Iron Man #1 - 6 "Extremis" Talkback (Spoilers)

[Spider-Man]

The new adventures of Iron Man begin!

IRON MAN #1

http://comics.toonzone.net/solicitations/2004-11/marvel/t-ironman01.jpg (http://comics.toonzone.net/solicitations/2004-11/marvel/ironman01.jpg)

Written by: Warren Ellis
Art & Cover by: Adi Granov

"Extremis" Part 1 (of 6). It's the beginning of a new era for Iron Man as renowned scribe Warren Ellis joins forces with digital painter Adi Granov to redefine the armored avenger's world for the 21st century—a landscape of terrifying new technologies that threaten to overwhelm fragile mankind! What is Extremis, who has unleashed it, and what does its emergence portend for the world?

Comments? What are your thoughts?

[zeppelined]

Is it a reboot? A limited series? Who knows. I want to hear what everyone thinks.

But first you get to hear what *I* think. Overall, this issue was kind of interesting, with two separate plot lines coming together at the end to set up the next five issues. I am intrigued by this strange virus, and the bizarre creature it seems to have created. The art is different from usual comic book fare (and in my book, that's usually a bad thing), but the more realistic style worked well for the story.
However, there was one glaring, massive thing about this story that is so retarded that I am considering not getting the rest of the series: a complete revision of Iron Man's origin.
If you're one of those going, "Oh, another fanboy is whining about continuity again," first of all, bite me. And second of all, I'm not talking about, "I can't believe they incorrectly protrayed Tony's relationship with Pepper Potts - they totally ignored issue 137, when she confessed her secret feelings for him in a thought bubble on page 14." No, we're talking about random changes to basic facts about the origin. Allow me to explain.
There's always been some confusion about which war Tony started designing munitions for, and where he was when he was originally injured by a booby trap/land mine. Was it Korea? Vietnam? Well, we know it was somewhere in southeast Asia. But wait, no, actually, that's wrong.
It turns out he was only 19 years old during "Gulf War One," and that he actually received the injuries that led him to create the Iron Man suit while on a trip to Afghanistan to investigate Al-Queda.
Apparently, comic book readers are incapable of understanding (or even being aware of) world events or eras that happened more than 15 years ago. Therefore, everything needs to be "updated" so it only reflects these recent periods.
I'm looking forward to the new Captain America #1, in which we find out how he joined the Super Soldier Program to help with the American invasion of Panama, ended up in suspended animation for a few weeks, and was revived just in time for Operation: Recent American Military Conflict.
My Marvel-to-DC ratio has been sliding more and more to one side recently, and stuff like this has me pretty close to zeroing out the Marvel side. The only Marvel thing I'm even remotely excited about these days is Thunderbolts: Reassembled.

[Hyperion]

first of all, bite me
Consider yourself bitten. This is one of those examples of where the continuity needs to be ignored to make any sense today. If Tony Stark was injured at the ripe young age of 19 at the end of the Viet Nam war, he would be around 50 years old today. And that's the best case scenario. So Ellis did a date revision to keep billionaire playboy Tony Stark from being able to order from the seniors menu at Denny's. Are you seriously going to focus on that detail so much that it keeps you from enjoying an amazing story?

As for me, I was blown away by this issue. I can't remember the last time I EVER cared about Iron Man. The dialogue (especially between Tony and his secretary) was excellent, the story was intriguing, and the "Ghosts of the 20th Century" take on Tony Stark and his identity as either a weapons manufacturer or a hero makes this story feel relevant. All that, and it's got pretty pictures, too.

4 solid stars.

[wolverine0815]

This was an excellent book. I think to keep a book or for that matter a character fresh sometimes you have to ignore continuity. I gave up on Iron Man a long time ago so I will read the first arc to see if I stick around.

