Advance Review: Darkhold Iron Man#1

Following the events of Darkhold Alpha we have the impact of the Darkhold on the Marvel Universe, starting with Tony Stark and his Invincible Iron Man suit.  But what the Darkhold sees is a corruption that resides in the dark under folds of many a Marvel hero.

We all know the story of Tony’s escape from a cave, the shrapnel, the suit and of course the girl who loves him.  All these elements are still present, though one key part is twisted; the armour that once saved him has him in a prison of sorts.  It’s quite an ingenious problem, that hides a kind of horrific version of what makes you stronger, is out to kill you!

Writer Ryan North has created a dark tale of suspense that is really quite impressive.  North weaves the charismatic  Tony that we all love with the negative side of obsession, that we have seen played out in the comics and the MCU a few times.  True, Tony’s heart is in the right place (two centimetres from some shrapnel?), but his constant need to fix things could lead to his downfall.  North uses Pepper Potts as the main voice of the book, giving the monologue  a kind other bodily, is it really happening kind of feel.  You can’t help but get entwined in events, which is probably the most insidious part of the whole comic.

The art is provided by Guillermo Sanna who goes for an off kilter style which plays into the horror vibe of a mad scientist extremely well.  I would say that the art reminds me of Mike Mignola, but is more blocky than that.  It’s an odd style that may take some getting used to, but it s certainly worth putting the effort in.  In return, you get to see the decline of Tony and his descent into…. well that would be spoiling it!  The Mignola effect may have something to do with the excellent colors of Ian Herring who gives the book a pulpy feel of the 1950’s.  VC’s Clayton Cowles rounds of the team, again showing his flexibility here with a font that is larger than you may expect, ensuring that the vibe of the book is maintained throughout.

Alternative realities are all the rage at the moment, be it multiversal or one created by a third party, in this case the Darkhold.  For me, therein lies the problem.  It wasn’t that long ago when I reviewed Dark Ages; that mini series isn’t due to end until Jan 2022 and of course it wasn’t that long ago we had the second generation of Heroes Reborn.  So my question is, are readers that bored of the regular heroes and continuity now?  Regardless of the timing, this is a fun read, with clever twists that may well surprise you.

Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars

Overall – 5 Stars

Written by; Ryan North
Art by; Guillermo Sanna
Colors by; Ian Herring
Letters by; VC’s Clayton Cowles
Published by; Marvel Worldwide Inc.