Writers: John J. Miller and Mark Ricketts
Artists: Jorge Lucas, Tony Harris & Tom Feister, Charles Wallace, and Scott Kolins.
Publisher: Marvel Comics
All you need to know is that three of the six comics collected here are drawn by Tony Harris and Tom Feister, the art team behind Ex Machina.
Seriously, that’s the only thing worth mentioning.
Okay, Tony Stark learns that one of his father’s secret government projects is still buried beneath Avengers’ mansion. He can’t tell the Avengers about it because it’s classified. Of course, they find out anyway and a giant robot battle ensues. Later, someone wearing an Iron Man Armor kills Stark Enterprises’ board of directors. Coming so soon after Tony’s outburst at the U.N., (in Avengers #500), people are beginning to wonder if Tony’s gone insane.
The ultimate purpose of these issues is to return Tony Stark to his original status quo. Stark tries once more to convince the public that he and Iron Man are two separate people. Granted, the recent events and his speech give convincing reasons why he’d give up the costumed life. But would anyone really believe Stark’s still not suiting up? It’s like Bill Clinton coming clean about his affairs and still keeping Lewinsky as an intern.
There are two stories here: Avengers vs. giant robot, and the end of the Iron Man series. The first story doesn’t do much except demonstrate the difficulties the Avengers have as a U.N. embassy. It does present a situation where Stark’s duties as Secretary of Defense conflict with his duties as an Avenger. But since he loses that position four issues later, it’s a moot point.
The second story, beautifully illustrated, has Yumiko recall her relationship with Tony and how she did him wrong. The “evil” Iron Man turns out to be an arms dealer named Clarence Ward. I’m not a regular Iron Man reader so if this guy had appeared before, I’m not aware of it. Frankly, there are better villains to end a series with than an evil businessman with robot grasshoppers.
No, seriously, he was trying to sell giant robot grasshoppers to terrorists when Iron Man almost killed him. They later show up in the hands of the new Mandarin. Now THERE’S a villain! 10 magic rings, martial arts, and old school Oriental cunning.
So Tony Stark’s life is changed by a suit and his Insecticons. *yawn*.
The comics are entertaining; you’ll get your money’s worth. Miller and Ricketts write snappy dialogue, (the “I hate it when he does this” scene in #84 is fine comics humor), exciting fights, and heartbreaking loss. Kollins and look-alike Lucas draw well, but are overshadowed by Harris and Feister. Their work is more elegant and refined. There’s a smooth feeling to their style. Their women are more beautiful too.
This is the only collection to spin directly out of events in "Avengers Disassembled". It's also the only crossover story to directly reference those events. Stark’s U.N. outburst kicks off the second story. Tony’s vague about what exactly happened to him. That’s because the comic came out before the “surprise ending” in “Disassembled.”
Overall, this is a nice book for Iron Man fans. Like the other “Disassembled” books, you don’t learn anything important. But it is a nice side story, and an important turning point in the life of Iron Man.
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