LAME: the new iron-man cartoons are about a teen iron-man!

[Superhero 101]

Thanks for the link Gamer Really liking the 2nd season so far Pepper is still annoying though. i kind of like the way they are taking notes from the Movies making Hammer around Tony's Age and i like how they had the same War Machine and Iron Man Back to Back fight with Ghost. It is really cool seeing all the other References they are making to other Marvel Heroes like Captain America and Punisher and Moonknight can't wait to see more of this.

[kedrell]

Liked the new Black Widow episode. Ghost is still being a bad-ass.

[GamerSlyRatchet]

A bit late to comment on this, but the last two episodes of 2011 were pretty cool. Iron Monger's, especially.

[CaptainJustin97]

The formula worked for Superman with Smallville so it should work with Iron Man Armored Adventures. I liked it and found it entertaining.

[ironman29758]

http://marvel.toonzone.net/ironmanan...ews/auman3.php

INTERVIEW - BRANDON AUMAN
Iron Man: Armored Adventures Story Editor Brandon Auman talks to Marvel Animation Age about the second half of Iron Man: Armored Adventures's second season, kicking off Wednesday, February 29th, 2012 at 8:30pm (ET/PT) on Nicktoons Network. Auman discusses upcoming guest appearances, enemies, stories, and much more, so continue below to check it out!

Marvel Animation Age: Iron Man: Armored Adventures is back after a long break starting February 29th at 8:30pm (ET/PT) on Nicktoons Network! Can you quickly catch us up on what we’ll need to know going into these new episodes?


Brandon Auman: The "Armor Wars" arc is over, and we're starting a new one called "The Makluan Ring Saga". All you need to know at this point is that Obadiah Stane is in a coma and Tony Stark will get to inherit Stark International. Finally he's on top of the world ... that is, until his archenemy The Mandarin returns.
MAA: Going ahead into the final thirteen episodes of the season, what will the overall themes and arcs be?
BA: Fear, trust, duty, transformation. Our upcoming episode, "Mandarin's Quest", written by Henry Gilroy (story editor of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and GI Joe: Renegades) introduces a new Makluan ring and a new guardian. It's all about trust and confronting your fears, standing up to them. It's a very hallucinatory episode, much different than the previous episodes. The next thirteen are some of the biggest episodes, easily. The scale gets massive. The villains are the most powerful villains Tony has ever fought. And I'm not even talking about Dr. Doom or Magneto ... there are even bigger threats!
MAA: What can we expect in upcoming episodes when the second-half of the season kicks-off? Any teases to pass along?
BA: Well, we are doing an adaptation of "Extremis", which is going to be pretty awesome. It's an exciting, life changing event for Tony. He will physically and mentally transform ... I don't want to say too much, but you can check out the Warren Ellis comic for details if you want spoilers. We are as faithful to the comic as we could be, by way of our Armored Adventures universe.
MAA: Iron Man: Armored Adventures has featured a solid collection of guest stars so far, with even more to come. Even some popular mutants will be dropping by! Is it difficult to bring in guest stars and adapt them to the established world of Iron Man: Armored Adventures, or is there a kind of freedom in what you’re able to do, basically creating this world of characters as you see fit?
BA: I like to keep the heroes and villains similar to the original universe, but sometimes it doesn't always gel. You have to streamline origin stories, and so on. In the beginning I had several discussions with Cort Lane, VP of Development. I'd pitch him ideas, and he would greenlight the villains and heroes - pretty much any guest star really, and encourage the use of others. He's a big Hawkeye fan, and wanted to see Hawkeye and Black Widow, so I was happy to oblige. As long as I could bring in Dr. Doom [laughs]! So Doom comes back ... or maybe I should say, Iron Man goes to Doom? It's a big episode! Of course by now, it's already been reported that Magneto and Jean Grey will appear in the series. I wanted Magneto to be classic Magneto, mixed with the movie version. Jean Grey is younger, and somewhat inexperienced. We wanted it to feel like X-Men Origins.
MAA: Concerning the characters, what type of evolution can we expect in the coming episodes? How will they grow and change as we head toward the season finale?
BA: Well, there's the "Extremis episode," but I can't talk too much about the characters - we have a lot of surprises. More events happen in these thirteen episode than any previous episode. There are a lot of revelations ... heroes and villains we haven't even mentioned yet. And the return of a few villains we haven't seen since the first season.
MAA: What changes have you noticed in the series from the first season to the next? Has there been changes in how the episodes play out, how characters are portrayed, etc.? How has the series itself grown, and will it be building up to an epic season finale?
BA: Yeah, the finale is huge. Massive, on a scale unlike anything we've had. I think there's been a pretty big shift in terms of character development every thirteen episodes or so. In the first season, Tony, Pepper and Rhodey are just kids, really. Inexperienced. Everyone has grown up. Tony has gotten more cynical and cocky because the armor gives him a lot of confidence. Of course when he gets his butt kicked, he learns his lesson and tries to think through the solution, instead of being so brash. Rhodey is getting more self-assured, while still retaining his moral center. And Pepper ... well, she's matured a bit, but is still trying to get Tony to build her armor ... so we dive into that more.
MAA: Alright, getting a bit ahead of myself there. Thankfully, the season finale is still 13 episodes away. Have you seen all the upcoming episodes and, if so, is it a bit difficult knowing these episodes are waiting to be aired? Is it a different experience for someone working on a show to have to wait for these episodes to air before he or she can fully discuss it with viewers?
BA: Yeah, I've seen all of the eps. It does get frustrating, because I'm not even talking about some of my favorite episodes or mystery guest villains! I'd love to reveal more, but we're trying to keep some things a secret, ya know? I think fans of the show will feel this season pays off everything it promised throughout. It gets huge, epic and even emotional by the end. I was shocked by how much we could get away with. Some of these last thirteen get very dark ... just wait until "Extremis"!
MAA: As we bring this to an end, the wait for new episodes of Iron Man: Armored Adventures is almost over! The second half of season two kicks off February 29th at 8:30pm (ET/PT) on Nicktoons Network. Can you drop some hints on what we can expect for this week and beyond?
BA:Well, Mandarin returns this week in full-force ... after discovering a new ring and a new guardian! And in a few weeks we've got Magneto, Extremis, Dr. Doom ... and the return of the Hulk! The Hulk episode will be amazing! We'll get to see Bruce Banner and Thunderbolt Ross. And the destruction of lots and lots of robots! </I>Iron Man: Armored Adventures returns with thirteen all-new episodes starting Wednesday, February 29th, 2012 at 8:30pm (ET/PT) on Nicktoons Network!

