Writer: Jason Aaron
Penciller: James Towe
Cover Artists: Aaron Kuder and Jason Keith
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit

“There was a Tony Stark out there even more messed up than me!” – Tony Stark/Iron Man.

Synopsis:

“Stark Repair”
Ant in a bottle. The pillars are in place. The essential Avengers from throughout the Multiverse have been assembled. All but one. A Tony Stark is needed. But the only one available is a man the size of an ant with a huge problem.

Positives:
Jason Aaron adds another dimension to Tony Stark as this series is all about Assembling Avengers from the entire Multiverse…an army of Thors, Carol Danvers, and Steve Rogers….Whew! But that last piece is huge in that Aaron explores all the demons that haunt Tony Stark.
Iron Man fans will get that Tony spends a lot of time in a bottle. However, when he is allowed to meet some of his Multiverse alter-egos, he quickly realizes that one is never as good or bad as one imagines.

Kudos to Aaron, who explores all aspects of Stark’s traumas, from alcoholism to being an egomaniac. It is quite a “This is Your Life” story that arguably takes us into the holiday season.

Positives 2.0
While the art is soft and simplistic, it is probably the best in that a sharper pen could not be taken in such a dramatic story. The art lends itself to a “happier” ending on a theme of brokenness. The cover art is perfect and should be a poster board for anyone battling addiction. I cannot give enough compliments to that visual by Aaron Kuder!

Negatives
That’s a LOT of Tonys…and Thors…and Carols….and Steves… you get the picture. What are we doing here? It’s one comic and it’s hard enough to provide enough panels to our regular heroes. When you have multiple versions, it looks like a cash grab for all versions. However, tis the season for gift-giving. Get your cowboy Iron Man right here!

Final Thoughts:

Each story thus far is reminiscent of those “come to terms” movies in how a hero reaches a pit of despair but battles back to be a better version of themselves. I have echoed that in past reviews, but no character needed more redemption and a good look at themselves than Tony Stark. I have to commend Robert Downey Jr. in that he might have brought Tony Stark to the forefront of the Avengers in his cinematic portrayal, but we that have been with Tony for a long time hope that these revelations help him be a better version of himself.

8.5/10