Timing is everything.
This is especially true in the modern world of comic book publishing where new offerings are often tied to complementary cinematic releases.
Today, Marvel Comics once again follows that tried and true playbook with the release of a new, highly anticipated, monthly series (under the banner of a “bold” first issue) featuring popular mainstay character, Iron Man.
Late last month, the entire world salivated at the online release of multiple teaser trailers for the upcoming, highly anticipated, Avengers: Doomsday film. It’s the film that has the heavy burden of righting the listing Marvel Cinematic Universe ship, a titanic vessel that has lost its movie-going way (and, let’s face it, much of its fandom) ever since the brilliant Avengers: Endgame (2019). That’s the film that closed the chapter on a wonderful decade of twenty-three big box-office films and multiple streaming offerings that told an epic, long form story of the world’s favourite superheroes and supervillains.
Since that time, fans have had to get their superhero joy from the original source: Marvel comic books themselves. No shame in that. Comic books are why we’re all here.
Over the last few years, the film and streaming MCU offerings have, for the most part, faltered. To navigate the good ship MCU to smoother waters, director brothers Anthony Russo and Joe Russo have returned to the franchise that made them famous with this December’s Doomsday cinematic release. Perhaps most importantly, they’ve turned to the one actor (and character) that started all the theatrical success: Roberty Downey Jr. and Tony Stark, Iron Man, as the lure to bring in rekindled and now unbridled enthusiasm.
It’s worked.
And Marvel Comics is on board with a brand-new monthly series, affectionately and appropriately called, Iron Man.
Iron Man #1
Written by: Joshua Williamson
Illustrated by: Carmen Carnero
Published by: Marvel Comics
Written by fan-favourite Joshua Williamson (The Flash, Superman, Batman & Robin, Ghosted, Birthright, G.I. Joe) fresh from a very long stint at DC Comics and illustrated by Carmen Carnero (Exceptional X-Men, Amazing Spider-Man, Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty) the new Iron Man series sort of takes the character back to his roots: when Tony Stark created the first iteration of his famous suit as a means for survival.
Since that moment, Stark has, in some ways, sat back on his idea generation laurels. Once the creator of one of the world’s greatest pieces of superheroic weaponry, he’s really only used his brilliant mind to create newer and bolder iterations of the Iron Man suit. Now however, it’s femme fatale Madame Masque and the terrorist organization Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM) that seek to re-create the environment that created Iron Man in the first place.
Here, approaching the mid-way point of the twenty-first century, what new, innovative and completely destructive technology will that condition produce?
The new Iron Man series seeks to capitalize not only on the fan-love for the superhero but also on reinvigorated interest in the character due to his (sort-of) starring role in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsdayfilm. Williamson and Carnero are charting a new, future-driven course for one of the world’s most popular heroes…and the outcome of their story is sure to be game-changing.
It’s time to suit up and discover what the future holds!
Comic book and MCU film lovers, old and new, need to make the run to their local comic book shops today and pick up Iron Man #1!
