Let’s be honest, jumping into a new Marvel series can sometimes feel a bit intimidating, especially when the character is Iron Man, one of those longtime superheroes with a rich history. I hadn’t picked up a Iron Man #1 in quite some time, but with Joshua Williamson attached it felt like the perfect opportunity to see if I can slide myself back into why I have always found Tony Stark so interesting.
The unapologetic Iron Man is a once-in-a-lifetime hero — but the beating heart behind the armor is a once-in-a-century genius. Years ago, Tony Stark was knocking on death’s door, so he created the Iron Man armor to survive! What happens the next time death comes calling? What weapon does he create then? What if… someone else creates it first? These questions have haunted Tony for years, a ticking time bomb inside of him waiting to explode. Femme fatale Madame Masque has also asked these questions, and with the power of Advanced Idea Mechanics behind her… she’s ready to create the next great weapon.
Over the past few years, I have steered more towards independent comics as I have felt the overall stories at Marvel have been not enticing enough for me. So it’s been a minute since I jumped into an Iron Man comic, but again, with Williamson at the helm, I just had to give it a shot.
Iron Man has just the right mixture of the two faces of the character, Iron Man and Tony Stark, with the latter actually getting more page time which is exactly what I wanted. The flaws of Stark is what makes the character so special and those flaws are a bit different when suited up. The ego is still present, but something about Stark without the suit is what draws me in.
What makes some newer readers to Marvel Comics shy away from some series is the fear of being lost and not knowing where to start. Williamson was able to weave in enough of Tony Stark’s backstory of becoming Iron Man to give those less knowledgeable readers something to put the story into perspective. I felt this was a nice nod to the history of the character while also moving the story into a new direction.
The action-packed moments were almost felt from panel-to-panel and page-to-page with the outstanding artwork by Carmen Canero. Capturing Iron Man’s movements as well as Starks charm on the page takes a special talent and is perfectly done in this premiere issue.
Iron Man is a fitting return to Marvel Comics for Joshua Williamson. Along with stellar artwork by Carmen Carnero, Williamson brings a new and fresh take on Tony Stark while also respecting his past and the history of the character. I am excited to see where these creators take this series and how Tony Stark attempts to right his mistakes.
Iron Man #1 hit local comic shops on January 28, 2026 from Marvel Comics.
Iron Man #1 Preview
