The Vision #1

Writer – Tom King
Artist – Gabriel Hernandez Walta
Colours – Jordie Bellaire

Reading The Vision, of which this is the first issue, is like watching a documentary and that being in the best possible connotation. Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta have delivered one of the most unexpected and diverse books to come out of Marvel’s latest relaunch and where you know what to expect from most of those titles, The Vision was a big question mark. When the solicits went out months ago stating that Vision now had a family and would be moving to the suburbs, it was met with more than a little skepticism. For one, what is the point and two, the book is probably going to fail faster than he can phase through a wall. It is good to say then that the book is highly captivating, meaning it is nearly impossible to put it down and part of that is how King frames it and puts it across to the reader, like a documentary or a reality television show. It is not as if there is a ton of action or comedy or even drama, though all of these are present, it is merely for the fact that we are treated to a few days in the life of Vision and his family and maybe it is because you have no idea what is going to happen that you cannot turn away. Aside from family man, the title now finds Vision working for the President of the United States as well as looking for a job that pays actual money as the Avengers no longer draw salaries. We are also privy to what everyone’s reactions are to our hero and his family, including the neighbours and the local school kids, not to mention our new favourite family’s thoughts on their surroundings which may not be the same as most would tend to think. King also sets up a bit of a mystery just to keep things interesting during the first half of the book, something that is almost forgotten by the time you reach the end but lies there, tickling the back of your memory. Great artwork by Walta, great story and with the sheer zaniness of the premise which is executed to perfection, it makes The Vision a must-read by any standard.

5 out of 5

Invincible Iron Man #3

Writer – Brian Michael Bendis
Artist – David Marquez
Colours – Justin Ponsor

It is not very often that Tony Stark loses, as Tony Stark or as Iron Man. That is exactly what happens though as he faces off against ta mystically powered-up Madame Masque and after said defeat, Tony has a little crisis of conscience. Brian Michael Bendis ‘gets’ Tony and he understands him so that when you read this book, you immediately get him too. With a possible new love interest introduced last issue in Amara; it is she that Tony runs to so that he can talk because as he puts it, he really does not have a lot of real friends. Though we know little of Amara, she is eminently likeable and seems to be a good fit for our hero. On the flipside, the villain of this book and Tony’s ex – Whitney Frost, better known as Madame Masque – is the perfect Iron Man villain. She and Tony have a love/hate relationship and are more often enemies than not. She is also psychologically damaged, so much so that few really understand her which speaks volumes because Tony does. The reason for Whitney collecting all of these magical items is still left undiscovered, but at the moment, she is more powerful than Tony is and even after a visit with Doctor Strange, it remains to be seen if Tony will be able to best her. Bendis throws in a bit of humour and it ends up being some of the funniest dialogue he has put to paper in quite some time. That humour is aided immensely by the stunning pencils of David Marquez and while some of it might seem juvenile, it is utterly hilarious. With Whitney Frost running rampant, some new mystery villains, Doctor Doom trying to be a good guy and looking too handsome, Tony needing to figure how everything fits together both personally and professionally – the man has his hands full. it may not be the best time to be Iron Man, but it is to be a reader of his book.

4.5 out of 5