[dru-zod2501]

this is a pretty interesting take on the standard IM mythos, and the animation is solid. Here's to season 3!!!

[GamerSlyRatchet]

Episodes for March:

http://marvel.toonzone.net/news.php?...ullnews&id=769

08:30pm-09:00pm – #215 – Iron Man: Armored Adventures “Hostile Takeover” (PREMIERE)
Description: When Hammer buys out Stark International, a penniless Tony vows to stop at nothing until the world knows what Hammer really is – an evil master criminal!

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
08:30pm-09:00pm – #216 – Iron Man: Armored Adventures “Extremis” (PREMIERE)
Description: When Agent Mallen is fired from S.H.I.E.L.D., he takes the super-serum “Extremis” and mutates into a powerful maniac bent on revenge. Can Iron Man possibly stop this powerful foe?

Wednesday, March 21st, 2012
08:30pm-09:00pm – #217 – Iron Man: Armored Adventures “The X-Factor” (PREMIERE)
Description: Tony’s new friend Annie turns out to be a mutant on the run from Magneto! Iron Man tries to protect her, but how can he fight a mutant with a mastery over metal?

Wednesday, March 28st, 2012
08:30pm-09:00pm – #218 – Iron Man: Armored Adventures “Iron Man 2099” (PREMIERE)
Description: In the future, Tony Stark’s grandson Andros is Iron Man 2099. Except his time-travelling super-armor isn’t designed to save the day, but instead to eliminate Tony Stark!

[RaZaTrOn]

Mallen and Extremis was fantastic love this world they've created that has the Marvel Universe in it... hopefully we get to see Fury's Avengers eventually in the show, really looking forward to the next episode with Magneto.

[MarvelKnight]

Magneto's episode was pretty good. I like the nod to chris claremont with Jean's alias. I don't mind this show, though their version of Mandarin is annoying.

And please, DO NOT give pepper any armor.. she is hard enough to put up with in that show as it is, for me at at least.

Overall though, its a solid show, I enjoy watching it.

[GamerSlyRatchet]

"Iron Man 2099" was a pretty fun episode. I liked how it got pretty dark at times. I also liked the references to Spider-Man as well.

Too bad the show went on hiatus all of a sudden.

