CBR: Fraction Unleashes the "Invincible Iron Man's" Deadly Foes

**CBR News** · 12-19-2011, 01:58 PM

The fiendish Mandarin assembled an army of villains and declared war on Tony Stark and the world in "Invincible Iron Man." CBR News spoke with writer Matt Fraction about his plans for the book.

Full article here.

**Monty_Cristo** · 12-19-2011, 02:11 PM

ought to be fun/well-drawn. i don't know what to think about Split-Lip but it's not a deal breaker or anything. i'll just imagine him as Danny Devito (well...more like Frank from Always Sunny in Philadelphia).

**Pixie_Solanas** · 12-19-2011, 02:14 PM

lol at the Conrad reference dropped on us like a weighted anvil.

**Majinoaw** · 12-19-2011, 02:15 PM

Fraction is at his best here. I love what he's doing with Iron Man, and i love that the art is consistent.

To me, this is what a comic book should be. I'm all in favor of the longform writer, who can incorporate elements from crossovers and the shared universe into his work. Kudos Fraction.

Plus, the Mandarin is now being presented as a serious threat without changing the nature of the character. I like this version of him - Gillen could learn a thing or two after his botched version of Mr. Sinister.

This truly is how you update a villian and make him relevant.

**Sabrewulf** · 12-19-2011, 02:23 PM

Is BLizzard a villain again. I love how Marvel just chooses to ignore Thunderbolts whenever they want to use a villain.

I hope Fraction stays on Iron Man and Thor for a long time to come. I'm not fans of the characters so probably wouldn't buy them anyhow and if he's doing those he won't have time to do Avengers when Bendis leaves.

**Chris McFeely** · 12-19-2011, 02:28 PM

I'm always some vague mixture of amused and disappointed that it always has to be treated as some kind of mini-event when members of Iron Man's rogues gallery actually DO something, given how much the character has moved away from the sort of storytelling that lets him fight a guy that's a laser in the last decade or so.

**tigerkaya** · 12-19-2011, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by Sabrewulf

Is BLizzard a villain again. I love how Marvel just chooses to ignore Thunderbolts whenever they want to use a villain.

I hope Fraction stays on Iron Man and Thor for a long time to come. I'm not fans of the characters so probably wouldn't buy them anyhow and if he's doing those he won't have time to do Avengers when Bendis leaves.

Blizzard was forced back into being a villain since he's been injected with explosive nanites.

**Monty_Cristo** · 12-19-2011, 02:34 PM

Blizzard's story was that he sucked at being a hero. he just wasn't cut out for it. him backsliding into villainy is perfectly within continuity. i'm saying that as someone who has followed Donnie from the beginning. it's tragic but there has to someone that the Thunderbolts can't help (who is not necessariliy evil like Crossbones).

**eh_ver** · 12-19-2011, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by Monty_Cristo

Blizzard's story was that he sucked at being a hero. he just wasn't cut out for it. him backsliding into villainy is perfectly within continuity. i'm saying that as someone who has followed Donnie from the beginning. it's tragic but there has to someone that the Thunderbolts can't help (who is not necessariliy evil like Crossbones).

I think its one thing that he is a villain again, but to stay true to Donnie as a character, I don't think he should be gung ho to destroy a country's water supply. I think its poor management of a character to say villain = murderer. Its odd that the 90s are seen as violence-prone, when in today's comics, every villain is committing murder like its no big deal. It drives me nuts to see that characters who were once considering robbing banks are now psychopaths. not that robbing a bank is okay, but its not the same as killing aimlessly. Sorry. Ranting. Hell, I'm not even reading Iron Man....

**ARCHER9** · 12-19-2011, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by Sabrewulf

Is BLizzard a villain again. I love how Marvel just chooses to ignore Thunderbolts whenever they want to use a villain.

I hope Fraction stays on Iron Man and Thor for a long time to come. I'm not fans of the characters so probably wouldn't buy them anyhow and if he's doing those he won't have time to do Avengers when Bendis leaves.

He's actually being forced into working for Mandarin and Stane.

Maybe you should get a little more info before you launch into one of your rants.

**TonyStark1012** · 12-19-2011, 03:41 PM

Just read the article and I am so hyped for this story. I was telling my brother that this looks like Tony is going to get his "Hush" storyline coming now. I'm so glad he is retooling Iron Man's rogues gallery. Also very very happy to here Henry Hellrung is coming back. He was awesome in The Order and he always has Tony's back. Can't wait for the next issue!

**Nitz the Bloody** · 12-19-2011, 03:51 PM

Good to know that Tony isn't going to crawl back into the bottle. A relapse is believable, especially since it was part of an elaborate gesture to manipulate Odin into helping the Avengers. Falling off the wagon is less believable, since Tony's done it so many times already (especially given the backstory, and how he was barely sober for a moment prior to becoming Iron Man).

**JessieMidnight** · 12-19-2011, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by TonyStark1012

Just read the article and I am so hyped for this story. I was telling my brother that this looks like Tony is going to get his "Hush" storyline coming now. I'm so glad he is retooling Iron Man's rogues gallery. Can't wait for the next issue!

I agree man, I'm super excited for this story. I can't wait to see all the revamped villains. Fraction mentions in the article Living Laser, Dread Naughts, and his take on this new Melter sounds great. I know he's going to be using more IM villains, and I can't wait to see them all.

I always loved Iron Man, and his villains, but I've wanted them all to get a big power/design update for awhile now, and it looks like Fraction will do exactly that. Can't wait!