Editor's Note: Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. #29 arrives in stores tomorrow, May 21.

"With Iron Hands: Part One of Four"

Paul Brian McCoy: 4 Bullets
Erik Norris: 4 Bullets

---

Paul Brian McCoy: 4 Bullets

The Knaufs take a break for the next four issues, and Stuart Moore steps up to the plate and performs admirably, crafting a pre-Secret Invasion adventure (which, I guess, is the explanation for the last storyline, as well). He does such a good job, in fact, that the change is hardly noticeable. This may be the biggest plus for new readers, since the tone and voice will remain consistent when the Knaufs return. The biggest difference seems to be with the type of threat that Stark and his elite Alpha team (armored S.H.I.E.L.D. agents) must deal with. Instead of the biotech weapons and nerve agents, the first part of the story deals with a rogue nuclear threat in the former Soviet republic of Krikhstan and an (un)healthy dose of nanotechnology.

Of course, it's not really as simple as that. Moore does a very good job of orchestrating the action leading up to discovery of the nuclear devices, drawing an effective parallel between Stark's addiction to alcohol (and by extension, women) and its sublimated alternative of adrenaline highs (and by extension, saving the world). There's also a very interesting bit of technology involved with the nuclear bomb (nanotech) that "luckily" Stark is prepared to deal with.

This was a bit handy ("Iron Handy," if you will - ha!) but it was incorporated naturally, since part of the sweep the Alphas were making also involved nanocams (whatever those are). I don't really know much about nanotechnology beyond the basic concepts of what might be possible with it (and what I read about in Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age), but it appears to be central to both storylines that Moore is working with here, and according to interviews and his blog, he spent a while researching in order to get the details right, so I'll trust that he knows what he's talking about. And even if he doesn't, it sounds right, and that's good enough for pseudo-science.

The second storyline isn't as successful, as it seems to hinge on too many lax security measures, poorly conceived plans, and a glaringly stereotypical plot twist. On the plus side, Moore brings back a classic S.H.I.E.L.D. weapon, The Overkill Horn, which has the ability to set off all the nuclear weapons around the world all at once. Why this is necessary, I don't know. Why it wasn't dismantled and destroyed piece by piece as soon as they had a chance, I don't know.

But somebody seriously dropped the ball on that one.

We are also introduced to the man behind the old-school S.H.I.E.L.D. tech like flying cars and minisubs, Nicolas Weir (sometimes referred to as "The Other Nick"). If this is an established character, I can't find any trace of him anywhere. If he's invented specifically for this story, he kind of folds into the glaring stereotypical plot twist mentioned earlier. If nothing else, he has a cool briefcase, which brings us back to the emphasis on nanotech in this story arc.

The art is handled by Iron Man regular (as regular as the rotating team of artists is, I guess) Roberto de la Torre on the Tony Stark vs. Nano Nukes pages, and Carlo Pagulayan and Jeffrey Huet on the Overkill Horn pages. There's a distinct difference in the styles, although Pagulayan seems to be doing his best to mirror de la Torre with the layouts and orchestration of movement on the page.

It may just be a question of inking that really makes the two sections distinct. de la Torre's inks are fairly heavy with a dramatic use of shadow without overdoing it. The lighting and shading are naturalistic, given the settings that he's placing the action in. The backgrounds vary between photo-referenced countryside and cityscapes to sparse interiors, with the level of detail fading as tension mounts. It works well to emphasize the focus on Stark and his attempt to defuse the Nano Nuke.

Pagulayan and Huet's pages, on the other hand, bring to mind fill-in issues of both The Order and Avengers: Initiative. It's not bad, but lacks the power and energy of de la Torre's pages. There's also a lack of distinct backgrounds and the tech design is a little murky and hard to distinguish. It's really not that bad, but when compared to de la Torre, the shortcomings stand out more than they would (if they'd even be considered shortcomings) in another title.

But ultimately, this is a pretty good book. If you haven't been reading Iron Man and didn't want to jump on in the middle of the last epic storyline, this is a good place to begin. All you need to know is that Stark is the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (which the title of the book makes plain), and he deals with terrorist threats around the world. Granted, that's really nothing like the movie. If you're just thinking of picking this up because you loved the film, prepare for a very different experience. This is all espionage/techno-thriller, rather than drunken, smartass superhero schtick. But it does it well.

---

Erik Norris: 4 Bullets

When describing Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., most critics label it as "one of the best comics no one reads," and that's a damn good label. Unfortunately, I fall into the category of people who don't regularly read Iron Man: DoS, but with my first exposure coming from this week's issue #29, color me impressed.

With the recent release of Iron Man in theaters, Marvel has done their best to pimp the property. Recently launched Invincible Iron Man under Matt Fraction is Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s antithesis. Where Invincible is pure super-heroics, DoS has a more espionage aurora. Therefore, everyone can have their cake and eat it too when it comes to ol’ Shell Head.

First off, part one of "With Iron Hands" does a good job of being new reader friendly. I'm sure for most readers who have followed this series since issue #1, this doesn't matter to them nor hurt their enjoyment of the book. However, for people like me, a comic book needs to be easily approachable in order for me to enjoy it. With no prior knowledge of the happenings in DoS, it is comforting to know Stuart Moore has written an issue allowing me to sit back and enjoy the ride.

However, there is one hiccup. The secondary story unfolding with Nicholas Weir, known as the "second Nick of S.H.I.E.L.D.," has me a bit confused. The whole first half of the issue, dealing with Iron Man and his Alpha team heading out to stop a nuclear threat in Kirikhstan, is pretty straight forward, even setting up a terrorist villain with ties to Tony. However, the comic juxtaposes this opening with the introduction of this Nicholas Weir and it loses me. Is this a character introduced in the previous twenty eight issues of the series? And therefore, is what happens in character for Nicholas? I guess this is a mystery that will carry over to next month's issue, though for me I would have liked to know now. I'm an impatient person, Marvel (yet I read comics…oh the irony!).

The art is another facet of issue #29 that I liked a lot, to my surprise. I'm used to seeing Iron Man comics being a lot "flashier." Having Tony's armor glisten as he takes down foes makes him seem like more than just a man in a suit. However, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. blankets its panels in shadows and dull colors to achieve a feeling that perfectly fits the tone of the book. Plain and simple, it completes the package, making me appreciate the art when I otherwise wouldn't.

For an opening chapter, issue #29 is a success. It has me intrigued enough to pick up next month's issue, and that's what comics are all about: the hook. The writing is strong, helped by tonally fitting art that makes for a comic that you can't get anywhere else besides Captain America at the House of Ideas. Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. needs more readers. I hope this review proves how new reader friendly this series is, helping gather the audience this title so rightfully deserves.

---

What did you think of this book?
Have your say at the Line of Fire Forum!

---