There are so many titles on ifanboy that gets a lot of praise. But a title that seems to get one of the biggest praises is Invincible Iron Man. Every time an issue comes out, so many people I see freak out on yet another ‘golden’ performance by Matt Fraction. Well you all know now that I am not a huge fan of Fraction in general; but if an Iron Man title is one of the best Marvel titles out right now then I have to get a go at it.

Do you want the bad news or the worst news first?

Yes….I thought this was average, which is worst then being plain bad. If it was terrible; then I could’ve had fun with reviewing this. But because there are good things to talk about in mix with the bad things; this is ‘average’ defined in my head.

The plot revolves around the son of Obadiah Shane, Ezekiel; making a new version of the Iron Man suit. All the while he uses this new technology to upgrade suicide bombers around the world to kill more efficentially. Tony Stark has to attend to this matter, and then later has a certain Web-Head to help him solve another mystery.

Here’s the good things I can say about the main story. I love the idea of someone using Stark’s technology to make more advanced suicide bombers. Sure something that political gets thrown around now a days, but it’s a chilling reminder on how advanced terrorist could (or most likely) get in the future. If anything the film for Iron Man shown, is that Stark and Potts can be a great team together. Fraction is definitely on his game when he decides to let these two bicker, argue, or just talk to one another. What’s the bad things about this story? Oh my god this Ezekiel guy is so boring; just like his father in the Iron Man film; he is just a generic villain. Now while Jeff Bridges can make that character work on film; it’s all up to Fraction to make his son interesting. He fails on that; and he just becomes another bratty (yet mass murder) kid with some great technology available. Also, the other conversation Stark has with Maria Hill or Rhodes is just plain boring. In the end I think it just proves, in my eyes anyways, that Hill is the most arrogant character in comics today.

Then we get to the art…..okay even if this is an average comic I can make it somewhat fun. Analogy for the day for me: Salvador Larroca’s art is like Chad Kroeger of Nickelback. It’s FUGLY. Not fucking ugly, nor beautiful; just a mixture of the two together. Larroca’s backgrounds are beautiful to look at and his inside of the armor panels with Stark look great too. As for the character; oh my god they are terrible! Who told this man how to draw characters’ faces? Seriously, I think Maria Hill and Pepper Potts change facial features within issues. Plus Tony Stark looks as to have gain 20-30lbs since he became Director of SHIELD. I dont know if it’s Larroca’s pencils in general or his coloring to be blamed as well. But man he is not a good artist on any level.

(A man named Stephane Peru also did some of the coloring for this series. How many I dont know; because Marvel didnt say in the opening credits page for this trade. But I am not going to give criticism for the man cause he sadly passed away last year. So I dont know how much contribuition he made to this series, but I am sure he was a great artist and he shall be missed)

So overall what do I have in my hands? A very medicore Iron Man book; just as medicore as the previous series was. I think Fraction has some good ideas for Tony Stark and he definitely seems to have the right voice for him. But as usual with me and his work; he just bores me by at least halfway threw a story arc. You throw in some of the worst pencils I have ever seen for a mainstream book, and you got yourself a pretty average comic. I should say it’s worst then average, it is bad for me at times. But some great ideas save this title just enough for me to give it double one’s.