Invincible Iron Man #6
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller: Stefano Caselli
Colorist: Marte Gracia
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Price: $3.99
Release Date: 4/19/17
Plot: Riri takes a trip to meet with Tony’s mother, Pepper and Mary Jane as the character starts to fully realize how much work goes into balancing being a superhero with everyday life.
Story: Invincible Iron Man has been a really interesting concept but works well compared to some of the other Marvel character alterations. While Tony is a legendary character, the idea of putting a fresh young person into Iron Man armor is a lot of fun. The best part about Riri is that she is a completely different character than Tony, so it does bring a fresh take to the idea of Iron Man and what the character will represent. Yet, something that Bendis really nails is the legacy of Iron Man and everything Tony has built, never selling the hero’s accomplishments short.
Invincible Iron Man #6 begins to put Riri in a position where she has to recognize that being Ironheart will be equivalently as time consuming as a full time job while also putting the weight of having to live up to Tony on her shoulders. The issue surrounds Riri with all of these strong women whose presence only adds to how important these decisions are for the hero to make. The book really gives off a nice coming of age feel that makes Riri an enjoyable and fun character who also knows when to get serious and focus.
That’s what makes Invincible Iron Man #6 such a blast to read; the choice to have a young adult takeover as one of the most iconic superheroes in Marvel’s arsenal. There is a nice balance of both drama and fun that deliver a character and story that are both very exciting.
Art: The art also does a really nice job of immediately instilling the sense of the legacy behind Iron Man. These panels are plotted and drawn in a neat way that open up the book with a quick and direct focus on the story foundation. It’s really neat to see all of the different suits Tony has used and put together over the years but Caselli absolutely nails the facial expression for Riri’s face. There is a clear sense of both admiration and intimidation to just be in, as Riri herself calls it, “a holy place.”
On top of this, Invincible Iron Man #6 includes some beautifully colored panels that really have Ironheart shining. Gracia makes all of these unique color palette decisions that work so well and present Riri in some stunning shades. The colors throughout the book really set the tone of the setting and help create a fullness to all of the scenes. Gracia’s decisions also give an added focus and style to Riri that she deserves.
The art team really does a nice job of just combining their talents to deliver panels that don’t waste the page space. Even the action sequences are perfectly drawn with great fighting poses but also feel vibrant and layered nicely. Everything that Caselli and Gracia bring to the book really nicely echoes what Bendis writes; when there is heavy dialogue happening, the colors aid in visually enhancing the scene while the pencil work can communicate multiple panels with very little text.
Verdict: Invincible Iron Man #6 continues to develop Riri as an awesome character with an awesome story going on. The character really does bring a fun spin to Iron Man with a story that hits all of the right notes.
Rating: 4.7/5