Building (and Tinkering with) a Legacy: Generations: Iron Man and Ironheart #1

The following is my review of Generations: Iron Man and Ironheart #1, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

When a new character takes on the legacy of an older one, the greatest challenge is making that transition seem fitting and meaningful. It helps when the older character has a sizable network of friends, family, and side-kicks in the wings, ready to carry on that legacy in a way that feels like a true extension of the story. This is how Batman's legacy can continue whenever Bruce Wayne is MIA, whether it's through Dick Grayson, Terry McGuinness, or the occasional robot.

Unfortunately for the legacy of Iron Man, Tony Stark isn't as keen on side-kicks and family. Throughout his history, he tends to monopolize all things Iron Man. At times, he gives the impression that he only tolerates War Machine because he doesn't use a title or color scheme that undermines his brand. He's akin to a musician who doesn't mind people doing goofy parodies of his music. That may be an effective way to control a legacy, but it does create issues once Tony is unavailable. With no Robin or even a Bucky Barnes waiting in the wings, Iron Man's legacy is especially vulnerable.

That makes the task Brian Michael Bendis undertook in creating Riri Williams all the more daunting. He doesn't have the time or capacity to create the kind of built-in legacy that Batman has. He has to put Riri in this role of filling in for Tony Stark with next to no build-up or dramatic underpinnings. Riri just happens to be in the right place at the right time when Tony Stark goes down in Civil War II. It's the kind of happenstance that can only come at Marvel where Cosmic Cubes, deals with Mephisto, and the Scarlet Witch going crazy constantly skew the odds.

With Generations: Iron Man and Ironheart #1, Bendis has a chance to forge a greater personal connection between Tony Stark and Riri Williams. In a sense, that sort of connection is overdue because even in his AI form, Tony acts more as a guide than a mentor to Riri. The lack of any deeper undertones still creates the impression that Riri's role is forced and contrived. Creating a more personal connection can help mitigate that impression.

Bendis makes that effort and even tries a different approach, compared to previous iterations of Marvel Generations. Whereas the other stories have taken characters to the past, he takes Riri to the future. That's somewhat more practical, given the inherent themes of futurism in Iron Man. However, pragmatics only go so far. When it comes to actual substance, the story falters and only ends up highlighting the reasons certain fans complain about Riri in the first place.

By taking the story to the future instead of the past, she ends up in a very different world, compared to the one she comes from. This is inherently an issue for her character because so much of her story is tied to her situation in the present. Her family, being from Chicago, and stumbling through the growing pains of being a hero are part of what makes Riri's story compelling. None of that is present in Generations: Iron Man and Ironheart #1. That leaves Riri isolated and only highlights some of her less flattering traits.

From the moment she arrives in the future, Riri basically acts as her own narrator. It tries to come off as cute and awkward, as is often the nature of teenagers, but it just comes off as annoying and self-centered. She doesn't say or ponder anything that isn't depicted by Marco Rudy's skilled art. When she encounters familiar-looking heroes from the future, including a next-generation Avengers team and a 126-year-old Tony Stark, who also happens to be the Sorcerer Supreme, the moment falls flat. For overly-emotional teenagers, that just goes against the laws of physics.

That's not to say Riri is cold in the story. She does make it a point to hug Tony when she gets the chance. However, that's pretty much the extent of the connection they forge. It's also the extent of the drama in the story. There's no epic battle. There's no shared struggle. One is teased, but goes absolutely nowhere. There's no point where Riri really works with Tony, thereby gaining a better understanding of what it means to be Ironheart. She basically just sits back, watches, and gets a crash course in how great the future is.

While that sort of techno-utopian ideology is a key component to Iron Man, Generations: Iron Man and Ironheart #1 doesn't present it in a very compelling way. It's mostly done through Tony Stark talking, Riri Williams reacting, and everyone else just shrugging their shoulders. It's as compelling as it sounds. There aren't any moments of real struggle with Riri. She's basically just a guest passing through and not much else. Her passing out when she first arrives is the most she does to move the story forward.

That's not to say there's no overall impact for Riri. Seeing the future and all the beauty that Rudy's art can depict leaves an important impression. It shows that the future she, Tony, and all things Iron Man are trying to build is worth building. That's a meaningful impression, but one that doesn't need to be belabored in an Iron Man comic, which is built on the very premise that a better future can be built. Riri's story already involves plenty of future-building so the impression comes off as redundant.

Bendis has many opportunities to craft a more meaningful connection between Riri and Tony in Generations: Iron Man and Ironheart #1. Few, if any, of those opportunities pan out. Riri still comes off as an annoying teenager who basically stumbles to success at every turn as Ironheart and Tony comes off as overly coy with his ego. The story succeeds at capturing the futurism themes inherent of most Iron Man stories, but that's all it succeeds with. For someone as capable as Riri Williams and Tony Stark, that's just too low a bar.


Final Score: 4 out of 10

The Long Road From Infamy: Infamous Iron Man #5

The following is my review of Infamous Iron Man #5, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

When a hero crosses a line, it's rare that they stay over that line. There are times when Batman kills. There are times when Spider-Man acts irresponsibly. There are times when Deadpool skips Taco Tuesday. For the characters and the stories around them, these moments can be agonizing and compelling. At the same time, however, the outcome is frustratingly predictable. At some point, they'll do something to absolve themselves. If it's really bad, it'll often get retconned via time travel, clones, or several extra orders of tacos.

That predictability isn't quite so obvious in the narrative surrounding Infamous Iron Man. Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev aren't sticking to tried and true formula in making Victor Von Doom the new Iron Man. They've set up a story where it's easy to see Doom going in any direction.

