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Ironheart: Digest Size Collection #2
Ironheart: Meant to Fly
Riri Williams steps boldly out of Tony Stark's shadow to forge her own future! When one of Spider-Man's old foes holds a group of world leaders hostage, Ironheart must step up her game. Luckily, Riri has a will of steel, a heart of iron and a new A.I. on her side! Unluckily, the search for a kidnapped friend will send her stumbling into an ancient power - and it's deadly! Plus, when Miles Morales goes missing, who better to search for him than his fellow Champion Riri? And more amazing friends join the fun - including Nadia Van Dyne, the unstoppable Wasp! The Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange! And Princess Shuri of Wakanda! But can Riri and her allies stop the sinister Ten Rings and their plans for destruction? COLLECTING: IRONHEART (2018) 1-12
272 pages, Paperback
First published October 27, 2020
14 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Eve L. Ewing
100 books1,205 followersDr. Eve Louise Ewing is a writer and a sociologist of education from Chicago. Ewing is a prolific writer across multiple genres. Her 2018 book Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism & School Closings on Chicago's South Side explores the relationship between the closing of public schools and the structural history of race and racism in Chicago's Bronzeville community.
Ewing's first collection of poetry, essays, and visual art, Electric Arches, was published by Haymarket Books in 2017. Her second collection, 1919, tells the story of the race riot that rocked Chicago in the summer of that year. Her first book for elementary readers, Maya and the Robot, is forthcoming in 2020 from Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Her work has been published in many venues, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Nation, The Washington Post, The New Republic, Poetry Magazine, and the anthology American Journal: Fifty Poems for Our Time, curated by Tracy K. Smith, Poet Laureate of the United States. With Nate Marshall, she co-wrote the play No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks, produced by Manual Cinema and commissioned by the Poetry Foundation. She also currently writes the Champions series for Marvel Comics and previously wrote the acclaimed Ironheart series, as well as other projects.
Ewing's first collection of poetry, essays, and visual art, Electric Arches, was published by Haymarket Books in 2017. Her second collection, 1919, tells the story of the race riot that rocked Chicago in the summer of that year. Her first book for elementary readers, Maya and the Robot, is forthcoming in 2020 from Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Her work has been published in many venues, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Nation, The Washington Post, The New Republic, Poetry Magazine, and the anthology American Journal: Fifty Poems for Our Time, curated by Tracy K. Smith, Poet Laureate of the United States. With Nate Marshall, she co-wrote the play No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks, produced by Manual Cinema and commissioned by the Poetry Foundation. She also currently writes the Champions series for Marvel Comics and previously wrote the acclaimed Ironheart series, as well as other projects.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
May 3, 2022
Im Gegensatz zum ersten Ironheart-Comic fehlte mir hier in den ersten Issues ein wenig der Zusammenhang. Es kommen viele andere coole Charaktere vor – unter anderem Miles Morales, aaaaaah! –, aber der Kontext zwischen den Issues fehlte mir etwas.
Ab der Hälfte etwa war es deutlich besser, da gab es wieder eine große, zusammenhängende Handlung, die ich sehr sehr cool fand und die dem Level des vorigen Sammelbands der Reihe entspricht. Trotzdem fehlte mir auch hier etwas der persönliche Bezug, das Menschliche in ihrem Auftreten. Der enge Bezug zur Familie, also ihrer Mutter, ist hier irgendwie komplett verloren gegangen. Auch der Zusammenhang mit Tony Stark und den Schicksalsschlägen ihrer Vergangenheit wird lediglich einmal nebenbei erwähnt, man merkt aber kaum noch etwas davon.
Auch wenn ich nicht weiß, wie viele Jahre inzwischen zur vorigen Sammlung Comics vergangen sind, so fehlt mir doch zumindest der Anschluss und das Darstellen einer Entwicklung, die sie in der Zwischenzeit durchgemacht hat. Dafür gibt’s nun aber plötzlich einen Kindheitsfreund, den es zuvor nie gab, der wichtiger ist. Auch etwas, das mich verwirrt hat, ich aber letztlich einfach hinnehmen konnte.
Alles in allem war es dennoch eine gute Story und ich mag den Charakter von Riri Williams aka Ironheart sehr, wenn sie auch weniger einzigartig wurde in diesem Band.
