Ultimate Comics: Iron Man - Armor Wars

Ultimate Comics: Armor Wars #1-4

by Joe Caramagna (Writer), Steve Kurth (Illustrator)

Cash, cars, boats, houses... Tony Stark has got it all. The only thing that could ruin his day? If every single one of his Iron Man armors were stolen, and then turned against him! Join us for a nail-biting, strapped-to-your-seat adventure as Tony battles his greatest creations, and tries to discover who could (gasp!) OUTSMART him!?

Collecting: Ultimate Comics Armor Wars 1-4

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

112 pages, Hardcover

First published January 4, 2010

About the author

Freelance writer and letterer Joe Caramagna is also a graduate of the JOE KUBERT SCHOOL OF CARTOON AND GRAPHIC ART.

Currently, Joe letters many monthly Marvel Comics such as AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, CAPTAIN AMERICA, INVINCIBLE IRON MAN, UNCANNY X-MEN, and DAREDEVIL, and is the inker of "CONSUMED" by Platinum Studios and "7 DAYS TO FAME" by After Hours Press.

Joe's written work includes IRON MAN & THE ARMOR WARS, TAILS OF THE PET AVENGERS, many MARVEL ADVENTURES titles, X-MEN: NATION X and the SUPERMAN and BATMAN 2011 80-PAGE GIANTS.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

In which Tony Stark's tech is stolen and people both law-abiding and criminal start using Iron Man tech! With unlikely allies Stark sets out to redress the problems that his tech on the free market cause. 6 out of 12.

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three drunken stars and an half because Ellis' alcoholist Tony was just one of best versions ever of the character.
Such a shame storyline needed at last two more issues to be fleshed for good, in my opinion, and main villain final reveal was a real disappointing one too.
Still not bad at all for a casual read.

'Nuff said.

[Nicolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warren Ellis really knows how to write Ton Stark, whether in the regular Marvel Universe or the Ultimate version. His Stark is suave, super-smart, wealthy and a visionary. The only difference between regular and Ultimate flavors is that the latter is still an inveterate alcoholic.

It wasn’t too much if a stretch for Ellis to write this Iron Man. But the character’s circumstances have changed much from the first time I encountered him on Millar and Hitch’s Ultimates. The aftermath of Ultimatum crippled Stark’s business empire and his seemingly unlimited wealth has reached its last few hundred million. This was an Iron Man running on fumes and yet still couldn’t help himself be super heroic, especially now that he has to recover his stolen technology released to the world via the black market. This was the new Armor Wars and has international property law on his side.

This was a great read, well paced and aided with competent art by Steve Kurth. It has a solid premise and the consequences of the story appear to be permanent, which would have mattered had I still followed the Ultimate titles.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world has been devastated by war and economic collapse and poor Tony Stark is down to his last $100 million! Going back to his ruined New York offices, he sees a thief wearing part of an Iron Man armor break into his offices and disappear! Then a mysterious girl also wearing Iron Man armor shows up to help catch the thief. Suddenly the race is on for Stark to stop his armor from falling into the wrong hands!

As you might tell from the title, Armor Wars has a lotta guys wearing Iron Man suits, all in different colours and slightly modified in design. They all look really cool though with so many robot-like characters flying around blasting one another, the comic looks a lot more manga than Marvel. I really loved the art though, so full credit to artist Steve Kurth for doing a fantastic job.

Warren Ellis writes the best Tony Stark ever. If you're as big a fan of Ellis as I am you'll notice that Stark speaks like a few of Ellis' characters like Spider Jerusalem or Midnighter - that is to say filthy, drunken and articulate – and I love that. It’s the only way to write Tony Stark.

Ultimate Armor Wars has a great script, even better artwork, and lotsa Iron Man action - it’s a great Iron Man comic, and those are few and far between! Though it’s disappointing that it’s only four issues long as it’s over a bit too soon for my liking. Along with this and Iron Man: Extremis, it seems that if you want the best Iron Man books, look for the ones with Warren Ellis’ name on the cover!

