James Harren :
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What was your initial pitch for the Korvac super-arc going in as the new writer on IRON MAN?
CHRISTOPHER CANTWELL: Getting a chance at a massive opportunity like this made me ambitious. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to swing for the fences on the arc’s length. Initially I think the pitch was 15 issues, but it ballooned to 19 once I included the solo Hellcat story in issue #8, the solo Korvac story in issue #9, and the two-parter of Tony marooned and isolated on the planet with Stilt-Man in issues #10-11, which is its own mini-arc unto itself. Initially, I had Korvac’s goals as more complicated, but they were always utopic. [Editor] Tom [Brevoort] and the editing team were very patient as I kept emailing them retellings of the arc that were more and more distilled, until it became what it is. Korvac had much more of a techno-organic plan initially that involved some assimilation-type moves on Earth, but his goal was always to remake the universe. Ultimately I went with what we have, where the big goal for him was getting the power to do so, and where we only get a tiny glimpse of his plans with Tony and Patsy…which they promptly dismiss as limited and foolish. The morphine addiction thread came later, with the idea of Tony suffering an intense physical defeat when Korvac breaks his neck. But it felt rich and like something I could pull through the whole story as something that spoke to his addiction tendencies without being redundant with what’s been done in the past. It also spoke to his humanity, which I wanted to do from the beginning.
Why was Korvac the right fit as far as an antagonist here?
CHRISTOPHER CANTWELL: Well, personally, I’m obsessed with Marvel’s Bronze Age and he’s a classic one from that era. And I couldn’t get over that he easily killed all the Avengers. That made him extremely formidable. But in looking even closer, the context of why he kills them, what he’s trying to do, felt very rich for a villain. He thinks he knows best and can make the universe a better place. There are clear parallels there with how Tony sees himself. Also Korvac has repeatedly reinvented himself, just as Iron Man has. And he can match Tony in intellect. But the difference between the two of them is simple to me—at his core, Tony is a courageous hero and willing to face his flaws. Korvac is in the end a coward and he’s always been running from that. I think what Korvac does at the end of this story is maybe the first truly heroic thing he’s done. And his mind simply can’t handle that.
Where did the choices for somewhat obscure guest stars in this run come from? Why is the story better with Frog-Man and Scarlet Spider than having the Avengers riding shotgun?
CHRISTOPHER CANTWELL: Well, one directive with the book was to get Tony away from his comfort zone, at least at first. That meant away from the Avengers, and [War Machine], and folks like that. Plus, I wanted him to need help, which to me thematically is always an important thing Tony is working on. But I also wanted characters that were so available I could take them into space. So I hatched the idea for the “Space Friends.” There have been so many great secondary and tertiary characters created over the decades of history that good characters aren’t hard to find for something like this. I also think it’s no mistake a few of them were well-written and even co-created by J.M. DeMatteis, who I read a lot growing up.
(W) Christopher Cantwell (A) Angel Unzueta, Frank D’Armata (CA) Alex Ross, David Baldeon, Betsy Cola, Pasqual Ferry
TONY STARK POPS THE QUESTION!
With Korvac, the Power Cosmic and a nasty morphine addiction now behind him, a freshly humanized Tony Stark has returned from rehab to the world hoping to show folks that’s he’s okay, highly functional and ready to re-engage. So of course it’s time for him to face off against an angry hyper-intelligent gorilla. When the public unveiling of a new Stark Supercomputer goes awry and the machine’s hairy 400-lb chess opponent decides to break loose in the city, it all leaves Tony feeling a little anxious. Can Patsy Walker provide any shelter in this new storm, or does it just mean more clouds are gathering?
RATED T+
In Shops: Jun 15, 2022
SRP: $3.99
Quelle surprise ! 
