Iron Man Epic Collection, Vol. 14: Return of the Ghost

Iron Man Epic Collection

by Mike Saenz, Bob Layton, David Michelinie

The Ghost is back! As Tony Stark struggles with the ramifications of the Armor Wars, he must convince the world there’s a new Iron Man — and what better way to boost Shell-Head’s popularity than stopping a nuclear satellite from crashing to Earth! Spider-Man helps out against the Radioactive Man as Steve Rogers and Ant-Man drop by! But while an alien spreads horror in orbit, the Rhino wreaks havoc on Earth! Fearsome foes are lining up to take down Iron Man — but will Blacklash, Blizzard and Boomerang help him against the Ghost? And will the most dangerous threat of all be Grey Gargoyle, the Mandarin, Doctor Doom…or Tony’s new flame, Kathy Dare?! Plus: Iron Man stars in the world’s first computer-generated graphic novel!

COLLECTING: Vol. 14: Iron Man (1968) 233-244; Iron Man: Crash (1988); Marvel Fanfare (1982) 22-23, 44

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Superheroes, Collections, Comic Book

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

The issues of Marvel Fanfare and Iron Man: Crash are not very good and entirely skippable. The regular Iron Man issues, though, are a solid outing for everyone's favorite iron clad superhero.

Iron Man, throughout his run, has consistently been that character that feels like what a superhero book should feel like. I know some of that is the fact that he was the character I collected most when I was a kid, but whatever the reason, I've enjoyed going through this title immensely. Culminating in the Michelinie/O'Neil/ Michelinie run: #116-250.

[Daniel McTaggart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this Epic Collection 4 stars out of pure nostalgia. There were a few parts I didn't quite like, for example the graphic novel "Crash" by Mike Saenz. When that novel came out in the 80s, Max Headroom was all the rage and anything that looked like it immediately became noticed. Unfortunately, at least for me, I found the art and story hard to follow. The real treat in this volume is the art by Jackson Guice and Bob Layton. Those slick pencils polished by signature metallic inks were an absolute dream to look at. The stories by Ken Steacy were also a delight as I remember those sitting on the spinner rack when they came out. I never bought them then, but thirty years later I could enjoy them like they deserved. A couple of guest issues by artists Denys Cowan and Alan Kupperberg were okay, but the layouts were unsuited to their abilities. An awkward hiccup in an otherwise brilliant run by writer David Michelinie and co-plotter Bob Layton. Their passion for the character made this one of the shining highlights in Iron Man history. I recommend the Armor Wars Epic Collection for completists as it was the first part of this tenure on the comic. If you want to read the best Iron Man ever was, seek out collections featuring issues 117 thru 154 by the same writer/artist team. Truly peak storytelling in comics.

[Gary Fortuin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic collection of Iron Man stories. It includes the first “cyber comic” aka a comic book entirely created with the use of a computer, various software and 3D imaging called “Crash”. Iron Man faces off against some classic foes as well- Rhino, The Mandarin, Radioactive Man and The Ghost. Tony Stark faces his own dangers and is felled by the bullet of a lover scorned. Not the greatest interior art but it does have some great cover artwork included. I remember when ‘Crash’ came out and not liking it much and that hasn’t changed years later.

[Tacitus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good collection of stories that offers a look into the life of Tony Stark at this point of time. The issues are well told, with a brisk pace and clear visuals that move each issue along.

While there are lots of thought bubbles and dialogue explaining fight moves, each story nevertheless reads effortlessly. Good superhero storytelling of this kind is somewhat of a lost art nowadays, it seems to me, and it's strange to say that about a run that isn't particularly noteworthy otherwise.

Tony Stark/Iron Man pretty much is what he is: a millionaire with millionaire problems and a super-suit of armor. There's little exploration or expansion upon his character, not that I have ever expected that. As such, he remains to me what he has always seemed: a little flat and un-interesting. This has made it hard for me to develop any passion for him, and therefore become a fan.

Highlights of this version of Tony Stark are that he was on the West Coast. He had multiple girlfriends, none of whom seemed particularly serious, and Pepper Potts isn't on the scene. This version continued the somewhat hard-to-believe idea that, as far as the public was concerned, Iron Man was an anonymous employee of Tony Stark and no one suspects they may be one and the same.

There's a flashback in one of the issues that provides the Iron Many origin story, consistent with the movie version (albeit set here in Vietnam). Interestingly, the thing about the suit protecting Tony's heart from a piece of shrapnel seems to have gone away over time, as Tony seems fine swimming and what not, as he so often does, with his Tom Selleck physique (Tom Selleck in the 1980s, that is).

[Francisco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another nice Epic Collection, collecting over 400 pages of Iron Man comics, this volume has some pretty good arcs, following directly from the Armor Wars arc. It also has a couple of extra things that are a bit more rare to find like the Saenz computer generated comic which was a first of its kind and which opens this collection. 

So the plots are good and lead to Tony Stark getting shot and getting to be in a wheel chair for a while, it's interesting to see him deal with that, but there is a problem in the whole plot leading up to that... the fact that there is quite a bit of misogyny going on here... Basically Tony gets shot by a Crazy Ex-Girlfriend who is jealous of his philandering ways. It's a tired trope that was already tired in the late 80s and you get a lot of "irrational women" stuff in that plot. Oh well.

That being said it is an overall entertaining collection, nicely priced for its nice chunky size and therefore still stuff worth having.

[ISMOTU · Rating 5 out of 5]

More terrific Iron Man stories from the super solid team of Michelinie and Layton with Jackson Guice along for some pencil breakdowns. Following the Armor Wars epic was no mean feat but these stories are pretty great. There are a few bits that definitely remind you it was the 80's, the attitudes toward Kathleen Dare clanged to a modern ear, but the deliciously outrageous fashions delighted.

The computer generated graphic novel by Mike Saenz was very interesting but also shows just how far technology has come in 30 years. The Marvel Fanfare trio of issues by Ken Steacy were a visual feast that pitted Iron Man against some Spider-Man foes as well as the diabolical Dr. Doom.

Overall a very entertaining collection from an exciting time in Iron Man history.

[Anthony Wendel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The opening comic, Iron Man: Crash was hard to get through. It is billed as the first CG comic and it has not aged well. Still, the rest of the collection is top notch, including the introduction of Katy Dare and how she manages to throw a huge twist into Tony's life. I still highly recommend all Epic collections for any Iron Man fan trying to read the entire series.

[shane VanDeusen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

A very underrated run on iron man. The art for the most part is quite good that is one of the best armor designs in my option

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The core Iron Man issues are decent, but the OGN and Marvel Fanfare stuff surrounding it... not so much.