The Invincible Iron Man #20
Written By: Matt Fraction
Illustrated By: Salvador Larraca
Tony Stark, the man who was the Invincible Iron Man, is a shell of his former self. As a result of his own actions to prevent Norman Osborn from acquiring his knowledge, Stark embarked on a personal crusade to abolish all traces of his technology and the Super Human Registration Act files. As a result. Tony "deleted" his own brain, leaving himself in a bed ridden and vegetative state. Leaving a message to his friends and allies via the armor he created for Pepper Potts, Stark's salvation and hope to return to normalcy rests on their hands. Meanwhile, deep in the recesses of his shattered mind, Tony finds himself in a place that seems out of place yet so familiar...
Hot damn, this book is hot, and with good reason too. Of course, it's great to see Iron Man again, but it's not a pleasant sight to see him at this vulnerable a state. Matt Fraction, the man responsible for bringing Tony to the worst condition ever in his life, clearly knows Stark from head to toe, and will tell a story so sad it almost makes everyone forget what the armored avenger did a few years ago during the Civil War, which drew lines in the hero community and indirectly led to the death of Steve Rogers, aka Captain America. Fans unanimously agree he can be a hard assed jerk, so why is he still well liked by some? Fraction leaves food for thought for the fans. Tony's a hero, yes, but he's also human, and people make mistakes. Being a futurist, he knew the cards he played, and his latest venture brought him to the brain dead scenario. With that, he leaves his fate at the hands of his friends... those who have mixed feelings about bringing the guy back and giving him a chance at absolution. One scene involving Pepper illustrates a good point - why does Tony Stark always get to be saved while those around him suffer and get worse? The answer should be obvious - he's Iron Man, that's why, and Tony's got a luck streak so high that he lives up to his namesake through and through. Even after preventing Osborn from getting info out of him, he's not out of the woods yet, and even with his allies by his side, things are bound to get worse before they get better.
It may sound like a thrownback cliche, but Stark: Disassembled sounds like an appropriate title to this arc. It's not so much about the character's fragmented state, but rather seeing the man in areas that were less likely explored over his long heroic and illustrious career. The holographic message Tony records prior to his downfall in particular reflects how human he is despite his intellectual background. Tony is quick to point out the mistakes he's made with sincerity and justification, and allows his friends the opportunity to judge and decide what to do with him. The mind sequences also show a side to Tony that's apparently confusing at this point, but will probably shed some light over his "comeback routine" as we progress with the story. It'll be interesting to see where everything leads, and how the good guys help and what the bad guys do to take advantage of the situation. Speaking of the bad guys, Normie's hubris is shown and Madame Masque makes her move, with help from an old rogue of shellhead who's probably going to be a hitmaker in the coming issues ahead.
No doubt about it, Invincible Iron Man is a great title. It may be hard to swallow if you're new to ol' shellhead, but veterans will definitely be pleased. I'm liking the direction Fraction is going with this book, and how he handled everything since World's Most Wanted is simply genius. Couple that with fantastic pencils by Salvador Larraca, and you got a top notch Marvel book to read, especially if you're an Iron Man fan. If you've just jumped on board, fear not, as Marvel has supplied a supplementary "Iron Man Saga" guide to bring readers up to speed with all things Tony and Stark. If you wanted to know more about the man before the next movie hits in 2010, this is your comic to read.
Score - 9/10
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