Marvel's Iron Man: The First 60 Years review

Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, Avenger. Years before Robert Downey Jr would make Iron Man a household name, Tony Stark was a Cold War era weapons manufacturer who found his life turned upside down. Captured by the communist warlord Wong-Chu and facing inevitable death thanks to the shrapnel in his chest, things looked grim for the wealthy industrialist. But what was nearly the death of Tony Stark was but the hammer that would forge one of the most enduring heroes in the Marvel universe. For from captivity emerged a man clad in incredible armor, who would turn Stark from industrialist to hero. Iron Man had been born. And now, courtesy of Titan Comics, the details of his first 60 years of adventures have been compiled into a single book for fans new and old to enjoy!

From the earliest days of his time as the armored hero to the formation of the Avengers,  the daring portrayals of his struggles with substance abuse to his questionable actions as a hero, that first bulky gray armor to the sleek new designs of the modern age, the collection covers it all. Organized in chronological order with each decade receiving its own section, readers can follow Stark's journey with ease, watching as armor and wearer evolve together (for better or worse). We follow his triumphs over countless foes both super-villain and self-created, watch as he stumbles while trying to do the right thing, and through it all we see him do what he's best at: constantly work to improve, no matter how many failures it takes.

Beyond the armored Avenger himself, the book also takes the time to explore the various characters that have made long-lasting marks upon the character's mythos, whether they be allies or enemies. These sections don't go too in-depth, with most being little more than footnotes placed as relevant to the current era being discussed, but they do provide decent explanations of the characters as well as the creators' reasons for their conception.

In addition to the character's fictional history, the collection also grants us a look behind the curtain to see the true reasons for decisions made for the character. From the introductions of new armors to character changes, we get a glimpse into the thoughts behind the actions. While these informational tidbits might not be interesting to everyone, I found them quite fascinating, especially when viewed through a modern lens long after a particular idea paid off (or didn't).

It was also nice to see the collection not completely ignore the character's appearances in other media (as I criticized the Wolverine First 50 Years collection for). While the book doesn't devote entire sections to his cartoon or movie portrayals, it does take the time to at least mention them when relevant, such as when discussing a certain armor or a particular take on the character. It's a small thing, and something that fans primarily concerned with the character's comic book history might not care about, but given how cartoons and movies have helped to secure the legacy of a character who, let's be honest, hasn't always been entirely likable, it's worth at least mentioning.

And of course, who would Iron Man be without his numerous suits? At the back of the collection is a two-page spread listing all of the various models used by Stark over the years, listed in order of creation. While a neat feature, this is ultimately little more than a list of the various armors, with no information given other than the model number. It would have been nice to see a more detailed breakdown of the various suits, but it's still cool to see the visible evolution of Iron Man's armors.

The only true gripe I had with the collection was the font size. Titan tried to cram as much information onto each page as they could, which makes the collection thin enough to sit nicely on a shelf without taking up as much room as larger books—such as the various guides that came out in the early 2000s. While I do appreciate this as someone whose shelves are already growing limited on space, it comes at the expense of the font being quite small and cramped, which may hamper some readers' enjoyment. Ultimately, though, this is a minor complaint, and one that can be forgiven given the amount of information contained within its pages.

Overall, Marvel's Iron Man: The First 60 Years is a fantastic summary of the armored Avenger's long history. It provides ample information of both the character's fictional history and the real-world circumstances affecting his story trajectory. Whether a long-time fan who's been following the comics for decades or someone who fell in love with the MCU version, it's a worthwhile addition to any superhero fan's shelf.

Marvel's Iron Man: The First 60 Years is available now from Titan Comics.