Former IRON MAN writer Len Kaminski once opined that he was uncomfortable with the fact that Tony Stark - and, by extension, his armored alter ego - was at once a millionaire industrialist playboy and an upstanding moral citizen. In this day and age, both descriptions seem to be mutually exclusive (yeah, Bill Gates, I'm looking at you, mate). In comicbooks, where things tend to be exaggerated to the Nth degree, this notion seems to lie somewhere out of the realm of possibility.

Yet here we are, in the midst of Clarke and Kubrick's year, and Tony Stark is still inventing, romancing, gallivanting and Avengering. For a character whose impetus lies in being on the cutting edge of technology, Tony Stark comes dangerously close to being Marvel's equivalent of Austin Powers: a collection of outmoded notions, bordering on parody. As hard as initial series writer Kurt Busiek (and later, co-writer Roger Stern) tried, Iron Man's solo exploits since his 1997 relaunch rarely ventured beyond tales told in old-school fashion. The book needed a change.

Once Joe Quesada came on board, change was the order of the day. No sweeping retcons, no radical character revamps; simply, some new ideas and fresh thinking.

Let me get this out of the way right now: yes, Quesada can write. He displays a strong sense of plot and forward motion, and appears to have a good grasp on character relationships (and development of same). His dialogue is somewhat uneven, but his voices are distinct and ring true. Quesada is a truly excellent artist, and has the potential to be what Marvel needs as its recently-installed Editor-in-Chief. But it would be a shame if we didn't see more scriptwork from him in the future, as I feel he can only improve.

And of the story itself? "The Mask In The Iron Man" evokes in its title an allusion to classic literature, and the plot carries this impression through, in its combination of "Frankenstein" and "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde". As a result of an attack by the mercenary Whiplash on New Year's Eve, Stark's armor becomes self-aware, and thus attempts to control all aspects of his life. From his business dealings, to his super-heroing, to his fractious relationship with potential girlfriend Rumiko, Stark rapidly loses control. It is not until after a rematch with Whiplash - a battle with an unexpected result - that Stark is forced to go back to nature in order to outwit the monstrous double he has created.

"The Mask in the Iron Man" is worth noting in terms of artwork: this particular arc saw the exit of regular series artist Sean Chen, with former Quesada assistant Alitha Martinez stepping up to the plate. Chen has certainly come a long way since his days at Valiant, with his detail-heavy technique (rivaling George Perez and Phil Jimenez) having become synonymous with IRON MAN; he'll be missed. Martinez's looser style could have benefited from tighter inking, but shows a good deal of promise - not unlike her mentor.

It seems that of late, stories from the 'House of Ideas' have gone some way in (re)defining a number of their major characters for the new century. Paul Jenkins' take on SPIDER-MAN and the HULK; Kevin Smith's opening arc on DAREDEVIL; Ennis and Dillon on PUNISHER. You can safely add Quesada's "The Mask in the Iron Man" as a singular addition to this list of recent successes. Iron Man is no longer an empty shell...and neither is Tony Stark.

Recommended

[Editor's Note: The material in this review will be collected in IRON MAN: THE MASK IN THE IRON MAN. MASK is a 136 page trade paperback retailing for $14.95, containing IRON MAN (v3) #26-30, and 1/2, and it's coming this May from Marvel Comics.]

Brent A. Keane would really like a suit of armor, if only to safely get a drink at the local pub on a Friday night...

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