Genre: Superhero | Writer: Fred Van Lente | Artist: James Cordeiro | Release Date: 2017
Writing
Heart of Steel delivers a streamlined, all-ages reimagining of Iron Man’s origin—one that’s accessible, action-packed, and simple enough to serve as a gateway for younger readers or newcomers. The script covers a lot: public controversy, a glider crash, a forced alliance, and a makeshift suit showdown. But for longtime fans, it treads very familiar ground with few surprises.
The best parts of the writing come from character dynamics. Professor Yinsen's antagonism toward Stark adds a nice emotional wrinkle to what could’ve been a flat survival narrative. Instead of just being a grateful sidekick, Yinsen challenges Tony’s legacy and makes the origin more morally charged. Their reluctant team-up—two men from different worlds forced to work together—is the core of the issue, and it’s effective, even if somewhat rushed.
That said, some story beats don’t make much sense. The villain’s logic is cartoonishly flimsy—why A.I.M., with all its scientific power, is robbing the Treasury is anyone’s guess. Also, the setup with Madripoor and mutant crab mechs (yes, you read that right) feels undercooked and a bit too Fallout-lite to leave a lasting impression.
Still, the pacing is tight, the transitions are smooth, and the final explosion is satisfying. The book plants seeds for future conflict, especially with the Scientist Supreme, who makes a stylish debut but doesn’t get much depth here. Overall, the writing does just enough to keep things engaging but lacks the punch or innovation to make this reimagining stand out from better Iron Man origin stories.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Art Style
The visuals in Heart of Steel carry the book harder than the plot does. The art is clean, colorful, and sleek—perfectly suited for the younger demographic but with just enough detail to keep older readers interested. The opening sequence of Iron Man suiting up is genuinely exciting. The suit design strikes a strong balance between futuristic and functional, and it looks great in action panels.
The battle against the oversized robot at the U.S. Treasury has a fun, animated flair, almost like a Saturday morning cartoon come to life. The robot’s design, while goofy, works visually. It’s imposing enough to kick off the action and exaggerated enough to remind readers this isn’t meant to be ultra-serious.
The standout designs belong to A.I.M. and the Scientist Supreme. The lab environments are classic evil-genius territory, and the Supreme herself is presented with an unexpected flair—confident, sharp, and yes, pretty damn attractive for a supervillain scientist. The makeshift Iron Man suits look bulky but believable for an improvised armor built under duress, and their unleashing against A.I.M. grunts is kinetic and satisfying.
The transitions—especially between the past and present scenes—are smoothly handled. There’s a nice visual rhythm to the flashbacks, and the muted color palette during those moments contrasts well with the bright, punchy present-day scenes. Facial expressions are expressive without being exaggerated, and action is easy to follow.
The art carries the weight of some underwhelming plot choices and delivers energy and motion that keeps the comic visually engaging.
Rating: 4 out of 5
The Verdict
In the end, Marvel Adventures Iron Man, Issue 1 - Heart of Steel is a visually sharp, if narratively safe, retelling of Iron Man’s origin. While the plot plays it a bit too safe and silly in spots, the artwork and character moments make it worth a read. Marvel Adventures Iron Man, Issue 1 - Heart of Steel gets 3 out of 5.
Comments
Post a Comment