(June 2006)  "Execute Program, part 1."  Cover art: Adi Granov. Script: Daniel & Charles Knauf. Art: Patrick Zircher/Scott Hanna.  Some dude with massive computer/hacker abilities leads us to believe that he can control the Iron Man armor with the punch of a keyboard key. If this accurate, we're talking "Armor Wars II" here all over again. Been there, done that. The Knauf's make good use of the Extremis now in Stark's body, detailing many of the things Tony can now do (in the middle of a gratuitous battle with the Crimson Dynamo, at that!). What's with all those suits of armor at issue's end, eh? Don't know, but this hacker dude offs yet another person, seemingly by IM! Great to see Pat Zircher back on Iron Man. His work on "The Iron Age" was superb. And tell me Bruce Willis wasn't the model for Nick Fury on that cover!

Hube's Recommendation:    1/2 repulsors!

Fan Reaction: I can’t tell you how disappointed I am with the current direction of Iron Man. I found the Ellis run to be high on gratuitous violence and light on writing and solid character development. The current writing is even more so.  Lots of “splash” art with little writing.  There is lots of violence, death, destruction in a manner that is all too real and not in the comic book manner that I enjoy. I will be dropping the book after this issue after 15 years of being dedicated to a book that the publisher is not dedicated to providing quality.  I have to say I really enjoyed the first few issues of the “Inevitable” however it appears that the series will be wrapped up quickly by the implications of the Ellis “power level change”. I cannot easily find a place to even write Marvel about my disappointment with the book. The last run that I enjoyed on this book was Kurt Busiek’s.  I took a quick look at your reviews and your ratings are consistent with my feelings.  The first 25 issues of volume three were consistent high quality and that has been the end of things.  The idea of the James Bond style story writing with espionage, mystery, intrigue and women is where it is at for me. -- Bob Samuels