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IRON MAN vol. 3 #51 (396) |
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(April, 2002)
"Jane
Doe." Cover art: Michael
Ryan. Script: Mike Grell.
Art: Michael Ryan/Sean Parsons.
This issue begins with a "Pretty Woman"-esque
scene with Tony Stark driving his sleek auto
through a seedy area of town, and picking up a .... hooker?? Yep. However, Tony
is playing the "save the world" type here as he takes Shelly
(the hooker) to "The Haven" --
a safehouse for troubled youth. He leaves Shelly to the care of Haven's honcho,
one Abby St. Clair.
Why? Because Tony has to get to a conference which is dealing with how to best
make use of the new markets that have opened up in Central Europe since the fall
of Milos Radanovich
(see last issue). We're treated to introductions of several new characters (too
numerous to mention) while the panels segue back and forth between the
conference and a discussion among Shelly and Abby back at Haven. Stark realizes
he left his briefcase (no, not the one with the armor in it, but a real
briefcase) at Haven, so he asks Abby to bring it to the conference. She nevers
makes it. She somehow gets trapped in a burning building -- but it looks like Iron
Man will save the day -- and Abby, too! But wait --
Iron Man is low on
power, and the heat of the building is getting too hot for his armor???
Hooooo-boy.
Grell makes good
use of Tony's philanthropic nature with "Haven" and Shelly by having
Abby explain to Shelly why Tony isn't "just another rich guy trying to
assuage his conscience" -- he's been through the gutter himself. The
intro of new characters intertwined with new business opportunities is
interesting, as well. However, Grell obviously hasn't done much research on
Shellhead's armor. Hell, back in the '60s IM
had a thermocouple
that could draw energy from flames/heat! Even the 1980s' Red
and Silver armor withstood an A.I.M.
gigawatt plasma beam! So, having a mere burning building endanger Shellhead
is specious, at best. My opinion of Ryan's art hasn't changed since last issue.
In other words, lose Parsons and I think it'll be better.
Hube's Recommendation:  1/2
repulsors!
Fan Reaction:
Dear Hube -- I stopped collecting Iron Man just after the conclusion of the
"Dragon Seed" saga. Lately I've been sorely regretting the move and
have subsequently resumed collecting Iron Man, the super hero with real ultimate
power. I've been sorely dissapointed. Both issue 50 and 51 are really bad! Tony
Stark looks like a meat-headed moron, not the world class genius slash
specimen-of-physical-superiority I recall. The suit itself looks cool but it has
become overburdened with mad stupid junk! Why does the helmet have a scowl on
it? Is that supposed to look tough? I think it looks retarded. Grell's
storyline's and dialogues are soap-operishly simple-minded, and Ryan's art is
cartoony crap. If I were you I would give issues 50 & 51 both negative two
zillion and a half repulsors. Keep up the good work :) --
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