Sunday, May 5, 2013

Iron Man #9

So here's what I don't understand about the comics companies. (OK, it's one of many things.)

Iron Man is starring in the world's top movie this weekend - a film that's bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars. Last summer he was the star of that year's biggest movie, The Avengers.

It seems like a great opportunity for Marvel Comics to make the most of the attention by making sure that the Iron Man in the comic book is as similar as possible to the Iron Man in the film.

There have been some attempts along that line - certainly most writers are trying to give Tony Stark the same distinctive "voice" as Robert Downey, Jr. - but otherwise, anyone racing from the movie to the comics shop to pick up the new Iron Man comic wouldn't recognize the setting or the hero.

The latest adventure has Iron Man in a different style of armor, exploring space, tracking down a mass murderer and getting an unexpected history lesson.

It's not a bad story (though I admit I'm not crazy about retcons), but it seems like a wasted opportunity - a new reader would be absolutely lost reading this issue.

A space adventure would be fine most of the time - but perhaps the series would have been better served by providing a more familiar setting this month.

Or perhaps they're already looking ahead to the Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

Grade: B

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but....Death's Head, yes?

Chuck said...

Anon, good point - I forgot to mention Death's Head. Nice to see him (it?) back in action.