Invincible Iron Man #2 is out this week, and I couldn’t be more excited. It’s always exciting to see new creative teams take on legacy characters and put their unique spin on things. Duggan explained his approach on the AIPT Comics podcast and delivered a first issue with Juan Frigeri that was more thriller than sci-fi or action frenzy as we’ve seen in the past. There’s a mystery afoot as someone is trying to ruin Tony Stark’s credibility with the public, but who can it be, and can Riri Williams help? Given she’s fighting Iron Man on the cover, probably not.
Today’s issue picks up where we left off with Tony Stark drunk and vomiting on the street. There to help him sober up is Ironheart, who has undergone her transformation. They’re both reeling as Tony was poisoned, while Ironheart currently possesses the Mandarin Rings. It’s an interesting element to bring up since seeing Riri deal with these new powers in this issue ends up acting like a progression for the character.
Duggan plays up the age difference between the two (somehow, Iron Man doesn’t know about TikTok), keeping their relationship more professional than a close friendship. They respect each other, and Riri is willing to help Iron Man figure things out. Before long, a new threat enters the ring, and they’re teaming up to stop him, but a mastermind is controlling things from afar. While not much new info is delivered regarding who the puppet master could be, the cliffhanger suggests their goals are quite clear, and they aren’t done ruining Iron Man’s reputation.
Like the first issue, Duggan and Frigeri remind us this series lives in the Marvel Universe, with references to past events and a major fight at a key location. This book is very much connected to the past and present, and that’s nice to see, with many ongoing series at DC and Marvel seemingly ignoring those details to serve specific stories.
Nothing more stripped down than a hammock.
Credit: Marvel
Frigeri does well here balancing out action and character acting. He perfectly conveys the frustration of older age and the inability to get out of the hammock while delivering on big super-suit action. Seeing Iron Man’s mask cut in half is downright disturbing, showing how close he comes to mortal damage in this issue.
One gripe I have with this issue is how Riri is a god and does something immoral, but nothing is made of it. Iron Man isn’t happy she lied about her Mandarin Rings’ powers but doesn’t seem so bothered that she goes into someone’s mind. It’s a minor thing, but it’s immoral for Ironheart to do, maybe because the Mandarin Rings are corrupting her. Since nothing much is made of it we’re left pondering if we’ll see that thread again, but since she doesn’t have her own series, it’s unlikely.
Pick up Invincible Iron Man #2 for the ongoing adventures of Tony Stark having a really bad time as someone attempts to ruin his credibility. Considering Iron Man is no longer rich, losing public opinion might be the worst of it…until you see that cliffhanger. Invincible Iron Man pays homage to the past while building up a mystery worth investing in.
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