Post by goldenfist on Dec 18, 2008 10:54:28 GMT -5
Here's a reivew of Invincible Iron Man #8 from Ign.com
It's official. Iron Man is back to having only one ongoing book in the regular Marvel Universe. I'm of the opinion that, if Matt Fraction is writing your series, that's usually the only one you need. In fact I'd almost say the world has no reason to feel sorry for Tony Stark. On the other hand, it becomes quickly apparent in Invincible Iron Man #8 that we should feel very sorry for Stark. I've rarely seen Iron Man in such dire straits, and it only makes me love this book even more.
Following the events of Secret Invasion #8, Stark is pretty much on the bottom rung of the Marvel ladder. His company is in shambles, thanks both to the Skrull invasion and Ezekiel Stane's terror attacks. He's been ousted as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and faced with the added indignity of having to hand the keys over to Norman Osborn. And if all that weren't bad enough, his Extremis powers have been eliminated, rendering his one functional suit near useless. It's enough to drive a man to drink.
And no, there's no indication that Fraction is going there, at least not yet. Still, the added layers of stress only serve to make Tony a more interesting character. Certainly he's cast in a more sympathetic light. Interestingly, Fraction paints Tony as a man who has lost almost everything yet is more free than he has been in years. No money, no powers, and no job mean no responsibility.
That's not the extent of the conflict either. As is made apparent by the cover and the title of this arc, Tony is about the become the most wanted fugitive in the world. This doesn't happen immediately. It's not merely an extension of Tony's perceived "crimes" during Secret Invasion. Tony is faced with a particularly large dilemma, and it becomes clear that the way he chooses to react to it will be what puts him in hot water. Fraction is putting Tony in a rather fascinating position in this arc, and the loss of his powers only make the dire straits more dire. I know some fans will be peeved at the loss of Extremis, but it's important to realize that the story is made better because of it. This story isn't another "Fatal Attractions," where the loss of powers is an end rather than the means.
So, all in all, the various strengths of this book remain - characterization, pacing, the whole shebang. And, if anything, Fraction's writing has only gotten stronger with these new story developments. Unfortunately, the one glaring flaw of the series is as bad as ever. I'm really not a fan of what Salvador Larroca and Frank D'Armata are doing with this series. As always, the majority of the problems center around figures, most notably facial work. Larroca rarely seems to put much detail into his figures. D'Armata attempts to compensate by using color to fill in details, but his color choices are questionable at best. On the whole, this book is only pleasing to look at during the larger action sequences when any and all human faces are covered up. Aside from a two-page spread in the opening pages, this issue offers little in that area. What it does offer is a lot of wonky facial work and truly bizarre skin textures.
These constant art problems continue to upset me. There's no reason Invincible Iron Man shouldn't be declared one of Marvel's best books. From a writing standpoint, it rivals anything Ed Brubaker is doing on Captain America. Artistically, though, each issue has been a major disappointment. Until Marvel addresses this problem, the series will have to settle for a second-class existence.
Review Score: 8.1 Impressive
It's official. Iron Man is back to having only one ongoing book in the regular Marvel Universe. I'm of the opinion that, if Matt Fraction is writing your series, that's usually the only one you need. In fact I'd almost say the world has no reason to feel sorry for Tony Stark. On the other hand, it becomes quickly apparent in Invincible Iron Man #8 that we should feel very sorry for Stark. I've rarely seen Iron Man in such dire straits, and it only makes me love this book even more.
Following the events of Secret Invasion #8, Stark is pretty much on the bottom rung of the Marvel ladder. His company is in shambles, thanks both to the Skrull invasion and Ezekiel Stane's terror attacks. He's been ousted as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and faced with the added indignity of having to hand the keys over to Norman Osborn. And if all that weren't bad enough, his Extremis powers have been eliminated, rendering his one functional suit near useless. It's enough to drive a man to drink.
And no, there's no indication that Fraction is going there, at least not yet. Still, the added layers of stress only serve to make Tony a more interesting character. Certainly he's cast in a more sympathetic light. Interestingly, Fraction paints Tony as a man who has lost almost everything yet is more free than he has been in years. No money, no powers, and no job mean no responsibility.
That's not the extent of the conflict either. As is made apparent by the cover and the title of this arc, Tony is about the become the most wanted fugitive in the world. This doesn't happen immediately. It's not merely an extension of Tony's perceived "crimes" during Secret Invasion. Tony is faced with a particularly large dilemma, and it becomes clear that the way he chooses to react to it will be what puts him in hot water. Fraction is putting Tony in a rather fascinating position in this arc, and the loss of his powers only make the dire straits more dire. I know some fans will be peeved at the loss of Extremis, but it's important to realize that the story is made better because of it. This story isn't another "Fatal Attractions," where the loss of powers is an end rather than the means.
So, all in all, the various strengths of this book remain - characterization, pacing, the whole shebang. And, if anything, Fraction's writing has only gotten stronger with these new story developments. Unfortunately, the one glaring flaw of the series is as bad as ever. I'm really not a fan of what Salvador Larroca and Frank D'Armata are doing with this series. As always, the majority of the problems center around figures, most notably facial work. Larroca rarely seems to put much detail into his figures. D'Armata attempts to compensate by using color to fill in details, but his color choices are questionable at best. On the whole, this book is only pleasing to look at during the larger action sequences when any and all human faces are covered up. Aside from a two-page spread in the opening pages, this issue offers little in that area. What it does offer is a lot of wonky facial work and truly bizarre skin textures.
These constant art problems continue to upset me. There's no reason Invincible Iron Man shouldn't be declared one of Marvel's best books. From a writing standpoint, it rivals anything Ed Brubaker is doing on Captain America. Artistically, though, each issue has been a major disappointment. Until Marvel addresses this problem, the series will have to settle for a second-class existence.
Review Score: 8.1 Impressive