[Chelsea 🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh

One thing to be said for Ultimates Tony Stark, betrayal is a constant theme in his life. I think he’s yet to sleep with someone who isn’t using him for some evil plot.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Someone has stolen some Stark tech and has sold it off. Now Stark needs to track it all down and destroy it, Ultimate Comics style. This was decent. Short, only 4 issues, so it gets right to it from the jump. Tony globe trotting hunting down his tech. He even has someone join in and help him. In this short book there was even time fir a betrayal and a pretty cool ending with some solid art.

[Lost Planet Airman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good stand-alone Ultimate Iron Man tale. Tony vs. villain & villain & villain & villain, with breaks for Tony vs. twisty plot-twist. And with a side of twisty twisty plot-twist ending.

[Milo · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Iron Man: Armour Wars is a fun, action-packed and brilliantly entertaining graphic novel that should not be missed for fans of Tony Stark."

  Exploding from the ruins of ULTIMATUM, Tony Stark races against time to save his crippled corporation and stop the theft of his armoured arsenal! Superstar writer WARREN ELLIS (ULTIMATE HUMAN) teams up with rising talent STEVE KURTH (IRON MAN) to bring you a globe-spanning, high-octane thriller with a blast from Tony’s past that you’ve gotta see to believe! Collecting ULTIMATE COMICS ARMOR WARS #1-4.

Ultimate Comics Iron Man: Armour Wars was a collection that I picked up from my local comic book store as it was on a special offer (only £5 for a hardcover graphic novel – it shouldn’t really be passed up), and I actually really enjoyed my second Marvel print graphic novel purchase, especially after finding similar connections to this and Iron Man 3.

Let’s start with the positives. It’s Iron Man. Iron Man 1 was my favourite Marvel film before The Avengers and Tony Stark himself plays a key role in that film. Iron Man is in fact one of my favourite Marvel characters, although he has been lowered a bit in the rankings following the side that he picked in Civil War. However, Armour Wars has certainly redeemed Tony as a character in my eyes, and if this graphic novel is anything to go by, then Iron Man 3 is going to be absolutely superb.

The main plot focuses around Tony Stark, down to his last hundred million dollars, heading into his lab in the recently flooded New York in order to secure any important items. Whilst Ellis doesn’t dwell much on why New York is flooded, I assume that’s covered in Ultimatum, a comic series that I now wish to read – especially if it’s anything like the brilliance displayed in Armour Wars.

Two new characters are introduced in Armour Wars and it’s interesting to see how they impact Tony’s life. Part of me was wondering what happened to Pepper Potts and why she wasn’t in Armour Wars, but I guess either she wasn’t as close to Tony as she was in the films, or something happened to her in previous comics. Instead we get to see Justine Hammer, Justin Hammer (Stark’s rival from Iron Man 2)’s daughter, and the mysterious Ghost. Both characters play a key role in this series and I really liked Justine’s character – it’s almost a shame that she won’t be sticking around for any future Iron Man comics.

What I loved about Armour Wars is that it works very well as a standalone. Whilst most of DC’s Graphic Novels that I’ve read end on a cliffhanger of some sorts, Armour Wars is a graphic novel that tells a strong, standalone narrative reinforced with the superb, sometimes manga-esque, artwork from Steve Kurth. Warren Ellis is a really strong writer and it is because of him that I changed my list of Graphic Novels To Read in 2013, in order to incorporate Iron Man: Extremis, by the same author.

Tony Stark himself is a great character and I think Ellis has nailed him spot on. Like the Iron Man films and arguably Avengers Assemble, it is Stark that steals the spotlight here despite contest from Justine, the main female lead.

This is a great comic that newcomers should be able to enjoy as much as older fans, and well worth reading when you can. A stellar artwork, stellar storyline – what more could you want?

Rating: 4/5

Originally Posted At: http://thefoundingfields.com/2013/01/....

