Review of Marvel's Top Ten Iron Man Armors

I meant to do this before the launch of the movie, but honestly forgot to. Still, I think it is something worth covering.

When celebrating Iron Man month as a means to build hype for the movie, Marvel posted their top ten Iron Man armors. Now, I understand no one will ever fully agree on a subject such as this for anything, but some of the things here were just piss poor in my opinion. I’ll list the rank, the armor and then my thoughts on Marvel’s rank.

you can find the original article here: http://www.marvel.com/news/comicstories.3417.Take_10~colon~_Iron_Man~apos~s_Armory


10) Mark IV Red and Gold
Marvel’s Take: Iron Man's most recent armor before going Extremis laid the groundwork for both his current look and the character's big screen appearance. A clean, modern-looking design that came into prominence in particular when rendered by digital painter Adi Granov, this armor propelled the Golden Avenger into the present.

Chaos Take: First let me say Marvel has by far the worst model designations of anyone I have ever seen, and yet they created the character. Sorry, the red and gold armors don’t by Red and Gold Mark whatever. Secondly, there was nothing special of this armor at all. It’s low tech looking and has a 50’s scifi faceplate. If by “clean and modern” looking they meant “plated with a bunch of ridges and looking slightly more sophisticated than medieval knight armor” than yes, I agree with them. As for bringing him into the present, well here are some armors that predate this one that look much more advanced: War Machine, Modular, Heroes Reborn, Heroes Return, Grell armor (first version).


9) Ultimate Iron Man
Marvel’s Take: It would have been easy for artist Bryan Hitch to at least stick to the basic template when bringing Iron Man over to the Ultimate Universe, but his decision to reinvent the wheel—or repulsor ray—made for an impressive and bold visual feast. The bulky and intricate look reflected how a suit of battle armor might look in the real world and set Ultimate Iron Man apart from any other incarnation of Shellhead

Chaos Take: It was at this time (mind you the second armor into the list) I realized Marvel had decided to merely put the more recent armors in the top ten list to A) pat themselves on the back for their perceiving a job well done and B) promote any current or recent armor. I think many Iron Man fans will agree the Ultimate armor is in fact one of, if not the worst armor design ever. Even for being in an alternate dimension it sucks. They had a chance to be creative and break from the norm of the designs and go wild (which despite their claim they didn’t really), instead they created some crappy robot thing. To put this armor in anything but the ten worst list is mind boggling to me. If that armor is a visual feast, this is me visually throwing up.


8) Original Grey
Marvel’s Take: So Tony Stark's a dude who gets critically injured in a war-torn area, becomes a P.O.W. and is forced to use his giant brain to make a giant weapon for giant jerks. Giving them the proverbial finger, he creates a badass suit of über-destructive armor out of scraps and detritus, puts it on, stomping and shooting his way to freedom. The classic grey armor—or Mark I, if you will—may seem a little hokey by today's standards, but it's a testament to Tony Stark's genius and indomitable will. Plus, the old-school robot look never goes out of style

Chaos Take: It’s hard to argue with the original. It’s cold, robotic Frankenstein look was perfect for the time, hell even now because there is nothing fancy about it. It’s big, bulky, low tech and gets the job done.



7) Hulk Buster Mark I
Marvel’s Take: Despite being used exactly one time—and not even used successfully—the original Hulkbuster suit has been immortalized in both action figure and video game form in the years since its 1994 curtain call. Why the appeal? Well, it's a gigantic friggin' Iron Man armor that can go toe-to-toe with the Hulk—what more do you need?"

Chaos Take: Um, hate to break to this to you Hulk fanboys at Marvel, the fight was, at worst, a stalemate and at best Stark winning. They stopped fighting to talk it out, it had nothing to do with either getting a major upper hand. But like I said, that’s what happens when fanboys run the show. Anyways, they are actually right in the fact that despite being used once it immediately found its way into our “things in comics that are awesome” category and we all still love it and have been hoping for its return (and not like that monstrosity in Marvel’s Hulk Hard-on event).




