Ewing, Eve L.

AVERAGE REVIEW SCORE:

3 out of 5

(1 book)

Ironheart: Those With Courage

(Art by Luciano Vecchio, Kevin Libranda and Geoffo)

Book 1.  Riri Williams is living as MIT's resident genius superhero but begins to resent the strings attached to the role.  Returning to Chicago, she discovers that young children are going missing and being forced to engage in petty thievery.  Upon investigating Riri discovers a conspiracy involving a powerful politician and the Ten Rings terrorist organisation.

Cards on the table; I read this after already having watched the Disney+ Ironheart show and a lot of my opinions about the book were coloured by the show.  Unlike many people, I actually rather enjoyed the show, even if I felt the ending was a bit weak.  And, let's be honest, a lot of the people bad-mouthing the show were white incel dudes who were outraged that a superhero show could focus on a character who is intelligent, black and a woman (their worst nightmares combined), rather than people who were actually viewing it objectively.

Like the TV series, this book does a good job of showing us just how much Riri's poor background contrasts her with Tony Stark, as well as exploring the social skills that she lacks as a result of the trauma of her step-father and best friend being murdered.  Unfortunately, where this book is different from the show is that it doesn't really have a convincing antagonist.  The politician-who-turns-out-to-be-corrupt plotline is entirely generic, the Ten Rings are treated as a fairly vague and nebulous threat, and the actual supervillain featured, Midnight Fire, is an entirely uninspiring too-proud-of-themselves ninja type.

3 out of 5

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Marvel Comics (here)