He could either use his new outlook to become Earth's greatest hero, showing up both Tony Stark and the entire Fantastic Four in the process. He could just as easily cross those old lines again, becoming that devious villain who would sucker-punch the Hulk if it made everyone acknowledge his superiority.

It's not at all clear which direction Dr. Doom will go and that's why Infamous Iron Man carries so much intrigue. There are still many questions surrounding Dr. Doom's motivations and his approach to being the new Iron Man, some of which have only been hinted at since Secret Wars. Infamous Iron Man #5 finally attempts to answer some of those questions. Those answers are still incomplete, but the story does make one thing clear. Doom is serious about this new role as Iron Man. He really wants to do something other than subversion, conquest, and megalomania.

It's clear he's serious because the narrative to this point is built around a world that still sees Victor Von Doom as the alpha and omega of villains. SHIELD, Ben Grimm, Tony Stark, and pretty much everyone with access to Wikipedia aren't convinced that he has turned a corner and for good reason. Doom's record of honesty is right up there with Loki, Thanos, and tobacco lobbyists. It's perfectly understandable that those tasked with protecting the world are inherently skeptical about Doom's intentions.

 

The events and subsequent aftermath in Infamous Iron Man #5 act as major tests of Doom's resolve. Everyone expects him to revert back to the mustache-twirling villain he's always been. Maria Hill, Thing, and everyone in between are bracing themselves while, at the same time, provoking him into uncrossing that line. That doesn't happen though. Doom, despite being treated like he's a ticking time bomb in need of preemptive defusing, remains serious about this new heroic path.

This leads him to a confrontation that would be very difficult if he were just plotting another scheme to one-up Reed Richards. Unlike the beginning of this series, it doesn't involve some C-list villain that nobody minds seeing used as target practice. It's Dr. Doom's mother, Cynthia Von Doom.

Her presence alone is revealing. Few who don't possess the omnicians of the Watcher can understand the importance of Doom's mother confronting her son. In terms of Victor Von Doom's motivations, both as villain and a man, his mother is right up there with showing up Reed Richards. For a good chunk of Doom's history, one of his primary motivations was saving his mother's soul from the clutches of Mephisto. It added even more incentive for him to master science, sorcery, and everything in between. If only Peter Parker could be so motivated.

Having succeeded in that primary motivation, meeting his mother here gives the story in Infamous Iron Man #5 a great deal of weight. Naturally, he's not too keen on believing outright that his mother is alive and just wants a hug. Victor Von Doom may be serious about not being a villain, but that doesn't mean he's gullible.

With Thing having already picked a fight on SHIELD's behalf, it leads to one of the most meaningful clashes to date in Infamous Iron Man. It doesn't exactly end in a moment ripped from a Hallmark card, but it doesn't end with Doom wanting to burn the entire planet to a crisp either. If anything, it further affirms Doom's resolve for this new path as Iron Man. In that sense, it's a clear victory for him.

That's not to say there aren't losers as well. Infamous Iron Man #5 will not go down as one of Ben Grimm's proudest moments. The same can be said for Maria Hill and the rest of SHIELD. As for Dr. Amara Perera, someone who only crossed paths with Doom because she had the misfortune of dating Tony Stark, she loses the most. To his credit, Doom tries to apologize. However, she makes clear that she still doesn't see him as a hero. She may not see him as a villain, but he's no hero.

This is the most relevant theme in Infamous Iron Man #5. Bendis and Maleev are putting Doom on the longer, more arduous road to being what he wants to be. They're not just tempting him to revert to his old ways. They're showing him that walking this path is a lot harder and he has an uphill battle, to say the very least. There's even a teaser at the end hinting that this path is going to keep tempting him into fits maniacal laughter once more. It promises plenty more intrigue for a story that still seems so strange on paper with Victor Von Doom being a hero.

While the themes and content are strong in Infamous Iron Man #5, there are times it still feels lacking in some details. In some respects, the story feels condensed and truncated. It gives the impression that the conversations needed to be longer and that certain characters didn't get to say what they needed to say. Bendis and Maleev try to do a lot and they succeed for the most part, but some parts of that success still feel incomplete.

This doesn't make Infamous Iron Man any less engaging as a larger story. It may very well be one of the most engaging stories of the post-Secret Wars world. The story is still in a very nascent stage, but it's maturing rapidly and in a way that would make any mother proud.

Final Score: 7 out of 10

Channeling Heroism Through Infamy: Infamous Iron Man #1

The following is my review of Infamous Iron Man #1, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

It's become an annoyingly popular trend in recent years, turning heroes into villains and villains into heroes. It's like Marvel and DC Comics are trying desperately to make their own version of Walter White. They want a character who can fluctuate between heroism and villainy without the aid of mind control, evil clones, or shape-shifting aliens.

It's entirely understandable. A character that can navigate these narrow, poorly defined lines between heroism and villainy tends to be much more compelling. We don't know if this character will help rescue a cat in a tree or just set the tree on fire. They're unpredictable and volatile, never needing more than a friendly nudge to cross those lines that Superman and Captain America don't dare cross, at least without the aid of massive retcons.

This is what makes the premise of Infamous Iron Man #1 so compelling. It attempts to turn Marvel's alpha dog villain, Victor Von Doom, and into a genuine, non-mind controlled hero. That's right up there with making Thanos a nun in terms of seemingly ridiculous concepts. However, Doom's development in the pages of Invincible Iron Man, coupled with the end of Secret Wars, puts him in a unique position to do just that. Now, Brian Michael Bendis is ready to realize that potential.