[wonderfly]

While I am certainly a fighter for continuity, (anyone who's read any posts of mine on the subject of continuity know this) this is an instance where I'm not too visibly upset. You know why? Cause I just ignore it. I would rather Marvel didn't do this sort of thing, but they do, so I just ignore it. Back in the 80's, there was an issue where they did a new flashback showing that Tony got injured in a jungle helping out with fighting the War on Drugs. That's long gone now. In the end, this sort of thing is going to happen every 20 years or so...besides, the flashback here was kinda a "throwaway" flashback...it's not like they did an indepth flashback, showing Wong Chu as a Mujahadeen warrior! (Wong Chu was the Vietnamese warlord who held Tony Stark hostage back in the classic Tales of Suspense 39, the *first* Iron Man origin issue).

We're actually having an indepth discussion about this on another website I hang out on, and one person pointed out that James Bond never has to revise his origin...we just accept that he fought during the Cold War, (in his early movies) and now he fights AFTER the Cold War has ended...he just inexplicably never grows old...if James Bond can hang onto his old cheesy Cold War movies, why can't Marvel superheroes hang onto their old Cold War origins?

Moving onto the issue itself, (BESIDES the flashback). I think this has a lot of potential. I'm hearing reports that Warren Ellis' only research for his writing Iron Man was to read "The Essential Iron Man vol. 1" tradepaperback. That's a bit discouraging, but I see where Ellis' is going with his run on the book. His version of Iron Man is not going to be a superhero comic. It's going to be a science fiction novel, (or a series of novels, with each passing arc). I at first was discouraged by this bit of news, (I like Iron Man in the superhero arena) but this may yet make for interesting reading...Iron Man as straight up science fiction, without the superheroics? I'm willing to give it a try. :)

[Stu]

I was going to pick this up, but I don't think I could stomach Warren's pacing from 2 books. Ultimate FF is bad enough as it is. I think I'll wait for the trade for this one.

[zeppelined]

The biggest problem with nonsensical revisions of continuity like this one is that they're not needed "to make any sense today." Time in the Marvel Universe has never passed at the same rate as it does for the readers. Depending on who you ask, only 15 to 20 years or so have passed since the birth of the MU in the 60s. If they need to fix everyone's origin to reflect real-world time, then Cap didn't fight in WWII, the FF's children should be in their 30s, the X-Men should be in their 60s...it just gets silly.

The whole point of a shared universe story is a stable, shared continuity. If a writer doesn't like continuity (another way of saying they don't have the writing skill to incorporate it into a story without alienating new readers), then they have no business writing in a shared universe medium.

So, yes I am going to focus on that detail, because it's not a detail. There is a character named Tony Stark that I've been reading about for 20 years now. This guy who was injured by Al-Queada is not that same character. Marvel can ignore continuity all they want. They've succeeded in making a lifelong Marvel Zombie ignore Marvel.

[Beyond Batman]

The biggest problem with nonsensical revisions of continuity like this one is that they're not needed "to make any sense today." Time in the Marvel Universe has never passed at the same rate as it does for the readers. Depending on who you ask, only 15 to 20 years or so have passed since the birth of the MU in the 60s. If they need to fix everyone's origin to reflect real-world time, then Cap didn't fight in WWII, the FF's children should be in their 30s, the X-Men should be in their 60s...it just gets silly.

The whole point of a shared universe story is a stable, shared continuity. If a writer doesn't like continuity (another way of saying they don't have the writing skill to incorporate it into a story without alienating new readers), then they have no business writing in a shared universe medium.

So, yes I am going to focus on that detail, because it's not a detail. There is a character named Tony Stark that I've been reading about for 20 years now. This guy who was injured by Al-Queada is not that same character. Marvel can ignore continuity all they want. They've succeeded in making a lifelong Marvel Zombie ignore Marvel.
"Oh, another fanboy is whining about continuity again," :D I sharpened my teeth just for you. How does that feel? :p

Continuity shomntinuity... I thought this book was a good read. I find nothing wrong with changing or revisings parts of a character, for interesting storytelling. I'm a huge fan of "Elseworlds" and "What if" books, simply for that fact of good storytelling. Of course, changing details can go one of two ways. You can either get "Ultimate Spiderman" or you can get Shumacher's "Batman and Robin." It can be a hit or miss, and in this case I think Ironman's gonna be a hit.

