This issue does everything you need it to. It moves the plot along, is self-contained, has great art, clever fights and leaves me wanting more. Couldn't be more pleased. Read Full Review

I liked this one.  I think Arthur and the Circle have some real potential to be reoccurring foes for IM.  Arthur, Merlin and Lancelot in particular were pretty well developed by Kieron Gillen in just one issue.  So yeah, bottom line here?  This was another good, solid comic.  It wasn't spectacular, but it was good, and that's all I really need. Read Full Review

Additionally, this comic starts off strong, but does stumble at the end, with Gillen essentially ending the jousting match via cheat code, pulling the plug arbitrarily rather than organically. (The science behind this spectacle does feel a little light still, making the solution feel groan-worthy.) Still, the concept alone is a strong one, as Tony Stark struts his stuff with style. Marvel's modern-day knight may have his flaws, but he's still undeniably entertaining. Read Full Review

I honestly have no freaking idea what happened this issue. I mean, I'm clear on the events that took place. Tony travels to an island, fights some crazy cultists in high tech suits and that's that. The pacing just seems to have abruptly slowed. Last issue it was all "Extremis is loose on the world! Gotta' stop it before it spreads!" And this week, in the first few pages no less, Tony's just chillin' by the pool (albeit working on a new AI). This issue just didn't really seem that spectacular. Read Full Review

Although writer Kieron Gillen is pretty heavy-handed with the Arthurian references and let's Iron Man cheat his way out of a competition he should be able to easily win, the comic introduces a couple of intriguing ideas and a new stable of enemies for our hero. Worth a look. Read Full Review

Out of all the Marvel NOW titles I'm currently reading, 'Iron Man' falls somewhere in the middle. So far, the story is okay, but with a great creative team on it, hopefully it gets better. Read Full Review

One interesting bit -- this issue features a note from Kieron Gillen about how he's approaching this series as a more improvisational work than his Journey Into Mystery, which was meticulously plotted from page one. I know the next arc has Iron Man going into space like how Fraction ended the last run, so that inspires confidence in where this title's going. Which makes me wonder if this first arc is just meant to be a (here's that word again) transitional story where fans of Invincible Iron Man are eased into the next era. Kieron's a music guy, he knows all about those kinds of records. Read Full Review

Merlin isn't really a foe; she is more of a playful enemy, but certainly not evil. She creates five sets of iron armor with five different soldiers in them, each with their own specialties. Iron Man adjusts his armor between each match-up, switching out thrusters for dohickies and whatnot. He defeats all of Merlin's warriors without any issues. Iron Man barely gets a scratch from the fights. Read Full Review

"Iron Man" #2 is already showing the cracks in the armor, so to speak, which is a bad sign. Gillen and Land have worked together more successfully on "Uncanny X-Men," so for "Iron Man" to already start slowing down is a bit worrisome. This new "Iron Man" isn't offering up anything particularly new or innovative so far that warranted a renumbering of the series. Two issues in, "Iron Man" is in need of a tune-up to get things moving a bit faster. Read Full Review