The details of the story in Infamous Iron Man #1 don't involve Doom just stepping into a new suit of armor, calling himself Iron Man, and shooting the nearest Hydra agent. Instead, Bendis crafts a narrative that makes abundantly clear that Victor Von Doom is uniquely qualified to embrace this role. He makes it feel like a natural progression of the character that emerged in Invincible Iron Man. This is a version of Dr. Doom that has a very different outlook after the events of Secret Wars. What he does and why he does it feels organic, appropriate, and uniquely engaging.

There's no inversion spell. There's no clone involved. There's not even some sudden moment of clarity. Victor Von Doom's decision to become Iron Man fits perfectly with his ongoing efforts to do more than just terrorize the world with metal masks, evil boasting, and Doombots. He's trying to find a new place in the greater Marvel landscape and becoming Iron Man, especially in wake of Civil War II, is as fitting a place he'll find without the aid of Doombots.

What makes this setup even more compelling is the context surrounding Dr. Doom, even before the events of Secret Wars. Bendis makes it a point to explore this context, going back to Doom's days in the Illuminati where he didn't shy away from such infamy. In doing so, Bendis raises some important questions for Dr. Doom, courtesy of the Red Hood. Sure, these questions get the Red Hood shot and transported to India, but they're still valid questions.

The primary question at hand is what exactly drives Victor Von Doom at this point in his development? For many years, he defined himself as the one man who could outsmart Reed Richards. He defined himself as the one who mastered science and sorcery. He also defined himself by his desire to save his mother's soul from Mephisto. These are all core components of the evil, menacing Dr. Doom who will gladly kick a puppy if it makes him more superior to Reed.

Now, Reed Richards and his family are gone. His mastery of science and sorcery is beyond dispute. He even managed to finally save his mother's soul. On top of this, he has his own country, more money than any super-villain can reasonably steal in one lifetime, and an army of Doombots to ensure he'll never have to clean his castle or cook his meals. What else is left for Victor Von Doom?

Infamous Iron Man #1 shows that Dr. Doom has plenty to offer. He demonstrates as such in a lopsided, but revealing battle against Diablo, who for some reason thought kidnapping Maria Hill was a good idea. He also connects with Tony Stark's former lover, Dr. Amara Perera. He articulates through words, actions, and Alex Maleev's detailed artwork that there's a need in the Marvel universe and he's uniquely equipped to fill it.

Moreover, Doom makes the prospect of him being Iron Man seem exciting in the sense that we've never seen an Iron Man like this before. Tony Stark may have exercised questionable decision-making skills, both in and out of his armor, but there are lines he doesn't cross. He makes clear that when there's a conflict to confront, he'll play the part of the hero. With Victor Von Doom, we don't have such certainty.

How will Dr. Doom deal with a Hydra invasion of New York? How will he deal with the likes of the Mandarin, AIM, or angry Stark Industry shareholders? It's clear how a hero would handle them. It's not at all clear how Victor Von Doom will handle them and that's what makes the idea so compelling.

In the end, this idea is the greatest selling point of Infamous Iron Man #1. It gives context and reason for Dr. Doom taking on the mantle of Iron Man. Beyond that idea though, the details are fairly standard. There is some action, some significant character drama, and some mysterious reveals. However, some of these details are too short or abrupt. These are details that can easily be fleshed out in future issues, but it limits the substance of the story.

Despite this, the style points alone make Infamous Iron Man #1 one of the most intriguing development not involving a superhero civil war in quite some time. There's still something uniquely off-putting about rooting for Victor Von Doom to become a hero. He still makes clear that he's Dr. Doom. He still comes off as the kind of man who will punch Reed Richards in the jaw and blame the Avengers for it.

However, he also comes off as a character entering an exciting new phase of his development. He's not hiding from his infamy. He's channeling it into a new endeavor. It may not be as satisfying to him as punching Reed Richards in the jaw, but it gives him a bold new purpose. Whether it makes him famous or infamous remains to be seen, but it promises to be an exciting story.

Final Score: 8 out of 10

New Dynamics with a Familiar Face: Invincible Iron Man #7

The following is my review of Invincible Iron Man #7, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

From a purely pragmatic standpoint, creating a compelling Iron Man story creates a unique set of challenges. A writer has to make a rich, good-looking, genius playboy likeable without turning him into a Charlie Sheen archetype. Needless to say, this is not as easy as Robert Downey Jr. makes it out to be.

Tony Stark does a lot of things that would earn plenty of scorn, criticism, and negative hashtags in the real world. He's profited from the sale of deadly weapons, he's chased beautiful women to an extent that even Hugh Hefner would find excessive, and he's carried himself with an ego that is almost on par with Kanye West.

Despite these challenges, Brian Michael Bendis has succeeded in rising to the occasion throughout the course of Invincible Iron Man. He doesn't just put Tony Stark in a position for him to show off his unparalleled tech-savvy or his Robert Downey Jr. type charisma. He puts him in situations that reveal his insecurities.

As hard as it might be for anyone outside the top tax bracket to contemplate, even billionaires have insecurities. Even a billionaire that hangs out with Captain America and full-blooded Asgardians struggles with it. Bendis even makes the case that billionaires in that position struggle more than most. It certainly doesn't help when demons, vindictive women, and Dr. Doom enter the mix as well. There is a limit to how much his obscene wealth can mask such vulnerabilities.