(W) Christopher Cantwell (A) Angel Unzueta, Frank D’Armata (CA) Alex Ross, Angel Unzueta, Iban Coello
After his battle with a super-intelligent gorilla in New York City, Tony Stark hops a flight back to California to get away for a bit. But it turns out that a mile-high hijacker is also on board looking to steal a briefcase full of gold bullion. After the thief escapes at 30,000 feet, Tony dons his Iron Man armor and flies after him…only to become ensnared in one of the crook’s booby traps in the remote southwestern wilderness. His armor’s flight systems now malfunctioning, Tony has to hunt down this expert survivalist who’s carrying a mint of precious metals in the middle of nowhere…and survive the experience. Is his technological prowess any match for another man’s elemental mastery of the wild? It’s Iron Man versus Nature, introducing a new villain…SWITCHBACK!
RATED T+
In Shops: Jul 20, 2022
SRP: $3.99
Christopher Cantwell quittera la série au #25.
Aperçu du #25/650, le dernier numéro de Cantwell :
"It’s Iron Man Day in New York City, but not everyone is ready to celebrate the ongoing legacy of Tony Stark – least of all him. But a sudden crisis will once again test Tony’s heroism and challenge his commitment to the role he has assumed for himself. Must there be an Iron Man?
Christopher Cantwell concludes his thought-provoking and powerful run as writer, as illustrated by Angel Unzueta. Plus: Murewa Ayodele and Dotun Akande tell a tale of Iron Man’s quest to locate Thor amid the frozen wastelands of Niffleheim. Kurt Busiek and Ben Dewey pair up to provide an all-new vintage Iron Man adventure from the distant past featuring Madame Masque and the Radioactive Man! And get a special glimpse of what’s coming up next for the Armored Avenger!"
(W) Christopher Cantwell (A) Angel Unzueta, Frank D’armata (CA) Alex Ross, Alexander Lozano, Bjorn Barends
Tony Stark has worked hard to pull himself up by his iron bootstraps, and after a few detours, he finally tracks down his old friend and employee Vic Martinelli…only to find he’s arrived too late and Vic’s been murdered. Before a guilt-ridden Tony can get a bead on why, he’s attacked by Vic’s assailant…THE TITANIUM MAN. In the battle, he learns the sinister plot goes deeper. The Titanium Man is working for those even more mysterious, and Vic was killed because he’d gotten possession of THE MANDARIN’S RINGS. Tony flies overseas to Asia and headlong into a cloak of conspiracy, hell-bent on tracking down the rings of his most fearsome adversary, desperate to stop them from falling into the wrong hands. But at what cost? What is Tony Stark willing to sacrifice in order to stop the Mandarin’s power returning, wielded by the hands of a new - and possibly unsuspecting - acolyte? Iron Man is about to go hard. He’s about to buddy up with criminals. And he’s about to go…stealth.
RATED T+
In Shops: Aug 03, 2022
SRP: $3.99
IRON MAN #23
Written by: Christopher Cantwell.
Art by: Angel Unzueta.
Covers by: Alex Ross, Francis Manapul.
Description: Operating in stealth mode with Jim Rhodes, Iron Man has landed in Macau and immersed himself in Source Control – the worst black market of stolen and illegal technology – all in order to organize a backroom buy of The Mandarin’s rings. It’s going to require Tony Stark-level capital and strategy, but Spymaster may have a different buyer – and a wicked double cross – at the ready in order to pull the rug out from under Iron Man’s boots. It seems someone else is willing to pay top dollar for those rings and is ready to pull them out of Iron Man’s dead hands if they have to… The Cobalt Man.
Pages: 32.
Price: $3.99.
In stores: Sept. 14.
(W) Christopher Cantwell (A) Angel Unzueta, Frank D’Armata (CA) Alex Ross, Adam Kubert
Tony Stark has all but bankrupted himself buying up every dangerous piece of tech he’s chased down on the black market network, dismantling it from the inside. As he and Rhodey lock it all up and plan their next steps, Tony and Riri Williams argue over what to do with the most powerful weapon they’ve recovered…the Mandarin’s rings.
