Comic Review: I Am Iron Man #1

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A love letter to Tony Stark is an ambitious task for the 60th anniversary of the first appearance of the man in iron. Yet, if the miniseries’ first issue is any indication, it is an undertaking that will certainly do our hero justice.

As the story progresses quickly, readers are not allowed much time to become familiar with this particular universe. In the past, we see Tony Stark literally and figuratively burst onto the page. Shortly thereafter, we’re taken to the present day to see a world that is comfortable not only with Iron Man but with superheroes as a whole. Immediately following, the reader is jettisoned straight into the future.

Packed into a single issue, this much content is a lot to take in (especially for a first installment). The pacing is certainly at top speed, as Mureawa Ayodele doesn’t question the reader’s knowledge of the character in his love letter. For the most part, however, it does manage to avoid coming across as overwhelming and rushed.

We are certainly given very little time to get a feel for the world we’re in. When we do, it doesn’t feel all that different from the MCU and previous Iron Man comics. Tony Stark is Tony Stark, but it would’ve been fun to see a new take on his character. Using dialogue we’ve come to expect from Stark, it seemed as if there was too much emphasis on celebrating Iron Man, and a bit of timidity on making this one Ayodele’s own.

For the most part, the artwork is exceptional. Dotun Akande uses different color palettes to symbolize each era, including various shades of blue for Stark’s future technology, which blends nicely against the red background. The attention to detail on the characters can not be overstated. Though the artwork is fitting, and the use of tone is impressive throughout, a bit too much attention is paid to the future of the comic, leaving more to be desired regarding the past and present.

Issue two is coming out on April 5th, and the author stated late last year that each comic will focus on new tales and eras for our hero. It’s unclear right now if they will eventually intertwine in some multiverse ending, but issue one gave the reader plenty of reason to be excited about what this duo has in store.