Astonishing Iceman #1: It’s N(ICE) To See You Again

Iceman as a character has changed a lot over the last decade or so. Before the Krakoan era, it was revealed that Iceman was a closeted gay man, who’s lifelong fight as an oppressed mutant led to his fear of outing himself and making his life even harder. Bobby explained his many relationships with women as his version of acting out since he was internally fighting so hard to repress a major aspect of his being. This was a huge, headline of a reveal that sent shockwaves through the comic book community, until it didn’t. Shortly after this reveal, Marvel decided to put the X-Men back into the toy chest, in favor of building up a potentially profitable franchise in the Inhumans. Bobby continued to make appearances in various comics, including his own solo series, but always seemed to fall into obscurity when compared to some more popular X-Men. All of that changed when House of X/Powers of X dropped, breathing new life into the X-Men and Marvel’s mutants, including Iceman. Fast forward to today, Iceman is finally getting the spotlight once again in Astonishing Iceman #1.

Following the end of The Hellfire Galla 2023, the question on many reader’s minds was, how in the world is Iceman going to come back to life for his own solo mini-series? Well thankfully, Astonishing Iceman #1 answers that question almost immediately while also setting up Iceman for the spotlight he’s deserved since the beginning of the Krakoan Era. Unlike some of the other Marvel offerings as of late, Astonishing Iceman is quick to the punch, quickly breezing through the heavy points of continuity that have brought the story to where it is now.

Steve Orlando perfectly captures everything that makes Iceman great as a character, from the carefree attitude all the way down to the obnoxious ice puns that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze sigh. He also doesn’t shy away from the queer aspects of the character, unapologetically putting Bobby’s sexuality on full display. It’s clear that Orlando understands this character on a deep level and is the perfect writer for a solo series that is able to take elements from Bobby’s past and current status quo to tell a strong and compelling narrative. The crux of this story revolves around Bobby’s need to do the right thing despite the ticking clock he has while away from his ice castle with Romeo. Orchis is very upset that Bobby has returned to life, seeing his return as a way for their operation to be discredited. This petty act of hatred towards Iceman is the perfect foil to the seemingly boundless pressure he feels to do the right thing. 

Vincenzo Carratu and Javier Tartaglia’s art here sell a unique depiction of Iceman that is unlike what many may be used to, yet it works incredibly well in this context. When the Fall of X designs were announced, it appeared that Bobby would look similar to his portrayal in the Fox Days of Future Past costume only for that to be revealed to be Romeo. In fact Iceman is looking more dashing than ever, with a sleek and clean design that extenuates his spiked hair, with some accents on his body that mimic a vest, belt, and cuffs with an X on them. The way Carratu draws Iceman sliding through the city is reminiscent of his more classic iterations, giving this book a nostalgic feel. Tartaglia does a great job in shading and adding texture to Bobby’s ice, bringing everything to life in a way only befitting of a comic of this caliber. Ultimately, this art team understood their assignment, and delivered in spades.

The secondary character of Astonishing Iceman #1 Romeo, deserves a spotlight in and of itself. Romeo uses his Inhuman abilities to bring Bobby back to life, purely based on their bond together, and continues to use those same powers to help Bobby in his pursuit of stopping Orchis and saving mutants around the world. Romeo claims this is because he knows Orchis will come for Inhumans once they are done with mutants, but it’s clear that he is here for Bobby first and foremost. This honest and powerful portrayal of love is a fantastic foundation for this book to build upon, with this strong first issue shining a bright light for the future of this series.

Travis Lanham’s letters here strongly support the actions on the page. One section in particular features Bobby reforming in front of his ice castle and slowly walking up to the door. Lanham inserts some fun onomatopoeia here, “Thut Thut Thut,” which really accentuates the action on the page. This is followed by Bobby creating a friendly snowman to talk to, whose creation is also accompanied by some fun onomatopoeia. These little details add a lot of flavor to the issue, building upon and accentuating the details on each page.