IRON MAN #4: Inside The Issue

Ironheart. The Scarlet Witch. A certain Chicago warehouse complex. Let's talk about the new issue, on sale now, and spoil everything

Edited by Sam Thielman

I'M WRITING IRON MAN FOR MARVEL COMICS! IF YOU PUT IT ON YOUR PULL LIST AT A COMIC STORE (AN ONGOING SUBSCRIPTION WHERE THE STORE RESERVES EACH ISSUE FOR YOU), I'LL SEND YOU FREE STUFF! EMAIL SOME KIND OF RECEIPT TO FOREVERWARS.BULLPEN@GMAIL.COM AND THE SWAG WILL BE YOURS! 

I'M CHEATING WITH THIS ONE. That is, I'm writing this edition almost a week in advance, before IRON MAN #4 is on the shelves, but long after I can change any dialogue or narration. I've reached a point in writing THE TORTURE AND DELIVERANCE OF MAJID KHAN where I need a palette cleanser. I can either lie on the floor or I can use this time productively and if I don't use this time productively it's going to make me want to lie on the floor for even longer, so let's talk about IRON MAN #4, on the shelves by the time you read this! 

I loved writing this issue. One of my favorite storytelling formats for superhero comics is the old fashioned two-parter. An idea too big for 20 pages, but not much more. This two-parter is called "The Machinery of Order" and is primarily drawn by the excellent Javier Pina, recently of BIRDS OF PREY, with a special assist from Rod Reis. (Let me reassure you that Julius Ohta is back on IRON MAN with issue #6 and his pages for our next arc are blowing me away.) The first issue of "The Machinery of Order" writes a check that the second issue cashes. So let me tell you this: IRON MAN #5, the check-cashing issue, was the most challenging comic I've written so far. 

If you're IRON MAN-curious but not a FOREVER WARS subscriber, I'm afraid here's where we part company. You shouldn't go, though. We're just getting started. Why not take advantage of our highly reasonable subscription rates? Even if you dislike or don't care about my journalism, I find that this newsletter often prefigures material I use in my comics work. Makes sense since I only have one brain, right? 

Also, if you have questions about my and Julius' IRON MAN run, I'll be doing a Reddit-style Ask Me Anything tomorrow, Thursday, January 23 over at League of Comic Geeks. Get your questions in and I'll answer them throughout the day. All right—onto the fourth issue, after the paywall.