House of M: Fantastic Four/Iron Man

House of M

by John Layman (Writer), Scot Eaton (Penciler), Son Hillsman II (Inker)

The Fantastic Four as you never could have imagined them! The trusted advisor at Magneto's right hand is almost certainly the second most powerful man in the world. But the question is... will second-best be enough for Victor Von Doom? Plus: Tony Stark is the smartest, most successful Sapien on the planet - the best and brightest of a dying species. Does it bother him that the House of M uses the technology produced by Tony's multi-billion-dollar company to keep Sapiens down? That must be the reason he keeps his most powerful creation a secret - a familiar-looking suit of armor!

Collects: House of M: Fantastic Four #1-3 and House of M: Iron Man #1-3.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Superheroes, Fiction, Comic Book, Science Fiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published August 3, 2005

About the author

John Steele Layman is an American comic book writer and letterer. Layman is most known for writing Chew, published by Image Comics.

Reviews

[Roman Zarichnyi · Rating 2 out of 5]

«Фантастична четвірка: Династія М»:

Ледь дочитав ще один тайін «Фантастична четвірка: Династія М» Джона Леймана та Скота Ітона до події «Династія М», що українською вийшла від видавництва Mal’opus.

Я дійсно не знаю нащо тут в назві «Ф4», бо я б краще назвав «Доктор Дум», за сюжетом він тут головний персонаж, а герої Ф4 залучені, як додаткові, хоч і в незвичному амплуа. Загалом тут розповідаєть про маленьку співпрацю і протистояння Доктора Дума і Маґнето, що мало б теоретично бути цікавим. Але, на жаль, мені таким не виявилося. Тому краще обходити цей тайін. Хоч малюнок був норм, трішки полегшив мої страждання.

«Залізна Людина: Династія М»:

А ось тайін «Залізна Людина: Династія М», яка входить в одну збірку із «Ф4: Династія М» трохи кращий у сюжетному плані.

Цей комікс також розповідає про новий світовий порядок, де мутанти стали на верхівці панування Землею. Одним з найбільших розомів людства все ще є Тоні Старк, але всі події «Династії М» сильно змінили його стосунки зі своїми обладунками, батьком та світом загалом. Він трохи дивитися не в ту сторону, яку б мав, бо все ж таки він людина.

Тут маємо трохи стосунків із батьком, трішки переосмислення ідеалів та бачення ситуації у світі, де панують мутанти. Ґреґ Пак видав навіть досить терпимий сюжет, але через те, що малюнок Пата Лі мені не зайшов, все якось сильно погіршило ситуацію. Не знаю чи вартує звертати вам увагу на цей тайін також.

[ana (taylor’s version) ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“My golden boy… The world is yours.”

Howard was right, Tony did him dirty. TF.

On the F4 issues, my poor guy Ben :( I would’ve done the same.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, okay... this wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. This installation of the House of M series shoves two story arcs in one binding. The first is the Fantastic Four alternate universe that they must live in Wanda Maximoff's altered mindscape and the other is Iron Man's.

Suffering a severe mental break that winds up altering the entire world, Wanda Maximoff has affected every mind on the planet to believe that they are living in a different reality without knowing they are in a different reality with the exception of tiny nuances that peep through. The Fantastic Four is now the Fearsome Four and their leader is not Dr. Reed, but rather Doctor Doom. He is at the mercy of Magneto, since he's not a mutant, and must take orders from the infamous House of M. Unfortunately, Doom doesn't really like this idea and with the three other members that are supposed to be The Fantastic Four, he plots to tear down Magneto's rule and usurp his place. Truly, the most felt for character in these additions is The Thing, or "It" as he is called in this alternate verse. Otherwise, the story is mediocre at best.

Worse, though, is Iron Man. A human and not a mutant, he and others like him are gladitorial fighters for mutant amusement while also still living some semblance of their former lives. Although Tony Stark is still one of the most successful businessmen in the world, he is constantly under the scrutiny and the "disappointed" airs of his father, Howard. The story is, well... it's... bland. The art isn't even all that great, which is a shame.

