IRON MAN: ARMOR WARS -- David Michelinie and Bob Layton

Marvel Publishing, Inc. -- tpb
New York -- ©2007 -- 208pp
ISBN: 0-7851-2506-X
Graphic Novel reprinting Iron Man comic issues #225-232 from 1987 and 1988
art by: Mark D. Bright, Bob Layton, Barry Winsor-Smith

Tony Stark discovers that his secret technology has been stolen and sold to various sources. Upset that the technology he created could be used to injure or kill innocent people he goes on a quest as his alter ego, Iron Man, to destroy anything using that technology.

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I have very much enjoyed the Iron Man comics as I was growing up, but I can't remember the last time I actually read a book or two, so this was a nice return to the old days for me. And 'old days' is appropriate as the comics in this graphic novel were first published in 1987/88. Compared to the comics of today, everything about these seemed ... simple.

I actually really liked the simplicity of the artwork. Today's comic artwork seems to be so heavy and full of shading and darkness. Each panel looks like a miniature, complex work of art, which is nice, in some ways, but it can make looking through the book quite onerous. I appreciated being able to look at a page/panel and being able to take in what was going on at a glance.

The story for this particular graphic novel was strained. That Tony Stark took it so personally that his technology was being used in such a way that innocents lives might be harmed, seemed far-fetched. I understand the premise and that there is evidence that people have suffered this kind of reaction when something they've made is used for violent purposes, but this didn't work for me. Stark was reacting to technology ... an idea ... not an actual, physical item.

I also didn't care for the fact that each "issue" of the graphic novel had him commenting on this crusade of his. Again, I understand that each issue needs to recreate some of a character's mission, but when combined in book form, this just got much too repetitive.

Over-all, though, this was a fun, enjoyable few hours away from the real world.