Iron Man Appreciation: Welcome to the Iron Age

[cc008]

Yeah but that's just how any particular artist interprets each character. There's no denying Tony was made to look like Howard. Or the other way around.. since Tony was introduced first and all.

When is Marvel art consistent between artists these days, anyway?

[Tony Stark]

I HATE the retconned origin for Tony. I mean I wouldn't mind Howard having a illegitimate child with a shield agent could even be an attempt to bring 1610/Ultimate Gregory to the main Marvel Universe as a jealous sibling felt denied their legacy. But Tony being adopted is dumb IMO one it's convoluted, two it makes the Starks look like total Dicks adopting a decoy child, and three Tony just happens to look like Howard and is a genius like Howard to boot? Maria should had at some point been demanding DNA test.

Agreed. The whole thing is beyond dumb.

[Techno_Knight]

Yeah but that's just how any particular artist interprets each character. There's no denying Tony was made to look like Howard. Or the other way around.. since Tony was introduced first and all.

When is Marvel art consistent between artists these days, anyway?

Tony looks like a spitting image of Howard, because Tony was initially inspired by Howard Hughes, and there's an "unwritten rule" that all fictional capitalists must look like Walt Disney, soboth Tony and Howard end up being drawn as guys with a mustache, black hair and blue eyes.

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Aaaaaaanyway, I've heard a few rumors going around that after #600 Waid is taking over, which honestly, I'm dreading. Can't they just put Ewing on it? He wrote a better Tony for 4 panels over at USAvengers, and Toni is an actual character (unlike the crappy OC that is Ree-Ree).

[Panfoot]

Aaaaaaanyway, I've heard a few rumors going around that after #600 Waid is taking over, which honestly, I'm dreading. Can't they just put Ewing on it? He wrote a better Tony for 4 panels over at USAvengers, and Toni is an actual character (unlike the crappy OC that is Ree-Ree).

Can't say I would be thrilled with Waid given his recent output(I tried his ANAD Avengers and the relaunch after that, didn't make it far into either before dropping), but i'll take anyone over Bendis at this point though. My ideal pick would be Tom King but of course that can't happen any time soon. If Riri has to stay in the book(which I'm imagining is going to be a yes unless she gets her own solo book), I think I would like to see Taylor give it another shot. I thought he did some good characterization with Inverted Tony, Backup AI Tony, and Pepper in Superior Iron Man, and he's done some good work on All New Wolverine. I know he's written Riri recently, though I haven't read those issues, but I feel like seeing how he's handled Laura and Gabby in Wolverine, I think he would be able to provide a decent balance between the characters.

[cc008]

I'll give anyone a chance if Tony's brought back and the main character again.

[Frontier]

I think Waid would be a solid choice for the book.

I think he had a good handle on Tony in his appearances in Daredevil and ANAD Avengers, and it'd be nice to get a writer who might enjoy writing Iron Man like an actual Superhero again .

[cc008]

I'm fine with Waid... as long as Samnee isn't the artist. They struck Gold on Daredevil.. and then together on Black Widow and now Cap. But Samnee isn't the artist for Iron Man. And honestly, I didn't enjoy it all that much with Daredevil either.

[Techno_Knight]

Can't say I would be thrilled with Waid given his recent output(I tried his ANAD Avengers and the relaunch after that, didn't make it far into either before dropping), but i'll take anyone over Bendis at this point though. My ideal pick would be Tom King but of course that can't happen any time soon. If Riri has to stay in the book(which I'm imagining is going to be a yes unless she gets her own solo book), I think I would like to see Taylor give it another shot. I thought he did some good characterization with Inverted Tony, Backup AI Tony, and Pepper in Superior Iron Man, and he's done some good work on All New Wolverine. I know he's written Riri recently, though I haven't read those issues, but I feel like seeing how he's handled Laura and Gabby in Wolverine, I think he would be able to provide a decent balance between the characters.

If Bendis leaves, he'll take Ree-Ree with him. I just hope the next writer totally ignores her. I wouldn't mind someone retconning the adoption thing as well. They're both such stupid ideas that they need to be forgotten alongside Teen Tony. Hell,current Tony is an amalgam of 616 Tony, Teen Tony, Heroes Reborn Tony, and Secret Wars shenanigans. But you don't see anybody mention that! Just do the same with those two stupid additions. You could bring in Ewing and Toni. He'd retcon the whole thing in 2 issues, tops. Although I feel Marvel is letting him go...

As for King, I'd be down for that, but it's obviously not possible. His Batman is pretty crappy, but I think he'd do better with IM. His time with CIA left him with some baggage it seems.

I'll give anyone a chance if Tony's brought back and the main character again.

Ain't that the truth.

I think Waid would be a solid choice for the book.

I think he had a good handle on Tony in his appearances in Daredevil and ANAD Avengers, and it'd be nice to get a writer who might enjoy writing Iron Man like an actual Superhero again .

Eh, Waid's letting his politics get in the way of writting proper stories, and IMHO he's not imaginative or well-informed enough to write anything more than "super-hero" as in "good guy, punches things, goes home". Even Gillen, whose run I disliked, dealt with stuff like Troy. Waid's run, if true, wouldjust be... "there". Not good, not bad, just average.