Ab der Hälfte etwa war es deutlich besser, da gab es wieder eine große, zusammenhängende Handlung, die ich sehr sehr cool fand und die dem Level des vorigen Sammelbands der Reihe entspricht. Trotzdem fehlte mir auch hier etwas der persönliche Bezug, das Menschliche in ihrem Auftreten. Der enge Bezug zur Familie, also ihrer Mutter, ist hier irgendwie komplett verloren gegangen. Auch der Zusammenhang mit Tony Stark und den Schicksalsschlägen ihrer Vergangenheit wird lediglich einmal nebenbei erwähnt, man merkt aber kaum noch etwas davon.
Auch wenn ich nicht weiß, wie viele Jahre inzwischen zur vorigen Sammlung Comics vergangen sind, so fehlt mir doch zumindest der Anschluss und das Darstellen einer Entwicklung, die sie in der Zwischenzeit durchgemacht hat. Dafür gibt’s nun aber plötzlich einen Kindheitsfreund, den es zuvor nie gab, der wichtiger ist. Auch etwas, das mich verwirrt hat, ich aber letztlich einfach hinnehmen konnte.
Alles in allem war es dennoch eine gute Story und ich mag den Charakter von Riri Williams aka Ironheart sehr, wenn sie auch weniger einzigartig wurde in diesem Band.
January 13, 2021
Riri continues to be a great character, but this volume is in all honesty a bit of a mess.
First, Ewing sabotages the prior setup for Riri, working out of a lab at MIT. Meanwhile, she also can't settle on what type of comic she's writing. It starts out being a local, hometown super comic, then becomes a Champions teamup, then becomes Team Wakanda. There are theoretical connections between these stories, but some of them (like the super-powerful magic cult using kids to pick pockets) never make a lot of sense.
But really, the worst problem is that the comic just doesn't maintain my interest. There are new supporting characters that never really become enthralling, and a lot of plots that just seem like monster-of-the-week. That only changes with the last issue or two, which start delving into something more interesting ... and then it's over.
First, Ewing sabotages the prior setup for Riri, working out of a lab at MIT. Meanwhile, she also can't settle on what type of comic she's writing. It starts out being a local, hometown super comic, then becomes a Champions teamup, then becomes Team Wakanda. There are theoretical connections between these stories, but some of them (like the super-powerful magic cult using kids to pick pockets) never make a lot of sense.
But really, the worst problem is that the comic just doesn't maintain my interest. There are new supporting characters that never really become enthralling, and a lot of plots that just seem like monster-of-the-week. That only changes with the last issue or two, which start delving into something more interesting ... and then it's over.
April 9, 2021
Basically a reread
February 26, 2021
Hands down, this is easily one of my favorite comics now. Riri Williams is such a phenomenal character, and Ewing writes her with such charm and fun. I'm fairly hesitant with superhero comics, especially from the big two, because it's often so daunting to figure out where to begin and then actually understanding the background for the volume or issue you're reading? No thank you.
But!! Ironheart? FUN. The sidenotes to other issues, the references to things that had happened before, were made in such a way that felt inviting and unintimidating. I actually want to read more of the other stories that were mentioned.
I would absolutely devour an entire issue dedicated to the shenanigans that Shuriri could get up to though...
But!! Ironheart? FUN. The sidenotes to other issues, the references to things that had happened before, were made in such a way that felt inviting and unintimidating. I actually want to read more of the other stories that were mentioned.
I would absolutely devour an entire issue dedicated to the shenanigans that Shuriri could get up to though...
November 17, 2021
1. I checked this out because I thought it was written by Al Ewing. It's not.
2. The writing is mediocre but at least the characters' voices seem spot on and charming.
3. The plot is full of some of the most overdone clichés, but overall it was fun and I liked seeing the character interactions.
4. SHURIRI!!!
2. The writing is mediocre but at least the characters' voices seem spot on and charming.
3. The plot is full of some of the most overdone clichés, but overall it was fun and I liked seeing the character interactions.
4. SHURIRI!!!
November 26, 2021
This was cute, fun and had a lot of heart. I wish the plot had more depth and a more interesting through line, but glad I read it.
May 15, 2022
Very quickly became an immediate fave. Made even better by the fact that Riri is a Trekkie.
June 1, 2021
Hell yeah
March 5, 2021
Once again this year I’ve read two books back to back which cover the same topics and themes. This time they happen to be Marvel comics featuring black characters who are having a crisis of confidence, but the contrast couldn’t be more stark. (Oops, Iron Man pun.)
Riri Williams (Ironheart) is the heir apparent to Tony Stark, but she’s really just an awkward kid despite (or perhaps because of) being a super-genius. So the mantle is superhero is hard to bear and her inexperience causes her to make mistakes. But this whole story is so good and feels so effortless that it was a pleasure to read.