[Crystal Starr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite enjoyable. I was able to jump right in and get the swing of things without feeling lost. Though I did predict some of the ending, particularly pertaining to one character.

[Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

New York is in shambles, many heroes dead, and Tony Stark is down to his last hundred million. So he does what many a bored millionaire would do, he starts a podcast. When recording it he makes his way into the wreckage of his tower only to find his Iron man technology missing and two intruders roaming the halls.

Warren Ellis is a really reliable ultimate scribe and I wish he did more. He's good at getting to the heart of Tony Stark while rarely having the man drop his guard. It's a lot of fun tinged with regret. I'm really enjoying the post ultimatum period so far.

[Alasondro Alegré · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★½

[hammerpoppy · Rating 2 out of 5]

мальовка здебільшого неприємна, персонажі ніякі або відразливі а історія брєдова

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, Warren Ellis has his faults as a writer. Fortunately, his work for hire work avoids the pitfalls of much of his creator owned work. Marvel Comics hired him to re-imagine the classic Armor War tale for their Ultimate line. The portrayal of Tony Stark is dead on for this version of the character, and the underlying cynical humor fits my taste. There is one big reveal that we can all see coming from light years away, but it didn't distract too much from my enjoyment of the tale.

Ellis does what comic book writers did in the 1960s, and rarely do today. explanations, or story points, revolve around science and not magic/fantasy (I don't know whether to blame HP, POTC or LOTR for this). It might come in an exposition dump, but Ellis' use of science is fun here. Maybe not practical (yet) but fun. NO fantasy elements (please reads this Geoff Johns) for someone who is a science fiction based character.

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The speculative fiction aspect of this book was okay. But it was the story itself that was the problem. While I did figure out how Tony Stark's DNA lock was cracked, leading to his technology being used to oppress people, that was all I was able to guess. The rest of this thing was thing was all over the place. Nanobots, mini MODOCs in a human shell, a bunch of nearly mute/generic guys in armor...and a slightly unpleasant ending surprise that I would hate to spoil...it all adds up to a hot mess rather than a hot book.

The art was nothing to write home about. Perfunctory is probably the best word to describe it.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Popcorn tale from my favourite writer. Imaginative ideas, fast-paces tale, but somehow made me feel like "is that it?" when it was over.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Following the events of 'Ultimatum', Tony Stark's finances are in freefall and his problems only get worse when the secrets of his Iron Man technology are stolen. He then has to track down all those who have illegally reproduced his work and catch whoever was behind the theft in the first place.

'Armor Wars' is one of the most iconic Iron Man stories in the main Marvel continuity and it was only a matter of time before the Ultimate universe had its own version. I have to say that I found it rather disappointing.
This book isn't bad, but there also feels like there's very little impact or importance to what's going on here. There's no sense that this technology could destabilise the world and instead we just get a series of encounters with different individuals who've built a suit because they're a bit mad.
The exception is when it turns out the British government have used the technology to create a police unit armed with Firepower Riot Suits but this otherwise intriguing idea is undercut by how easily the situation is resolved and by the fact that the British suits inexplicably all look like Spartans from the Halo franchise. Was anyone really clamouring to see Iron Man fight Master Chief? If you were, then this is for you. Weirdo.

The version of Tony Stark we get here has mixed results too. We're told he's broken by having to kill Wolverine in 'Ultimatum', but there's very little evidence of that in the story. However, the final pages of the book do a lot to redeem this as Tony's 'victory' sees him sat in a room full of corpses, including that of his romantic interest. It makes for some pretty powerful imagery.

* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.com *

[Desmond Killian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why does this end the same way Karnak did? Both of our main characters, holding their heads in their hands, wondering, "Oh God, why can't I be normal?"

