While most superheroes have origin stories, not all heroes seem to have the same relationship with the thing that made them heroes. While some origins spring right to mind, like Spider-Man or Batman, other heroes don’t have their origin ingrained in their philosophy or worldview. While it’s true that Iron Man’s origin is well known, it sometimes feels overlooked in Iron Man stories. His time in the cave seems like a means to an end, which could be connected to Tony Stark’s “above it all” worldview and snarkiness. He doesn’t seem to have a “great power great responsibility” mantra or a lost soul he sees at night. It’s not a forgotten origin, just not one that is a constant source of motivation. The thing is that a good comic can take something like that and find an effective way to fold it back into the narrative. In “Iron Man Annual” #1, Jed MacKay utilizes Tony Stark’s backstory to show that the suit isn’t the only armor that Tony wears.
Written by Jed MacKayCover by Nick Bradshaw & Morry Hollowell
Illustrated by Ibraim Roberson
Colored by Rachelle Rosenberg
Lettered by VC’s Joe CaramagnaIRON MAN VERSUS QUANTUM! When Iron Man learns about the strange people who kidnapped and tortured Miles Morales, he HAS to look into it. What he finds out about the Assessor and especially Quantum will shock him and you! Don’t miss this in depth look at some of the coolest new villains and the groundwork laid for major future Marvel stories! ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Part 1 (of 8) of “Super-Spy vs. Super-Spy”- Nick Fury is Agent of Nothing and Phil Coulson is Agent of Mephisto. For the first time since Coulson came back from the dead, these two brothers-in-arms will face off.
“Iron Man Annual” #1 follows two adventures of Tony Stark, one showcasing the hero he is to the rest of the world and one about the man hidden to the world. The issue starts light and funny, with an invasion of Moloids not so much hellbent on destroying New York but seeing the sights of the city. While this low-stakes invasion might seem beneath someone of Avengers status, Tony decides to help Miles Morales and throws his weight and wealth around, creating a New York of the Moloids dreams. This early section is full of moments that seem in line with the smooth-talking and smarmy industrialist popularized by the MCU and Robert Downy Jr. It even has Tony being a mentor to the young Spidey, comforting Miles as he admits to being kidnapped and tested by a weird new villain named “The Assessor.” MacKay does an excellent job of creating the lighter tone of this early section of the comic, paired nicely with Ibraim Roberson’s art. When Tony is out of the helmet, he is all smiles, but as Miles gets more intimate and vulnerable, Tony gets more intense. The art helps to signal a shift in the tone of the comic, as Tony begins to take an active interest in the new villain capturing heroes of the scientific sphere of the Marvel Universe.
There are many nice little touches in “Iron Man Annual” #1, with Tony explaining that while the Avengers are a unit, they each have their special sphere of influence. For a moment, it seems as if The Assessor is all business for Tony, a person working to manipulate and corrupt scientific achievement to their end. Still, soon it’s revealed that it’s a little more personal than Tony initially lets on. For Tony, Miles’ trials are replaying his own worst moment, his life in the cave that made him. It’s interesting to see how MacKay takes advantage of the different ways that you can interpret Tony’s time in the cage. While there is something of metamorphosis to the story overall, a man realizing his fault and coming out on the other side better for it, MacKay gives it another element. As the issue progresses, as Tony is put through trial after trial testing his suit’s abilities and his ability to pilot the suit, Tony begins to view his metamorphosis as karmic punishment rather than the ability to be better.
Continued belowThe narration of Tony’s trials, by and large, helps to shift the issue’s tone. Jed MacKay does a good job of writing the two sides of Tony, as his dialogue still has the quippy dialogue of a character playing above it all. His inner monologue, however, is far different. For Tony, the world is a return to the cave, but the caves are hurting those who don’t deserve that kind of punishment. Tony acknowledges his sins, his participation in making the world less safe, and that being Iron Man is his chance to make up for those sins. To Tony, people like Miles and the others kidnapped by The Assessor are innocents, good people choosing to make their world better. Tony is still working to escape his greatest trial. While perhaps not the most revolutionary thing, “Iron Man Annual” #1 does sell this idea well and makes it feel impactful, due primarily to watching Tony get pushed to his limits.
Iron Man is an interesting character because he often doesn’t give artists a lot of room to emote. Sure, you can occasionally see inside the helmet, or Tony will take it off at particularly impactful moments in the plot, but for the most part, you’re dealing with a blank slate. To make up for this, Ibraim Robertson does an effective job showing the struggles of Tony Stark in “Iron Man Annual” #1 through the trials that Tony has to face. Iron Man deals with different technological, environmental, and robotic attackers in a couple of quickly-paced action pages. Robertson draws the panels tight and intimate, centering Tony in action and showcasing the cramped and dangerous trials. Combined with MacKay’s narration, these panels show that the mysterious Assessor and his lackey Quantum push Iron man to his limits. While Quantum provides some exciting complications, both villains don’t leave that much of a mark.
Honestly, it’s a real shame because both have cool visual designs. It’s especially effective with Rachel Rosenberg’s coloring of The Assessor, with the unnatural greys and blacks making him appear to be something unnatural and inhuman, with the eventual reveal that it is, in fact, a complex A.I. running these scenarios. If there is one weakness of “Iron Man Annual” #1, it probably includes the Infinity Stones. It feels like this is perhaps part of a larger buildup to an event, but if it’s intended to entice, I don’t think it didn’t do an outstanding job. Even the backup of Fury getting ready to get into the Fury business didn’t excite me. The art is good, but it was far more enjoyable watching Tony Stark deal with his demons. It seems like a common thread with Iron Man stories. Tacking an event onto it seemed to lessen that impact.
Final Verdict: 8.0 “Iron Man Annual” #1 has its moments, but lackluster villains and a shoehorned event set up ruined what could have been a great issue.
