ICYMI – The Invincible Iron Man #8: Welcome to the Fall of X

The slow rolling integration of Tony Stark into the massive web of mutant titles has had many readers trepidatious, worried that the book we become less about the Invincible Iron Man and more so just another piece of printing fodder to further bloat out the X line. However, at this point in the game writer Gerry Duggan and company have continued to put those fears to rest. The Invincible Iron Man #8 is an excellent example of how to balance out keeping a character’s story on track whilst being able to tie into a larger universe. At its core, this run continues to be an Iron Man story, which utilizes the ongoing “Fall of X” to further expand and build upon Tony’s current character journey. Neither this book, nor X-Men, are using one another to build upon each other’s ongoing conflicts naturally creating a reading experience that’s satisfying for those reading both titles, as well as those sticking with just one or the other.

This issue picks up with Tony trying to salvage what he can of his life, working with She-Hulk to, in some way, get Rhodey out of prison after the events of issue #7. After this, Tony becomes wrapped up in the fallout of this year’s Hellfire Gala, which sees him go blow to blow against a group of Stark Sentinels alongside Emma Frost.

Duggan, as a writer, is at his best when he’s doing a very simple thing: character driven set pieces. His best works have been about characters getting to exercise both their surface level struggles while being showcased in settings and scenarios that are creative and epic. His work on Savage Avengers is a strong example of this, but so is this issue. It features Tony and Emma both reeling against their own specific falls, bringing them together for a fantastic battle against Feilong, who has plagued both of them for a little while now.

This is backdropped by some excellent dialogue work, relationship building, and visuals that bring about a sense of thrill as well as grandiosity. Juan Frigeri’s art alongside Bryan Valenza’s colors, continues to be a tour de force on this title. They illustrate action scenes with a sense of motion and ferocity, utilizing the visual potential of the book’s settings to bring out some of the stories themes in ways that build atmosphere.

The more the two are written together, the more charming Emma Frost and Tony Stark become as a character pair. While this issue makes it somewhat clear that their coming marriage will not be one of romance, it does however establish that the two somehow wind up brining out the best in one another. Tony is heroic and bold, while Emma is calculated and strangely warmhearted. Duggan, through his action and put setups, is able to depict both accurately whilst making a great argument as to why the two work so well together.

As both a piece of Krakoa’s fall and Tony Stark’s battle to reclaim himself, this issue fits perfectly. It is beyond satisfying to see both these stories being to reach a combination point that only elevates each one respectively.