Regardless of how well they're masked, these vulnerabilities have helped create a narrative in Invincible Iron Man that makes Tony Stark a genuinely intriguing character by doing something that isn't easy to do with someone of his wealth and resources. It humanizes him. As this series has unfolded, Tony has humbled himself in ways he doesn't usually show unless Thanos has him under his boot.

His battles against Madam Masque and his uneasy team-ups with Dr. Doom add plenty of spectacle around that humility. Invincible Iron Man #7 attempts to add new dimensions to this spectacle. Unlike previous spectacles, this one involves Mary Jane Watson. As Spider-Man fans can attest, she's a spectacle unto herself and one that might seem out of place in Iron Man's world. However, Brian Michael Bendis makes the case that Mary Jane isn't just qualified to navigate this world. Her ability to handle this world and look good while doing it might as well be a superpower.

It might not sit well with Spider-Man fans. It might not sit well with Iron Man fans either. This is because Mary Jane Watson has been built around a certain set of assumptions. She existed for many years as a love interest and someone who attracts pumpkin bombs almost as much as she attracts men. She only ever seemed to exist as Peter Parker's wife/girlfriend/love interest. Her growing beyond that role is a very recent concept. In fact, there are terrible reality shows that have existed longer than this concept.

It's because of this concept, building Mary Jane Watson up as someone other than a love interest for Spider-Man, that she fits into Tony Stark's world. A good chunk of Invincible Iron Man #7 is spent establishing just how comfortable Mary Jane is in a world where bombs, be the shaped like pumpkins or something else, are likely to go off at any given moment. At no point is she overwhelmed, intimidated, or even anxious. She survived dating Spider-Man. That makes her more qualified than most women. Gwen Stacy can attest to this.

Beyond Mary Jane's ability to handle the pressure, she is never bedazzled by Tony Stark's wealth, charm, or brand. She never carries herself as a rich man's groupie whose primary job is to exist as arm candy. She certainly could if she wanted to, but she doesn't. If this had happened 20 years ago, it would've been shocking. Since it's 2016, it just feels overdue.

Instead of being arm candy, Mary Jane relies on her wit and personality, which make her immune to Tony Stark's charms while making him vulnerable to hers. Even for a man in an iron suit, it's another vulnerability that Tony isn't used to dealing with. For the narrative that Invincible Iron Man has established, it's perfectly in line with the Tony Stark that Bendis has been developing. It's still hard to feel sorry for a man who can fly to Tokyo without dealing with the TSA, but he's still painfully human in a way that's easy to respect.

With Tony and Mary Jane, Brian Michael Bendis dedicates significant, albeit excessive, time and energy establishing a unique dynamic. It's a dynamic that is the very antithesis of 50 Shades of Grey in that the handsome rich man interacts with a beautiful woman in a way that never becomes romantic, sexual, or abusive. It might come off as jarring that a man like Tony Stark can exercise such restraint, but it feels like it shouldn't be in an era where movies like Mad Max: Fury Road are an unmitigated success.

As well-developed as this dynamic is, it doesn't do much to move the narrative forward. So much time is spent bringing Mary Jane into Tony's world that it's easy to forget that there's another ongoing story where bombs that are definitely not pumpkin shaped started going off. War Machine doesn't get to fire a shot in return. Iron Man doesn't even get a chance to make it up to him. It almost feels like there was an extended commercial break that makes the story feel choppy.

While the ongoing plot with War Machine slowed, it didn't stall. Mary Jane Watson's introduction to Invincible Iron Man did help move this plot forward, albeit indirectly. Invincible Iron Man #7 as a whole succeeds in introducing an important new dynamic into Tony Stark's life, but does little to explore the latest challenges within that life.

At the very least, Tony Stark can say he has another beautiful woman helping him organize the growing list of vulnerabilities in his life and as Peter Parker can attest, this can be a very good thing. He just needs to stay away from Mephisto.

Final Score: 7 out of 10

Invincible Iron Man #6: Nuff Said!

Let’s face it. We as a society are totally schizophrenic with our attitudes towards billionaires. On one hand, we hate their guts for buying gold-plated toilet seats and paying migrant workers 15 cents a day to wipe their ass. At the same time, we adore and emulate them in every way we can. We strive to be them, as though we wish we could afford to be the assholes we know we are at heart. It’s a disturbing attitude, but it has made Iron Man the most important character in the Marvel universe.

To be fair to Tony Stark, he hasn’t carried himself with the kind of assholery we associate with billionaires. Brian Michael Bendis has started his run on Invincible Iron Man by fleshing out the vulnerabilities of Tony and not just by making him drink again. He’s become a more compelling character and the pride with which he bears his facial hair is respectable. But now he’s got Mary Jane Watson in his corner. That’s like giving Bill Belichick 10 first round draft picks. It’s an embarrassment of riches. But I’m going to explore these riches as I review Invincible Iron Man #6. I’ll try to keep my own schizophrenic attitudes in check, but I can’t make any promises.

Like many obscenely rich people, Tony Stark often sends others to do his work for him while he enjoys his obscene riches. This means sending War Machine out to Osaka, Japan to investigate some more bloody shenanigans by Madam Masque at a Stark Industries facility. There’s not much hint as to what she’s up to, but she caused another big bloody mess and probably got horny while doing it. That’s reason enough to send a walking War Machine to deal with her.

War Machine enters to find a distinct lack of homicidal women, which I guess should come as some surprise in a building owned by Tony Stark. He does encounter some unexpected surprises though. Sadly, it’s just a terrified, underpaid maid from the janitorial staff. War Machine gets a wet sponge to the face. But given the women Tony has dated, he might as well have gotten off with a free puppy.

