Ultimate Iron Man: Armor Wars

My recent history with Iron Man has been an odd one. The original run of comics has become truly terrible over the course of the early ’70s, the second movie was only serviceable, and the two previous solo comics in the Ultimate series were not to my taste. Despite that, I have consistently loved the character of Tony Stark in every format with which I am presented, and certainly he always works great in other, more collaborative works. Why can’t I find a consistently good solo run of Iron Man stories?[1]

Meanwhile, the Ultimate Comics brand has launched[2] in the same continuity as Marvel’s Ultimate series, only different I guess for publishing purposes? In any event, it’s right after the Ultimatum event, complete with destroyed New York City and a real dearth of living superheroes and -villains. This dearth does not include Tony Stark, who has escaped with his life and [in the collapsing economy, still] hundreds of millions of dollars. It does include the realization that his technology has slipped its bonds and there are suddenly people in advanced military suits all over the western world. And it’s Tony’s job (because it’s his responsibility? because of his pride? I guess the real question is whether those concerns are even extricable in his psyche) to get into Armor Wars with them to put at least this small corner of the brave new world aright.

The thing is… I mean, it was pretty good, right? But in all honesty, I think I liked it more because it was better than what I’ve been used to seeing than because it was an objective upgrade to the solo Iron Man oeuvre. At the very least, though, I’m glad this was Tony Stark in the full bloom of his ego instead of another chapter in his iffy origin story.

[1] I should note that I have faith in the badness of the current ’70s run being finite, and frankly also that I expect Iron Man 3 to be pretty great. Y’know, someday.
[2] Well, probably last year in real life, but the graphic novels have only launched over the past few months, which means I am approximately live on these books from here forward.

7 thoughts on “Ultimate Iron Man: Armor Wars

  1. Mike Kozlowski

    1. Yeah, there will eventually be (in the 80s) a very solid run on Iron Man, but he never does have a GREAT run, I don’t think. Even now, he’s sort of weirdly neglected. I don’t know why.

    2. This was also an objective upgrade to the oeuvre, I think. Warren Ellis, when he’s not writing bullshit faux-transgressive nonsense like Transmetropolitan, is a very good writer.

  2. Chris Post author

    1. So I’m right that he’s a really great character everywhere that he isn’t the main character, yeah?

    2. This is actually very comforting to hear, as it makes me hope there could be more such goodness forthcoming. Have you already read the other two current Ultimate Comics releases as well?

  3. Mike Kozlowski

    1. That doesn’t sound wrong! Certainly he was key in the West Coast Avengers. (One of the things I am realizing is that past the ’60s, the illusion that I am reading the entirety of the Marvel Universe in six titles is going to fade A LOT. Very sad!)

    2. I read the Spider-Man one and this, I think. The Avengers one is sitting on my desk in shrink-wrap…

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  5. Chris Post author

    It happens automatically, and I just don’t bother to delete them. I suppose if it’s of interest in one direction it might also be in the other?

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