[Frontier]

I'm fine with Waid... as long as Samnee isn't the artist. They struck Gold on Daredevil.. and then together on Black Widow and now Cap. But Samnee isn't the artist for Iron Man. And honestly, I didn't enjoy it all that much with Daredevil either.

I think Samnee would actually be pretty cool on Iron Man, but to each their own .

Eh, Waid's letting his politics get in the way of writting proper stories, and IMHO he's not imaginative or well-informed enough to write anything more than "super-hero" as in "good guy, punches things, goes home". Even Gillen, whose run I disliked, dealt with stuff like Troy. Waid's run, if true, wouldjust be... "there". Not good, not bad, just average.

Well, I think it's definitely influenced his Champions run but not much else. I don't see an Iron Man run from him being any more effected by his politics then Busiek's was.

Waid is a great Superhero writer, and I think when he really gets into a title he can do a lot more then "good guy, punches things, goes home" while still keeping the title character and feel very Superheroic.

I think it would be awesome if we could get that with Iron Man again.

[Moriarty]

if only Busiek could write Iron Man again.

[Techno_Knight]

Well, I think it's definitely influenced his Champions run but not much else. I don't see an Iron Man run from him being any more effected by his politics then Busiek's was.

Eh, I don't know. Champions was exceptionally bad. Not Unfunnies, Calexit or America tier, but... bad.

Waid is a great Superhero writer, and I think when he really gets into a title he can do a lot more then "good guy, punches things, goes home" while still keeping the title character and feel very Superheroic.

A couple of years back I wouldn't have dissagreed, but between his politics influencing his books, his "FLIP SOME MOTHERF-ING TABLES" comments and that story about him being such an ass that he'd scream and moan when things got bad, I've gotten soured on him. Daredevil was darn good though, so we'll see. If he ends up being the new writer that is.

I think it would be awesome if we could get that with Iron Man again.

Dunno, I think it'd be a step back to turn him into purely a super-hero ala Superman or Green Lantern. To me, you need a mix between hard sci-fi, boardroom drama, international & corporate epionage alongside super-heroics for Iron Man to work. Otherwise you're just treading old ground. Bring back the capitalist or libertarian angle, and give the antagonists their own ideologies. Hammer was the greedy, uncontrollable capitalist. Ghost hasnow become a conspiracy theorist anarchist. Firebrand was an extremist communist. Controller is essentially a fascist. Play with that.

[Frontier]

Eh, I don't know. Champions was exceptionally bad. Not Unfunnies, Calexit or America tier, but... bad.

I definitely agree that Champions is not his best work.

Dunno, I think it'd be a step back to turn him into purely a super-hero ala Superman or Green Lantern. To me, you need a mix between hard sci-fi, boardroom drama, international & corporate epionage alongside super-heroics for Iron Man to work. Otherwise you're just treading old ground. Bring back the capitalist or libertarian angle, and give the antagonists their own ideologies. Hammer was the greedy, uncontrollable capitalist. Ghost hasnow become a conspiracy theorist anarchist. Firebrand was an extremist communist. Controller is essentially a fascist. Play with that.

I think we could get that out of Waid as well, though frankly I could stand a more Superheroic Iron Man run at this point.

But that's just me.

[SuperiorIronman]

My idea to retcon the adoption would be that Howard and Maria did try again and got Tony at some point. The adoption is of another child, but the child is eventually lost somehow but Tony takes on that identity. He simply doesn't know about this due to Howard and Maria keeping to themselves about it and them being long dead.

-So Howard and Maria have Arno who has to be put into hiding to avoid 451
-Howard and Maria eventually adopt baby Tony
-However Howard and Maria do have another child somewhere within this time frame and due to the missing adoptive brother, Tony Stark (the real one) takes on his name.

This would explain any papers Tony might've seen and why nobody knew he was adopted since Tony is the son of Howard, he just shares the name of a lost sibling. Furthermore it would explain why 451 didn't immediately notice something wrong with Tony considering 451 should've been able to check if he was Howard's son. Any paper trail would lead Tony to the origins of the guy he shares a name with, which Tony wouldn't know any better about. DNA testing might also be explainable due to Tony being a composite of three time phased Tony Stark. Therefore in some instance his origins was the retcon, but it is reverted to the old one.

[cc008]

I think Samnee would actually be pretty cool on Iron Man, but to each their own .

That's totally fair! I just think he's too cartoony for my ideal Iron Man book

[Techno_Knight]

I definitely agree that Champions is not his best work.

Yup. But at least it wasn't this (albeit it's a close race):

MarvelCringe.jpg

I think we could get that out of Waid as well, though frankly I could stand a more Superheroic Iron Man run at this point.

But that's just me.

Maybe. If he decides to write a good run and separate himself from the characters, it could be done. I wouldn't mind a Super-Hero book, but it needs to be a tad more than that. Which is why I thought a good idea would be to use IM to relaunch the T-Bolts brand. The main hook of the book is redemption, so why couldn't Stark Industries take an active role in rehabillitating criminals? You can use the main title to do some of the more "dark" stuff, and "Iron Man & The Thunderbolts" could be the more light-hearted, Busiek x Parker inspired book. And here's a pic of the roster I'd go with:



It'd obviously be a rotating roster, and the characters pictured wouldn't all be part of the starting or base team.