He basically comes up with nothing. It’s at this point Tony tries to fill him in on all shit Madam Masque has been putting him through. It’s not enough she likes to steal his shit and bust his balls. She’s starting to dry-hump demons as well and after what happened with Illyana Rasputin, he doesn’t need that. He needs a way to find her without terrifying underpaid janitors. And Tony wants War Machine to do the heavy lifting.

Why is he doing the heavy lifting, you ask? Well, like I said, rich people like to pay others to do their shit for them so they can enjoy being rich. And in this case, Tony is completely occupied by the intimate company of Dr. Amara Perera. Apparently, he convinced her to let him into her panties and they’re in the middle of the morning afterglow. So yes, he’s in no condition to hunt down Madam Masque. The man does have priorities.

Now is it a typical dick move for Tony to send someone else to do his shit while he bangs hot women? Sure. However, Dr. Perera is not just another pair of tits and a hot ass that can be found in nearly every hip hop video ever made. She’s actually someone Tony has connected with in recent issues. And yes, I said that with a straight face. Bendis has gone out of his way to have Tony connect with someone who isn’t a machine, an alien, or an underpaid assistant. It may be shocking, but damn if it doesn’t work.

Tony continues to stake a permanent claim in Dr. Perera’s panties by buying her breakfast at some hole-in-the wall diner that he randomly decided has the best waffles in the world and thinks its cute to be so rich and eat there. Those are her words, not mine. They start talking science and progress, the kind of shit Tony Stark lives for. It’s a beautiful moment for a man whose character is indistinguishable at times from an overly elaborate porno.

Then, Dr. Doom shows up. No, I don’t mean that he attacks New York City with an army of Doombots. I mean he actually shows up at the diner, wearing a nice suit, and carrying a cup of coffee. He has no mask, no Ultimate Nullifier tucked in his pocket, and no dead Avengers under his shoes.

It’s not as fucked up as it sounds. In wake of Secret Wars, Dr. Doom has a new outlook on life and he’s been exploring that outlook in this series. He’s been aiding Iron Man in his battle against demons and mystic forces. And he’s done it with a style that would make Don Draper’s dick shrivel. Tony still doesn’t trust him for obvious reasons. He might still be evil, but now he’s a real smooth motherfucker kind of evil.

Not going to lie, I think this new Dr. Doom is more interesting than Tony Stark has ever been.

While Tony Stark is protecting his girlfriend and his balls from Dr. Doom, War Machine continues his mission as James Rhodes. Since he didn’t find anything in Stark’s building, he hits up a shady Japanese gambling den run by Yukio. If there’s anything involving demons and cybernetic ninjas in Japan, she would know about it. This is the sort of thing she used to deal with every Thursday after banging Wolverine on Wednesday night. And wouldn’t you know it? There is some hulking asshole with two beautiful women on his arms who might know a thing or two. Because people who know shady shit tend to attract beautiful women. I don’t think it’s fair either.

It’s official now. Tony Stark’s breakfast date with his girlfriend is ruined, but not because Dr. Doom brings a bomb with him. He just continues to being a smooth motherfucker and making Tony look like an ass. He doesn’t even flinch when Tony has his Iron Man suit on standby ready to blow his head off. It makes me think this Dr. Doom would be the ultimate poker player.

But he’s not just there so that Tony can make an ass of himself, although I’m sure that’s a nice bonus. He’s there to convince Tony he’s on a new path. That path doesn’t involve him going to jail, standing trail for his crimes, or dedicating the rest of his life to hugging puppies. But it’s a path that doesn’t involve conquering the world every other week so it’s still an upgrade.

Doom’s main concern also has to do with Madam Masque. She’s rubbing elbows with demons and that concerns him. He already helped Iron Man stop her from tearing the demonic realm a new asshole. However, he’s not content with just sparing the world from one too many Exorcist sequels. He wants to be more thorough and efficient at containing threats. And damn it, I want to cheer him on.

Tony still isn’t buying it. He’s still looking for any excuse to kill Doom and dance on his grave. But Doom never gives him one. He just claims he’s trying to reverse some of the damage he’s inflicted and maybe take down a few demons in the process. He also wants to look smooth as fuck while doing it. Even Tony has to respect that on some levels.

With all the smooth-talking, it’s easy to forget that this issue hasn’t had much action that didn’t involve underpaid janitors. Well, that finally changes when War Machine decides to put on his armor and track down the hulking asshole with two beautiful women in his arms. He’s not subtle either. I think Tony Stark requires that he not be while wearing one of his suits. It’s a standard Iron Man style traffic stop, complete with a gun fight and abrupt adjustment to car insurance premiums. It’s not as epic as a battle against the old version of Dr. Doom, but at least no underpaid janitors were harmed.

However, the battle takes an unexpected twist when the hulking asshole reveals a trick. Remember those two attractive women he had in his arms? The arm candy that makes irritable feminists everywhere want to neuter the nearest dog? Well, it turns out they’ve got fancy glowing swords and decide to join the fight. It catches War Machine by surprise and it should. This is 2016. Mad Max: Fury Road has been out for over a year now. Sexy badass women should no longer be so shocking.

So...is it awesome?

In the sense that it has no noticeable flaws other than making hot blondes everywhere want to sleep with Dr. Doom, yes. It is pretty damn awesome. This is the most polished, well-developed portrayal of Tony Stark with his pants on in quite some time. You can practically hear the charismatic wit of Robert Downey Jr. coming through every word. And if that doesn’t make hot blondes horny as well, then something is inherently wrong with human biology.

