I Am Iron Man #3
Recap
MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL… One of Iron Man's greatest regrets was his inability to save his mother's life. Iron Man dons new armor, an oni mask and twin plasma katanas on his quest to make his long list of regrets one item shorter. For his mom, he becomes the all-new IRON SHOGUN. This episode is set in the '90s era of Iron Man comics and, just like every other episode, is ideal for new readers as a jumping-on point for the series.
Review
I Am Iron Man #3 is the best entry into this anthology title thus far, balancing out the series’ fable-like themes and writing style with a tale more firmly rooted in a traditional narrative construct. However, this does not diminish the series’ tone and instead serves the story at hand more so than the style of the previous two entries. This issue has a solid emotional core at its center, built around Tony’s long-standing relationship with his mother that weaves itself nicely into a core plot all about Mojoworld.
War Machine is here, but only to help set the scene. The story doesn’t mimic the 90’s Iron Man series as much as it does echo its hallmarks without delving too deeply into the era’s tropes. Mojoworld acting as a vessel for Tony to experience catharsis regarding saving a mother is the best way to utilize celebrative nostalgia. It brings out the best of this character and is nearly necessary for this plot to exist.
Adedotun Akande’s art is the core piece of elevation for this series. The blend of feudal Japanese aesthetics and the cyberpunk dystopia of Mojoworld made for a visual storytelling experience that was always a pleasure to look at. This series has set a gold standard for how plotting and visual storytelling can coalesce into something truly satisfying to read.
Final Thoughts
I Am Iron Man continues to be an excellent and loving anthology series rife with both celebrations and vivid explorations of the Iron Man mythos. This issue stands out as the most story rich, but not necessarily the most thematically deep. However, that trade off makes for an issue with more relatable emotional impact.
I Am Iron Man #3: A Samurai’s Oath
- Writing - 10/1010/10
- Storyline - 9/109/10
- Art - 10/1010/10
- Color - 10/1010/10
- Cover Art - 10/1010/10