Ultimate Iron Man (2005 series) #1

Comments: Ultimate Iron Man first appeared in ULTIMATE MARVEL TEAM-UP #4. This series is no longer considered canon because of conflicts with THE ULTIMATES and has been retconned as a fictional Japanese anime version, designated Earth-55921. First appearance of Howard Stark, Maria Stark, Loni Stark, Zebediah Stane, Si Ma, Nero. Dave Stewart contributed to the colors, Virtual Calligraphy to the lettering. Issue includes a one-page text article by editor Nick Lowe, introducing the creative team.

Review: So…first things first. This is a highly entertaining story, not a dreary mess like most of the other Ultimate tales that aren’t Spider-Man. And things are very much different: the classic Iron Man origin begins with Tony Stark demonstrating a new weapon in Vietnam; this one begins a little further back viz. his parents meeting for the first time. Regular Tony Stark steps into the comics as an accomplished adult; Ultimate Tony Stark isn’t even born until issue #2 and we get to see him grow up over the next four issues. Regular Tony Stark is a playboy who needs the armor to keep his damaged heart beating; Ultimate Tony Stark is a biological freak who needs armor to stay alive from birth. TALES OF SUSPENSE #39 wrapped it all up in 13 pages; this version takes up five full issues and ends abruptly before Tony even dons the real armor.
And so it goes. Beloved sci-fi writer Orson Scott Card, of ENDER’S GAME fame, writes a compelling reimagining of the familiar hero, in greater detail and at greater length. Here we lay a lot of groundwork, introducing the blue bio-armor and the villains Loni Stark and Zebediah Stane, bringing that surname into the series a lot sooner. And there’s also a lot of scientific talk about how this baby is going to be different, so we know what to look for in issues to come. And that brutally terse final announcement is painful and didn’t need the extra panel of Howard’s shocked look which could not compete with what was in my imagination.