Invincible Iron Man #6 was fairly light on action, but heavy on everything else. Tony’s personal life got some added depth. War Machine got to flex his guns in a way that has nothing to do with dick jokes. And the All-New, All-Different Dr. Doom continues to upstage Iron Man in the best possible ways. At the rate he’s going, I might be inclined to polish Brian Michael Bendis’ head if I ever get the chance to meet him. This new path for Iron Man couldn’t be better without getting a supermodel involved. Wait…he hired Mary Jane Watson in the last issue? Never mind!

Final Score: 9 out of 10

Invincible Iron Man #2: Nuff Said!

It's a new era for Tony Stark. If by new you mean he's got another new suit of armor and he's making yet another attempt to be less of an arrogant prick. By that standard, it's a new era for Tony Stark every other week. But this time, he really, really means it. Sure, he's ditched Pepper Potts and alienated damn near every friend he's ever had. He can still cry himself to sleep on top of a pile of money while banging supermodels.

But Brian Michael Bendis is doing his best to make this version of Tony Stark as charismatic and likable as Robert Downey Jr. is in real life. It's a tall, if not impossible order. He laid the foundation in Invincible Iron Man #1. He tries to build on that foundation in Invincible Iron Man #2. Does anything he build last longer than freshly painted wall in Downtown Detroit? That's what I hope to determine and I hope to do so without sobering up.

So now Dr. Doom is no longer a god. He’s no longer wearing that badass armor and cape. He now looks like a model for Jos. A Bank. And what’s Iron Man’s first instinct? Shoot him. Can’t say I blame him. Can’t say I’m surprised that Doom blocked it without breaking a sweat, courtesy of magic. He may look like an extra on Law and Order, but he’s still Doom. And he’s remarkably calm about it. He’s gone from looking evil and imposing to looking refined and well-dressed, but still evil as fuck. I say it’s an upgrade.

Tony Starks’ next instinct…attack with the Hulk Buster. All he does is ruffle up Doom’s die. Now, Tony just looks foolish and it’s entertaining as fuck. Sure, he doesn’t shoot a cosmic entity with a giant gun, but he might as well be that kid in gym class who pissed his gym shorts one day. Not gonna lie. I enjoyed this.

There’s still the matter of why the fuck Tony came to Latveria in the first place. Short of an orgy involving Emma Frost clones, there’s not much that could draw him to Latveria. But Madam Masque apparently is kicking up some shit and Doom doesn’t want to get any stains on his fancy new suit. Can’t say I blame him.

We don’t really learn much. And Tony retains what’s left of his dignity by not attacking Doom again. He opts to follow him into the ruins of his castle. I guess Doom takes pity on those who make an ass of themselves. He says Madam Masque is after some dangerous artifacts. They’re the kind that can tear the world a new asshole and on a planet that routinely attracts cosmic forces, alien invasions, and Thanos, it already has enough as it stands. So he’s going to help Iron Man. I guess if anyone is going to tear new assholes into this world at this point, it’s going to be Doom and he’s doing to do it in a nice suit, damn it.

Enter the Wand of Watoomb. It sounds the Voodoo name I would give to my penis. It’s a painfully generic mystical artifact. So of course Doom has one and being the nice sociopath he is, he lends it to Tony. But there’s another and that’s the one Madam Masque is after. And he trusts Tony to take care of it. That or he’s just expecting Tony to make an ass of himself again. Either way, Doom wins.

There’s a lot more talking. We don’t learn much else other than Madam Masque stole a fake wand and Dr. Doom isn’t in a hurry to rule over Latveria again. Hell, he was a god for a while. After that, ruling over a country would be like going from drinking imported vodka to expired light beer. We really have no fucking clue what Doom is going to do now other than look good in overpriced suits. He seems content to let his country fuck itself while he watches Tony Stark make an ass of himself.

Whatever his reasons, he makes sure Tony Stark leaves with a deflated scrotum. When Tony gets all cranky and paranoid around Doom, as most reasonable people in the Marvel universe are one to do, Doom just shrugs his shoulders and teleports him across the world and in a fucking zoo no less. And he does it without breaking a sweat and with more swag than three Kanye West albums.

Not gonna lie. I enjoyed that too. And now I kind of want to read a comic about this new Dr. Doom. Marvel, if you’re reading this, get on it before Fox makes another shitty movie about it!

Finally, we get to Madam Masque. So far, she’s done nothing we haven’t seen in a shitty Robert De Niro movie, stealing fancy shit and shooting people along the way. She finds the woman who gave her the location of the Wand of Watoomb, says his info was bullshit, and she shoots her and the guy who thought he would be getting his dick wet tonight. I feel bad for the guy’s dick, but not much else.

Since there are no more people left to kill, Madam Masque decides to shower. It’s barely as sexy as it sounds. Then, being the kind of guy who sneaks up on naked women, Iron Man shows up in the room. He’s not in his armor. He’s just there to ask questions. Madam Masque is understandably pissed and wearing just a robe no less. I’m sure Tony has confronted many pissed off, minimally clothed women in his life so there’s really nothing special about this scene. Angry, half-naked women as common as hangovers, minus the fun of being drunk.

They barely talk about the people she just shot. Tony tries to ask questions as calmly as he can in front of a half-naked women. Madam Masque responds with generic bitchiness. She claims to know nothing about what’s going on with Dr. Doom. For some reason, Tony thinks this is terrifying because it means Doom might actually have told him the truth. And that’s more horrifying than Thanos on crystal meth. Can’t say I disagree. But beyond the bitching and confusion, there’s nothing all that exciting other than a beautiful woman in a bathrobe.

