Invincible Iron Man #18

Masterful. That one words sums up my description of Matt Fraction's efforts on the Invincible Iron Man. And this week issue's (18) did not miss a beat in what was the 11th chapter of the "World's Most Wanted" storyline. Most comic stories are plotted and written to occur in five or six issues, making them a perfect sell for a trade paperback. Sometimes we see a story go 12 or even 18 issues, but usually the pacing is not so good and the story generally suffers for it (R.I.P. or New Krypton anyone?). But Fraction's subdued storytelling in Invincible Iron Man reminds me of the subtle style that J. Michael Stracynski has displayed in the Thor relaunch.

Most Wanted is one the real interesting tales born from Dark Reign. Desperate to keep Norman Osborn's hands off of the database that contains the real identities of Marvel's good guys, Tony Stark embarks on destroying that database. The only catch, all of the information is contained in his brain. Thus, Tony needs to lobotomize himself, but like any good storyteller, Fraction has decided that he can't just blow his brains out, but rather it must be a slow burn-off, which benefits us a readers.

So, Osborn continues to send his minions to hunt down Stark's whereabouts, while Maria Hill and Pepper Potts work on their own to assist Tony is destroying his mind. Trust me, its really compelling storytelling. Think about the depths of which Stark is willing to go do to the right thing. Everyone's favorite whipping boy after the Civil War is reminding everyone why he is truly a hero. It will be interesting to see how Fraction finally resolves this story and what the ultimate confrontation between Stark and Osborn will bring.

Add to story the terrific art of Salvador Larocca and you will truly be in for a unique comic experience with Invincible Iron Man. Who knows, it might even make for a terrific third film Mr. Favreau ...