With Iron Man’s big 60th anniversary coming up next year, Marvel is doubling down on the number of titles featuring the Armored Avenger. In addition to Invincible Iron Man, which debuts in December, Marvel will also launch I Am Iron Man next March.
Writer Murewa Ayodele and artist Dotun Akande will tell stories set at different points in Iron Man’s career. The duo actually have a back-up story in tomorrow’s Iron Man #25, which wraps up Christopher Cantwell’s run on the character with an oversized issue.
“Iron Man has been my favorite character in all of fiction for years now,” Ayodele said. “I’ve loved the character for so long that I had written a proposal for this series even before Dotun and I broke into comics. So, we are super grateful that Marvel made our wildest dreams come true by giving us this opportunity to tell stories that celebrate 60 years of the awesome existence of Tony Stark… Every issue of I Am Iron Man is set in an iconic era of Iron Man, explores some deep emotional wounds of Tony Stark, is adrenaline-pumping with exciting set pieces, and is rendered in beautiful illustrations by Dotun Akande (my favorite comic book artist and best friend). It’s the series for Iron Man fans and anyone that has ever wanted to get into Iron Man comics.”
The new title will explore stories from Tony Stark’s past, according to Marvel.com:
Beneath the red and gold armor is a hopeless romantic, a genius inventor, a war hero, a billionaire, an Avenger, and a person, TONY STARK. Journey through the rich history of Iron Man—telling stories never seen before that are set in iconic eras of ol’ Shellhead—starting with the Silver Age and continuing through the classic eras of Archie Goodwin, the 90s, today, and beyond!
“Working on an Iron Man title—and an anniversary series for that matter—is a dream come true,” Akande said. “That dream is a little over a decade now. Every single line of artwork is a decade-long itch scratched and a very personal love letter to Tony Stark (Iron Man), his creators, other inspiring and amazing storytellers that have worked on his comics, and his very passionate fans. Luckily for me, I found an equally enthusiastic fan of the character in my best friend, Murewa. We have a series of exhilarating, heroic tales we’re sure will be enjoyed by both Iron Man stans and new readers. It’s going to be a thrilling ride. Steel yourself.”
The first issue arrives March 1.