In contrast to the similarly-titled Falcon: Take Flight which inserts an out-of-town character into Chicago’s gang problems and reveals the cause to be Marvel’s mega-evil Satan analogue Mephisto, this book integrates Ironheart into Chicago because that’s where Riri grew up. It’s where she lost her father and step-father to senseless gang violence. It works so much better because she’s part of the community.
The story arcs are even similar in that there is an evil white politician manipulating people for power (he even looks like the same guy), and that there is magic involved. But as I said in my review of the Falcon book (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), these disparate elements can work together if handled properly. In Falcon they aren’t, but here they are.
The difference being that there it’s treated as a massive reveal that comes out of nowhere, whereas here it is hinted at here and there with low-level magic being used. Brother Voodoo in Falcon is inept and mishandled, while Doctor Strange is here is in top form and is used sparingly. It doesn’t hurt that Ewing throws in nods to one of the best MCU films, Thor: Ragnarok. The Falcon book lobs bombs and flattens cities, while Ironheart tosses flashbang grenades that sometimes stun but can be avoided by appropriate action. That comes down to good writing.
There is a one-off interlude with Miles Morales in a Groundhog Day-like situation, but even that works in Riri’s character issues, which is further echoed when she ends up in Wakanda and teams up with Shuri and Okoye. Unlike the clumsy stunt casting of black characters in Falcon, here the progression feels natural, as one thing leads to another in a manner that seems inevitable. I use words like “feel” and “seem” because all writing is artifice; it’s the writer who makes it appear seamless.
This adventure is both epic and intimate in the best ways. A nice array of guest stars, including the new Wasp, introductions of new characters, numerous locations visited (NYC, Boston, Chicago, Wakanda), and plenty of large-scale action. But it never loses sight of the main character’s internal struggles and her attempts at balancing all the various aspects of her life. This is mirrored in the story as she fights magic ninjas one night then defends her local convenience store from gun-toting thugs the next. She rescues dozens of homeless kids and also looks out for a friend who is down on her luck.
It’s also funny quite often. I like when Doctor Strange offers her a beverage and she asks, “Do you have orange pop?”
Strange: “I beg your pardon?”
Riri: “Oh, sorry, I forgot where I was. Do you have any soooda?”
As a Midwesterner who now lives in New England who has had that exact conversation, I chuckled.
The art is uniformly gorgeous and I love how they’ve pushed Riri’s armor to be unique and distinct from its Iron Man roots, with its multicolored design. It’s just superb all the way around. I liked it.
Riri Williams (Ironheart) is the heir apparent to Tony Stark, but she’s really just an awkward kid despite (or perhaps because of) being a super-genius. So the mantle is superhero is hard to bear and her inexperience causes her to make mistakes. But this whole story is so good and feels so effortless that it was a pleasure to read.
In contrast to the similarly-titled Falcon: Take Flight which inserts an out-of-town character into Chicago’s gang problems and reveals the cause to be Marvel’s mega-evil Satan analogue Mephisto, this book integrates Ironheart into Chicago because that’s where Riri grew up. It’s where she lost her father and step-father to senseless gang violence. It works so much better because she’s part of the community.
The story arcs are even similar in that there is an evil white politician manipulating people for power (he even looks like the same guy), and that there is magic involved. But as I said in my review of the Falcon book (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), these disparate elements can work together if handled properly. In Falcon they aren’t, but here they are.
The difference being that there it’s treated as a massive reveal that comes out of nowhere, whereas here it is hinted at here and there with low-level magic being used. Brother Voodoo in Falcon is inept and mishandled, while Doctor Strange is here is in top form and is used sparingly. It doesn’t hurt that Ewing throws in nods to one of the best MCU films, Thor: Ragnarok. The Falcon book lobs bombs and flattens cities, while Ironheart tosses flashbang grenades that sometimes stun but can be avoided by appropriate action. That comes down to good writing.
There is a one-off interlude with Miles Morales in a Groundhog Day-like situation, but even that works in Riri’s character issues, which is further echoed when she ends up in Wakanda and teams up with Shuri and Okoye. Unlike the clumsy stunt casting of black characters in Falcon, here the progression feels natural, as one thing leads to another in a manner that seems inevitable. I use words like “feel” and “seem” because all writing is artifice; it’s the writer who makes it appear seamless.
