Post by goldenfist on Jun 5, 2008 9:41:11 GMT -5
Ign.com review's Invincible Iron Man #2
Sometimes I wish I were reviewing novels rather than comics. Invincible Iron Man is quickly becoming one of the best books in Marvel's lineup, certainly the de facto best Iron Man series now that the Knaufs have left Director of SHIELD. Were I to rate issue #2 on the merits of its story alone, it would easily be one of the highest-scoring books this month. However, the art plays a huge role in any comic's success, for good or ill. In the case of Invincible Iron Man, it's definitely for ill.
Writer Matt Fraction continues his exploration of the five nightmares of Tony Stark. Whereas most writers paint Tony as the unassailable futurist, Fraction's Tony is stuck dealing with being five steps behind his latest foe. Not that I've had much trouble identifying with him since the end of Civil War, but Fraction's version is easy to sympathize with while still retaining much of what made him so cool in the first place. Fraction's story could be a huge downer, but he thankfully sneaks in some of the more goofy, outlandish elements that make books like Casanova such a joy to read. This month Iron Man squares off against M.O.D.O.G. and the agents of Advanced Genocide Mechanics. M.O.D.O.G. is goofy and inane in the best sort of way, and provides a nice respite from the normally somber tone the series has established so far.
It's obvious Invincible Iron Man has been crafted with movie fans in mind. In some ways that works in the book's favor. Tony's rich playboy mode is back in full force. It's always nice to see that side of his character. I'm also getting a real kick out of Ezekiel Stane. Not so much because of his connection to papa Obadiah, mind you, but because this ruthlessly intelligent youngster is exactly the type of enemy Iron Man should be facing more often. Less enjoyable are elements like the tired Tony/Pepper romance. When was the last time those two were an item anyway? Wasn't Nixon running for a second term? I also balked at the inclusion of Thor in a short sequence. His appearance felt forced, as if Marvel needed to remind its readers that Thor was still a presence in their larger universe.
But the real problem with this issue is the art. Salvador Larocca's art is always problematic even in its best moments. Larocca's style seems to be in a constant state of flux as he tries to strike a balance between photorealism and good, clean composition. He manages to achieve neither in this issue. Particularly because of the poor coloring, none of the characters look entirely human. Furthermore, there's very little consistency with character faces. Stane seems to change both age and muscle mass in nearly every scene.
For the most part I love this new series. As with nearly every character he touches, Fraction displays an innate understanding of Iron Man and his world. But as long as the art continues to look like this, the book will be forever held back from true greatness. Hopefully Marvel addresses the problem in one way or another.
Review Score: 8.4 Impressive
Sometimes I wish I were reviewing novels rather than comics. Invincible Iron Man is quickly becoming one of the best books in Marvel's lineup, certainly the de facto best Iron Man series now that the Knaufs have left Director of SHIELD. Were I to rate issue #2 on the merits of its story alone, it would easily be one of the highest-scoring books this month. However, the art plays a huge role in any comic's success, for good or ill. In the case of Invincible Iron Man, it's definitely for ill.
Writer Matt Fraction continues his exploration of the five nightmares of Tony Stark. Whereas most writers paint Tony as the unassailable futurist, Fraction's Tony is stuck dealing with being five steps behind his latest foe. Not that I've had much trouble identifying with him since the end of Civil War, but Fraction's version is easy to sympathize with while still retaining much of what made him so cool in the first place. Fraction's story could be a huge downer, but he thankfully sneaks in some of the more goofy, outlandish elements that make books like Casanova such a joy to read. This month Iron Man squares off against M.O.D.O.G. and the agents of Advanced Genocide Mechanics. M.O.D.O.G. is goofy and inane in the best sort of way, and provides a nice respite from the normally somber tone the series has established so far.
It's obvious Invincible Iron Man has been crafted with movie fans in mind. In some ways that works in the book's favor. Tony's rich playboy mode is back in full force. It's always nice to see that side of his character. I'm also getting a real kick out of Ezekiel Stane. Not so much because of his connection to papa Obadiah, mind you, but because this ruthlessly intelligent youngster is exactly the type of enemy Iron Man should be facing more often. Less enjoyable are elements like the tired Tony/Pepper romance. When was the last time those two were an item anyway? Wasn't Nixon running for a second term? I also balked at the inclusion of Thor in a short sequence. His appearance felt forced, as if Marvel needed to remind its readers that Thor was still a presence in their larger universe.
But the real problem with this issue is the art. Salvador Larocca's art is always problematic even in its best moments. Larocca's style seems to be in a constant state of flux as he tries to strike a balance between photorealism and good, clean composition. He manages to achieve neither in this issue. Particularly because of the poor coloring, none of the characters look entirely human. Furthermore, there's very little consistency with character faces. Stane seems to change both age and muscle mass in nearly every scene.
For the most part I love this new series. As with nearly every character he touches, Fraction displays an innate understanding of Iron Man and his world. But as long as the art continues to look like this, the book will be forever held back from true greatness. Hopefully Marvel addresses the problem in one way or another.
Review Score: 8.4 Impressive