This may be the second title in Marvel's new Epic line, but this is the first from new and untested (or lower profile) creators. The good news is that it's an entertaining diversion, and the plot for this first issue hinges on a rather novel and funny notion. The bad news is that the dialogue doesn't really draw the reader into the characters' world, and the writer seems to take for granted that the reader will have some passing familiarity with the history of the title character.
Gennady Gavrilov is an intelligent but mischievous teenager who attends a school for students gifted in math and the sciences. Unfortunately, his position in the school is threatened by his attitude, and his instructor comes up with a combination assignment/punishment designed to get him back in line. It involves working as a gopher for a cataloguing project, and in one of the warehouses, he happens upon an unusual helmet. Little does he know of its connection to one of Iron Man's deadliest foes and a hidden cache of technology in Siberia.
Ellis captures the youth and energy of the main character quite well, and that's a key element to the fun of the latter part of the book. Mind you, his angular style isn't what I expected for a book about an armored hero. His dark approach doesn't really capture the sleek or cold nature of the technological look of the title character. On the other hand, he does capture the sheer power the suit represents. Overall, I find I'm torn when it comes to Ellis's artwork. Ultimately, it tells the story clearly, but never really grabs me either.
Another underwhelming visual element of the book is the cover logo. The thoroughly generic design doesn't capture any of the title character's qualities, and it's not memorable or eye-catching at all.
Where this book does hit the mark is the young protagonist's unusual interpretation of his discovery and the glee with which he exploits it. Imagine a kid who's never had access to the things that teens today take for granted, and imagine him hitting the mother lode. Though the set-up is a little on the forced side, the result is undeniably effective.
Another element that brings real-world plausibility to the story is the presence of weapons inspectors. They bring a global political element to the book that adds a slightly more challenging, intellectual tone. I look forward to where Miller goes with this subplot.
Where the script falls short, though, is in its effort to bring the cultural divide to life. It's clear that Gennady lives in Moscow, but I just don't feel it. The dialogue -- especially the instant-message exchanges between Gennady and his online American friend -- just don't sound quite as genuine as they should. Furthermore, though the armor's designer and wearer is referred to several times by extraneous characters, Miller seems to go out of his way not to mention Iron Man or Dynamo's sometime status as a Russian super-hero.