This adventure is both epic and intimate in the best ways. A nice array of guest stars, including the new Wasp, introductions of new characters, numerous locations visited (NYC, Boston, Chicago, Wakanda), and plenty of large-scale action. But it never loses sight of the main character’s internal struggles and her attempts at balancing all the various aspects of her life. This is mirrored in the story as she fights magic ninjas one night then defends her local convenience store from gun-toting thugs the next. She rescues dozens of homeless kids and also looks out for a friend who is down on her luck.
It’s also funny quite often. I like when Doctor Strange offers her a beverage and she asks, “Do you have orange pop?”
Strange: “I beg your pardon?”
Riri: “Oh, sorry, I forgot where I was. Do you have any soooda?”
As a Midwesterner who now lives in New England who has had that exact conversation, I chuckled.
The art is uniformly gorgeous and I love how they’ve pushed Riri’s armor to be unique and distinct from its Iron Man roots, with its multicolored design. It’s just superb all the way around. I liked it.
April 21, 2021
Meant to Fly written by Eve L. Ewing and illustrated by Luciano Vecchio & Kevin Libranda. yesterday. Iron heart: Meant to Fly is a collection of 12 issues-in-one edition that chronicles a coming-of-age story about a young, Black, intellectual teenage girl from Chicago learning what it means to fly. This is somewhat of an origin story and it follows Riri Williams, a student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Iron Man's protege, and certified super genius in her rights. The character of Riri made a cameo in Invincible Iron Man Vol. 2 #7 (May 2016) and a full appearance in Invincible Iron Man Vol. 2 #9 (July 2016). In this volume, Riri learns to navigate and fly out from Tony Stark's shadows.
This is such an extraordinary find and I am so glad I decided to pick it up! Riri Williams is easily my new favorite character next to Iron Man and Spiderman respectively in that order. I picked up this graphic novel mainly out of curiosity and the fact that the title holds some similarities to Iron Man's name. I normally don't pick up Marvel/or DC comics, preferring to watch them instead. However, I surprisingly enjoyed this somewhat random collection of stories. I love reading about who she is and her ideals. I cheer for her as she endeavors to heal from the loss of both her stepfather and her best friend to the city’s rampant gun violence. Writer @eve.ewing did a fantastic job in terms of the storyline; addressing social and political issues that mirror in real life. I love the illustrations by @lucianovecchioart & @kevinlibranda & @geoffoarto & Matt Milla. The overall design and layout are striking and everything just draws you in.
This is such an extraordinary find and I am so glad I decided to pick it up! Riri Williams is easily my new favorite character next to Iron Man and Spiderman respectively in that order. I picked up this graphic novel mainly out of curiosity and the fact that the title holds some similarities to Iron Man's name. I normally don't pick up Marvel/or DC comics, preferring to watch them instead. However, I surprisingly enjoyed this somewhat random collection of stories. I love reading about who she is and her ideals. I cheer for her as she endeavors to heal from the loss of both her stepfather and her best friend to the city’s rampant gun violence. Writer @eve.ewing did a fantastic job in terms of the storyline; addressing social and political issues that mirror in real life. I love the illustrations by @lucianovecchioart & @kevinlibranda & @geoffoarto & Matt Milla. The overall design and layout are striking and everything just draws you in.
January 9, 2021
Eve Ewing is one of favorite writers to follow; she tries a new medium or format with every project, and is absolutely stunning every time. Loved every page of this beautiful comic, and found this super hero so compelling. Eager to pick up other Champions comics. Hope Ewing keeps sharing more of Riri's story, and I can't wait to see what writing medium she explores next!
January 5, 2024
3.5/5 rounded up for a nice ending. Compared to Bendis' Invincible Iron Man run that introduced Riri this feels much more like a Riri story. It's wonderful and aims to establish more of herself as an independent hero devoid of the Iron Man story and it does so very well with a strong clincher of an ending issue. The story is good overall. It’s a collection of two volumes. You can really tell where they end and begin. Mostly it’s a story about Riri and Ten Rings with a smaller scale Chicago first-half and a larger second half as Riri does some black girl magic with some new allies against the Ten Rings after some fun revisiting of Riri’s time with the Champions (not that I would know as I haven’t read it but I’m aware she was in it and it explains the enjoyable dynamics you see in the Miles and Nadia issues).
I enjoyed the character writing here. Eve writes dialogue much smoother than Bendis did. Both in terms of less length but also in terms of Riri's voice. I heard Comics Drake once said that Miles Morales was created by Bendis but is done better with other writers and applied it to Riri and I agree. Riri's voice comes through much more enjoyably. She's still cocky and smart but with much less wordiness and constant dialogue.
