“Yesterday’s” Comic> Iron Man vol 3 #44

The shoulders hide a masseuse working in there. And possibly a client or two.

Iron Man vol 3 #44

Marvel Comics (September, 2001)

“The Big Bang Theory” part 3

WRITER: Frank Tieri

PENCILERS: Keron Grant & Jamal Igle

INKERS: Stull & Perrotta

COLORIST: Edgar TAdeo

LETTERING: Sharpefont

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Andrew Lis

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Bobbie Chase

As Iron Man digs through the rubble and collects data from what’s left of Askew Electronics, the company appears to be going out of business. That means Calista Hancock, Askew’s CEO, may have to sell off their designs, including the new SKIN tech that Tony’s been using in the new armor. This does open the door for “Hogan” and Calista to hook-up, because he’s still Tony. Jocasta learns that the emails were actually setting off planted bombs in the computers (which is better than what I thought it was but given how writers STILL treat the very machines they make comics and movies on I wouldn’t put it past them to be the bombs), which Iron Man and Jocasta track to The Advanced Corp, a new AIM project MODOK has set-up while teaming with the Ghost, both of whom also defeats Iron Man!

What they got right: Oh my goodness the art is really good! I don’t know what’s been going on but the art is much better here. The linework has improved dramatically over the previous few issues. Tony gets a taste of what life is like for the working stiffs and he shows concern for the employees who will be out of a job and not that part of the tech he’s using for his new armor is going to someone else.

What they got wrong: Oh my goodness the armor is crap! The one he made in a cave that started Tony’s path to becoming Iron Man was less bulky. The shoulders are huge and sometimes he looks like he based the armor on a crab. I thought he wanted to slim down somewhere between the armor so thin the energy fields were killing him and so bulky he couldn’t feel the outside world when he was in it. The sooner this gets changed the better. Forget the stupid nose, this may be his ugliest armor. It does come with some nice features though. And AIM starting their own company…yeah, I’m not buying it.

Recommendation: It’s turning out to be a decent story, silly AIM plan and ugly armor aside. It might be worth checking out depending on the ending. I just hope the art doesn’t drop down again next issue.