Iron Man. I’m a big fan. I mean sure he’s had his low moments (like the 90’s cartoon series where he wore armor that looked like no more than football pads), but the concept itself, if nothing else, is pretty awesome. So its always great to see that concept executed well. The movie was pretty fantastic and from the footage that was shown at San Diego Comic Con, the sequel should be pretty awesome as well.

What I want to talk about, however, are the comics. Lately, the series, Invincible Iron Man, has been outstanding. Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca have been doing some amazing work on this book.

Uh, what follows is probably going to have spoilers if you wanted to read the series. If you don’t care, go right along.

So here’s what’s up. Tony Stark was director of SHIELD following the whole superhero civil war thing. That’s where the series starts and it was very good. Where the series really gets going is after the Skrull Invasion. Stark gets ousted and SHIELD gets dismantled for failing to prevent this alien invasion (which really just seemed an invasion of New York, but that’s neither here nor there) and Norman Osborn (the Green Goblin of Spider-Man villain fame, if you’re not aware) gets to reorganize the whole thing into HAMMER (I don’t think anyone at Marvel has figured out what it that acronym means yet.)

So Stark, who has a database with the identity every superhero who registered with the government following Civil War in his head, goes on the run. He’s running from facility to facility erasing his brain, gradually getting dumber, and piloting older, less complex armor. Trying to aid him, and not doing so hot at it, are perennial assistant Pepper Potts and former SHIELD Deputy Director, Maria Hill who then also drags the Black Widow into things. (Except for Norman Osborn and a brief appearance by the Crimson Dynamo, I think Tony’s slept with his entire supporting cast… cause… that’s kinda what he does, I guess. Should be interesting when they’re all in the same room after he’s done running.)

Sure Iron Man could be off fighting some guy with magic rings or giant space dragons, but I think the situation he’s in now works great. I want to describe it as an espionage book, but I don’t think that’s really accurate. Its a genius who is flying around the globe in increasingly outdated technology to erase his own intellect to thwart another genius, who is insane and has the resources of an international law enforcement organization at his disposal. And its awesome.

I’m probably not best at accurately reflecting how good this series is, but all I’m saying is that if you want to read about Iron Man (and see some kick ass art!) you couldn’t go wrong with picking this up.