You know I can’t help but feel that it would be nice to read
an Iron Man comic that didn’t leave me so depressed by the end that I feel like
killing myself. Ok I admit I’m exaggerating (no really?) a little for effect (but
only a little) but it is just that it feels like the Most Wanted storyline has
been going on forever. Oh wait I just realized that it started in issue #8 and
is not going to end until issue #19. 12 issues. 12 issues of a beloved Marvel
character slowly but systematically destroying himself in every possible way
imaginable. Oy. Look I’m not dumb. I get it. This is one of those stories in
which the hero is taken to his very absolute bottom in order that he may rise triumphantly
from the ashes stronger and better than ever before. I guess I’m just
questioning if the fall really needed to take THIS long. Technically speaking
there is nothing wrong with this issue but if you aren’t already reading the book
already this is hardly an ideal jumping on points. The sad truth is that after
a strong opening arc and a terrific one in done story featuring Spider-Man,
Matt Fraction’s run has fallen prey to the most dreaded of all shared universe,
mainstream superhero beasts: editorially mandated storytelling. The only thing
that keeps this book from being completely unrelenting bleak is Fraction’s
continuing excellent portrayal of Pepper Potts and her new armored persona
Rescue. Honestly when I first heard about this idea I was terrified that Pepper
was about to be ruined in the same way Rodney was when he became War Machine
(seriously in the comics Rodney was meant to be the fairly ordinary everyman
supporting character there to help anchor the pie in the sky lead. When you
give such a character [unnecessarily 90’s “extreme] armor of his own and make
him a superhero you have completely lost the point) but instead it has worked
wonderfully. Whenever Marvel wants to cancel the dreck that is War Machine and
replace it with a Rescue ongoing I will be there for all twelve issues before
the finically mandated cancellation kicks in. Meanwhile I will continue to
trudge through the admittedly well done misery that is currently Invincible
Iron Man and hope for better days.

Not Recommended.