Iron Man: Love the Movie, Hate the Comic

By Randy Gentile

My wife just read Invincible Iron Man #1 by Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca.

But before I give you her review, how about a little breakdown as to how my Indie Comic Loving wife, a comic reader of over 15 years, (not counting Archie Comics) came to read a mainstream comic.

We’re riding home on the subway after seeing the Incredibly Amazing Iron Man movie. She absolutely loved the flick and asked me what Iron Man comics she should read. The weird thing is, I had to stop and think. The first story that springs to mind was the "Demon in a Bottle" storyline by David Michelinie and Bob Layton. After that there isn’t much. Maybe the Armor Wars storyline?

But honestly can you give either of these books to a mainstream newbie and expect them to fall in love with the comic the way they did the movie?

So I went to my LCS and picked up Invincible Iron Man #1 by Matt Fraction and Salvator Larocca. Perfect starting point for a new reader who loved the Iron Man movie, right?

Well, before I get into my wife’s reaction I’ll give you my rambling fanboy rejoinder.

Why is Invincible Iron Man using current comic book continuity? Why isn’t the comic a continuation of the movie? Why not use this comic to fill in the gap between Iron Man 1 and Iron Man 2?

Marvel is going to bring in new readers this week and instead of hooking them, their comic is confusing them. Off the street readers don’t know nor do they care about 40 years of Marvel continuity. They want that same fun they found in the movie in the comic they just took a shot on. Instead they’re getting something completely different. Well not completely different, the suit looks the same. But that’s about it.

Iron Man is Marvel’s first studio film. Why not take this unique opportunity and make Iron Man a multi-media event? Tie the movie and the comic together. They can tie video games and movies together but not comics?

Think of how many moviegoers likely said: "I can’t wait for Iron Man 2" lately. Well, how about giving them Iron Man "2" in the form of a comic book that right now is sitting right on the shelves of their friendly neighborhood comic shop. A little weekly serial that continues the movie all the way up to the next flick, which already has a release date of April 30, 2010. Hell John Favreau is already writing Iron Man: Viva Las Vegas for Marvel, let him write it and you’ll really blow the minds of new readers.

How cool would that be? Having the director of Iron Man writing the continuing adventures of Iron Man in the comics?

And on top of all this we’ve got Larocca’s sterile and lifeless photo referenced art. C’mon, if you’re going to do this, why not use Robert Downey Jr. instead of what appeared to be Burt Reynolds from Smokey and the Bandit circa 1977. And Gweneth Paltrow played Pepper Potts not Nicole Kidman.

So my wife’s review of Invincible Iron Man #1?

"There’s 10 minutes of my life I can’t get back."

She was confused and bored. "Where’s humor and wit that Robert Downey had? Why does Pepper Potts sound like a computer genius? It’s too full of Tech speak. I thought the old man from the movie was the only other person who made armor, where did all these other suits come from? Where’s Terrance Howard’s character?

When I told her he was in the comic he just had Iron Man armor on, she was completely lost.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Until someone gets the guts to drop this useless continuity it’s only going to serve as an anchor that keeps mainstream comics from really sailing.

Until then I can’t wait for Iron Man 2... in 2010.





Thanks for reading.
Font You!
—Randy