I can't wait for the next issue of Ironman. Getting back to talking about Ironman #1, I thought the art was very good. It kind of reminded me of Alex Ross, which fit very well with this story.

[Clayface]

IRON MAN #2

http://www.marvel.com/comics/onsale/covers/1204/IROM002_COV_sm.jpg


WRITER: Warren Ellis
PENCILS: Adi Granov
INKS: Adi Granov
COLORED BY: Adi Granov

THE STORY:
"EXTREMIS" PART 2 (OF 6). What abomination of technology has been unleashed on the world by an old friend of Tony Stark's – and is it even something that the power of Iron Man can combat?

Comments?

[PaQ]

I am really liking this new storyline.

[Clayface]

IRON MAN #3

http://www.marvel.com/comics/onsale/covers/0105/IM003_COV_th.jpg

WRITER: Warren Ellis
PENCILS: Adi Granov
INKS: Adi Granov
COLORED BY: Adi Granov

THE STORY: “EXTREMIS.” A living pestilence has been loosed upon mankind in the form of a biologically enhanced terrorist – the product of cutting edge technology released from the Pandora’s box of scientific enquiry! Part 3 (of 6).

Comments?

[wonderfly]

Another strong issue. It's a shame it's going to probably take another 8 months to get in the next 3 issues of this story arc. Adi Granov's artwork is a perfect match for this book, but it it takes so long for him to put out an issue...well, Marvel should've planned this better, that's all. Tony Stark is depicted as a man who's only truly complete when he's inside that armor. And the "Ruby Ridge"/"Waco" style flashback actually works for me. Unlike the white supremacists that often show up in Marvel comics, this villian's actions actually make sense given his history. I was worried that Iron Man versus a Captain American type super soldier wouldn't make for a good story, but that's the thing: This isn't Captain America type of super soldier! This guy would crush Cap. America in 2 seconds flat! The fight scene on the last few pages was well played out, though there were a bit too many explosions in the crashing cars on the highway...

[Redhood]

Fairly good issue!

[Clayface]

IRON MAN #4

http://www.marvel.com/comics/onsale/covers/0305/IM004_COV.jpg

WRITER: WARREN ELLIS
PENCILS: ADI GRANOV
INKS: ADI GRANOV
COLORED BY: ADI GRANOV

THE STORY: "EXTREMIS." In order to cope with the product of the Extremis enhancile, will Tony Stark be forced to use it on himself as well? And, if he does, what will that mean for the future of Iron Man? Part 4 (of 6).

Comments?

[halinar]

Ok issue. The series seems to have lost some of it's sparkle but it's not close to being dropped.

[DarkHawk]

Pretty lackluster storyline, but I'll admit those last few pages were cool.

[Blue Zeo]

I saw this at the store and was tempted but I don't know much about iron man. The artwork looks really amazing though.

[Clayface]

The new issue of IRON MAN is out this week yet Marvel.com doesn't have the solicitation information for it.

[Clayface]

The conclusion!

IRON MAN #6

http://www.marvel.com/comics/onsale/covers/0306/IM006_cov_sm.jpg (http://www.marvel.com/comics/onsale/covers/0306/IM006_cov.jpg)

WRITER: WARREN ELLIS
PENCILS: ADI GRANOV
INKS: ADI GRANOV
COLORED BY: ADI GRANOV


THE STORY: This is it—the pulse-pounding conclusion you’ve been waiting for! As the new Iron Man battles the foe who nearly brought him to death’s door, the Extremis serum takes its toll on his sytem. And who exactly is behind the Extremis leak? The answer might surprise you! Part 6 (of 6).

Comments?

[ManicWebb]

How long has it taken for this story to reach the end. It took forever and I am not sure if it was worth it or not. I found myself forgetting about this book because it didn't come out on time at all.