“Marvel Mangaverse: Iron Knight #1” Review – Hearts Filled With Red

The Run Down

As a comic book or manga reader, have you ever had that thought of “why’s everyone talking about this writer”? Well, for me, one such writer was Cody Ziglar, strictly because I had never read anything from him. Well, after reading this issue of Marvel’s Mangaverse anniversary event, I see I’ve been messing up and need to change that!

Following from the previous issue, this one introduces us to this universe’s Riri Williams aka Ironheart. When the city got taken over by yokai, Riri lost the most important thing in her world: her best friend. Now determined to kill the yokai that killed her friend, she teams up with the illustrious Moon Knight. Is this the best decision she could’ve made, or the worst? Well, find out with me as I review Cody Ziglar’s “Marvel Mangaverse: Iron Knight #1”!

Writer: Cody Ziglar
Penciler: Kei Zama
Inkers: Kei Zama, Wayne Faucher
Colorist: Arif Prianto
Letterer: Ariana Maher

The Writing

So as I previously stated, I’m entirely new to Cody Ziglar’s work and I’m now mad that no one, including myself, got me into his stuff sooner! The way he wrote this singular issue was simply astounding. From the first page to the last, Ziglar manages to keep the reader guessing as each page turns. Not once was I able to predict where the story would go and the twists are cleverly hidden in plain sight. Along the way, he manages to slowly build to the grand reveals and they’re done in a way that makes complete sense.

Also, in just this set of 25 pages, he manages to build a whole backstory for not just one, but arguably five characters! If you know anything about writing, then you know doing something like that is no easy feat. That fact is especially true when introducing them as brand new characters into a previously established universe. Marvel’s Mangaverse event is still just ramping up and if Ziglar was wanting to write a solo Riri story in the mainline, this may just be his ticket in!

The Art

However, two of the things that are just as important as the writing are the penciling and inking of the pages. Here, the jobs were done by the fantastic duo of Kei Zama and Wayne Faucher! The two of them together managed to bring so much life and detail to each page, using the lines to truly make the panels pop. They also do this really cool thing of switching up the vibe every so often. Whether it be through the detailing or the shot, some panels feel horrifying while others feel magical. All in all, they truly kicked this books ass, for lack of a better word.

When it comes to the colors, Arif Prianto hit a home run. With him at the helm, everything just felt grounded and real when needed. On the flip side, he managed to give the page god-like levels of aura when the story called for it. From bright gold to dark red and various shades of blue, looking at each page was like eye candy feeding right to my soul.

Lastly comes the lettering from Ariana Maher. Per usual, she absolutely killed it. The sounds were bombastic and the way she designed each speech bubble gave the characters that much more personality. While not talked about enough, lettering can add so much to a book when done correctly and Maher continues to prove that with every page she graces.

Final Thoughts

Cody Ziglar and his crew absolutely brought this home and made it a five-star meal. If you weren’t a fan of Riri before, then allow Ziglar to change your mind. This was a truly insane and intense ride from start to finish and the perfect lead into next weeks issue!

Overall Grade: 10/10

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Comments

Are you a fan of Cody Ziglar or Riri Williams? What are you thinking of the Mangaverse anniversary event so far? Let’s discuss in the comments below!