Three things Iron Man

[schmevil]

1.
You can find the whole story behind this panel in She-Hulk #27. I've posted 11 pages at scans_daily.

2. Also check out the new Iron Man Movie tv spot. Ganked from pandanoai.

3. And finally, a new interview with Matt Fraction on Invincible Iron Man.

NRAMA: Tony has everything...well, 96% of everything anyone could ever want, and can invent that last remaining 4% before most of the world is up for breakfast. Why does he do the Iron Man thing? What itch does putting on the armor scratch for Tony?

MF: He doesn't have everything. He doesn't have immortality, superpowers, or safety. Try as he might, the future remains outside of his grasp and control. The armor is the literal realization of his self-evolution, of the triumph of human will over the human body.

And, let's not lie-- his first addiction was to adrenaline. He's an inventor and a test pilot in his very soul. Putting the armor on allows Tony to-- well, to slip the surly bonds of Earth and touch the face of god.

At, like, Mach 6.

When Fraction is talking about the character I get really excited. He seems to both *get* and love Tony Stark and Iron Man. But some of his plans leave me cold - for one, I'm really not looking forward to Obediah Stane 3.0 (2.0 being Tiberius Stone). I'd like to move away from the Battle of Geniuses! thing, and open the field to a wider range of antagonists.

The post-human collective in Warren's Hypervelocity was a particularly strong new villain for Tony, because it had the same kind of upward-and-onward ethos of technological development as Tony. Only, it was Tony warped - the idea of technological evolution of humanity taken in an entirely different, and freaking scary direction. Instead of enhancing the body, they did away with the body, in favour of pure consciousness, and temporary body-constructs. Great stuff, especially considering Tony's own body issues.

I'm also really enjoying what the Knaufs are doing with Maya Hansen and the Mandarin. They shift the focus to biotechnological evolution, which is outside of Tony's field of expertise (always a good story-telling strategy), with the added flavour of a morally, and viscerally horrifying experimental protocol. I've liked extremis from the start, but am so happy with Mandarin's plan to salt the earth with it, because: a) it's been so nicely set up; b) it's cool and not easily countered; c) it's cool.

Fraction says that Ezekiel Stane, the villain of his first arc, is going to be "younger, faster, and smarter" than Tony, but let's face it - the basis of this character is grudge-villainy. Considering that there are innumerable characters in the MU who've got a reason to be pissed with him, I really don't think Fraction needs to invent a new character, straight out of the gate, just to set Tony up for a "reckoning". I also think that this "reckoning" he's planning, would have a lot more emotional resonance if it involved the friends and allies he's alienated.

Another issue I have with Fraction's approach is his previous characterization of Tony in The Order. As SpySmasher says:

Based on Fraction's take on Stark in the Order, I'm fairly certain that his Iron Man will be:

1) A bigger asshole than ever.
2) Weaker than ever.
3) Stupider than ever.

Basically, I'm predicting Tony is going to get ____ on, month after month, in his own book. I hope I'm wrong.

Me too, dude. Me too. :|

Comments

[crimsonquills.livejournal.com]

"Basically, I'm predicting Tony is going to get ____ on, month after month, in his own book. I hope I'm wrong."

Me too, dude. Me too. :|

Doesn't Tony get beat up on in his own book month after month anyway? Or am I filling the wrong word into the blank there? *g*

Also, by "Invicible Iron Man", do they mean Tony's main title (which I think is going by Iron Man: Director of SHIELD at the moment), or are they going to start a new title for him? Oh, comics, you can be so confusing.

I've only read the first trade of The Order, but while I did notice Tony was more assholish than we've seen him lately in his own title, I didn't notice him being either weak or stupid. Does that crop up in later issues?

I want so much to be optimistic about Tony's future...

On that note, thank you for posting the She-Hulk scans! I went to scans_daily to look at them and they were all good, but Tony's moment was awesome. Thank goodness for that note...and I giggled at the Robert Downey Jr. comment. *g*

[kali921.livejournal.com]

Sing it, sister! I actually really loved Hypervelocity. I was forced to read it after a friend whose taste I really trust told me I had to read or else he'd end his friendship with me, and that was, you know, a pretty STRONG recommendation, so I read it and was pleasantly surprised. I still hate the way Tony's written by now, I still don't think that Marvel has had Tony say anything interesting in character since round about 2004 (right at the dawn of Bendis' ascent to creative monopoly), and I still think he's being a massively fascist twat that can't get enough beatings for my liking over the next five years because of the role he played in Steve's death and the patronizing and horrific way he treated Jen, but I still do love him as a character. I just love OLD Tony. One day, that awesomely loyal Tony will come back and wow me again.

Unfortunately, Matt Fraction is not the person to write me that Tony. Fuck off, Fraction.

[pandanoai.livejournal.com]

All three little tv blips are here:

http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6988

Also--

Thank you for the She-Hulk moments! I really enjoyed the RDJ nod.

----I also think that this "reckoning" he's planning, would have a lot more emotional resonance if it involved the friends and allies he's alienated.
I am in complete agreement with you here! Let's just hope a "going up against a common foe" angle can help Tony out a bit with the few friends who are still willing to talk to him... >_>