The Invincible Iron Man: 1st Issue Review

So we were treated earlier with the first issue of the second monthly Iron Man title “The Invincible Iron Man” (the title of the original comic before it became the “Director of Shield” but I digress).

The story was ok, but that’s the case with many first issues. We’re introduced to Ezekiel Stane, son of former Stark rival Obadiah Stane, who like his father is a rather evil and cunning, but also seems to have the intelligence of Stark, something his father didn’t have. He has been able to alter his body so that its primary functions use far less energy than normal, which allows him to use that extra energy to enhance his own body, including releasing energy from his fingers through some kind of device.

At the same time terrorist bombings in Africa draw Starks attention as he believes they may be his own technology again being used for evil, and we all remember how the armor wars turned out…Further investigation revealed that it was Stark tech, but some new biotech, possibly something more advanced than the Iron Man armor which Stark referred to as “Iron Man 2.0” indicated he thinks it is the next step in Iron Man technology.

Also while investigating Shield comes across a splinter group of AIM called AIG: Advanced Ideas Genocide, so you can pretty much get the gist of what they’re about. It’s been revealed through previews that they have their own version of MODOK called MODOG, where the “G” stands for, yes, Genocide. So we’ll be seeing another battle in the near future.

The art I felt was good. Larocca delivered some good angles and clear battles and if you’ve seen his art in the past is something you would come to expect. Unfortunately just like the DOS title, the art is dragged down by the drab colors that at times actually make the art look two dimensional and in one or two frames cartoony. I was very disappointed in that aspect.

Odd was that Larocca drew the War Machine armor like Rhodey’s original one, not the current model. Also when Stark first started entertaining the thought of his tech being stolen he brought up a holographic display of his armors and the villains who wore armor. It showed the War Machine, but it was the original Tony wore without the unibeam. I’m not sure if that was a mistake on Larocca’s part or merely an easter egg though.

All in all the issue was average, but like I said it was the first issue. With a new MODOK on the way, and possibly a biotech Iron Man villain on the way the series looks like it has a good direction. But as they say, only time will tell.