Invincible Iron Man #9 Review

Written by: Gerry Duggan
Art by: Juan Frigeri
Colors by: Bryan Valenza
Letters by: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover art by: Kael Ngu (cover A)
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: August 23, 2023

Invincible Iron Man #9 finds Tony Stark broken and bested by Feilong while Rhodey suffers in prison. Tony’s only happen is a fugitive mutant and the Hellfire’s Club’s new White King.

Is Invincible Iron Man #9 Good?

Not bad. Invincible Iron Man #9 is not bad at all. Given how the previous few issues morphed into a loos Haellfire Gala tie-in, maybe getting past the Hellfire Gala was the kick in the keister Gerry Duggan needed to settle and refocus.

When last we left Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, Tony was confronted by a pair of Feling’s and Orchis’s Iron Sentinels as they hunted Emma Frost and any mutants in the area during the fallout of the Hellfire Gala attack. In a Hail Mary move, Tony sent his armor to protect Emma Frost and whisk her away to safety, leaving Tony armorless and alone against the Iron Sentinels.

Now, Feilong falls for Tony’s bluff and withdraws. Tony finds a way to give Emma Frost refuge (for now) until they can find a way to free Rhodey from an abusive prison setup, build better armor, and help the few remaining mutants on Earth.

What’s great about this comic? Tony is at a low point (again), but he’s asking for help and using his smarts to find a way out of his problem. It’s unclear what he and Emma Frost plan to do, or if they have a plan yet, but this is one of those rare Iron Man comics where the best version of Tony Stark happens when he allows himself to be humble.

What’s not so great about his comic? Gerry Duggan brings Tony to one of his lowest points as an opportunity to build him back to greatness and better. However, the “let’s make Tony Stark a broken man” trope is getting tiresome. Why can’t Marvel find a way to elevate Iron Man without breaking him first? Other heroes get their shot by facing more powerful villains or having their moral code pushed to the breaking point. Why can’t Marvel find a writer who can do more than show Tony as a deeply flawed narcissist who needs to be humbled before he overcomes? Meh.

How’s the art? Grade A. Juan Frigeri puts in extra effort to emote Tony’s feelings of anguish, pain, and brokenness. Bringing Tony to a low point is a tiresome trope, but give Frigeri credit for making you feel bad for Tony.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces

Invincible Iron Man #9 wrestles with the fallout of the Hellfire Gala but refocuses on Tony Stark at one of his lowest points ever. The “let’s break Tony” trope is becoming tiresome, but credit to Duggan for making it smart, interesting, and painful. Double kudos to Frigeri for gritty, emotional art.