Iron Man #1 by Spencer Ackerman, Julius Ohta, and Alex Sinclair starts out, like most Iron Man relaunches, with a staggering status quo change. It’s usually par for the course in most Iron Man runs nowadays; Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca hurled Iron Man from his position as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Christopher Cantwell attempted to do a more stripped-down version of the Armored Avenger, and Gerry Duggan’s run saw him embroiled in the X-Men’s war against Orchis. But this time, it feels truly unique.
For starters, there’s the stakes: though Tony Stark has managed to win back Stark Unlimited from Orchis member Feilong, it’s immediately yanked from his grasp and placed in the hands of amoral super-scientist Monica Rappacini, who heads up A.I.M.! On top of that, his armors have been malfunctioning, leading to a nearly fatal crash. Add in an old foe from his past, and it’s clear that Tony will have to work smarter and harder to overcome this new obstacle.
What I love about Iron Man #1 is that Ackerman has a great handle on Tony’s character. Anyone who’s picking up their first Iron Man comic will get a sense of what drives Tony; he wants to do good, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish that. A scene where Iron Man stops two would-be Hulks from busting a union meeting outside Stark Unlimited leads to him actually talking with the employees and giving them time to ratify their demands. But as some villains are quick to learn, he makes a formidable enemy.
Marvel Comics
Ackerman also pulls from various eras in Iron Man’s history while crafting the story. Duggan’s run, Cantwell’s run and the Fraction/Larroca run are all referenced, as is the classic “Armor Wars” storyline. But rather than leaning on those references, Ackerman uses them to build a stronger story and highlight the scope of the trials he plans to place Tony though. According to the afterword, this is the issue where things are “light” – and if dropping your main character from a terrifying height and having him nearly beaten to death is “light”, that spells all kinds of trouble for Shellhead.
Ohta’s artwork is a joy to behold, especially when he draws different versions of Iron Man’s suit. Fans of Fraction/Larroca’s Invincible Iron Man will enjoy seeing the Bleeding Edge in action, and the Model Prime from Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez’s Iron Man run shows up as well. As for Tony himself, Ohta showcases a different version than we’re used to: instead of the impeccably dressed billionaire/genius/playboy/philanthropist, we see a man who’s grown a mass of facial hair and a wiry build.
The action sequences in Iron Man #1 hit just as hard as Iron Man himself: every punch, repulsor blast and impact hits with the force of a Mack truck. Ohta does not take it easy on Tony – he’s often shown falling from the sky, and the impact does have an effect. So do his battles against a new armored foe and a pair of enemies with razor sharp teeth and claws. Topping all of this off is Sinclair’s colors; no matter whether it’s in the golden red hue of sunlight or the bluish-black glow of night, Iron Man’s red and gold armor stands out like a beacon in the night.
Iron Man #1 isn’t like the usual Iron Man relaunches; it’s aiming to build a truly new version of the Armored Avenger that will appeal to readers of all stripes. Ackerman, Ohta and Sinclair have pulled off the highly tricky task of delivering a great debut issue, and launching the opening salvo in “The Stark-Roxxon War”.
You must be logged in to post a comment.