IRON MAN vol. 3 #54 (399)
(July, 2002) "Book of the Ten Rings, chapter two."
Cover art: Mike Grell.
Script: Mike Grell.
Art: Michael Ryan/Sean Parsons.
Ayisha has returned, and she is seeking Tony Stark's help -- to kill herself! The Stark-invented weapons system has integrated itself into Ayisha's body, and it will not let her commit suicide to escape her technological nightmare! It tortures her with chemical injections, "rewarding" her when she "obeys," and "penalizes" her when she does wrong. When Tony refuses to kill her, she proceeds to pummel the crap out of him, hoping that will "persuade" him! It doesn't, so Ayisha takes off to harm one of Stark's closest friends -- Pepper Hogan!
Elsewhere, the Mandarin's supposed son is getting instruction on how to take up the mantle of his father, but he seems awfully reluctant. Grell succeeds here with a twist I'm willing to bet not many readers foresaw -- Mandy's son chastises his pop via conversation with his assistant Po, and does not relish "taking up the family business." The drug known as "Sleeping Dragon" is linked to Mandy, Stark and Ayisha....but how do all the pieces fit? Stand by!
Ryan's/Parsons' art remains so-so, although Iron Man sure is well-done. (But a tear running down the facemask after Pepper is near death? Yeesh. How 'bout the 'ol half helmet, half face pics that are staples of Iron Man/Stark, not to mention Spider-Man/Peter Parker? That would make a lot more sense, and keep true to the armor functions...not that Grell has seemed overly concerned about that.) Grell gains a bit more respect with the Mandy son twist, and a decent turn of events with Ayisha.
Hube's Recommendation: 3 repulsors!
Fan Reaction: I read your IM #54 review. I LOVED your comment about the tear on the helmet - dead on about Grell. I thought your review was way too positive though. A glaring problem with the issue, I thought, was Tony's inability to kill or help Ayisha. I mean, tell me Tony wouldn't have some ideas for ways she could appear human, even while being a cyborg? Worse offense yet, I think, was that he couldn't - WOULDN'T - kill her. How honorable a man is this? The woman is suffering mightily from a technology of HIS design and construction. Yet, this man cannot bring himself to commit what is surely a mercy killing? This is the same man that led a faction of Avengers to kill the Supreme Intelligence in "Operation: Galactic Storm!" This is the same man that was at odds with Cap for years because of it. And now, in what would be a merciful act, he's defiant. Of all things, he's defiant!! "Kill me and be done with it!" - that doesn't sound remorseful to me, it doesn't seem like there's any regret there. What happened to the Tony Stark that was on an island not long ago wanting to die like a man - doesn't he want Ayisha to die with similar dignity, instead of living in a technological prision of his own making? One last thing about this whole Pepper/Tony thing (news of Pepper's pregnancy makes the kiss they almost had in #53 interesting, doesn't it). Pepper said she'd have to get a cat to come home to. What about Socrates? Granted, I'm a dog person anyway, but they could at least have mentioned it. ;) Ok, that's a nit. :) --
Fan Reaction 2: Hube! You are much too kind. I was very much looking forward to Keron Grant's departure from the title. The art was simply ridiculous. It has now improved to horrible! With the number of penciller changes lately, one can only hope that there is a rather decent regular artist team waiting in the wings. I do have one good thing to say about Grell - he is providing some build-up to the Son-o-Mandy story. Too bad he couldn't provide details to the new direction Stark is taking (I know, common, current gripe). I remember, with longing, the build leading into the Dragon Seed Saga - why is it so impossible for more writers to fully develop a story like that? Obviously, the time the writer is allotted with the title has much to do with it but that should be a challenge to the writer, not simply something to be done halfway. The only remaining problem I have with the current storyline is that I don't even remember the most recent occasion of the Mandarin losing his hands (in any of Vol. 3, even). If it did happen, and I've forgotten, then I can only say - what, again?
Two more points:
1) When are writers going to stop expanding upon the horrid guilt of Tony Stark? As if the Crossing TS-murderer fiasco wasn't enough, we then get the 'responsible for the death of Whiplash' story, and now the 'Stark thoughtlessly created super-soldier death-tech' tale. Which leads me to my next point - 2) How in the world did a battlesuit designed to maximize a wounded soldier's battle-effectiveness become a semi-intelligent torture device??? Needless to say, the Ayisha story has me perturbed.
Please, continue to maintain your site! -- TJ
