A new creative team is bringing Iron Man/Tony Stark back to his proper place at the top of the Marvel Universe!
IRON MAN #1 AND #2
For an iconic character getting new life, Iron Man’s latest incarnation hasn’t really received the attention it deserves.
Joshua Williamson, an established and powerful writer of comics, has taken over the writing duties with a new number one issue. Teamed up with artist Ryan Stegman, he’s breathing new life into Iron Man, and I hear that the just-released second issue is hard to find. It just came out this past week, but it’s taken many local comics shops by surprise. After all, this is the sixth or more volume featuring the hero, so it seems to have flown under the radar in a lot of shops.
Here’s the description of that second issue from marvel.com:
>>FRIENDS, LOVERS, OR NOTHING! IRON MAN is on the hunt for the missing captives as MADAME MASQUE continues to twist the knife in Tony’s back! Could Tony really be at fault for what’s happening? The past collides with the present as JOSHUA WILLIAMSON & CARMEN CARNERO continue to pave the future for IRON MAN! Plus: STEVE ROGERS, CAPTAIN AMERICA, throws his mighty shield! But is it WITH Iron Man or AGAINST?<<
Williamson has worked for several publishers in the past, including Image Comics (Ghosted, Birthright, Nailbiter) and recently DC. He made quite the run on The Flash, including his creation of the character Godspeed, which has also appeared on The CW TV series as well as in the comics. He’s been scripting Superman stories as well as several others, and he had an exclusive contract with DC for a time.
Obviously, that’s come to an end since he’s now working on Iron Man for Marvel.
IRON MAN AND HIS PHYSICAL PROBLEMS
I’ve been reading comics long enough to remember the creation of Iron Man way, way back in Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963). He was co-created by Stan Lee, developed by Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. In that era, someone with Tony Starks penchant for designing weapons was in high demand, so he was captured in a war zone during an episode in which he sustained a severe heart wound. In early times, the armor was necessary to keep his heart functioning properly.
He’s also battled alcoholism and other concerns (like greed and ego problems), and is honestly one of the most human of the House of Idea’s characters. He’s been one of the best ways for Marvel to explore technological advancement and governmental authority.
While Captain America has been the most patriotic of the Avengers, Tony has been more pragmatic and often on the opposite side of Steve Rogers when disputes like Civil War arose.
It’s not like things have always been rosy for Tony. There was time in which he was “de-aged” to being a teen-ager who was still a technological genius. That didn’t go over well with fans, apparently, and he was returned to adult status pretty quickly.
Personally, I struggled with the character because of his heart issues. My own father had heart troubles, so the hero was a little too close to home for a long time. However, when that whole situation was resolved, I warmed up to him more.
I do have to say, though, that the new Iron Man #1 and #2 is some of the best Iron Man I’ve read in quite a long, long time!
WILLIAMSON IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CREATORS
I’ve been fortunate enough to interview Joshua a few times for my weekly podcast. He’s very personable, and he’s a smart writer. One of my first times talking with him was when he was working on Ghosted for Image. The premise had to do with a criminal being hired to capture a ghost. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out how one would do that. Of course, he had it all figured out, and when I read how that would take place in the comic, it made perfect sense. I remember telling him that this was why he was the writer and I was the reader.
His run on the Flash still stands out as one of the best. He was one of the creators who showed why the super-speed aspects of this hero was something a GOOD writer could easily manage. After all, the hero had been “put down” by DC years earlier because he was deemed “too powerful” to keep challenging in a monthly comic. Williamson was one of those creators who showed that the Flash was one of those heroes who just needed the good writer to bring out the best in him. He even wrote more than 100 issues with the hero!
Since I’m a big Batman fan, I always like to read Joshua’s tales featuring the Dark Knight. For instance, his book Batman/Flash: The Button I truly enjoyed. He also consulted on the “Metal/Death Metal” event and Batman/Superman for a time. His recent tie-in to the “DC K.O.” event called Knightfight was also a great read.
He even took on Green Arrow for a time recently, despite others telling him not to do it. I enjoyed his stories with the Emerald Archer, but greener pastures were calling, so he eventually left Ollie behind.
I have been wondering lately just what “Absolute” title he might be interested in. I have been considering that after I heard Mark Waid was voicing interest in an “Absolute Deadman.” Hmmm…
NOW WHAT?
Williamson has proved he can handle the newer characters as well as the established ones in pretty much any comics universe. I’m just curious as to what he might be up to next!
His personal website calls him a “world builder,” and he’s proven he can handle that on many levels. It would be fun to see him actually construct a new comics company from the ground up, including developing new characters and even a new comics universe. THAT I’d like to see!
Until then, I’m going to keep buying every book I see that has his name on it! I know it will always be a great read!
About Author
