Is anyone else reading Iron-Man 2.0 (aka: 'War Machine')?

I picked up this book at issue 1, and was.. puzzled by the new direction. But figured I'd let it ride and see how it played out. By issue 4, it still hadn't gone anywhere, but at least he got a new suit.

Then, a few issues side story for Fear Itself, and then last week the story got back on track (whatever that track is) with the 'point one' issue.


If this book survives to issue 12, I'll be shocked.

This has been a study in how to take a rock-solid premise, and screw it up so totally that even people who want to like it are going to be frustrated.

Here's my problems so far:
- They introduced a new armor in issue 3 (or 4?), and then the very next issue Rhodes doesn't even appear in a single panel; in costume or out.

- The new villain 'Palmer Addley' is a cipher. They're going for "mysterious" but all I'm getting is 'not interesting.' They even point out in the story that "He has nothing to hit."

- Once the story starts moving a little, they switch to Fear Itself, and take a technological based hero and put him with a bunch of kung-fu mystical types.

- The point-one issue starts off so talky-talky that when halfway through and War Machine finally shows up, the panel ironically says "Two Hours Later" and I chuckled and though 'no kidding!'

I could go on, but won't. It's just an interesting study on how to take something that should be easy enough to create, and systematically destroy it with bad story, pacing, writing, etc.

I'll be sad to see Rhodes go, but knowing it'll only be a matter of time before they re-boot this character again, maybe with a capable writer even.

Yeah, Spencer seems to have a lot of support based on something else he's writing/written, and I'm not seeing it in his Marvel work.

To me War Machine would be served pretty well just stealing the Burn Notice formula. Have Rhodes disavowed from the military world and he just kicks around with a small support team (quietly helped by Tony) and helps people by blowing stuff up. Or not...

I thought that War Machine was James Rhodes. Who the heck is this Rodney character and what did they do with J. Rhodes? Do I even wanna know???

Oh Marvel.... the crapola that you expect your readers to joyfully swallow...

In the Marvel Universe, Rodney Dangerfield is still alive.
And he's an armor wearing superhero.
And STILL he gets no respect, I tell ya. No respect at all.
Not even from his Doctor, Doctor Vinny Doom-bots.

That is just wrong.

I bet that Rodney makes a cameo appearance in the next Marvel Zombies series....

I'm just glad that I've finally been able to use "Doctor Vinny Doom-Bots" in a sentence.
I waited years for that opening.

I have been one of the big boosters for Nick Spencer, and I have to confess that Iron Man 2.0 hasn't really been all that great. I bought the story arc with the Immortal Weapons because I love them, and they were pretty cool, but otherwise, the comic hasn't particularly done anything for me.

The sad part is, I should've used "Doctor Victor Doom-Bots" as the name, but tradition says "Vinny". Ah, well.
There is another Doctor Doom, "Bob" Doom, who made an appearance in the She Hulk books. He's a dentist and a cousin to Victor Von Doom. So, there may be more Dr Doom's out there, including a "Vinny".

"Rhodes! Rhodes! Get your suit on! We need ya!"

Not surprised to see another War Machine ongoing going south quick.

I recall jumping onboard the Pak series during the "Dark Reign" era. It was decent, but there really wasn't a good reason to make Rhodey the Marvel equivalent of Cyborg.

I wrote this kinda quick and was thinking 'Rhodey' which is what Tony calls him. Sorry I got that mixed up.

What gets me about that whole "Cyborg War Machine" storyline was that Tony Stark didn't have the process done on himself that Rhodey had done at the end. I mean, he's got a bad ticker and all those little problems. I'm sure he could afford to have the process done to himself and get a spiffy healthy new body.

If not for that mixup of yours, I may never have been able to use the "Dr Doom-Bots" line. Tho, I did screw up the line.