The Invincible Iron Man #15: Oh, I’m sorry, maybe that should read “Eisner Award Nominated Invincible Iron Man”! Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca keep making a really good book and I’m so happy that my favorite character has such a great creative team! I haven’t enjoy a storyline so much since the first Armor War – and that was twenty years ago! Tony’s in Russia running around in the Crimson Dynamo’s armor. Pepper shows up. Madame Masque is ready with a sniper rifle to kill them! She doesn’t, that would make for a short book, and we finally see Tony and Pepper rekindle the spark that they shared way back when Iron Man first started way back in the 60’s. Jealous much Madame Masque? Oh yeah! Let’s not forget that Tony and Whitney Frost (A.K.A. Madame Masque) used to be a thing for YEARS back in the 70’s and early 80’s. Matt Fraction, in his infinite wisdom, brings that element back – with a vengeance! If there’s just one reason why you should buy this book it’s so you can see how these interpersonal relationships, that stretch back decades, are being played with in the here and now. Tony is still losing his mind and makes a rather meta reference to the fact that he feels like he’s losing his super powers and that a lot of his super-friends have had to go through it. I’m personally on pins and needles waiting to see if they really go all the way with his whole “losing his smarts” thing or if Tony will find some miracle cure at the last second. And on top of that I’m really not sure which way I would prefer it go. As if that wasn’t enough for you Maria Hill is in New York trying to convince the Black Widow to take her to Captain America so she can drop off the mysterious “X” drive that apparently has something really important on it, but we still don’t know what it is. The worst part is that HAMMER is on to them and no one is really sure who to trust. This story keeps getting better! The cliff hanger puts Tony is a compromising position with Madame Masque and Pepper – two girls sounds like a fantasy, but this three way looks like it will end with someone dead.
Agents of Atlas #7: Will Namor and Namora get married?!?!!? Who leads the Atlas Organization?!?! A dragon!??!!? There are two stories this issue and it feels like Jeff Parker, with art by Gabriel Hardman, are tying up loose ends before what I believe will be the start of a new story arc. No, Namor and Namora aren’t getting married – in fact a major act of betrayal sours that soup pretty bad. All story work aside, what really sells this book are the characterizations. So many little nuances make the stories told in this title feel so much bigger than they necessarily are. This is definitely one of the best team books being written right now by either company. We also get a fun look into the history of the Atlas Organization and get to know more about Mr. Lao the dragon. If you are even considering reading this book pick up issue #8. I have a feeling it will be a good spot to come on.
Marvel Divas #1 of 4: This was a surprise. Recommended to Rene by our friend Enrique, the cover makes this look like a total cheesecake comic however that is far from the case. This is actually a very female centric comic where our main cast, Patsy Walker (Hellcat), Monica Rambeau (Photon), Angelica Jones (Firestar) and Felicia Hardy (Black Cat), are represented like “Sex and the City” girls rather than super heroines. No costumes in this one. Patsy is our Carrie, writing a book about being a super hero, Angelica is the Charlotte so far, Monica looks like she’s going to be Miranda and Felicia has always been the Samantha. I was really surprised with how much I liked this comic book. The last time I remember seeing Hellcat she was crazy and strapped to a chair drooling and hairless with her husband, the Son of Satan, trying to make her better. Apparently that got fixed. One of the themes of the first issue is that the girls feel like they are the “B” list superheroes. When the “A” listers show up at Patsy’s book release party (Storm, Invisible Woman, She-Hulk and Emma Frost) our girls take off to get cocktails. Girlfriend Rene also enjoyed this one! That’s saying something! I think we’re going to get the rest of this limited series and see if it stays good.
See you tomorrow!