INFAMOUS IRON MAN #7
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller: Alex Maleev
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Price: $3.99
Release Date: 4/26/17
Plot: Everyone tries to continue to decide whether the news is true or not, Victor Von Doom is on the straight and narrow. Is the character really trying to make up for his previous ways and become a full hero? Or does he have ulterior motives?
Story: Infamous Iron Man is a really cool concept that has been executed well so far. Taking Doctor Doom and giving him Iron Man’s armor is a lot of fun, but what really makes the story so interesting is that the focus is on Victor Von Doom. Bendis isn’t playing around with a small time villain here, he’s taken one of the most historically loved and notorious villains in the Marvel universe and decided to attempt this fresh and unique take on the character’s story.
It brings a lot of great story ideas into the comic because not only do reader’s get to experience a great character with new views, but how his altered mindset impacts his former criminal friends. Infamous Iron Man #7 really hones in on that aspect of the story. There is surprisingly very little of Doom in this issue and it takes the time to give everyone the perspective of Doom’s former colleagues, struggling to grasp whether or not he has turned to the good side.
Comic stories have often shown a hero becoming a villain and all of the fallout that comes with it, but there is a big difference in how heroes and villains will react to the scenario. In this case, the villains are just all over the place; some freaking out because Doom knows everything about them and where to find them, but others ready to instantly challenge him and take him down. Infamous Iron Man really creates a fun world surrounding Doom’s transition to a hero.
Not only does Bendis deliver the this from a villain perspective but also makes sure to include a more personal side through Ben Grimm. Grimm has never known Doom as anything but a horrible evil genius, so this is a whole new world for him. If anyone will always doubt this new improved Doom, it is going to be a former member of the Fantastic Four. Infamous Iron Man creates a fun setting because there is still this form of mystery involved in the story; is Doom truly a good guy now who has these new motivations? Or is he just playing some long con that will only benefit him in a return to his villainous ways?
Art: The art in this book is a lot of fun for multiple reasons, but the main one is that there is a grit given to the pencil style which really works nicely with the mysterious aspect of the story. The pencil work just gives Infamous Iron Man a sense of confusion and illusion because it’s so hard to decide what the real truth is. Doom still creates a lot of chaos currently in his “heroism” which is why the style works so perfectly. The action sequences that Maleev creates put Doom in these power positions, appearing godlike over his victims, but even though Doom is trying to be a hero, the civilians in the area also look to be running scared. The art creates nicely balanced scenes that display what Doom is attempting to accomplish but really nail the backlash of how he’s been viewed by the public in the past.
On the other side of the art team, Matt Hollingsworth beings nice additional detail to all of the scenes with his color choices. Doom has a lot of really neat tricks up his sleeve thanks to now using the Iron Man armor, but the shields and defenses that he utilizes wouldn’t work without the color changes. Hollingsworth gives Doom a really neat color and style with the grey and green tones, never having the character be unrecognizable. The color really gives Doom a larger presence in each seen and help put the focus on him. The action and conflict scenes in the book always have this gravitas to them, which again, has Doom visually look like he possesses both heroic and villainous characteristics.
Verdict: It’s strange seeing Doom in this new form, but it’s also a ton of fun. Reader’s are also in the Ben Grimm role of deciding whether or not the character has actually turned a new leaf. Either way, Infamous Iron Man is a really fun story because it turns Doom into this new character and gives him a fresh style and story. Most importantly, it’s awesome to see him in possession and using Stark’s Iron Man armor.
Rating: 4.6/5