REVIEW: ‘Invincible Iron Man,’ Issue #7

Invincible Iron Man #7 is published by Marvel, written by Gerry Duggan, art by Juan Frigeri, colors by Bryan Valenza, and letters by Joe Caramagna. Tony Stark and Rhodey attack a Stark Unlimited facility containing the new Stark Sentinels, determined to stop them before they take flight.

The plot for this issue is superb, coming in with intense punches early in the issue. As soon as the mission starts, the pace is high as Iron Man makes the first move into the facility. Duggan uses elements from previous Iron Man runs to aid Stark and Rhodey with their invasion, something some readers may have forgotten about. Once inside, the fight kicks off in earnest, but there is a clever twist that shakes things up. There are new pieces of technology and advancements made in Invincible Iron Man #7, progressing the story even further. The comic then proceeds to get louder and more explosive, like a release of tension. But the quiet after that is when the consequences of what Tony did come back to haunt him. Duggan pens this part brilliantly, brutally retaliating. It also cleverly ties in with his X-Men run, combining two series with an enticing story.

The dialogue in this comic is great, but the best writing comes from the narration. Still part of his autobiography, the matter-of-fact nature of the captions provides clarity through all the catastrophic chaos. It’s not eloquent, but it’s authentic to the character. It’s filled with the resentment and self-loathing Tony often has after the fact, buried in a slump he can’t fix due to not being able to drink anymore. What also shines in this issue is the banter between Tony and Rhodey. The first time in a while that they have gone into a fight together; it is so fun having them riff off each other once more. Although they have had differences, they are bound to each other and have been friends for years, which makes it even more painful toward the end of the issue.

The art is phenomenal. This is a fantastic issue for technology and machinery. Not only do the suits of armor that Stark and Rhodey use look incredible, but there is a fleet of giant Sentinels that look Like Iron Man inside the factory as well. But Friger ensures that it isn’t just an army of clones, with each robot getting an individual design. They haven’t been completely constructed yet, so some have faceplates and pieces missing. The detail on all of the tech is incredible. The book can balance being noisy and hectic but also grant small moments of quiet and poise. But when there are explosions, it is cacophonous and big. 

The colors are interesting, as many of the pages follow a particular pattern. Most of the panels are grey and dark, apart from panels on the armor of either the Sentinels or Iron Man. These are red and gold, those trademark shades synonymous with the character. But in the final act of the comic, things get brighter and more vibrant as it’s a new day, as if the sulking around and covert activities have lifted. The lettering brings in a new custom word balloon as an armor is introduced, and it is both cool and easy to read.

Invincible Iron Man #7 is exhilarating. A great story of attempted payback, the issue is action-packed and filled with exciting moments. This unofficial crossover between Iron Man and the X-Men generates a really interesting storyline for both sets of heroes, especially for Iron Man. He’s facing a new nemesis, one who has already made Tony Stark angry but is now using his stuff to harm those Stark likes. That is never a good idea.

Invincible Iron Man #7 is available where comics are sold.