Eventually, Madam Masque gets pissed off enough to attack. It doesn’t work. Turns out Tony’s new armor has stealth mode because of course he does. He’s Tony fucking Stark. If he can build a giant gun to shoot the Phoenix Force, he can build a stealth suit to protect him from a pissed off, half-naked woman.

The problem is this pissed off half-naked woman has another trick. After failing to land her first punch, she does…something. It could be magic. It could be some fancy new weapon. I really have no fucking clue other than it big, flashy, and not in a Transformer movie. It’s just a generic spectacle, which pretty much sums up this comic in a nutshell…well, that and Dr. Doom looks damn good in a suit.

So...is it awesome?

Well, the new, less menacing version of Dr. Doom is pretty damn awesome. That's for sure. Everything else? Well, I'd need a more than a few joints to answer that question fully. For the sake of my lungs, I'll offer a partial answer. Yes, there is a fair amount of awesome in Invincible Iron Man #2. Granted, not a whole lot happens other than Tony Stark making an ass of himself and while he's sober no less. But there's still a story worth telling here involving Madam Masque. There are still too many blanks and nobody's going to get a raging boner waiting for the next issue. But still, it's Tony Stark making an ass of himself. Like the Indianapolis Colts special teams fuck-up last Sunday Night, some shit never gets old.

Final Score: 6 out of 10

Vulnerable Invincibility: Invincible Iron Man #1

The following is my review of Invincible Iron Man #1, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

Contrary to the belief of every hippie, communist, and Bernie Sanders supporter, the ultra-rich of the world have a vested interest in not destroying it. What's the point of having all that wealth and power if there's not an intact world in which to flaunt it? But unlike riots and petitions, the ultra-rich actually have the resources with which to save the world. They don't need superpowers. Sometimes, having the real-life equivalent to the infinite money cheat in Skyrim is just as good.

Tony Stark is the embodiment of this concept. He's unambiguous in his desire to save the world. He doesn't hide behind a mask like Bruce Wayne or Spider-Man. He makes saving the world part of his brand and from a pure business perspective, it's brilliant. What customer wouldn't respond to a brand that both claims to save the world and actually does more than fund Al Gore documentaries? Even if Tony Stark is an arrogant jerk, he's still an arrogant jerk who's trying to save the world.

It's the arrogant jerk part, however, that often undermines his goal and his competence. That's what makes Tony Stark such a compelling character. He's arrogant enough to flaunt his money and hook up with every stripper in Las Vegas, but he's also driven enough to use his resources to protect a world in ways that nobody else can. That imbalance has driven his story for decades and Robert Downey Jr. helped turn it into a billion-dollar boon for Marvel and Disney. Invincible Iron Man #1 probably won't make quite as much money without Robert Downey Jr. being involved, but it does offer a version of Tony Stark that's fit for any Joss Whedon movie.

Even before the events of Secret Wars, Tony was in an usual place. He found out that he is not the biological son of Howard and Maria Stark. He also pushed away his long-time assistant and friend, Pepper Potts, in a way that wasn't nearly as kind as Gweneth Paltrow's conscious decoupling. He's basically raw, like pro-bowl football player who just got cut because he screwed up off the field one too many times.

But he still has plenty of talent and potential to offer. He just needs to convince others he's still got it while not letting his arrogance get the better of him. And for a man who makes cute redheaded holographic assistants, that's a challenge.

For most of the story that plays out in Invincible Iron Man #1, Tony Stark is not in his armor. And having just created another new set, it's quite a feat for him to not take out for a test drive while the metal is still warm. Instead, he spends a good amount of time chatting with Dr. Amara Perera, a fairly run-of-the-mill beautiful female genius who sounds like a knock-off of half the female characters on CSI. While she does little to set herself apart, her conversation with Stark is pretty revealing.

It's this conversation that reveals some of Tony Stark's deeper insecurities. They talk about inventions that they dare not reveal because of the damage they would do. Unlike the inventor of the ski-mask, they know the dangers of being a genius. They can create things that a world full of non-geniuses world might not be ready for. And being able to surmise which invention won't do more harm than good takes a genius that Tony Stark simply does not possess.

Between Extremis 3.0 and the big gun that he used to fight the Phoenix Force, Tony has shown an uncanny inability to make this determination. It's his greatest vulnerability in that his genius tends to create as many problems as it solves. Creating a suit of armor that can save lives and punch Dr. Doom in the jaw is all well and good. But creating a giant gun to fight a cosmic force? That demonstrates that Tony Stark's genius has more than its share of flaws and as smart as he is, he tends to learn from it at a 4th grade level at best.

This vulnerability with Dr. Perera makes for some nice insight into Tony Stark, even if it fails to seduce her into his bed. It helps set a compelling tone for the kind of Tony Stark this series will be dealing with, namely one who can't seduce beautiful women as easily as flashing a charming smile and a wad of bills. But as compelling as this Tony Stark is, the conflicts surrounding him are less thrilling.

While Tony is enjoying his date, another sub-plot is unfolding with Madam Masque. It's as generic a sub-plot as can happen in the Marvel Universe. A well-known villain steals something valuable from a well-known location. In this case, it's Madam Masque and the well-known location is Latveria, the one-stop shop for every generic high-stakes theft. There's not much about this sub-plot to get excited about, but it is an excuse for Tony to test out his new armor so it more than serves its purpose.

