Tony Stark was relatively victorious in the Roxxon Stark War, but one question remains. How do you free your suit from the effects of Iron Monger’s magic? It’s simple. He calls in a magic expert. In this case, Iron Man #4 finds himself contacting Scarlet Witch to find out exactly why Tony can’t access his old armor. Following this path, Tony and Ironheart find themselves in conflict with the Heat, a vigilante group that roams the streets of Chicago.
Spencer Ackerman has drawn from various eras of Iron Man’s history when crafting this new story, and this issue depicts his connection to Tony during his S.H.I.E.L.D. Initiatives that come back to attack you and cause tension between you and your allies. For Ironheart, it is his home city that is under attack. To Melinda May, it feels like Tony doesn’t trust her.
I also love how Ackerman draws Scarlet Witch into the picture. A recurring trope that frustrates me in superhero media is scientist characters pretending magic isn’t real despite all the evidence to the contrary. It didn’t make any sense to me. In a world where there are actual gods and magicians, magic must be acknowledged. To Tony’s credit, he freely admits that magic is not his job, which is why he brought Wanda.
wonder
For Iron Man #4, the artist was changed and Javier Pina was brought in. Pina’s artwork brings sophistication to the action sequences, including the splash page where Iron Man, Ironheart, and May attack Heat. In the space of a few panels, it looks absolutely gorgeous as repulsor beams send the mercenaries flying and Mei dives from the sky to tackle her targets.
Pina isn’t the only artist on board Iron Man IV. Rod Wraith appears in a two-page spread as Scarlet Witch investigates Iron Monger’s medal, and the results are surprising. Thousands of shadow shapes begin to swarm her, eventually converging into a shape resembling Iron Monger, or Iron Man’s original gray armor. It’s truly terrifying to witness, but not surprising. Anyone who’s seen Wraith’s work on COWL or Dark Web:X-Men knows that this guy can write some truly unique superhero comics.
Artists may have changed, but Alex Sinclair and Joe Caramagna maintain a level of consistency in their color and type work. Sinclair played around with different shades of red, as Iron Man’s armor is a bright shade of red, while Scarlet Witch’s dark red robes perfectly match her chaotic magic. Masu. Caramagna’s letters distinguish Iron Man from Iron Heart, with the latter having a round red and yellow speech bubble, and the latter having a hexagonal shape with a purple border.
Iron Man #4 proves that a new story begins and magic and machines mix. The ending brings back another face from Tony Stark’s past, and the Armored Avenger’s fight to reclaim his life is just beginning, and I’m totally on board.
‘Iron Man’ #4 is a collision of metal and magic
iron man #4
Iron Man #4 proves that a new story begins and magic and machines mix. The ending brings back another face from Tony Stark’s past, and the Armored Avenger’s fight to reclaim his life is just beginning, and I’m totally on board.
Scarlet Witch’s cameo proves that metal and magic can mix.
Ackerman’s script draws on different eras of Iron Man’s history while also giving readers something they’ve never seen before.
Pina has the smoothest artwork I’ve ever seen.
Rod Reis appears on a two-page spread, cementing himself as one of the most unique artists working today.
