On-Screen is the only place where you'll get the full verdict on this collector's item!The Marvel Graphic Novels Collection so far has been a unprecedented hit for fans of the Marvel comics and relative newcomers such as myself. Iron Man: Extremis is a very different beast to what's come before, clearly setting the foundations for the first instalment in the blockbuster movie franchise which would release a year or two after the 2003 comics' publication dates. Through neatly rendered flashbacks scattered throughout the engaging thriller-esque narrative, we discover the origins story of a younger Tony Stark who reeks of the Ultimate revamp styles that get picked up later in the decade. Like the film, it all comes down to a dangerous escape from a terrorist cell through the building of a specifically-designed weapons suit to bring justice to the enemies of Stark Industries. As always, Stan Lee's team do wonders with the artwork, finely bringing to life some epic setpieces throughout, but the narrative does struggle at times. Despite feeling compelling at all times, the lack of a proper villain in Extremis bar the titular terrorist organisation rids the feeling of some of the story's potential cohesion, making the collection of comic books feel a bit rag-tag as if they were merely leading onto future instalments with the metal-clad Iron Man we've all come to know and love. As preludes to guns-blazing future adventures go, though, we've done a lot worse than Iron Man: Extremis, a brilliant graphic novel which is totally representative of Marvel's influence on modern film.
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