Matt Fraction and Sal Larroca continue on Invincible Iron Man with Part Two of the Five Nightmares.  As with last issue, Fraction continues to weave a story that mixes modern-day intrigue with good ol' fashioned Iron Man storytelling.  I'm really liking where this team is taking the book.

The book opens up with something I've been missing from my Iron Man: Tony Stark fighting an honest-to-goodness super-villain!  And of all the villains Fraction could bring forth, it's the king of the Kirby bad guys, MODOK!  Yes, the official name is MODOG (thank God he wasn't a canine) but it's MODOK for all intents and purposes with his bombast and oversized head.  And that's okay.  After spending the last year fighting terrorists, cybernetic hillbillies, and only the occassional Mandarin, it's terrific to see Tony take an old school super-villain.  The fight's short and sweet, but it was nice to see, nonetheless, especially after Iron Man sends MODOG into orbit (literally.)  It's a nice take on the theme of the book (clashing of generations) to see Tony take on MODOG so easily yet finds Stane a different story.

Speaking of Stane, our little sociopath is refining his mass murdering skills, using his human repulsor bombs on a celebration of a Filipino hero team.  Not only does this show Stane is becoming more dangerous (and unstable if shiny streaks on the face is ay indication), but we finally see Tony hanging around somebody he hasn't in a long time: Rhodey!  I miss that guy being Tony's wing man.  That guy needs SOMEbody to be his wing man, given practically everyone else hates him including a certain funeral attending Thunder God.  I was hoping for a "Sorry about the clone thing" but alas, all Tony did was a give an open invitation to back into full-blown heroics and Thor chipped his suit and flew off.  Sigh.  Well, if Secret Invasion 6's cover is any indication, they migh just patch things up yet.

Later, Stark has a date with half a dozen smart girls at a think-tank and a very pissed-off Pepper Potts.  In fact, she's so pissed off, she throws ALCOHOL IN TONY'S FACE!!!!  Wow, don't flirt with other girls in front of your not-girlfriend and then ask for drinks.  Anyways, the issue caps off as Zeke pops up once again to announce his name and let some hired jihadist thugs blow the proceedings as Pepper looks on outside in horror.

Like last issue, I really enjoyed this one and where it's going .  You can really see the theme of  the clash of old vs. new take form. With guys like AGN and MODOG, Iron Man is cool, even at ease in disposing them.  With Stane, the threat of the new guy, unpredictable and unconventional, has left Tony worried of the consequences.  The tinges of Silver Age mixed in with the modern also serve this book well as does the first appearance of a Tony who doesn't blame himself for EVERYthing in a long, long time.  Larocca's art continues to shine for me, with what little apprehensions I have about his Tony and Pepper disappearing with Tony looking more consistant and Pepper looking slightly less glaringly like Nicole Kidman.  Fraction's Zeke Stane is also is being deftly built as a formidable new Iron Man.  All things considered, I'd say this book pulls off another enjoyable issue for this old Iron Man fan.