Invincible

The first of Marvel’s ‘.1’ initiative comics hit the stands this week with “Invincible Iron Man” #500.1, a supposed ‘easy jumping on point’ for new and old readers alike. So, with that in mind, the one question I’ve decided to ask myself after reading any of these ‘.1’ issues, whether it’s a book I currently read on a regular basis or not, is “Does this comic make me want to buy the next issue?” Because, let’s be honest, more than other comics, that’s the stated goal here. You’re supposed to buy a ‘.1’ issue and, then, want to keep reading that title. The entire reason for these comics is so that people can pick them up and start adding that title to their pull list. So, does “Invincible Iron Man” #500.1 make me want to read “Invincible Iron Man” #501? No. In theory, it’s easy to see why the approach Matt Fraction takes to this issue would seem like a smart one for a ‘jumping on’ issue: Tony Stark recounts his life story at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. It allows a window into no

In the post-brainwipe, new Heroic Age of “Invincible Iron Man,” Tony Stark is rebuilding — rebranding — his empire from the ground up. It’s a great way to reintroduce the character as a hero, flaws and all, as he starts with nothing and has to make his way in a world that still wonders what he’ll do next. This is Tony Stark, in many ways the engineer behind much of the technology in the Marvel Universe, but it’s also Tony Stark, the man who became an arrogant super-cop, policing his own people out of a reactionary sense of what needed to be done. Yet it’s also a Tony Stark who has the innocence to believe that he can build a new company around a single idea — a superfast electric car — by pulling together a team whose members are just as down-and-out as he is. He’s taking back his own company by starting something new, with people he can trust. It’s the Marvel version of the end of “Mad Men: Season Three,” with Tony Stark in the Don Draper role. Matt Fraction continues his long-form

Regardless of how much you enjoy Matt Fraction’s run on “Invincible Iron Man,” it’s tough to argue that the 17-issue epic of “World’s Most Wanted”/”Stark Disassembled” didn’t go on longer than many readers would have preferred. Admittedly, the pay-off managed to justify the bulk of that time, but after over a year, I was certainly ready for a new direction. And luckily, that’s precisely what “Invincible Iron Man” #25 provides. With his mind restored, Stark sets about rebuilding his company, armor and support network. That includes mending a few bridges with some of Marvel’s other heroes. As a result, this issue is a perfect jumping on point. Indeed, it almost feels like a new first issue. It’s impossible not to mention that, two years after Fraction launched the book with a pseudo-sequel to the first Iron Man movie, he appears to be taking a similar approach with this one. Yes, it’s set firmly in present-day continuity, but also recurs themes from “Iron Man 2,” such as the weaponizat

Ever since the conclusion of Civil War II, Tony Stark has been out of commission, leaving an Iron Man-shaped hole in the Marvel Universe. Luckily, the young Riri Williams quickly stepped up to the “iron” plate as the new hero superhero Ironheart in the pages of Invincible Iron Man, while the reformed villain Doctor Doom has been seeking redemption in Infamous Iron Man. Tony, Riri and Doom’s story arcs finally converge in the Marvel Legacy renumbered Invincible Iron Man #593 from Brian Michael Bendis, Stefano Caselli, Alex Maleev, Marte Gracia and Clayton Cowles. As fun as the ride that Ironheart and Doctor Doom have taken readers on has been, it was only a matter of time until Tony’s comatose state was directly dealt with. However, instead of tackling the question of Tony’s current whereabouts head-on, Bendis crafts a mystery around the disappearance of the armored Avenger. One minute Tony is unconscious inside a pod at Stark Facility, the next, he’s vanished without a trace. RELATED