This book is mostly a bunch of bullshit. Tony Stark vs. a pyramid of Igors and rich European perverts. He even blows up a couple of British constables wearing knock-off IM technology. After four issues of farting around, Stark gets himself kidnapped, coming face-to-face with the big bad at the top of the conspiracy against him: his kooky presumed-dead black ops scientist grandfather. Of course, this reveal comes completely out of left field, topped only by the even stranger reveal that the McGuffin at the center of the story is an alternate universe Iron Man's decapitated head in a jewelry box. The baddies pop the lid on the box and release a kill-code that causes everybody except Tony to melt out of their suits. What?

Steve Kurth is no stranger to using action figures as reference for his artwork. Besides those conspicuously Master Chief-looking British Iron Man suits, Kurth gets a lot of mileage out of Super Fist Smash Iron Monger from the 2007 Iron Man toyline. It pops up here a couple of times and again on one of his issues of X-Men: Legacy.

Today I've been thinking a lot about Warren Ellis. I feel like any time I give him even the smallest compliment, I need to clarify that he is an unrepentant sexual predator. He has groomed upwards of sixty people and I'm certain that there are many more who have yet to come forward. For testimonies and updates on Ellis' misconduct, I suggest you visit somanyofus.com, a website dedicated to the pursuit of transformative justice and the dismantling of the systems that enable Ellis and men like him.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the aftermath of Magneto nearly destroying the Earth, Warren Ellis offers up an "Armor Wars" story that sees Tony Stark as a tech-bro Bond, jetting around the world to chase down the villainous network that's co-opted his armor for nefarious doings.

Things are shaky in the Ultimate Universe. Manhattan is still awash in bodies following a magnetic shift in the earth's tides. Stark is also running out of cash post-apocalypse (although the arms trade seems like an obvious growth industry under such circumstances...maybe Tony needs to go analog?). In any case, our story begins with Tony seeking out the McGuffin--some secret tech in an old office--only to find himself unraveling a dark network of Stark-ware being put to ill use around the world.

There's a woman, of course: Justine Hammer, the daughter of Justin Hammer, infected with some sort of nanites. The ease with which she falls into bed with Tony while serving as his sidekick is the most eye-rolling part of the adventure, but Ellis largely handles the plotting well. Stark's snappy patter is a natural fit for Ellis' voice and storytelling. The globe-trotting mystery has some solid intrigue, too, as Iron Man has to power down to try to suss out how exactly his stuff has been stolen and distributed.

The art by Steve Kuth and clean and engaging throughout. "Armor Wars" is a nice bit of neo-espionage, and the the noir feel carries through to the ending. A satisfying tale, if not an essential one.

[Michael J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now, this limited series is more like it! After reading those disappointing IRON MAN Cantwell issues, I wanted to grab some more Iron books from my long boxes to help cleanse the metallic palate.
Great story by Warren Ellis. Engaging pencils and inks by Steve Kurth and Jeff Huet. Beautiful coloring from Guru eFx. A fast-paced story with an unexpected twist (and gut-punch betrayal) in the final chapter. You can usually count on Ellis to sneak in a surprise or two.
This occurs after the events of Ultimatum. The Ghost steals a top secret box from a Stark security bunker, as Tony discovers that international criminals are illegally buying and selling his tech. An unlikely ally, Justine Hammer, helps him track the Iron Man tech data to Prague.
Doctor Faustus. Castle Frankenstein. Bram Velsing (play on words).
The trail leads to London for a final confrontation.
The variations on the Iron Man armor by sundry parties are interesting and sometimes over-the-top in color and accessories. Even the British government gets in the act, with some armored riot police utilizing stolen Stark tech. This was a good one.

[José Ignacio · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s no masterpiece but at least it’s better than the previous Ultimate Iron Man minis

For a book that’s supposed to follow up directly on the fallout from Ultimatum, it sure doesn’t do that much, but aside from that, the story contained within is alright.

I think my main gripe with it is that I could see the twist coming from a mile away regarding a new character that gets introduced and a lot of it is very by-the-numbers. I do like the concept but I think that a lot of the ideas it introduces are rushed through too quickly and don’t get proper room to breathe or get explored as well as they could be; maybe an additional Issue or two could’ve helped that a bit.

