Review Shooter: Iron Man 2.0 #3

Written by Nick Spencer
Art by Barry Kitson, Kano & Carmine Di Giandomenico

Marvel Solicit Info:

Spinning out of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN! Guest-starring Iron Man! Tony Stark and James Rhodes create the all-new War Machine suit! Rhodey’s new mission already nearly killed him. A deadly new super villain poses a threat War Machine can’t fight…and to stay alive, he’ll have to evolve into something greater than War Machine. Unconventional combat calls for a different set of weapons…and Rhodey will have to become the one-man army of the future — Iron Man 2.0!

Palmer Addley Is Dead. Part 3.

After this issue, I’m beginning to understand why the title of the book is ‘IRON MAN 2.0’, and not simply War Machine. This issue had more of the feeling that it was spinning out of the Stark Resilient franchise, set up in INVINICBLE IRON MAN. This is largely due to the fact that Tony Stark gives Rhodey a new suit or armour. This might not seem very significant, as Tony and Rhodey have had a number of new armours throughout their comic book years. But it was the look, and perhaps even the intention, of the armour. The phallic guns are taken away, and instead replaced by an armour that’s more similar to Tony’s Iron Man suit. It looks more up to date and modern, and I personally like it. Fans will probably say that taking away War Machines guns is like taking away the main purpose for War Machine (which is to be a more heavy hitter, battle ready version of the Iron Man armour) and they’d be right. But while its different, the armour still looks and feels like a War Machine armour.

That’s mainly what a large portion of this issue is about: Rhodey getting a new War Machine suit. We also learn more about Palmer Addley, who the first arc has been about.

I think this issue also does a better job at blending the two different art styles together. One team deals with the aftermath of the nuclear explosion (which happened at the end of issue 2), while the other team does the art Kaylies scenes (a supporting character in the book) and the scene were Rhodey gets his new armour. I think one art team doing one half of the comic, and the other team doing the other half of the comic, helps it read better.

New Reader Accessibility Rating: 7. It is part 3 of a story, but you get a good recap of what’s happened previously as you read the issue. This issue also looks like it’ll be a start of a new ear for Rhodey. His new armour looks great and I can’t wait to see him use it in the next issue.