‘Invincible Iron Man’ Brings Graphic Design to Mainstream Comics

Originally launched as new series to coincide with the 2008 "Iron Man" flick, "Invincible Iron Man" has quickly turned into one of the greatest superhero comics on the shelves -- or the "Best New Series," according to the Eisner Awards. The title has given Fraction an opportunity to literally deconstruct one of the most brilliant minds in the Marvel Universe, and breathed new life into a character that everyone kind of hated after "Civil War."

And then if that wasn't enough, they announced that that the covers for the new "Stark: Disassembled" storyline were going to look like this:

They are sleek, gorgeous, and reminiscent in all the best ways of the graphic design work in "The Nightly News," the breakout indie comic from current "Fantastic Four" writer Jonathan Hickman.

"Nightly News" was heavily infused with graphic design elements felt cutting edge and innovative in a comic, although when I interviewed him two years ago, Hickman was quick to point out that much of it would be considered "really cool and edgy, like, five years ago" in the world of graphic design.

"The graphic design elements in and of themselves are stuff that's permeated pop culture. You know, the circle stuff is straight out of the Target ads. It was calculated, but it was time. I think it's time for something like that in the comics medium, especially as we're leaning more toward the book market. [Creators] are going to be able to play around a whole lot more, I think."

Very prescient, Mr. Hickman.

Of course, this isn't the first time Matt Fraction's comics have featured such unusually stylish cover art, either. You may remember the achingly beautiful Gabriel Ba covers from his inter-dimensional indie spy series "Casanova," and if you don't, you may now proceed directly to Amazon; do not pass Go, do not collect $200.