Rated T+
In Shops: Oct 19, 2022
SRP: $3.99
(W) Christopher Cantwell, Kurt Busiek, Murewa Ayodele (A) Angel Unzueta, Frank D’Armata, Benjamin Dewey, Dotun Akande (CA) Alex Ross, Junggeun Yoon, Juan Frigeri
AN OVERSIZED CELEBRATION OF THE GOLDEN AVENGER’S 650th ISSUE!
• It’s IRON MAN DAY in New York City, but not everyone is ready to celebrate the ongoing legacy of Tony Stark - least of all him. But a sudden crisis will once again test Tony’s heroism and challenge his commitment to the role he has assumed for himself. Must there be an Iron Man?
• Christopher Cantwell concludes his thought-provoking and powerful run as writer, as illustrated by Angel Unzueta.
• PLUS! Murewa Ayodele and Dotun Akande tell a tale of Iron Man’s quest to locate Thor amid the frozen wastelands of Niffleheim. Kurt Busiek and Ben Dewey pair up to provide an all-new vintage Iron Man adventure from the distant past featuring Madame Masque and the Radioactive Man! And get a special glimpse of what’s coming up next for the Armored Avenger!RATED T+
In Shops: Nov 16, 2022
SRP: $5.99
Je suis en train de découvrir la série via les TPB. C’est pas mal, mais je reste très mitigé. J’aime l’idée du retour d’un vieil ennemi puissant (même si je ne l’aime pas trop car je l’associe à l’une des pires histoires de Shooter sur Avengers), j’aime la présence de Patsy Walker, j’aime le bouillonnement de vieux ennemis qui me parle, j’aime les notes en bas de case qui démontrent que Cantwell a fait ses devoirs…
Mais l’écriture en elle-même n’est pas satisfaisant. C’est décompressé et trop long, les dialogues sont froids et fonctionnels (on dirait des dialogues de scénario audiovisuel, où l’intonation est laissée aux acteurs, sauf que là, avec des personnages de papier, ça ne marche pas…), la structure des épisodes est « anti-climactique » au possible, avec des révélations choc en milieu d’épisode et des cliffhangers qui n’en sont pas puisque les épisodes suivants s’ouvrent à un autre moment. C’est post-bendissien dans les pires dimensions.
Après, j’aime bien la performance consistant à écrire deux épisodes en l’absence du héros titre, consacrés respectivement à Hellcat dans une chouette scène de cauchemar, et à Korvac lui-même. J’apprécie aussi les épisodes sur le Stilt-Man, qui donne de l’épaisseur à plusieurs personnages. Je reste donc curieux de voir comment la série va développer ses idées, mais en tant que lecteur, je souffre de choix narratifs que je trouve peu convaincants.
Jim
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Oui, c’est ce qui m’a fait lâcher la série. Une bonne histoire racontée dans un format (BD ongoing) que l’auteur ne maîtrise pas.
Un gros graphic novel ou deux ou trois prestige formats auraient suffi.
La fin est très chouette. Avec un Ton Stark complètement écrasé, qui parvient à vaincre son adversaire en le retournant moralement. C’est plutôt bien vu, comme est plutôt bien vue l’idée d’opposer un héros et un vilain qui se caractérisent par leur ego.
Graphiquement, Cafu colorisé par D’Armata, c’est très froid. En plus, avec sa narration en cases horizontales, ça me fait penser à la période Fraction / Larroca, qui était également bien décompressée. Vers la fin, il y a un bel épisode par Lan Medina, et je regrette qu’il n’ait pas dessiné toute la saga de Korvac.
Jim
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Une mini ou maxi-série, quoi. Comme les autres projets où Cantwell est agréable à lire.
Je ne suis même pas allé jusque-là, mais merci de me le préciser.
Trop long pour moi.
Quelle tristesse que le destin éditorial d’Iron Man depuis tant d’années, quand même.
Cafu rappelait Adi Granov, aussi.