I gave this book the benefit of the doubt mainly because I was excited for the movie which somehow got amazing reviews which I don't really understand. I guess because all comicbook movies always get amazing reviews. I don't know. I can't really call it a bad movie. I liked it more than most comicbook movies, but I generally don't like comicbook movies. I do love the original
Iron Man. Perhaps I should really do an
Against My Better Judgement column on
Iron Man 3 alone, but I couldn't call it a waste of time or money. It was a movie. and I'll leave it at that.
I was also intrigued by this Stark Seven story arc that Marvel's been promoting. I felt maybe because the movie was coming out last week that Marvel might try to release some A material to coincide.
Buying this went against my better judgement for several reasons. Most obviously, there's a baby on the cover. While this is obviously a metaphor and not in the comic. I should have also viewed the diaper as a metaphor on what this issue was filled with. I'm being unfair to make a poo joke. Much like the movie, I really can't call this comic good or bad.
Another reason I shouldn't have picked this up is because I decided I didn't like this book eight issues ago. I've since cut my Marvel list down to three, so I figured I'd give it another chance. Where this issue seems to start The Secret Origin of Tony Stark, the entire issue is really more of a segue than a prologue. Stark walks around space cities and talks to Death's Head and robots which is kind of cool, but ultimately feels like decompressed filler.
The last few pages start a film reel of Howard Stark explaining some sordid secret history, but there's not a not a lot to get me hooked and pick up the next issue. They really needed to tease a little more for me to at least get interested. For example, instead of ending the issue with Stark saying into the camera, "It's time for you to know the truth. Son, you may need to have a drink." Maybe end the issue with something that leaves the audience a little more confused or horrified. Something like, "Let me tell you about the time I raped Galactus." I don't know. There's a reason a don't write for Marvel.
What you should get instead is Ten Grand by J Michael Straczynski and Ben Templesmith, published by Image. I haven't really ever been too impressed by Straczynski, but I also haven't read a lot of his work. I picked this up because of Templesmith's art, and it turned out to be a really cool book. Without giving too much of the story, it's part horror and part noir. I loved it. You should really check it out.
I was a little skeptical on this because it's a superhero book. I've got a stigma. They're overdone and really hold back comic books as an art form. I read some Marvel and DC books, but that's more because I've already accepted those characters. I'm not saying that those are poorly written, (some are) because there are some good ones, but it's nothing new. And I'm not saying that people aren't doing innovative things with an old genre. Joe Casey in particular. Although I wasn't impressed by Sex or The Bounce, Catalyst Comix is pretty good and Butcher Baker, the Righteous Maker and Godland (who's final issue was just solicited) were spectacular.
