Iron Man 2 is out this week, if you hadn’t noticed. Despite being almost completely alienated by the odd transatlantic interview with the cast on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, I seem to be quite excited about the movie, which is remarkable given that I personally believe the first is the most overrated superhero picture released to date. The character, however, is pretty cool, so here are five essential Marvel Iron Man tales:
Iron Man: Extremis
A relaunch of the character following an intense Avengers Dissasembled storyline, this downbeat title essentially shows Tony Stark at his limits, as he tries to avoid killing a civilian that has got hold of some deadly technology. Complex and intelligent, Granov’s digitally-painted art makes it.
Ultimates: Volume 1
This reimagining of The Avengers makes them a modern day superhero force, with the Iron Man armour redesigned to account for this change. The most remarkable Tony Stark moment comes when the character vomits inside his Iron Man suit, a memorable touch to a palatable, fun superhero tale.
The Invincible Iron Man: The Five Nightmares
Created to tie-in with the Iron Man movie, given that Stark has to fend off Obadiah Stane’s son, lending it credence from the movie, this title was more than a cash-in, going on to win the Eisner Award for Best New Series. It’s a good place to start for anyone looking to jump on the Iron Man bandwagon.
Civil War
Ever wanted to see Tony Stark back some maniac law where superheroes have to reveal their identities to the general public for security reasons? This is the book for you. At the end of the story, Iron Man beats up Captain America and wins. Bet he couldn’t do it without the suit…
Tales Of Suspense
Endlessly reprinted by Marvel, this is Iron Man’s origin story from the Silver Age of comics, when practically every line of dialogue ended with an exclamation mark and artwork was kaleidoscopic. Everyone will tell you it’s vintage, but really, reading Tales of Suspense will just reaffirm how far the medium has gone – or not, in some cases.
