Invincible Iron man

Riri Williams' origin as the armored Iron Man successor Ironheart continues in Invincible Iron Man #2 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stefano Caselli. In the first issue, we saw some of Riri's childhood and learned about a recent tragedy in her life. But even with the last page reveal of the A.I. based on Tony Stark, she's not quite Ironheart yet. In classic Bendis tradition, this origin is taking its time.

Last week was tough for a lot of people, and as the US election results came in on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a lot of us just didn't want to read comics or do much of anything as we adjusted to a changing world. Last Wednesday wasn't New Comic Book Day so much as "What Do We Do Now?" Day, and a lot of comics got lost in the shuffle. However, last week was packed with some really stellar comic debuts and new #1s, and many of them might not have got the attention they deserved due to the omnipresence of the election results. It was a bad week to launch a new book, and a weak launch can be very bad news for a book's future. With that in mind, we've gone back to highlight six new comics from last week that are worth picking up this week.

This week there’s been a lot of talk and controversy surrounding J. Scott Campbell’s Midtown Comics variant for Invincible Iron Man #1, featuring the 15-year-old Riri Williams, AKA Ironheart. Fan response to the cover pointed out the highly sexualized depiction of Riri and the inappropriate decision to assign the cover to an artist known for his pin-up work, but things got worse when Campbell and other creators responded to the controversy. Campbell and his defenders’ rebuttals featured the typical lines about social justice warriors and censorship, and creators in this situation seem to always assume that they’re infallible when it comes to the art they create. Yet another week of controversy in comics has me asking; What’s so wrong about stopping to listen to what people have to say?

Invincible Iron Man #1, by Brian Michael Bendis and Stefano Caselli, is clearly an origin story, putting Riri Williams in the Ironheart suit, while also providing important insight into her childhood. Check out a preview.

Last month it was announced that fifteen year old genius Riri Williams would be taking over the lead role in Brian Michael Bendis and Stefano Caselli's upcoming relaunch of Invincible Iron Man. There has been much speculation surrounding what her codename might be, and Marvel announced today that the new hero will operate under the alias "Ironheart".

Superhero publishers sure love a variant cover theme month, and Marvel's latest is coming in from a decidedly educational angle. In November, Marvel will release five covers celebrating the different aspects of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) with the goal of encouraging its fans to pursue their dreams, whatever field they may lie in.

The past decade in comics has been a constant process of innovation as publishers and tech companies try to figure out how digital comics might work in the future. Motion comics were big for a while before fading away, and in recent years the "Guided View" format of panel to panel transitions has become the preferred method. Google and the team behind the Android operating system have been exploring several alternatives to Guided View, including last year's introduction of a "Vertical Scrolling" featuring. However, a new innovation has just been announced at San Diego Comic Con that may change the game forever, and it's called Bubble Zoom.

Yesterday we reported on the leaking of Marvel Comics' Marvel Previews free magazine, unveiling their entire post-Civil War II line-up including comics such as The Unstoppable Wasp, Solo, Foolkiller and Prowler. Today, the magazine has officially been released via comic stores and online, confirming even more titles and creative teams, including a Kate Bishop Hawkeye book and the much awaited Gamora solo title from Guardians of the Galaxy screenwriter Nicole Perlman.

Last week, Marvel Comics released a look at its universe following Civil War II, and one notable absence was Tony Stark, although he was represented in some capacity on both sides of the teaser. On the left, Victor Von Doom held the Iron Man face plate, while on the right, new character Riri Williams stood front and center in her own suit of armor. While Marvel is being coy about Tony Stark's fate in the aftermath of the event, it was confirmed today that Riri Williams will take over as the lead character in Invincible Iron Man by Brian Michael Bendis and Stefano Caselli later this year.

Civil War II is right around the corner, and as is tradition with a big summer event, someone is going to die. A beloved character’s upcoming demise has been one of Marvel’s big selling points for Civil War II, and speculation has been running rampant concerning which hero might bite the dust. By rifling through Marvel’s upcoming solicitations for May, June and July, it seems there are a couple of very likely candidates for Civil War II’s big death. We’ve rounded up the evidence and put together a compelling case that points towards one fan-favorite in particular as this year's most likely summer sacrifice. (Note that this article contains speculation that could spoil the events of Civil War II.)