Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates, Review | Tagged: avengers, brian bendis, Comics, iron man, marvel, matt fraction, MVL

Wednesday Comics Review: Invincible Iron Man 503 And Avengers 12

Comics supplied by Holy Goat Comics of Kingston Upon Thames, London. Pop by and say hello.

It's hard not to read Matt Fraction's Iron Man and Brian Bendis' Iron Man as belonging to two generations. Just as Bendis was the new generation's take on shell head when he wrote him in Avengers only seven years ago, now he seems to be the grand old man, with the likes of Matt Fraction and Nick Spencer nipping at his heels, wanting to pull the character this way and that. Brian Bendis is, basically, John Byrne now.

Which isn't a bad thing per se. And so in Avengers, this building battle of the Infinity Gems that strikes at the heart of the Illuminati concept at the heart of the Marvel Universe, as all manner of Marvel characters come together, it's about proving your worth, it's about contributing to the team and it's about redemption. Something Tony Stark feels he has a lot to do after being portrayed as the anti-Christ by many in Bendis' Avengers for years.

And yet even in the heart of that, there's a twist right at the centre of Tony Stark. A man who shares his all with the world, yes, but also a man who hides, and takes the responsibility of that on his shoulders. And this time Steve Rogers, who before stood apart, is as corrupted with the machinations of the Illuminati as much as Tony.

Also we have the first crossover between the Marvel Universe and the Ultimate Universe.

Yes, I thought that would intrigue. Don't worry, if you blink you'll miss it. This is after all, what happens when you mess with the gems.

John Romita excels at portraying immense power in the hands of the mortal, which punches that land and faces that swell up. Every hit, every blow, physical or energy in nature connects and gives the comic its sense of reality, even as it falls apart. You can see why Marvel value his presence so much, especially in a team book like this, tying a disparate cast together in one reality. And giving Tony Stark something that feels real to both fight for, and with.

The Iron Man in Invincible Iron Man is a different man, however. Less sure, less in control, flying more by the seat of his pants, and less likely to make the right decision. It's not so much about jhow other see him, but how he sees himself. Fraction has also put him through the wringer and is showing us the consequences to a man who was once in control, even as his demons raged against him. Here, Stark is repeatedly played by Doctor Octopus, underestimates him and is left very unsure of exactly what has happened, just as the events of Fear Itself attack the narrative and he finds himself having to deal with the Gods, stepping easily into that role and again, winging it. And again, events seize control and move in a way Stark has no way to deal with. The confident planner who brings it all together in Avengers is a broken man here, letting it slip through his fingers. The tighter he squeezes, the more it slips through his fingers.

As a result this book feels patchier, jumping from one scene to the next. Even as it is written by the writer of Fear Itself, it still feels as if a narrative has been hijacked. That Doctor Octopus' plans have been put to one side. And that there is so much more to come that's being ignored. It's a narrative choice, but it's a frustrating one for the reader, the phrase "To be continued" in a comic that came out last week rankles a little when it feels like the comic has been assaulted.

So do you like the redeemed Iron Man or the fractured one? This week, you have a choice….

Comics supplied by Holy Goat Comics of Kingston Upon Thames, London.

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