Beyond that purpose, there isn't much progression with the story. Tony doesn't even get to shoot anything in his new armor, which for him is like driving a Ferrari under the speed limit on the highway. There's an effort at a shocking ending, but it feels forced. Without having much reason to care about Madam Masque or what she's doing, the only thing this conflict accomplishes is robbing Tony of a chance to score with another beautiful woman.

Even if Tony Stark does strike out in this issue, Invincible Iron Man #1 sets an intriguing tone for his character. His inherent vulnerabilities, coupled with his current situation, put him in a position where being a genius just isn't enough. No amount of genius will build around the revelations surrounding his parents or the extent to which he's alienated his friends. He's still arrogant, but he's trying to avoid instances where his genius does more harm than good. Compared to the man who invented ski-masks, he's still got a long ways to go.

Final Score: 7 out of 10

Invincible Iron Man #1: Nuff Said!

What happens when Marvel’s biggest writer takes on Marvel’s most notorious billionaire, alcoholic, pussy hound, armored Avenger? That’s what Invincible Iron Man #1 attempts to answer. And as a service to comic book fans and nerdrage that sustains them, I’ve taken it upon myself to provide a quick, quirky, spoilerrific rundown of what goes through the head of a drunk as he soaks in this latest effort to make billionaires more likable. So sit back, smoke ‘em if you got ‘em, and follow me as I offer my own unique/fucked up interpretation of this comic. Enjoy!

So someone thought they could have a reasonable negotiation with Madam Masque and not get blood stains on the carpet. Who the fuck is that stupid? Seriously, this must be the same guy who thinks he’s friends with a Nigerian prince. He brings Madam Masque what she wants. He asks for money. She shoots him in the head. A guy dumb enough to make a deal with her deserves nothing less.

I guess we can completely throw out Superior Iron Man. The way Tony talks to himself, I guess that shit never happened. He’s eating a burger and not drinking a bottle of whiskey. Either the 8-month gap undid the inversion from AXIS or he’s already drunk and getting a head start on the hangover. If so, he’s the most productive drunk in history because he manages to make a brand spanking new suit of armor. There’s nothing special about it. The crotch bulge is a little telling. But then again, it’s not like the iPhone changes its design that much every year. That doesn’t make it any less awesome.

After he makes a brand spanking new set of armor, he goes on a date. He’s Tony fucking Stark. When he’s not building awesome suits of armor, he’s dating beautiful women and diving head-first into their panties. This beautiful woman’s name is Dr. Amara Perera. She’s apparently both beautiful and brilliant. I guess that’s standard in both the Marvel Universe and every CBS cop show ever created. She’s hot, but no hotter than any of the other women that Tony Stark bangs every other Thursday.

Tony Stark goes on a date. Madam Masque continues to shoot people who try to get in her way. Like a fat kid trying to get his candy bar back, she lets nothing stop her. She even manages to rob Stark Industries’ branch in Japan. That’s pretty brilliant because let’s face it. A supervillain crashing through a window and shooting masked ninjas isn’t even top 10 in terms of the weird shit that comes out of Japan. Look up one of their anime conventions and tell me I’m wrong.

The date with Tony and Amara is going surprisingly well. He doesn’t appear to be drunk and he hasn’t started waving his dick in her face. Instead, they actually have a serious conversation. What a fucking concept, right? They talk about how being geniuses and inventing genius shit can do more harm than good. While I doubt Dr. Perera ever tried to shoot the Phoenix Force with a giant gun, I’m pretty sure she’s created a few weapons of mass destruction during her down time. Apparently, one was a mutant cure. And she must have seen X3 because she understands how fucked up that can make everything.

It’s probably the most meaningful date that Tony Stark has been on in terms of him keeping his pants on. At one point, he does try to sneak into Dr. Perera’s panties. It doesn’t quite work. She doesn’t even let him cop a feel. I’m pretty sure Tony’s dick hates him. Then he finds out Madam Masque is on the loose and his penis gives him a pass.

He finally gets to power up his new suit of armor. It’s nothing we haven’t seen before, but Robert Downy Jr. has found a way to make it seem awesome while making a fuckton of money. It gives him an excuse to ditch his date and since she wasn’t loosening her panties, why not? Fighting Madam Masque gives him something better to do with his boner.

He ends up in Latveria because I guess nobody is stupid enough to look for a criminal in Latveria. It is the anal wart of the Marvel Universe. Nobody wants to go there, but nobody can get rid of it. So of course this is where Madam Masque goes to hide. And since we still have no fucking clue what happens after Secret Wars, we’re left to assume his downfall fucked his country over.

Those assumptions are somewhat questionable because Stark does encounter someone who might be able to help. And it’s…well, it’s fucking Doom, minus the badass suit of armor. He now looks like he’s the CEO of a pharmaceutical company or a Tobacco lobbyist. Gotta say this version actually looks way more evil, assuming this isn’t a Doombot. And that’s another big fucking assumption.

So...is it awesome?

For those who hear Robert Downy Jr.’s sexy voice in every word Tony Stark says, then yes. This is a pretty awesome comic. For those who enjoy seeing Iron Man flaunt his awesome suit of armor the same way Nikki Manaj flaunts her awesome ass, not so much. Most of this comic is focused on establishing the kind of Tony Stark that Brian Michael Bendis will be dealing with here. And so far, he’s definitely an upgrade. He doesn’t come off as the kind of Tony Stark who would shoot the Phoenix Force with a giant fucking gun. He comes off as a Tony Stark who is trying not to fuck up as much as he has in the past. He shouldn’t, lest he make Robert Downy Jr. less sexy and we just can’t have that.

Final Score: 7 out of 10