By Matt Fraction (Writer), Salvador Larroca (Artist), and Frank D’Armata (Colorist)

The Story: Matt Fraction concludes the opening arc of his new Iron Man series with the much anticipated showdown between Tony Stark and Ezekiel Stane. As always, Mr. Stark has a plan, but Stane isn’t willing to go down without a fight. Can Iron Man outwit and defeat the son of Iron Monger?

What’s Good: As cerebral as it is physical, the battle between the two geniuses does not disappoint. I was a little worried that the things that made this arc such a joy to read would take a back seat to slam-bang action but, thankfully, that is not the case. Matt Fraction’s words give each strike an emotional, personal impact and masterfully cashes in on the personal examination Tony Stark has been doing since the first issue. At the same time, Salvador Larroca delivers his best work on the series through some strong facial expressions and surprisingly brutal violence. A fitting and unexpected deep conclusion to what has been a fantastic arc.

Believe the hype because The Invincible Iron Man is the very definition of a must-buy series.

What’s Not So Good: That I couldn’t shake the feeling that this might have been a bit more visually attractive with a different artist attached to it. Larocca does some fantastic work when the Iron Man suit is in play, but his people just seem a bit off from time to time. It is far from a damaging negative, but it would be nice if the artwork was as strong as the writing is.

Conclusion: You really can’t go wrong by picking this issue up, especially if you have been following this series since it debuted. The payoff is great and everything comes together extremely well. A near-perfect read for new, casual, and hardcore fans alike. Also, as a side note, be sure to pick up the David Aja variant. It rocks!

Grade: A

-Kyle Posluszny