I make it sound like both of these installments aren't worth your time, but thankfully they are short. It doesn't overlap the second mental break that Wanda eventually succumbs to, but only the first where the House of M rules. Good to include in the collection, especially for the fancy binding spelling that it will create if you collect all the paperbacks, but otherwise not worth much of a revisit.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Fantastic Four stuff was . . . OK . . . .

Doctor Doom is always good even when it's not that good.

The Iron Man stuff was pretty weak. Too many Howard Stark stories in the world. They're not good.

[Derek Moreland · Rating 3 out of 5]

The strength of this volume comes from the FANTASTIC FOUR issues, for sure. John Layman has a pretty solid grasp on what makes Dr. Doom tick--even after being given everything he could want within the context of the world he inhabits, Doom is ultimately unsatisfied and craves more. Though why Doom's greatest wish is fulfilled, instead of the four members of the Fantastic Four, is an exercise in imagination left up to the reader. (My headcanon: Wanda created a memory of a doomed space flight led by Richards to satisfy Doom's need to be superior. The actual Reed is alive, supporting his ever-growing family by working a well-paying if slightly dull job in the same Sapien branch as Hank Pym. Ben Grimm and Alicia bring their kids by on the weekends.)

The various machinations of Doom actually lead to a very satisfying ending, lending the HOUSE OF M extended universe a bit of gravitas and showing exactly how this Magneto would come to the power he has.

IRON MAN, on the other hand...

Okay. I totally buy that the happiest Tony Stark could be in this world would involve him being both in a position of corporate power, and someone who puts on a suit and punches robots for a living. I can even get the frenemy rivalry with Johnny Storm, who's penchant for mechanics and rebuilding hit roads actually spins over quite well into the set-up of the mini. And yes, absolutely, much in the same way that Doom wants his mom back, Tony thinks his life would be better had his father lived...which is where the narrative falls apart, because Howard Stark has no real characterization and filters into whatever antagonist role is required for the issue at the moment. It's an absolute mess of a character, with not so much an arc as a random assortment of moments that are supposed to build to a great, grand Happening, but instead are just as scattered as the narrative ultimately is. Theres a good story in these issues, but the one we're given isnt it.

There is a LOT of dross in the HOUSE OF M experience. Its unfortunate that, thanks to a trade collection printing chioce, one of the diamonds might stay hidden because of the dross that tethers it.

[Alex E · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the alternate reality that the Scarlett Witch created, the Fantastic Four are now comprised of Doom, his wife and his son, along with "it", who is Ben Grimm in this Thing form. Reed, Sue and Johnny all died in the reentry after their landmark space adventure, leaving Doom to use his mystic abilities to fill the gap. Working for Magneto (of course) has left Doom very embittered and causes him to plan and wait to spring his trap. The Thing has to choose between Magneto and Doom (which is not a great choice either way), and makes his choice.

This story was an interesting character study on Doom and how he handles being the second in command (at best) when he so clearly desires to be in charge at all times. We see how his brilliance and tactical thinking get him to the brink of victory, and how his hubris brings him lower than before.

The second story regarding Iron Man was a bit more forced I would say. It has to do with the legacy that Tony's dad wants Tony to have, and ends up doing some bat shit crazy things in order to achieve that legacy. This leads to Tony figuring out who he truly is (Iron Man), but leaves their whole relationship tainted and turbulent to say the least. I would say out of the two stories, this one was my least favorite.

The tie in books are an interesting way to see what is happening in the Marvel Universe outside of the main story. And while these two are entertaining and interesting, I wouldn't say they are essential. Recommended for completionists only.

[Amory · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!
This is where House of M is getting me more interested again! Though I'm not a Fantastic Four fan, I actually found Lord Doom interesting enough here to like the first half of this volume.
I loved the Iron Man half that followed. I think Tony Stark has a lot of potential as a character that isn't always used well; the guy has a lot of sides to him that are deeper than most Iron Man comics get into. Here, his issues with his father and his alcoholism take center stage, and it pays off.
We also get into some interesting ethics questions about Stark's work that I enjoyed seeing explored. Should he work with government agencies that will inevitably use his technology in violent ways so that he can theoretically be a part of what goes on and control the damage done, or should he risk denying them access to his work and seeing them take it out of his control entirely? Can he fight against mutants that are harming humans while still choosing to save innocent mutant lives? How does public perception of the choices he makes change the dynamic between humans and mutants? I could have read a ten issue volume on what happened during the three issue Iron Man arc here.
If the rest of the series is as thoughtful and character-driven as this one was, I'm in for a treat!

