Conflicting Responsibilities in Ironheart 2020 #1
Whether or not you’ve been following the Marvel 2020 plot arc, Ironheart 2020 #1 is worth checking out, especially if you’re a fan of Riri Williams and have found that you miss her sass and grit more than ever.
This issue pulls from two series of events. The first is the Iron Man 2020 run, and the second is the new Outlawed event. It was ruled that teenagers were no longer allowed to step up and be heroes. Well, not superheroes, at least.
Honestly, though, as long as you have a basic understanding of both events, you’re totally fine to pick up Riri’s side of the story. I hadn’t realized how much I missed her series until now, and I imagine I’m not the only one out there feeling that way.
Writing
Vita Ayala and Danny Lore wrote Ironheart 2020 #1, a dramatic piece of work. That it is merging two series of events is probably not a huge surprise. One thing is clear: Riri Williams’ life has gotten so much more complicated as of late.
This issue did an excellent job of showing young vigilantes and heroes’ binding situation. Riri is doing everything she can to follow the new law while keeping people safe. As always, it doesn’t work out as planned – through no fault of her own.
There are a lot of subtle yet heavy themes explored during this issue. And that’s before considering the greater (and new threat) that Riri and N.A.T.A.L.I.E. have spotted. While the broad strokes of this issue are interesting, it is in the details where this tale truly shines.
Seeing Ironheart’s take on Outlawed is, quite frankly, essential. Her viewpoint has always been different from the rest of the Champions, a fact that couldn’t be clearer now. More than that, though, this entire struggle resonates with a different struggle she’s been dealing with this whole time. Seeing her work through both simultaneously makes her feel so beautifully human.
Art
Naturally, a compelling plot such as the one described above must also come with brilliant artwork. Riri’s style and personality are strong in Ironheart 2020 #1; it’s borderline breathtaking.
David Messina was the lead artist for this issue, and he did a brilliant job portraying the conflict and actions of this event. Everything had a decidedly tech edge, which works perfectly with the 2020 arc – as well as Riri’s passion, for that matter.
Meanwhile, Mattia Iacono was responsible for the colors, and they did an outstanding job. I love the use of vibrant colors. The world around Ironheart came to life, everything from the backdrops to the tech. In particular, though, N.A.T.A.L.I.E.’s color pallet is on point.
Conclusion
Ironheart 2020 #1 was a compelling and interesting read. It’s one that fans of both (or either) major events will appreciate. That being said, I stand firm with the statement that fans of Riri that haven’t been following along with those events can dive on in here. Just so long as they have a basic understanding of what happened – and they don’t mind spoilers.
It’s refreshing to see Ironheart’s take on the matter and the added conflict and intensity that comes with it. It’ll certainly be interesting to see how everything ends up wrapping up and what will happen to Ironheart.
This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.
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