WRITER: Matt Fraction

ARTIST: Salvador Larroca

(I’m guessing, since it just says “by Matt Fraction & Salvador Larroca.)

COLORISTS: Frank D’Armata & Stephane Peru

LETTERER: Chris Eliopoulos

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Alejandro Arbona

EDITOR: Warren Simons

As Tony takes time off from running SHIELD to repair a space shuttle in space, three suicide bombers, using what appears to be an internal form of the Iron Man repulsors, go off in Africa. Tony gets word and plans to investigate himself. Meanwhile, Ezekiel Stane has also undergone the process, but uses it to kill his benefactors instead. Now he’s planning a meeting with Tony Stark!

What they got right: There are some good bits of continuity, and while the darker storytelling isn’t my kind of thing, it’s not bad on the surface. Fraction even takes time to explain how Stane powers his built-in weaponry. The art is OK, but the colorist went for the painted look that never works in comics. At least it works better here than in some other comics I could mention, like IDW’s Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan adaptation.

What they got wrong (then): Besides the painted colors, and ignoring the editor mandates and acts by previous writers (like losing Tony’s secret identity, putting him in charge of SHIELD), it’s the story details that throw this comic off. I can’t tell what accent Tony’s latest one night stand is speaking in. But the most annoying part is when Stane meets with his benefactors, who hired him to create a more addictive cigarette that helps in weight reduction. He’s the one turning people into living bombs, but he claims that THEY are the real monsters. And then he kills them all with his own built-in repulsor blaster things. Degu, if you’re reading this review, I think I understand your issues with Matt Fraction. He’s a decent writer if you like the “dark and dirty” style, but the soapbox here just doesn’t work.

What they got wrong (now): Nothing in this comic reflects Tony Stark today, either in the comics or the movies/cartoons. So why reprint this comic now? Anyone coming in because of the upcoming movie sequel, the original awesomeness movie, or by coming across the rest of the extended media isn’t going to be able to follow this, and it doesn’t represent the current status going in to “Heroic Age” (whatever that turns out to be).

Recommendation: Eh, it was free. I don’t think I would have paid for this. Not in my taste, and the social commentary is right out of one of those “Truth” ads, which means it’s BS.

Only a glimpse of the REAL Iron Man. I'd get it as a poster, though.

Tomorrow’s Comic: Marvel Super Hero Squad #2