[Rangga Sukmawijaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saya tidak tahu mengapa dua serial dengan tokoh yang berbeda dijadikan satu di sini. Dua cerita itu pun tidak ada hubungannya (kecuali barangkali di Fantastic Four ada Ben Grimm dan di Iron Man ada Johnny Storm yang keduanya merupakan anggota asli FF). Kisah pertama tentang The Fearsome Four mengecewakan pada akhir cerita sementara di kisah kedua tentang Iron Man, ilustrasinya yang terlalu mirip robot Transformers-lah yang menjadi cacat di seri ini. Kedua kisah ini pun tidak memiliki pengaruh pada serial inti House of M, jadi Anda tidak akan rugi jika melewatkan dua seri yang dijadikan satu buku ini.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the Fantastic Four series more than the Iron Man series.

The Fantastic Four series has Doctor Doom leading a new team, and he's just as evil as ever. The main theme of the series is that even though the "evil" mutants have taken over the world, there are still villains that are much more evil then they ever will be.

The Iron Man story was manga themed and dealt with a complex plot to assassinate Magneto. At least that's what I got out of it, parts were confusing.

Overall not a bad volume, but not one of the better ones.

[Néstor Vargas · Rating 2 out of 5]

The other two tie-ins I read. I was just curious to see how they replaced the Fantastic Four. Of course, Doom was going to plot his own revenge, and it was meh as a story. Iron Man has those 90s armor designs, and coupled with that art style, they feel a bit weird now. The plot on this one lost me a bit, but I liked Tony’s characterization with his dad.

[Amanda Shepard (Between-the-Shelves) · Rating 2 out of 5]

On my quest to read all the House of M side stories and this was....not my favorite. The Fantastic Four story was pretty good, but the Iron Man one was not. Even the art in that one was terrible, in my opinion. Yikes. Probably one I could have skipped.

[Lena Fickle · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far the Iron Man and Fantastic Four issues have been my least favorite parts of House of M. Both seeies focus on some of Marvel's most arrogant and unlikable (IMO) characters (Dr Doom and Iron Man).

[Szymon · Rating 2 out of 5]

My golden boy, the world is yours.

The Fantastic Four part was fun, I like Doom, but the Iron Man part didn't really catch me, neither story-wise, nor art-style-wise. And it didn't necessarily connect much to the main storyline.

[Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the FF storyline with Dr. Doom vs. Magneto; but wasn't into the Iron Man angle as much. Also thought the art in the FF storyline was much more to my taste...

[Israel Formales · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fantastic Four series is okay but predictable.
Iron Man series is poorly drawn and the story is "meh".

Both series are unnecessary tie-ins to the main House of M story line.
3/5

[Tom Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am borderline obsessed with Doctor Doom content, and I really enjoyed the Fantastic Four story. Can't say I cared much for the Iron Man tie-in though.

[TK · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fantastic 4 good. Iron Man bad.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

in which doctor doom gets turned into a pathetic sad puppy and tony stark suffers from daddy issues at levels previously unseen

[Teo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The issue 3 of the two tie-in are really meh, but it can be a cool "what if" if you want to read it that way

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic Four was pretty good. Kind of dark and creepy with the family lovin on Doom. It must be fun to write this alternate universe stuff because they can kill off whoever they want and it doesn't effect the regular continuum.

Iron Man was okay, but I got kind of sick of Howard Stark treating Tony like crap. I felt like It was a little over done. Still not sure why Tony made the decision he did in the end about Magneto.

[Lesley · Rating 2 out of 5]

You did that hungry!! I loved it, every twist and turn caught me by surprise!! I can’t wait to read more of your books....

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Collecting two 3-issue tie-ins to Marvel's House of M event, one being a 4-star story (Fantastic Four), and the other a 2-star story (Iron Man).

