adrianopivy's Invincible Iron Man #517 - Long Way Down Part 2: How to Make a Madman review

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    Short Way From the Top

    'Where does the Mandarin's plan start and Tony's begin?'

    So says the introductory catch-up, and so say I after reading this issue. Despite having read this series from the beginning of Fraction's run, I can predict this story no more than I can alter it. After paying down some groundwork in the prior 2 issues, Fraction ignites the fuse and puts the story in motion. From what I've seen, it's shaping up to be a monster.

    Nothing can be said of Matt Fraction that hasn't been said before; the man made Tony Stark likeable after Civil War. For those you of you who don't understand that, then see the part where Captain America got killed. Fraction, however, turned Tony Stark the d*@# into Tony Stark the sympathetic and introspective d*@#. He continues to do so in this issue, using the groundwork he has lay down to give us some great character moments, and continue this intriguing story. By giving an appropriate amount of time to each character, Fraction lets the supporting characters stand on their own, and thus makes us invested in not only their story, but the complete story as a whole. A master with dialogue, the relationships between key characters, such as Tony and Pepper, continues to make this book a pleasure to read every month. The time spent with Ezekiel Stane is also very welcome, giving us an intriguing look into one of Iron Man's more transparent villians; needless to say, it's compelling stuff. As with the work on the supporting characters, by giving a sense of gravitas to all characters, including villains, Fraction only makes the story more engaging, and make every page just as significant as the preceeding one. It's been a highly satisfying ride with Iron Man thus far, and I can only guess that Fraction is looking to raise the stakes.

    Not to be forgotten, Salvador Larroca still remains the perfect artist for this book. Larroca's work captures the feel of Tony Stark's world, with his crisp and smooth line work carrying the scientific and modern aspects of the story, without forgetting the emotions that come with it. Larroca keeps us within the world that Fraction has established, with detailed and clean pencils that suit Iron Man down to the ground. Despite a high level of consistency on the title thus far, Larroca still blows me away every month, more so for the way that him and Fraction work in unison than the individual art. In this issue, the parallel story between Stane and Stark stands as a perfect example of writer and artist working in harmony. The pacing was superb, the angles suited the respective scenes, and the character work remains as great as ever. Did I mention the cover looks awesome?

    Iron Man still remains among the best monthly series I am currently reading; possibly the best Marvel title at the moment. While other titles specialise in areas such as humour, action or character work, Fraction and Larroca's work on Invincible Iron Man offers up the most balanced and nuanced approach to telling a thoughtful and utterly engaging story. With all his cinematic popularity, one might think that Iron Man would be starting to become overexposed, though I would point that person to this series with the assurance that they would not be disappointed. Fraction and Larroca, even at this relatively early stage, are providing a seminal run on a character that forms a cornerstone in the Marvel Universe; rarely do such characters receive the justice they deserve-even rarer is the bestowing of a justice they do not deserve. That is what is being done in the pages of this book, every month. This run is looking to become the definitive Tony Stark story. A Long Way Down maybe; this series is a Short Way from the Top.

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      The Man with a Plan 0

      Stane attempts to find the bomb Mandarin placed inside his body while Tony Stark executes his plan to get the government off his back. Meanwhile, Stark Resilient World Headquarters shuts down after an infiltrator wrecks havoc on the facility.PlusThe cover art where Stark tries to take off his magnetic heart creates controversy and incites curiosity for readers to pick up this issue. The plot for this story arc is starting to get a little clearer as bits of information is handed to the readers bi...

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