Ewing does touch upon a wide range of topics in this run which reminded me of Tom Taylor's Jon Kent run. In Jon Kent it sped through and quickly covered a wide range of social topics. Here it seems Ewing lightly addresses a wide range of issues African Americans face especially those in places like Chicago. It simply runs into an issue where its relatable but doesn't have enough to tackle them beyond “this is an issue.” I appreciate its there and is a nice touch to communicate issues that relates to the people ad experiences Riri represents but the execution is a bit lacking and not the story's main focus just like in Tom Taylor's Jon Kent run.
This series aims to expand Riri's cast and does so excellently. On the ally side we get AI Natalie, Xavier, and Daija who are all enjoyable. Zavier ships well with Riri and any excuse to revisit Natalie is a good one as I love the character. The new villains are great too (or maybe revisited? Midnight's Fire seems to pre-exist but I think this is his introduction into current Marvel canon). I loved Midnight's Fire is a cool villian. I hope if they make another Riri story that he's there. It ties well into that “Riri is smart so she must see the world as good and not bad or a thing to play with” thing that writers seem to skirting visit in her stories as well as the “Riri struggles with violence sometimes cuz of the random violence that killed her fathers and Natalie.” The twist villain near the end is also a great villain who I hope to see in future storylines.
Art-wise this a solid. Depending on whether you use League of Comic Geeks or the OGN itself the answer differs on who does the art. But I’m using the OGN as information and it states that Luciano Vecchio did all issues except for issue 6. Issue 6, along with portions of issue 1, are done by Kevin Libranda. Vecchio's art was really enjoyable. It's a semi-detailed artstyle which has special attention done to tech-y stuff and pulling off a great range of textured hair (although fades like Riri's can look a little patchy or uneven due to the digital brush Vecchio used). Faces like soft and slight pudged but pleasingly so. Normally that realistic cartoony pudge looks off to me but Vecchio does it well. The art is strong and consistent and faces look good and are distinct.
It feels YA graphic novel-y with a hint of cape. I like that sorta style and it fits the story being told. It's an art style I really enjoy. It might not ever “pop off” with a super strong detailed page or panel like some artists go for but you get effortless crisp, quality, attractive, consistent art. And don't get me wrong there are definitely panels that do pop off with strong layouts or attractive visual design and detail. So who can complain?
Kevin Libranda also does some of the art and his style is similar to Vecchio but a bit more pointy faces. He got do a fun one-off issue with Riri and Miles in issue 6 . His action is well but feels a bit flat or lacking dynamism but part of that could be is that he doesn’t get the page or panel space to really let it pop and go crazy with detail. Geoffo apparently does layouts throughout though so that might be more of a Geoffo thing. I don’t know how much panel, page, layouts, or pencilling choices is up to layouts versus individual artist. Finally, apparently Geoffo does all layouts. Layouts are nice with good “pop” moments every issue.
I enjoyed the character writing here. Eve writes dialogue much smoother than Bendis did. Both in terms of less length but also in terms of Riri's voice. I heard Comics Drake once said that Miles Morales was created by Bendis but is done better with other writers and applied it to Riri and I agree. Riri's voice comes through much more enjoyably. She's still cocky and smart but with much less wordiness and constant dialogue.
Ewing does touch upon a wide range of topics in this run which reminded me of Tom Taylor's Jon Kent run. In Jon Kent it sped through and quickly covered a wide range of social topics. Here it seems Ewing lightly addresses a wide range of issues African Americans face especially those in places like Chicago. It simply runs into an issue where its relatable but doesn't have enough to tackle them beyond “this is an issue.” I appreciate its there and is a nice touch to communicate issues that relates to the people ad experiences Riri represents but the execution is a bit lacking and not the story's main focus just like in Tom Taylor's Jon Kent run.
This series aims to expand Riri's cast and does so excellently. On the ally side we get AI Natalie, Xavier, and Daija who are all enjoyable. Zavier ships well with Riri and any excuse to revisit Natalie is a good one as I love the character. The new villains are great too (or maybe revisited? Midnight's Fire seems to pre-exist but I think this is his introduction into current Marvel canon). I loved Midnight's Fire is a cool villian. I hope if they make another Riri story that he's there. It ties well into that “Riri is smart so she must see the world as good and not bad or a thing to play with” thing that writers seem to skirting visit in her stories as well as the “Riri struggles with violence sometimes cuz of the random violence that killed her fathers and Natalie.” The twist villain near the end is also a great villain who I hope to see in future storylines.