"House of M: Fantastic Four", with pencils by Scot Eaton, written by John Layman. I really like Layman's "CHEW" series, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found out he wrote this story as well. In the House of M reality, the Fantastic Four never were. Instead, their pod crashed from space and the only passenger still alive was Ben Grimm, whom Victor von Doom keeps around as a pet (he's got his own cage and everything). The space pod's crew have all been altered by cosmic rays, and that gives Doom an idea: he will create a team (the Fearsome Four) with which he will rid the world of Magneto and assume his rightful place as Emperor of the World (this guy, I tell you - he doesn't think small!). The Fearsome Four are bad mofos, even though Ben Grimm (the "It", in this reality) only does what Doom tells him because he believes Doom is working on a cure for his condition. Yes, we know how this story will end, but the ride is a fun one, and the art is easy on the eyes (pencils & colour). 4 stars.

"House of M: Iron Man", written by Greg Pak, with art by Pat Lee. The story itself is so-so: it involves Tony Stark's father (Howard Stark) and Henry Pym in a convoluted plot to kill Magneto by exposing him to a "Gene Bomb", triggering in him a genetic meltdown. Pym has also put gene bombs all over Chicago, to kill as many mutants as possible. Tony and his pal Johnny Storm (yes, that one - although in this reality he's just a regular, powerless guy) have to come in in suits of armor and disarm as many bombs as they can before they go off.
The art is Manga-ish and not always pretty (the human faces, especially), and the robots look like they're Transformers (understandably, since Pat Lee's big claim to fame was the Transformers comic book series at IDW in the early 2000's).
Oh - did I mention there's arena fighting, "Gladiator"-style? Well, there is. Guys in suits of armor go up against Sentinels, and the whole thing is broadcast on TV and very popular with the masses. What won't they do for ratings? 2 stars.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

More corners of the House of M reality warp are uncovered in this dual collection volume. Writer John Layman sets out the history of the FF, which sees Ben "It" Grimm as the sole survivor of a space expedition that crash lands in Latveria. Using science and arcane magics, Victor von Doom transforms himself, his wife Valeria, and his adopted son Kristoff into powerful beings capable of rivaling the house of Magneto. When von Doom's mother plays Victor's ego, the FF head into a battle with the Maximoffs for control over the world. Doom's tale proves to be a valuable lesson about power, ego, and trust. The second half of the volume showcases the popular Sapiens Deathmatch broadcast, as pilots Tony Stark and Johnny Storm are among the many contestants battling it out in high-tech battle armors. Determined to prove himself a success to his condescending father Howard, Tony has secretly been building a special suit of armor - which makes an unexpected debut against mutant tyranny. Faced with unexpected allies and enemies in the forms of his fellow combatants and his father, Tony must discover the true role for an Iron Man in the House of M. Greg Pak delivers an engaging script that highlights the best and worst of the Stark family in a simple miniseries. The art from Pat Lee certainly makes it visual candy. If one is interested in the whole House of M storyline, then this is a cannot-miss collection; it is an otherwise entertaining diversion for Marvel Comics characters.

[Hrishi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as part of an overall Marvel 616 read, and in that context as part of a read-through of all House of M titles. Let's just get the obvious out of the way first - House of M is one bat-shit insnae event, and these alternate versions of the Fantastic Four and Iron Man are also exemplars of the "bat-shit insane" genre.

So to begin with, kudos to the house of ideas for imagining the Fearsome Four, led by Doom himself, in this contained 3 issue arc. The huge chip on his shoulder is all the bigger because he has to be a lackey to Magnus (Magneto) and all that follows certainly feels logical once events get set in motion. Special points for the way the Thing is depicted here. Well done indeed.

I had more mixed feelings about the alternative version of Iron Man - also a 3 issue limited series. The dynamic between Howard Stark and Tony Stark was superficial, and the story was far too convoluted to make any sense. I'm enjoying the Spiderman title in the House of M a lot more than this one, and that's all down to how unnecessarily complicated they've made the plot. The resolution was cool though, and I have to say I did not see some of the twists in the third issue coming.

