Tony Stark is now “evil” because of what Red Skull did to him in Axis. He’s in San Francisco where he lives in a Tron-esque upside toilet (seriously, that’s the visual!) and he’s given Extremis 3.0 out to a lot of people for free. It turned them young and beautiful - and then he pulled the plug. First taste was free, renewal costs $100 a day or you stay your same old safe. Ooo, that evil Tony!
The desire to use Extremis 3.0 again is making people act irrationally as they do desperate things to get the money to pay the subscription, and that’s where Daredevil (who’s also living in Frisco these days) draws the line. It’s Daredevil Vs Iron Man in an issue imaginatively titled Daredevil Vs Iron Man!
If I was unsure about how I felt about this series with the first issue, I’m fairly certain I don’t like it now after the second. The concept of being “youthful and good-looking” is of course desirable - if you’re neither. But the first person we meet who’s trying to rob someone because he wants Extremis 3.0 is both youthful and good-looking. What’s going on?
The visuals are a major problem with this story. Later on when the mugger’s dad threatens Tony, he’s forced by Tony to take Extremis 3.0 himself. Do we see how an app on a smartphone could possibly turn someone ordinary into a supermodel? Nope! One panel he’s regular-looking, then the next he’s lost his middle-aged paunch - but his clothes still fit him anyway!? It’s a real let-down because seeing how Extremis 3.0 works would be cool but this creative team are skirting around it totally unimaginatively.
At Stark’s upside-down toilet base, Tony gets the drop on Daredevil ridiculously easily. One panel they’re standing apart a few feet, the next Tony’s holding Matt up by the throat? I’m sure Daredevil would’ve seen the move coming, I mean the guy’s got mad senses and Tony’s not Quicksilver! It’s just bad comics storytelling.
Another thing about Extremis 3.0 that bothers me is that it’s affordable if you use it every so often, like on weekends. Who couldn’t splash out on themselves every now and then with $100 for a makeover that actually works? Most people are ok-looking - not super-model good-looks but totally decent - so giving them an option to look super-awesome for a special occasion every now and then doesn’t seem that evil to me.
When I was reading Superior Spider-Man, I was rooting for Otto. I saw he was being a more subversive version of Spidey, but he was doing a good job being Spider-Man and I liked his character the more I read of him. Dan Slott had created a complex, multi-faceted character in the Superior Spider-Man. Tom Taylor’s Superior Iron Man is a douchebag. I’m not rooting for him to make more money for more Tron-themed toilet bases! I don’t want him to succeed after he’s acting like every other one-dimensional villain. He’s a crap, totally uninteresting character - the very opposite of “superior”.
Superior Iron Man #2 is a very weak issue from an increasingly contrived series. Taylor’s writing is as average as ever though his plotting stinks, and I guess Yildiray Cinar does his best with the art to cover up the holes in the script but that HQ design is just awful.
And is it me or does the symbol for Extremis 3.0 look like a circumcised cock with a pair of tiny balls dangling on the side wrapped around a giant smile?
I haven't read any of superior just yet, but already two things are bugging me.
ReplyDeleteFirst, can Marvel go two days without a extremis story? It's heralded both of the NOW! Iron Man series and by the sound of things, it's pretty rubbish both times. I know, it was in a movie and Marvel have Iron Man 3 dvds they need to sell, but what's wrong with giving extremis a rest?
Secondly, Iron Man is quickly becoming Marvel's Batman, it seems- able to do anything because "I am Iron Man".
Good review, though. I hope this series gets better, but not holding my breath.
Good point, Extremis is getting way too tied in with Iron Man - it's becoming his kryptonite. The less Extremis, the better!
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