Art-wise this a solid. Depending on whether you use League of Comic Geeks or the OGN itself the answer differs on who does the art. But I’m using the OGN as information and it states that Luciano Vecchio did all issues except for issue 6. Issue 6, along with portions of issue 1, are done by Kevin Libranda. Vecchio's art was really enjoyable. It's a semi-detailed artstyle which has special attention done to tech-y stuff and pulling off a great range of textured hair (although fades like Riri's can look a little patchy or uneven due to the digital brush Vecchio used). Faces like soft and slight pudged but pleasingly so. Normally that realistic cartoony pudge looks off to me but Vecchio does it well. The art is strong and consistent and faces look good and are distinct.
It feels YA graphic novel-y with a hint of cape. I like that sorta style and it fits the story being told. It's an art style I really enjoy. It might not ever “pop off” with a super strong detailed page or panel like some artists go for but you get effortless crisp, quality, attractive, consistent art. And don't get me wrong there are definitely panels that do pop off with strong layouts or attractive visual design and detail. So who can complain?
Kevin Libranda also does some of the art and his style is similar to Vecchio but a bit more pointy faces. He got do a fun one-off issue with Riri and Miles in issue 6 . His action is well but feels a bit flat or lacking dynamism but part of that could be is that he doesn’t get the page or panel space to really let it pop and go crazy with detail. Geoffo apparently does layouts throughout though so that might be more of a Geoffo thing. I don’t know how much panel, page, layouts, or pencilling choices is up to layouts versus individual artist. Finally, apparently Geoffo does all layouts. Layouts are nice with good “pop” moments every issue.
May 27, 2022
Riri Williams still has quite a few issues to sort out. Her Tony Stark A.I. is thankfully absent in this graphic novel. But she’s replaced him with another and that may not be so great.
Riri’s constant tense confrontations with her mother about going out and remembering to eat meals are both amusing and worrying. Riri is still closed off from other people and in danger of becoming a weird, obsessed introvert. But she’s got family and potential allies who aren’t willing to let her wing it alone.
This novel reminds us that Riri is still an adolescent in some ways, barely more than a child. It makes it hard for others to show her the respect she deserves. When the dean of her school continually intrudes into her working space, you feel her frustration. True, the lab is on school property so he can bring visitors whenever he wants. She just finds it irksome. Still, it’s an improvement from working out of her mother’s garage.
Her escapades as Ironheart take her around the globe even to Wakanda. Woohoo! However, once there, her terse American manners get on the nerves of Shuri, princess of Wakanda and former Black Panther. It’s fun to watch these adolescents, so similar in genius, technological know-how and temperament, butting heads and getting over their differences.
I like this volume immensely. Strong female protagonists successfully taking on the patriarchy, saving lives and forging alliances are definitely my cup of tea.
Riri’s constant tense confrontations with her mother about going out and remembering to eat meals are both amusing and worrying. Riri is still closed off from other people and in danger of becoming a weird, obsessed introvert. But she’s got family and potential allies who aren’t willing to let her wing it alone.
This novel reminds us that Riri is still an adolescent in some ways, barely more than a child. It makes it hard for others to show her the respect she deserves. When the dean of her school continually intrudes into her working space, you feel her frustration. True, the lab is on school property so he can bring visitors whenever he wants. She just finds it irksome. Still, it’s an improvement from working out of her mother’s garage.
Her escapades as Ironheart take her around the globe even to Wakanda. Woohoo! However, once there, her terse American manners get on the nerves of Shuri, princess of Wakanda and former Black Panther. It’s fun to watch these adolescents, so similar in genius, technological know-how and temperament, butting heads and getting over their differences.
I like this volume immensely. Strong female protagonists successfully taking on the patriarchy, saving lives and forging alliances are definitely my cup of tea.
December 24, 2022
Wow, this volume was MUCH better than the original volume by Bendis. Riri Williams has much more depth and has become a fully fleshed out character here with friends and desires.
That being said, she is kind of still…invincible. I am not someone who would normally read Iron Man but Ironheart seems to follow the rule that she can pretty much always have the one up on who she is going against. She does get a run for her money during one issue but I feel like her suit, AI system, and super genius status doesn’t make it easy to believe that she is actually having trouble.
What I liked about the volume and comic in general is that when Riri is talking to those around her it seems like she is a super genius and has some trouble connecting with her peers. She isn’t constantly talking in equations of trying to speak out of her depth, she is just disconnected. The social relationships are what kept my reading of this driven. I hope that this continues well into the future of Ironheart.
