Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Co-Op and weapon kit promotional image from Treyarch and Raven Studios

    Sharing Gunsmith Builds in Black Ops 7 Is About To Get Much Easier

    08/19/2025
    EA Sports Madden NFL 26 Head Coach But Why Tho 5

    Dear EA Sports, Why Can’t I Make A Hot Coach?

    08/14/2025
    Blade in Marvel Rivals Season 3.5

    Blade Can Shut Down The Other Team In Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 If You Know How

    08/08/2025
    John Cena and Cody Rhodes during Summerslam 2025

    The SummerSlam 2025 Main Event Was A Fever Dream We All Needed

    08/08/2025
    Street Fighter 6 Sagat

    Sagat Brings Depth And Approachability To ‘Street Fighter 6’

    08/07/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Marvel Comics » REVIEW: ‘Iron Man and Hellcat Annual,’ Issue #1

REVIEW: ‘Iron Man and Hellcat Annual,’ Issue #1

William TuckerBy William Tucker06/30/20224 Mins Read
Iron Man and Hellcat Annual #1
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Iron Man and Hellcat Annual #1

Iron Man and Hellcat Annual #1 is a one-shot published by Marvel, written by Christopher Cantwell, art by Ruairí Coleman, colours by Tríona Farrell, and letters by Joe Caramagna. After declining to marry Tony Stark, Hellcat moves to San Francisco, where an abandoned family mansion has been passed down to her. But inside that mansion are denizens of Hell, and she may need the help of her ex-boyfriend once more.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

As a plot concept, this annual has a really investing story. It deals with something that is much more of Hellcat’s world, unfortunately, and that is demons and Hell. This is not something Cantwell has explored in Iron Man yet, truly changing the genre. Iron Man and Hellcat Annual #1 is a horror comic and a really unsettling one at that. The comic takes a while to get set up, and for the creepiness to set in, the pace at the beginning of the comic is rather slow. But as soon as we are in the house, Iron Man and Hellcat Annual #1 comes alive.

There’s a great blending of using nightmares and early foreshadowing with reality. So much of the last part of the annual is a huge surprise. And the elements that maybe could have been seen coming, including the characters, are introduced in a breathtaking way. There is action, but they appear in a twisted fashion, fitting a demonic psychological horror instead of technical.

This entire comic is built around Hellcat, so much so that maybe the Iron Man inclusion in the title wasn’t necessary. Cantwell beautifully dives into her history, reliving her most traumatic experiences. But it isn’t focused on the past, as everything that happens is set in the present day. Patsy is a truly tragic character, with every part of her life filled with pain, paranoia, and pacts with the Devil. Almost every interaction people have with her is dangerous or unsettling. The villain in this issue was a real throwback, and their motive is terrifying. Another device involved, part of Hellcat’s childhood, serves to unnerve. Iron Man’s role is interesting as he seems the most out of place, but it was great to see him act like a hero after so long being out of sorts.

The art is phenomenal. Coleman perfectly instigates a transition inside the comic. The opening is very clean, and the locations and landmarks of San Fransisco are beautifully brought to the page. And then, when the horror elements leak in, it is a gentle yet sudden lurch. Some of the imagery is bizarre, with dream sequences being truly disturbing. Even when it is a scene solely including Marvel’s most prominent characters, Coleman finds a way to make it seem “not right.” The fight at the end of the comic is terrific, with horrifying monsters illustrated with tremendous detail. Costumes are blended with new looks to be truly breathtaking. 

The colouring is clever. The swap from reality to alternate realms is almost imperceptible at first glance. Everything gets just slightly darker, the shades turning sickly and uncomfortable. In some instances, it may be difficult to truly make out what we can see, but then it was a gut punch when I realized. The lettering is dynamic and amazing when it comes to denoting tone and volume. When a character is losing confidence, the font gets smaller and tails off.

Iron Man and Hellcat Annual #1 is a wonderful love letter to Patsy Walker. If this is her send-off from Cantwell’s series, it is a fantastic final part. Throughout that first arc, Patsy’s trauma and history with Hell and marriages have been violently reminisced about but never shown. This annual brings that to life in a chilling fashion. Those demons (some literally) are put in front of her to face through incredibly intelligent scripting and artwork.

Iron Man and Hellcat Annual #1 is available where comics are sold.

Rating: 5/5

Iron Man and Hellcat Annual #1
5

TL;DR

Iron Man and Hellcat Annual #1 is a wonderful love letter to Patsy Walker… Throughout that first arc, Patsy’s trauma and history with Hell and marriages have been violently reminisced about but never shown. This annual brings that to life in a chilling fashion. Those demons (some literally) are put in front of her to face through incredibly intelligent scripting and artwork.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo,’ Episode 1
Next Article REVIEW: Taron Egerton Shines in ‘Black Bird’
William Tucker

William is a screenwriter with a love of comics and movies. Once referred to Wuthering Heights as "the one with the Rabbits."

Related Posts

Cover art for Fantastic Four Issue 2

REVIEW: ‘Fantastic Four’ Issue 2

08/13/2025
Cover art of Predator Kills The Marvel Universe Issue 1

REVIEW: ‘Predator Kills the Marvel Universe’ Issue 1

08/13/2025
Cover art of Ultimate Spider-Man Incursion Issue 3

REVIEW: ‘Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion’ Issue 3

08/13/2025
cover art for Uncanny X-Men Issue 19

REVIEW: ‘Uncanny X-Men’ Issue 19

08/06/2025
Cover art for One World Under Doom Issue 6

REVIEW: ‘One World Under Doom’ Issue 6

08/06/2025
Cover art for Ultimates Issue 14

REVIEW: ‘Ultimates’ Issue 14

07/30/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Still from Shin Godzilla
8.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘Shin Godzilla’ Is More Relevant Than Ever

By Sarah Musnicky08/16/2025Updated:08/17/2025

It is understandable how Shin Godzilla succeeded at the box office nearly a decade ago. The strength of its story still stands today.

Botanical Bliss Update Palia But Why Tho 5 News

Palia’s New Botanical Bliss Update Brings New Flora, Decorations, And Quest Mechanic

By Matt Donahue08/18/2025Updated:08/18/2025

The Botanical Bliss update adds new event, more plushes, and a host of quality-of-life improvements and more to celebrate 2 years of Palia.

BOOTS Netflix First Look promotional images News

First Look at Coming-of-Age Story BOOTS, Coming to Netflix This October

By But Why Tho?08/17/2025

Netflix is reporting for duty this fall with the new eight-episode series BOOTS, a comedic drama starring Miles Heizer and Vera Farmiga

Nuestra Magia Secret Lair Art Interviews

EXCLUSIVE: How The ‘Nuestra Magia’ Secret Lair Found Its Identity And Raised Over $1M

By Kate Sánchez08/15/2025Updated:08/15/2025

We spoke with Ovidio Cartagena about Magic: The Gathering’s Nuestra Magia Secret Lair drop, its impact, and the real treasure within.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here