Post by goldenfist on Nov 5, 2007 16:10:08 GMT -5
Butch Guice takes over for Roberto de la Torre this issue, and it's not particularly a bad thing. Guice has a remarkable ability to show emotion on the faces he draws, and he uses that to full effect with numerous detailed close-up face shots. He occasionally goes overboard (just look at the first panel of the issue), but that's more than made up for by the number of times he nails a look perfectly.
With the exception of Ed Brubaker, Charlie and Daniel Knauf are the only writers that have depicted Tony Stark as anything other than the overbearing authoritarian dick that has been filling every other comic since the conclusion of Civil War. The Knaufs' Stark has a complex and nuanced personality plagued by inner turmoil and uncertainty, which is now starting to creep outside of solitary scenes. The characterization is currently the highlight of the series, since the actual storyline is very disjointed at times.
After being led to believe that Tony Stark essentially wielded absolute power as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., we are suddenly shown that he is actually beholden to a committee that's even above him. Such a radical change in the perceived power structure would have been easier to swallow if it weren't for the fact that is shown to be completely unnecessary, since the plot would have arrived at the same destination regardless of this addition. The Knaufs also continue to slow build the Mandarin's storyline. The problem is that his story has lost all the momentum it had when he was originally reintroduced. Also, the fact that he's maneuvering under the guise of a high-ranking industrialist brings obvious comparisons to the Red Skull's situation in Captain America, and you're pretty much going to lose every time when compared to that title. Still, if Iron Man can reach some of the potential it's showing in this arc, this series could start being called a poor man's Captain America, which isn't exactly a negative.
Review score 6.4
So does anyone agree with the review
With the exception of Ed Brubaker, Charlie and Daniel Knauf are the only writers that have depicted Tony Stark as anything other than the overbearing authoritarian dick that has been filling every other comic since the conclusion of Civil War. The Knaufs' Stark has a complex and nuanced personality plagued by inner turmoil and uncertainty, which is now starting to creep outside of solitary scenes. The characterization is currently the highlight of the series, since the actual storyline is very disjointed at times.
After being led to believe that Tony Stark essentially wielded absolute power as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., we are suddenly shown that he is actually beholden to a committee that's even above him. Such a radical change in the perceived power structure would have been easier to swallow if it weren't for the fact that is shown to be completely unnecessary, since the plot would have arrived at the same destination regardless of this addition. The Knaufs also continue to slow build the Mandarin's storyline. The problem is that his story has lost all the momentum it had when he was originally reintroduced. Also, the fact that he's maneuvering under the guise of a high-ranking industrialist brings obvious comparisons to the Red Skull's situation in Captain America, and you're pretty much going to lose every time when compared to that title. Still, if Iron Man can reach some of the potential it's showing in this arc, this series could start being called a poor man's Captain America, which isn't exactly a negative.
Review score 6.4
So does anyone agree with the review