Basically, Riri Williams is what makes this comic interesting, not Ironheart.
The issue with Miles Morales and Riri Williams was fantastic and worth the time reading this volume alone.
Truthfully this is a super high four for me almost to the point of a five star. I just don’t love Ironheart the superhero. I really like her though. That gets us to the four stars.
That being said, she is kind of still…invincible. I am not someone who would normally read Iron Man but Ironheart seems to follow the rule that she can pretty much always have the one up on who she is going against. She does get a run for her money during one issue but I feel like her suit, AI system, and super genius status doesn’t make it easy to believe that she is actually having trouble.
What I liked about the volume and comic in general is that when Riri is talking to those around her it seems like she is a super genius and has some trouble connecting with her peers. She isn’t constantly talking in equations of trying to speak out of her depth, she is just disconnected. The social relationships are what kept my reading of this driven. I hope that this continues well into the future of Ironheart.
Basically, Riri Williams is what makes this comic interesting, not Ironheart.
The issue with Miles Morales and Riri Williams was fantastic and worth the time reading this volume alone.
Truthfully this is a super high four for me almost to the point of a five star. I just don’t love Ironheart the superhero. I really like her though. That gets us to the four stars.
March 27, 2022
Riri has a lot of promise, but this collection just kind of fires blindly, hoping to leave something coherent. It's all over the place, but it's better than most writing out there. Especially portraying one so young. She's no longer working at Stark Labs, but she's having to get used to dealing with others wanting things. Things like time, attention, technology. She's always going to be beholden to someone unless she can find a way to be on her own.
Also, nice to see her advance her suit on her own and not have it be a copy of the Iron Man gear. If she's going to be a big player in the future. If she's another of Marvel's 'big brains', she has to step out of the boys club and show them what she is capable of.
Bonus: New Warriors call back
Bonus Bonus: What's a better AI assistant than your best friend?
Also, nice to see her advance her suit on her own and not have it be a copy of the Iron Man gear. If she's going to be a big player in the future. If she's another of Marvel's 'big brains', she has to step out of the boys club and show them what she is capable of.
Bonus: New Warriors call back
Bonus Bonus: What's a better AI assistant than your best friend?
July 31, 2021
these collected editions are a very nice way to read superhero comics, built to include the story and tie up loose ends properly. Instead of needing a diagram to figure out which issue to read next. Much easier for a comics reader who gets them from the library.
Mechanics of book publishing aside, I like Ironheart as a superhero- I like that she has some commonalities with Iron Man/Tony Stark, but Riri's her own self with her own story. I feel like she'd also get along well with Moon Girl.
I am here for the new generation of young adult superheroes.
Mechanics of book publishing aside, I like Ironheart as a superhero- I like that she has some commonalities with Iron Man/Tony Stark, but Riri's her own self with her own story. I feel like she'd also get along well with Moon Girl.
I am here for the new generation of young adult superheroes.
June 5, 2022
I really love what this is trying to do, but it also felt a little clunky and boring to me in parts. Like it needs a good editing. I enjoyed the Brian Michael Bendis Ironheart more, but, I guess I must have a bias towards his writing because I almost always enjoy it.
I love the focus on strong female leads in this, especially having so many of them be women of color. The art is good-I love Riri's hair and am considering cutting mine like it. ;)
Overall I enjoyed this, but it went through dips that it was losing my interest.
I love the focus on strong female leads in this, especially having so many of them be women of color. The art is good-I love Riri's hair and am considering cutting mine like it. ;)
Overall I enjoyed this, but it went through dips that it was losing my interest.
June 13, 2022
A interesting take on the genius inventor of flying armor riff
This set of Ironheart comics made for a nice introduction to the character and her struggles. It's always a challenge to make a character that lives and fights on the neighborhood scale (like Spider-Man) put them on a bigger stage (like Wakanda) and then slot them back in to the smaller daily struggles again. Riri's actions were sometimes baffling to me. Like her letting violent criminals go. But overall I liked the headstrong character, and liked the story.
This set of Ironheart comics made for a nice introduction to the character and her struggles. It's always a challenge to make a character that lives and fights on the neighborhood scale (like Spider-Man) put them on a bigger stage (like Wakanda) and then slot them back in to the smaller daily struggles again. Riri's actions were sometimes baffling to me. Like her letting violent criminals go. But overall I liked the headstrong character, and liked the story.
