The Iron Man 2 trailer hit the internet this week, and it looks amazing! It is clear this is going to be one of the top films of the summer and I can hardly wait. I'm still amazed by how successfully Iron Man has translated to film and has excited audiences. Although one of Marvel's original characters created by Stan Lee in the '60's, he has hardly held the public awareness of characters like Spider-Man or the X-Men. Yet here he is riding high on a wave of popularity. He has come a long way since Tales of Suspense #39. I think the reason why he has been so readily embraced at this moment in time is his uniqueness amongst superheroes and his relevance in our modern age. Most superheroes are made special by the circumstances that gave them their powers. Whether it was the bite of an irradiated spider or being born with a mutant healing factor, their powers are not reproducible. Iron Man doesn't fit the mold. Because his powers are based on technology, they can be copied, stolen, or poorly imitated. Therein lies his struggle. He wants to save the world, but he also has to fight others abusing the very life-saving technology he has created. In our modern, technologically-obsessed society, the concept of imitation is not only relevant, but commonplace. Just take a look at this picture of an inexpensive digital music player I came across recently. Look familiar? Now imagine the destructive capabilities of a cheap knock-off Iron Man suit could cause.

This is the premise behind writer Matt Fraction's first story arc in The Invincible Iron Man, featuring art by Salvador Larocca. This new series was launched when the first Iron Man film was released to provide an easily accessible series for new readers as well as a fresh new take for long-time followers of the Armored Avenger. Titled "The Five Nightmares", the story features Tony Stark facing off against his stolen technology being used by a new, younger generation in villains. The first seven issues are collected in trade paperback form and are available at most major book stores.

Fraction's follow-up witnesses the downfall of Tony Stark in "World's Most Wanted." The set-up in a nutshell: having risen to the top of the SHIELD peacekeeping force over the past few years, Tony failed to prevent an alien invasion of Earth. The planet was barely saved by the heroes, but the only victory the world witnessed was when Norman "The Green Goblin" Osborn was videotaped killing the alien queen. Osborn's "heroic" efforts were broadcast around the world and his past crimes were forgotten as he was elevated to the top of SHIELD, and he promptly declared Tony a criminal. Now on the run, Tony has the identities of all the superheroes downloaded into his brain and Osborn is after him, wearing a stolen Stark armor and calling himself the Iron Patriot. Tony's goal is to delete the information from his brain piece by piece, ravaging his mind in the process and depriving him of his true superpower, his intelligence. That may sound like a mouthful, but the way this plays out, and how it ends is both fascinating and gripping. The first half of the story is out currently, and the second paperback is coming in January.

This leads us to the current arc, "Stark: Disassembled." I can't reveal many details of the plot, so as not to give away the ending of "World's Most Wanted" but it begins with Tony at his absolute lowest and questions if he can come back from this at all. It could very well be the end for Tony Stark and Iron Man. The first two issues are out, with the next one due in January. It is well worth the cover price. If you are looking for an entry into comics and enjoyed the Iron Man movie, these are the books for you.