6) Stealth Armor
Marvel’s Take: In the history of Iron Man, there aren't many more radical departures from his classic look than the first Stealth Armor, but there aren't many cooler departures either. Besides the fact that it's jet black, automatically raising its awesome quotient, the Stealth Armor also serves has actual reasonable science—or at least pseudo-science—behind how it works thanks to the wizardry of David Michelinie and Bob Layton."

Chaos Take: I wouldn’t call it a radical departure in terms of looks, because other than sharper boots and gauntlets and a new paint job there wasn't a whole lot different visually. It is neat, especially since it made Tony fight even more with his brains than fists because it lacked weapon systems. As for the pseudo science, if they give Bob and Dave credit they sure as hell should give Kaminsky credit because of all the Iron Man writers he has displayed a level of technological knowledge greater than any others. But I have no problem with this armor being on the list.




5) Extremis Armor
Marvel’s Take: Unlike any other Iron Man suit, the Extremis virus allows its user to store armor in the hollow of his bones and instantaneously utilize it at any time. The Extremis armor responds more quickly to user commands and provides interface with all external communications systems, from cellular phones to satellites. Extremis also boats increased repulsor technology for both energy projection and flight as well as greatly enhanced healing capabilities.

Chaos Take: (cough) bullshit (cough) Sorry about that, had something in my throat. For all those advantages they listed, we have yet to see any single one actually be improved outside maybe propulsion. In fact, given how the suits are displayed in the comics, I would say nothing after the Silver Centurion would have a problem kicking the crap out of this thing. This is definitely Marvel being all gushy on themselves on something they think is a great accomplishment when it’s anything but. This armor doesn’t even know if it wants to be high or low tech looking. It’s supposed to be smoothed and streamlined yet is plated all over the torso, plus has extra components on the legs and arms that stick out. Terrible choice.




4) Red and Gold Mark II
Marvel’s Take: The nice thing about this late '80s revamp of the standard red and gold armor Iron Man had worn for years prior was that it really looked of the times. It retained the classic elements and basic design of the long-tenured suit, but streamlined stuff that no longer fit such as the lined underoos and giant hip discs. This armor allowed fans to have their cake and eat it too, with an Iron Man who looked familiar, but not dated

Chaos Take: It’s actually the Neo Classic armor after the Silver Centurion. Apparently Marvel has failed to realize there were variations before what we now know as the Classic Red and Gold got to its final incarnation. But hey, why would the guys in charge of Iron Man’s history k now that? Anyways, this went back to a more recognizable design, being a modern (for the time) version of the Classic after the big departure that was the Silver Centurion. It had a simple yet advanced look and lasted quite a while so I don’t have a problem with its choice.




3) Classic Red and Gold
Marvel’s Take: This may not have been the first armor and it may not be sported by Tony any time soon, but you can't deny that every armor since then has been influenced by this beauty. Sleek lines and a forward-thinking look made for one of the most iconic costumes in comic book history. It's also impressive that this costume doesn't make Iron Man look like a robot—it's clearly a man in armor, which makes it apparent that Iron Man isn't defined just by the armor. It's the man inside who truly powers this hero."

Chaos Take: It’s the classic, what would you really want me to say that you aren’t thinking? It really did start the advance look, even more so than the previous red and gold armors which really looked flimsy at times.




2) Silver Centurion
Marvel’s Take: Shaking up the red and gold standard with this variation was controversial at the time, but it's amazing how all that venom has been replaced by fond nostalgia these days. This is easily one of the sleekest, cleanest looking armors that Iron Man ever sported, with a color scheme that still looks wildly different from his other incarnations, but awesome in its own right."

Chaos Take: Face it, we all love the Silver Centurion. A radical departure from what became the norm, it wasn't just the looks that differed but also the systems. It was the biggest leap in power from one suit to another, as it manhandled many enemies that once gave the classic armor a lot of trouble. It looked great and you really got a sense of power and advanced technology from it.



