- Written by: Joshua Williamson
- Art by: Carmen Carnero
- Colors by: Nolan Woodard
- Letters by: VC’s Joe Caramagna
- Cover art by: Ryan Stegman, Frank Martin (cover A)
- Cover price: $5.99
- Release date: January 28, 2026
Iron Man #1, by Marvel on 1/28/26, watches Tony Stark get blindsided by A.I.M. during a gala celebrating his own charitable legacy.
First Impressions
You walk away from this issue satisfied but slightly frustrated. Williamson nails Tony’s voice and delivers brisk pacing that keeps momentum tight, but the opening feels more like an extended setup than a complete story arc. The comic entertains and promises intrigue, yet leaves you hungry for actual consequences rather than just threats. The MCU callback works, but the issue rides that nostalgia a bit too hard instead of standing on its own legs.
Plot Analysis
Tony opens the issue by building armor in a cave, immediately echoing his origin story, but we soon learn the memory is a re-enactment staged by Madam Masque as a test for a Tony Stark wannabe. Elsewhere, in Los Angeles we find Iron Man, where he defeats Blizzard using stolen Roxxon tech. Iron Man’s effortlessly clever, spotting the design flaw that locks up the armor at extreme temperatures and weaponizing it against his opponent. Back in Malibu, Tony arrives late to his own Tony Stark Award ceremony via hoverbike instead of armor, keeping his promise to Melinda May to leave the suit behind for one night.
The gala celebrates people who received Stark grants, and Tony meets Adam Ware, an educator using technology to democratize learning. During Tony’s emotional speech about his father Howard’s legacy of giving and innovation, the event gets interrupted by Madame Masque, who crashes the party with A.I.M. operatives. While the chaos unfolds, Tony ducks out to grab armor, but the kidnapping proves coordinated across the globe. A.I.M. simultaneously strikes eleven locations, snatching multiple Tony Stark Award nominees including Adam Ware himself.
Tony discovers the pattern from his workshop in New Mexico and realizes his own handpicked recipients were targeted. He calls an emergency meeting with Steve Rogers at the Illuminati’s old location, implying he’d hidden contingencies for a nightmare scenario he created long ago. The final reveal shows Avengers leadership discussing how to take down Tony Stark, suggesting the real threat isn’t stopping A.I.M., it’s the consequences of whatever Tony built in the past.
Writing
Williamson structures this issue like a screenplay, cutting cleanly between action, character moments, and exposition without letting any section drag. The cave opening delivers Tony’s greatest hits immediately, and the Blizzard fight punches through in tight, economical panels. Dialogue consistently sounds like Tony thinking out loud, from his quips about tech flaws to his awkward conversation with Adam Ware. The problem is the issue doesn’t complete a story arc; it sets up pieces. You get introduction, threat, and cliffhanger but zero resolution. The writing asks readers to invest in questions that won’t get answered for months.
Art
Carmen Carnero excels at staging action and character beats with dynamic layouts that guide your eye without confusion. The cave opening feels claustrophobic and desperate. The party scenes breathe with energy, and when A.I.M. crashes the gala, her compositions sell the sudden shift from celebration to chaos. Nolan Woodard’s color palette shifts smartly between scenes, using warmer tones for the gala’s optimism and cooler blues for the threatening A.I.M. sequences. The visual clarity never wavers, making every action beat readable. However, the art occasionally feels like it’s working harder to compensate for a script that’s more setup than payoff.
Character Development
Tony reads as confident and slightly reckless, staying true to the character while hitting familiar beats. His speech about Howard Stark demonstrates genuine reflection, though the moment feels obligatory rather than earned by the issue itself. Adam Ware exists as a sympathetic target but hasn’t earned enough page time to feel real. Madame Masque’s appearance is functional but impersonal. The issue doesn’t ask much of its characters beyond hitting plot points, which means nobody develops beyond their introduction.
Originality and Concept Execution
The core concept, a nightmare Tony created that’s now coming back to haunt him, has potential and mirrors the MCU’s exploration of Tony’s hubris. The execution, though, leans heavily on MCU callbacks rather than forging its own identity. Williamson channels the films so directly that comic-only readers might feel they’re watching a movie in panel form. The mystery of what A.I.M. actually wants and how Tony’s contingencies factor in keeps the concept fresh, but this issue doesn’t execute the premise itself; it just promises it will happen next issue.
Positives
The action sequences deliver genuine excitement. Carnero’s choreography during the Blizzard fight shows why fighting on Tony’s terms always ends in his favor, using intelligence as the real weapon. The tonal shift from gala to kidnapping catches you off guard and escalates tension effectively. Williamson’s dialogue nails Tony’s voice, making every scene with him entertaining even when the plot treads familiar ground. The mystery hook at the end genuinely makes you want to see issue two, proving Williamson understands how to end on a beat that demands continuation. Joe Caramagna’s lettering stays clean and readable, supporting the art without calling attention to itself.
Negatives
This is a setup issue masquerading as a complete story. You get action, spectacle, and mystery, but nothing actually resolves. Adam Ware deserves more development before you care he’s kidnapped. The issue relies so heavily on MCU visual language and tone that it reads like derivative work rather than a confident new direction. Madame Masque deserves better than a functional appearance that treats her like a plot device. The A.I.M. twist at the end feels manipulative, designed to shock rather than earned through character work. Most critically, this comic asks you to pay $5.99 for a question mark, betting you’ll commit to more purchases before getting answers.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
The Scorecard
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): [2.5/4]
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): [3/4]
Value (Originality & Entertainment): [1/2]
Final Verdict
Iron Man #1 entertains without earning your continued investment. Williamson delivers clean action and confident dialogue, but the issue exists as prologue rather than opening chapter, betting you’ll care enough about mysteries to follow up. For readers hooked on MCU nostalgia and comfortable with slow-burn storytelling, this lands comfortably as worth your time. For readers who want a complete story with actual stakes and character consequence, you’re getting sold a trailer masquerading as a comic. The book’s technically solid and the promise is intriguing, but solid promises don’t justify six dollars when the payoff lives in next month’s issue.
6.5/10
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