Iron Man #9 – To Whip or Not To Whip?

Iron Man #9

Writer – Joshua Williamson

Artist – Carmen Carnero

Colorist – Nolan Woodard

Letter – Joe Caramagna

Cover – Ryan Stegman & Frank Martin

Read the review of the last issue in this series HERE!

The Story:

Tony has his work cut out for him while facing down not one, but two whip wielding villains! Citizen V has come to his rescue again, but when Tony finds out the man under the mask, will he be relieved or terrified?

The Writing:

With each new issue of this series, Joshua Williamson is able to impress with his willingness to embrace the sheer comic bookiness of this series! The scene chewing villains, the damsels in distress, the technobabble, and the last page reveal are all tropes that many modern writers are afraid to dip into. However, Williamson is proving that those tropes are still relevant and new classics can be written while utilizing them. This issue makes good on the promise of a shocking reveal, and while I clocked the reveal early in the issue, it in no way took away from my enjoyment of it. That is another showing of a great writer, even when the reader figures out the mystery early, they still love it when they are proven right!

The Art:

As per usual, the art in this issue is top of it’s class. From the incredible cover by Ryan Stegman and Frank Martin, to the excellent art and colors by Carmen Carnero and Nolan Woodard, each page, every panel, every moment of crackling energy is a feast for the eyes. This issue takes time to go back and explain the first Whiplash’s story from his perspective, and in doing so, the art team gets to go through the years of Iron Man and highlight many different iterations of armors and battles. The highlight of this issue, however, is the lead up to and the reveal on the last page. I have a soft spot for these characters and seeing THAT character in a costume… that was gold for me!

Overall Grade: 10/10

Quips and whips abound in this exellent entry of an already fun series! The fact that this team did brought back a character that I’ve been begging Marvel to bring back for nearly a decade is just the icing on the cake of this fantastic issue! Joshua Williamson, Carmen Carnero, and Nolan Woodard are doing the Lord’s work in bringing back the heart and essence of this long running franchise!

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Have you read this issue? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!