1) War Machine
Marvel’s Take: Really, is there a much 'cooler' looking armor than this one? From the shocking amount of weaponry to the very basic color scheme, this suit screams 'you're in trouble' to evildoers everywhere. Not only is it part of a great story with Tony being replaced with Rhodey, it's also the armor that we associate with the awesome character known as War Machine! Sure, other armors may be more powerful, sleeker and a tad less ridiculous when it comes to all the visible deadly weapons, but there's no denying that this is the one suit that you know means business.

Chaos Take: I wouldn’t say “you’re in trouble” so much as “you’re @&#$ed” as to what it screams. The War Machine is great because it shows if Stark wants to just beat the crap out of you he can and will. It’s more menacing face plate and cold color scheme along with the weapons gave it an incredibly intimidating look. I’m surprised Marvel was able to get this one right. But maybe its just that obvious.

Legacy of Doom: Final Thoughts

This month we were treated with the fourth and final installment of the Legacy of Doom miniseries. Once again we were treated to a battle of intelligence and wits as Iron Man and Doom had to work together and use their brains instead of brawn to win the day.

But I don’t want to go too in depth to the ending of the series in case you haven't read it yet (if it’s been available and you haven't picked it up yet, shame on you!). I will though give some grades on the major aspects of the book.


Writing: A+
The grasp of the characters was, well, you can’t grasp them any better. It’s just so refreshing to see Stark handling so succinctly after the way he has been kicked around over the past few years. Bob and Dave again show why they are one of, if not the best Iron Man writer(s) to ever grace the book. It was a battle of wits despite there being enough for a battle of strength with two of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Universe, but also the most cunning. The story itself was well laid out and progressive, with no boring parts and a storyline that kept you wondering what the next twist would be.


Pencils/Inks: A+
Lim was a guy that was always called upon to pencil major events and he continues to show why. His art is clear and precise with both modern and classic tones. Layton knows how to ink the character as he has been doing it for years, even in his free time and knows just how heavy to be. The combination was great, definitely giving one the feel of a 1980’s Iron Man issue.


Colors: A+
Bob noted that one of the great things about this series was that not only was he given the freedom to do the colors how he and Dave wanted but that also the colorists, Sotomayor and Baumann were willing to work closely with him on it instead of putting their touch on it so to speak. The result was a bright and vibrant display that is a nice contrast from the often dull colors used anymore.


Final Grade: A+
Yes, I did just give a perfect score to this miniseries, and the thing of it? I like my comics heavy on the action. Bob and Dave have been action heavy (but by no means light on it) and I still thoroughly enjoyed this mini. Everything was just done so well it’s hard to give it anything but.


Final Thoughts
As they say, all good things must come to an end. Though four issues seem too short because it was enjoyable, it’s better than having a long, drawn out story. Everything from the writing to art was top notch and you can tell a lot of thought, effort and passion for the character went into its creation.


And let’s not forget the great nod to the previous Iron Man – Doom meeting where Merlin discovers that the lake has been built over by the mall, only to have the mall done by Stark himself as a means to protect Excalibur (and since he had no recollection of his trip to the future he came up with the idea himself).

As Iron Man fans, I think we can all give a hats off to the entire team for the series they did, and hope they will be collaborating again on one in the future.

Thanks guys!

The Fantastic Four- not so Fantastic

The Fantastic Four. One of the oldest super hero teams and one that has managed to stay together with the same group for almost its entire existence. Even if it does change, it always goes back to the family of Reed Richards Mr. fantastic, Sue and Johnny Storm the Invisible Woman and Human Torch and their best friend Ben Grimm, the Thing. Though they seemingly have stood the test of time, personally, I feel they are starting to become out of place.