Overall this was a good TPB but feels like none of the happenings in this are germane to how the overall event will be resolved. Oh well, a couple of nice "what if" tales aren't a bad bargain.

[Wesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book collects two mini-series related to the House of M crossover event - Fantastic Four: House of M 1 - 3 and Iron Man: House of M 1 - 3. The creative team on the Fantastic Four series are all new to me - it was written by John Layman with pencils by Scott Eaton and inks by Don Hillsman. The Iron Man series was written by Greg Pak, whose work I know from the Planet Hulk and World War Hulk books, and the art was by another unknown to me Pat Lee.

For a world that is supposed to give the heroes their dreams come true neither Victor von Doom or Tony Stark are particularly happy with their lot - though this could be seen as some dormant, nagging sense that something is not right. The stories are both fine in themselves without really adding much to the central story.

Pat Lee's art in the Iron Man story is quite strange. There is a lot of it that contains sentinels, armoured humans and other mecha and this is all really good but when it comes to the depiction of the people itjust does not do it for me.

[zxvasdf · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fantastic four segment was a bit ho-hum, but it was nice to see Dr. Doom in top form. It must be extremely difficult having a body of molten metal while being under the yoke of a mutant capable of twisting metal to his fancy. Dr Doom endured with aplomb, and his petty desire to be the power of all landed him in a hotter place.

The Iron Man segment is another matter. Tony Stark's father is still alive and is the source of a recurring theme throughout the story. Tony is constantly under the shadow of his father's greatness, and is also a constant source of disappointment to his father. Tony has constructed a battle armor in secret, and uses this to combat the anti-sapiens agents. This leads up to a surprising conclusion in which Tony Stark makes a decision that might be contrary to the best interests of all, but is the right one. Tony Stark doing what he believes to be right, as always.

[Helmut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zwei in einem

Dieses Tie-In zu "House of M" setzt Kenntnis des Hauptbandes House of M voraus, aber nicht die anderer Tie-Ins.

Zwei Storybögen in einem Band, die recht unterschiedlich sind. Der erste, der sich um die Fantastischen 4 dreht, ist top: eine interessante Drehung der Charaktere. Super Charakterisierung, spannend und kurzweilig erzählt. Die Zeichnungen passen sich diesem hohen Niveau an.

Der zweite Bogen ist weniger gut, vor allem die Zeichnungen sprechen mich hier nicht so sehr an, da sie fast ins mangahafte fallen. Aber auch hier wird eine Geschichte erzählt, die einen netten "Twist" weg von der altbekannten Marvel-Charakter-Historie bringt.

Auch hier, insbesondere bei der FF-Geschichte, zeigt sich, dass die Tie-Ins zu House of M locker dessen Qualität erreichen, wenn nicht sogar übertreffen.

[Ernest · Rating 2 out of 5]

The two stories in this volume followed the Fantastic Four and Iron Man as they existed within the House of M, one of Marvel’s title crossover events. The stories themselves are but mere dressing to the main storyline and actually do not stand on their own without it. This version of the Fantastic Four was interesting without being groundbreaking, with several surprisingly emotional moments balanced by some odd panel and art choices.

In contrast, the Iron Man story was essentially an origin story, with what originality it had (and there was enough there to be interesting) spoilt by artwork that did not seem to match.

This volume is not a bad read for those interested in the broader picture of the House of M, but I struggle to recommend it. Not reading this volume would not affect your pleasure and understanding of the House of M and indeed the Marvel universe.

[Matt · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Marvel's "House of M" event, so I picked up a few of the crossover trade paperbacks. This particular volume contained 3 issues of a Fantastic Four story, and 3 issues of an Iron Man story (both set in the "House of M" alternate reality). These stories had few redeeming qualities, and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone unless they were really invested in the "House of M" storyline.

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first part, the "Fantastic" or rather "Fearsome Four" issues were okay. But the "Iron Man" issues... what the hell was that? I hated the art, the story was a mess and I'm sorry, but Hank Pym may have made some mistakes in his time but having him be a genocidal maniac didn't help. Not good. The worst House of M tie-in yet.