Ever wondered what a superhero would do if someone double-crossed him or had some of his tech (in case of Iron Man) stolen and modified for evil? In Iron Man Beginnings, Marvel takes you on an adventure where you get to know about the Armoured Avenger’s secret origin as well as his fight against the might of his own inventions.

Unlike some adult comics, the language is clean here so this book can be considered safe as far as kids are concerned.

The highlight of this book is the illustration that first introduces us to Tony Stark and his associate Pepper Potts who manage Stark Industries, one of the largest armed manufacturers in the world.

The action in the story takes place when suddenly discarded tech from Stark’s company finds its way into the hands of villains and they wreak havoc in New York City, prompting Iron Man to battle against them. With The Avengers busy elsewhere, Iron Man single-handedly fights them all and sends them back to where they belong — jail. However, there is still one mystery to solve and Tony uses all his resources to find out how the breach took place.

This book also introduces us to the first version of Cobalt Man, Iron Man’s sidekick who works remotely, without a person inside the suit. How Iron Man takes on supervillains Cyclone, Aqueduct and Blizzard with Cobalt Man on his side is what makes this book an interesting read. It may not give you the satisfaction of watching a movie or a film, but it stays with you forever. The enlarged text size and the colourful design add weight to the fact that a book is still bigger than any adaptation. Until the next adventure of the armoured hero!

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 1st, 2018