March 12, 2023
This graphic novel portrays an intimate view of Riri's wrestling with the notion that she is capable of both good and evil, which I really appreciated. Rather than say "No, no, you're good! You're not like them" (bc to take the fear away is our instinct, but also "others" people and implicitly removes our agency), she also has friends who say, "Yeah, you're right. It's a choice. And that's scary. And we're here with you as you keep making it". Stars for women in STEM rep, female superheroes, Black superheroes, teamwork/overcoming the superhero complex.
March 26, 2021
Really enjoyed this, although I don't know much of the back story so there were definitely things I was a little confused by. I mean, I only know about Miles Morales from the Jason Reynolds book not from the comics, so...
I can definitely put this in my middle grades library--nothing inappropriate in any way really--even though the character is probably more interesting to HSers. But then again, what do I know?
Loved that there's a Maya Angelou reference right in the first spread. The Groundhog Day reference really cracked me up too.
I can definitely put this in my middle grades library--nothing inappropriate in any way really--even though the character is probably more interesting to HSers. But then again, what do I know?
Loved that there's a Maya Angelou reference right in the first spread. The Groundhog Day reference really cracked me up too.
July 26, 2021
Riri runs into an old Spider-man rogue who is now connected to the Ten Rings terrorist group and everything changes. I really enjoyed this--I like Riri and her friends and Mom a lot, and I loved her teamups with Nadia, Miles, and the Wakandans. Plus, Silhouette, who is a disabled superhero who uses her arm crutches as electro zappers. Brilliant.
What I didn't like was the format--it's smaller than a trade, and half the time lines would get cut off at the top! Very very sloppy work.
What I didn't like was the format--it's smaller than a trade, and half the time lines would get cut off at the top! Very very sloppy work.
June 18, 2021
The stories in themselves aren’t groundbreaking; but the emotional resonance of the story arc makes this rank as one of my favourite graphic novels. Riri is a fantastic person, but not a perfect one. Like many intelligent people, her social skills are rough around the edges—but part of her reluctance to open up to people is a product of the people she’s lost. Her relationships with her mother and friends are wonderful to witness.
The writing is top-notch; the dialogue is fresh and believable.
Gone is the Tony Stark A.I.; Riri now has her own, modeled and named after her late best friend. There are some enjoyable team-ups with Miles Morales, Doctor Strange and Shuri and Okoye, among others.
The art is gorgeous, continuing Caselli & co.’s wonderful detail and expressiveness. None of the female characters are overly sexualised.
The writing is top-notch; the dialogue is fresh and believable.
Gone is the Tony Stark A.I.; Riri now has her own, modeled and named after her late best friend. There are some enjoyable team-ups with Miles Morales, Doctor Strange and Shuri and Okoye, among others.
The art is gorgeous, continuing Caselli & co.’s wonderful detail and expressiveness. None of the female characters are overly sexualised.
December 26, 2020
The story is well-written, the fight scenes are comprehensible, the artwork is so beautiful but I just don't know enough about the characters or the Ten Rings to fully enjoy this collection. I would like to see more of Riri as a character and superhero though.
February 28, 2021
I loved getting to know Riri here! Seeing her brilliance balanced by her inner trauma definitely made me fall in love with her. I loved meeting her mom and her friends. I enjoyed her adventures, which just kept getting better for me. Miles Morales! Dr. Strange! SHURI!
March 16, 2021
Ironheart: Meant to Fly is another of the Marvel, what I call Girl Power books. This one held together very well. I like the character and the guest stars and the story line.
Fun book to read and enjoy.
Fun book to read and enjoy.
August 22, 2021
Ironheart is entertaining. I like that women and people of color play such prominent roles. And I love the tech and the MIT connection. Eve Ewing does so many different things and all that I’ve seen are thoughtful and useful. I guess I’m just not a comic book fan…
August 26, 2021
I am not one for reading comics but, after listening to a fantastic interview with Ewing, I picked up this book with trepidation. What a wonderful surprise this book was for me! I loved the illustrations and storylines. The main character is fantastic and I found myself enjoying each page.
November 28, 2022
This was so freaking good. There were reveals that literally had me gasping. I looooved the Black lady team up towards the end. Riri Williams was amazing in Wakanda Forever (film) and I'm looking forward to seeing more of her story.
February 8, 2023
Nice run. Didn't love the Ten Rings plot but what else is new? I liked Riri's development throughout the series and her interactions with Xavier, Daija, Miles, Nadia. Even Shuri, despite the rocky start.
February 7, 2021
This is pretty good! It does feel like random stories instead of one collection, but the Wakandan team up was amazing and made up for everything else.
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