I do like the development given to Tony, it humanizes him enough and works off of what little we know of this particular version of the character and it works well for what it is.

I also really like the art, very close to Bryan Hitch's and it looks pretty good.

Overall, a perfectly decent Iron Man book to kill an hour or two, nothing mind blowing, but what’s there isn’t offensively terrible either.

[Shannon Luchies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad.

In the aftermath of Ultimatum, Iron Man goes to secure a lab he maintained in New York, only to discover it's been raided, both by the Ghost and Justine Hammer. Both his basic Iron-tech AND a dangerous artifact have been stolen, and Tony must recover them.

Decent read. The revelation of who the BIG BAD feels like it comes out of nowhere, and the UK using Iron-tech very publically makes me go why didn't Tony notice it earlier? The ending was also kind of a anticlimax.

Not STRONGLY recommended.

[Ian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Still waiting on an Iron Man storyline I enjoy. I know there is one out there... I just have yet to read it. The womanizing and alcoholism is toned down in this one, but it's still treated as – at best – a joke and – at worst – something to be lauded.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warren Ellis writes the best Tony Stark (Ultimate Human, Extremis, etc.). This is one of Ellis' short yet paunchy stories. On a first read you might say, "is that it?" but on another reread, you see of the skill and craft to it.

[Paxton Holley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is awesome. So good. I really enjoyed this collection. Iron Man/Tony Stark is awesome and written just like the Downey, Jr character in the movies. Plus, lots of Iron Man battles going on.

[Frans Kempe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iron Man faces a war with his own armors

[matthew fellechner · Rating 5 out of 5]

It did have the comic when I downloaded it

It didn't have the comic when I downloaded it i feel cheated i paid for it now i can't read it

[Yaroslav Talko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Непогана локальна історія

[Isaac Baker · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

[Jake Vosters · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5⭐️

[Maurice Ruffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

[From about age nine until about age fourteen I was a card-carrying comic book fanatic. Ma brought me to Bookworm Comics every Wednesday. Ms. Pauline, the store's elderly owner, maintained a folder with my name on it behind the counter. From the moment I finished reading my purchases from the previous week, I daydreamed about what would happen next in the complex lives of the Uncanny X-Men, Captain America, and dozens of other characters in colorful costumes. Although, I grew out of that phase, those stories left a mark on me. And from time to time, I'll step into a corner book store (or in this case a library) to learn the state of the form. Sometime after I turned in my card, comic producers figured out that they could repackage story lines as a set, so that people who haven't kept up with continuity or are new to the game can figure out what's going on. Originally, I objected to this. Half of the fun of comic collecting is tracking down the individual issues. Lore is rife with tales of millionaire aficionados who paid tens of thousands of dollars for a copy of Action Comics #1 or a mint copy of the first appearance of the Golden Age Flash. I always loved the role chance played in stumbling across an interesting cover and going from there. However, the packaged editions are really convenient. So I drop my objection.]

Armor Wars collects several issues of Ultimate Iron Man. (Marvel's "Ultimate" comic books are a signal that the stories are not for kiddies.) It retells a classic Iron Man plot line, but in a grittier and funnier way. It's easy to see the connection between this series and the Iron Man of the movies. Tony Stark (Iron Man) is endlessly arrogant, but hilarious. The visuals are sumptuous and the tale moves at a quick clip. Unlike anything I read as a kid, these pages allude to sex and there's a good bit of deadly violence. (Funny how it's okay to watch Stark kill a man with his death ray, but the artist works really hard not to show any women's body parts--like when Stark channels James Bond and beds a femme fatale in his flying fortress.) If I have one objection, it's that there are no real stakes. Stark is as unruffled by all the over-the-top danger as Bugs Bunny in the face of Elmer Fudd's shotgun. Yet, for fast, simple fun this does the trick.