"Geez, Tony, I just asked for a light."
Iron Man: Legacy #5
Marvel Comics (October 2010)
WRITER: Fred Van Lente PENCILER: Steve Kurth INKER: Allen Martinez COLORISTS: John Rauch & Chuck Chuckry LETTERER: Dave Lanphear COVER ART: Travel Foreman ASSISTANT EDITORS: Alejandro Arbona & Charlie Beckerman EDITOR: Ralph Macchio
After the Iron Doombots take down Radioactive Man and the armored Russians, Iron Man gets some surprise help in taking down Doctor Doom. Tony’s actions help free Pepper, but Doom claims to have only funded the project for his own schemes, and wasn’t behind the use of StarkTech by the Zmaj (a nod to the first “Armor Wars”, perhaps?) as part of a plan to get at Wundagore. Tony uncovers the actual spy, and puts the “Iron Legion” into storage until the day he needs it.
What they got right: There is a bit more of that classic Van Lente fun here (although sadly not as much as I’d like). Not so much humor, although that’s there, but action can be fun too. I hope we see more of Svarog and Dragana in the future, as they’re great characters. I also like Radioactive Man here. He has more depth here than simply the Chinese government’s hit man.
What they got wrong: There are references to other events around the Marvel Universe around this time (for example, Doom’s next plan involving “Venom Symbiote Satellites”), but no reference caption telling us where these events happen in continuity. (Doom launches his plan in Amazing Spider-Man #whatever.)
Recommendation: I was ready to give up on this title because certain key elements appeared to be missing from what I was expecting in a Fred Van Lente Iron Man story. They showed up a bit here, so I’m thinking maybe I’ll continue keeping an eye on the next arc.
I messed up Tony's balloon there. His reply: "Um, yeah, never say that in my presence again. Seriously."
And there’s one of those moments.
Tomorrow’s Comic> Marvel Adventures: Super Heroes #5
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