Comics are sci-fi and fantasy, despite what some Marvel Morons like Joe Q are trying to do. And one of the great things about sci-fi that no other genre can really claim, or at least to the same extent, is that sci-fi grows. By that I mean it is not limited by realism, only by what our minds can think up. And as things like technology grow, so do the limits of our mind as new ideas are spawned form creation.

When you think about it, the powers of the Fantastic Four don’t rely on any kind of technology or understanding of phenomena or anything of that sort. Cosmic radiation changed their bodies and gave them their powers. Mr. Fantastic stretch a lot. Invisible Woman can be invisible and create shields and weapons with her thoughts, the Human Torch engulfs himself in fire and can shoot it and fly, and the Thing is basically a big rock monster. Back in the 1960’s they were definitely neat. Now in the 2000’s? Not really.

Sue and Grimm are still kind of interesting because Sue’s powers can be used in a variety of ways, and Grimm in general is, well a rock monster which for some reason entertains us. Reed and Johnny? Well, I guess the word “meh” can sum up their powers. Stretching just inst that interesting, and lets face it, a lot of people can envelope themselves in fire.

But it’s not just the powers. In fact that’s the least of it. I feel the characters personalities have grown pretty tiring. Yeah, we know that Reed is obsessed with work. Yeah we get Sue is basically a pushover but cares for her family. Yeah we get Johnny is cocky and that Ben thinks he’s tough. But the characters have never really grown from these things. They’re really still the same, just throw some marital/family problems in here and there. I just don’t find them interesting at all. Thing’s “it’s clobbering time!” is about as fresh as “Hulk smash!” is anymore and Human Torch’s cockiness is just kind of aggravating.

I know not everyone will disagree with me, but every time I read the Fantastic Four or their characters, I just come away so unimpressed by any of them and hope that each major event is their last.

Secret Invasion so Far

I make it no secret how much I disliked the past two Marvel universe major events, Biased Political Commentary (Civil War) and Marvel’s Hulk Hard-on (World War Hulk). But as they say, three times a charm. Well, at least so far. Yes, so far I am liking Secret Invasion.

Secret Invasion started off with a bang both literally and figuratively. We’ve already seen the death (maybe) of some well known characters like Dum Dum Dugan, Jarvis, and Hank Pym, and who knows else who. Bendis is keeping this story very interesting and you are left guessing at every turn.

For example we’ll take good old Tony Stark. Spider Woman (who is really the Skrull Queen) told Tony he was really a deep cover agent for the Skrull and that they had to erase his memory to do it. But is it true or not? Is Tony really a Skrull or is the queen merely trying to eliminate the director of Shield who would be one of if not the most rallying characters for Earth’s heroes and armed forces? There are many twists and turns like this but that is one example.

Plus personally I am loving trying to figure out who is a Skrull and not. In Mighty Avengers #13 and #13 end with Nick Fury standing next to a wall with pictures of heroes, some circled in blue, some circled in red but most have no circle. Presumably this is Fury singling out who is a Skrull and who isn’t.

As for the Skrulls gaining access to heroes powers, they seem to go through a process where some organic “sheet” is placed on them, then a green orb releases energy, they say a spiel and they are now in the shape of the hero/heroine they are replacing with their powers. If this can be done more than once than it would explain why a Skrull can have more than one heroes powers. Of course it could also be based on the process in which the original Super Skrull got the powers of the Fantastic Four.

During the third issue the Skrulls said it was a good thing that Thor wasn't around. During the first new issue of Thor it was said he would have a major part in a great conflict, so I definitely think it is Secret Invasion with those two bits of info. With the return of the green Hulk, its also possible that Hulk will play a major role in defeating the Skrulls.

I will say this: the future cover that shows Captain America, Iron and Thor to me is suggesting that we may see a return to a classic Avengers lineup. And with the recent Hulk movie and the upcoming Avengers movie, I think that only suggests that theory.

Again, one question leads to three more, and that’s what is great about it. Issue #4 comes out this week, so we’ll see what twists and turns Bendis has for us.