‘Infamous Iron Man #8’ Review

Written by Brian Michael Bendis | Art by Alex Maleev | Published by Marvel Comics

They say you never know what you have until it gone. Well, as someone who did not care much about The Fantastic Four, I do have to say I miss them a great deal. The Marvel universe just does not feel right with them not in it. Infamous Iron Man #8 gives us a little taste of what has been missing and my hope is it leads to something event grander in time to come.

In this issue Riri Williams is tracking down Victor Von Doom in an attempt to convince him from to stop being Iron Man, while at the same time a person who could possibly be Reed Richards has confronted Ben Grimm in hopes of convincing him he is the real deal. Who is what, and what is who is still yet to be figured out at this point.

With this you have an issue that is mostly full of two conversations, which is not surprising for a Bendis book. Yes those conversations do run a little too long, but they are still rather compelling. That is especially true for the dialogue between Reed and Grim. In it Reed tells a rather compelling story that shows a side of his character we rarely see. It is a side where he is venerable and not fully sure of his place in the world. It may be out of character, but that aspect ties into the concern that this Reed is not the person he claims.

The Riri Williams and Doom conversation had its moments. Doom finding a lost pen in the midst of a fight was a classic Bendis tidbit. Where it suffers is the fact that Riri Williams is struggling to form her own identity. Bendis struggles to characterize her in a way to fits the fact she is a fifteen year old girl genius.

Alex Maleev’s art continues to be criminally underappreciated. What he lacks in flash he makes up for in subtle character work and phenomenal acting. When the heart of your issue is made up of two back to back nine panel grids solely focused on one person’s face you are asking a lot from an artist. Maleev nails that scene with ease.

I know Brian Michael Bendis has long ago over stayed his welcome with a lot of comic book readers. Looking at some of his recent output I understand that. Still I implore you to give this series a chance because it is working on a level that is equal to some of Bendis’ best.

**** 4/5