[steelio2006]

when i first heard bout this show, i was relatively unimpressed with it. however, yesterday i started watching season 1. and it's actually not bad. it's a pretty solid show, imo. definitely an interesting take on the character. sort of the Ultimate Iron Man comic in regards to Tony being a teenager.

do we think the show will be cancelled so that Disney can make an Iron Man show?

[Gotham22]

Originally Posted by steelio2006

when i first heard bout this show, i was relatively unimpressed with it. however, yesterday i started watching season 1. and it's actually not bad. it's a pretty solid show, imo. definitely an interesting take on the character. sort of the Ultimate Iron Man comic in regards to Tony being a teenager.

do we think the show will be cancelled so that Disney can make an Iron Man show?

I heard it got cancelled recently and Disney plans to make a kiddy Iron Man show just like The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and Ultimate Spider-Man.

[GamerSlyRatchet]

Originally Posted by Gotham22

I heard it got cancelled recently and Disney plans to make a kiddy Iron Man show just like The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and Ultimate Spider-Man.

EMH is anything BUT kiddy.

So, thanks to our Australian brothers, I managed to watch both "Iron Monger Lives" and "The Dragonseed". Here are a few thoughts:

"Iron Monger Lives" review

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

"Iron Monger Lives" picks up on the tragic ending of "Heavy Mettle", where Obadiah ends up on a coma and Whitney swears revenge on Tony, thinking he was responsible for his fate. It seems Obadiah has woken up, and now is playing mind games on Tony and friends, jeopardizing their hideout and their family. Tony's identity is in risk as he must figure out who is behind these attacks.

Rather predictably, it turns out to be Whitney, who has returned as Madame Masque to make Tony and his friends pay. I must admit, I was kinda disappointed that the events of this episode unsurprisingly led up to Masque being the villain behind it. I was hoping to see Ghost being the true culprit, since it could have fit logically with how the story was set up, and would have closed a much bigger plotline than Whitney's little revenge tease. Not to mention it's sort of contrived how Whitney's amnesia specifically allows her to remember she was Madame Masque and Tony was Iron Man, but not how she was obsessed with killing her father and protecting Stark, rather than the other way around.

Still, she is one of the more interesting villains in the show, and her return did have her as a huge threat, impressive for someone who is not an armored villain (brief control of the Iron Monger armor aside. The suspense and tension were actually good, and Whitney's arrest and further descent into madness and villainy are genuinely heartbreaking. Despite the show now being cancelled and this plotline possibly left hanging, her villainous tease does make her a welcomed, hopefully permanent addition to this show's rogues gallery.

Overall, though somewhat disappointing for personal reasons, a very strong episode, and one of the season's best.

"The Dragonseed" review

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

"The Dragonseed" features the resolution of three major story arcs this season: the Mandarin's possession of the final Makluan ring, Pepper's constant requests for her own armor, and Tony keeping his secret identity hidden from his father, Howard. How do these fare?

The final ring, unlike the others, does not seem to have a specific ability beyond giving the Mandarin full control. The final guarding is also not a reinvented Iron Man villain, but an alien soldier, a Makluan, who exposits that Gene and his family is half-Makluan, and shares the full backstory and origin of the Mandarin dynasty. He correctly assumes that Gene is too corrupt to wield its power, but is ultimately killed by him for his heroic effort. Iron Man and War Machine are joined in this mission by Pepper, who now has a stealth-specific and rather sleek armor and has codenamed herself "Rescue". Despite her initial air-headed behavior, she fits in rather quickly to the armored group. Finally, Howard, in a rather predictable fashion, reveals to Tony that he knows his son is Iron Man, and is surprisingly understanding of their deception.

For the most part, this is another strong episode after the nearly-horrific "The Hammer Falls". The backstory behind the Makluans is interesting and does not conflict with earlier information given. I was a bit shocked that Gene wasn't even half-human. Rescue, again, is a welcome addition to the group, and Howard and Tony being open with each other provided some relief. The one nitpick I did have was the manufactured drama provided earlier by Tony, who came off as overly angsty and whiny about his dad building a "weapon". It does make him seem kinda stupid, as well as an obvious Checkov used later on.

Still, this was another good one, and sets the stage for the show's grand finale.

Looking forward to tomorrow's final two episodes.

[GamerSlyRatchet]

"The Makluan Invasion" review:

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

After the Mandarin has obtained all ten rings and it doesn't take long before he goes on a power-mad rampage, declaring himself ruler of mankind and going after S.H.I.E.L.D.....and it's on Tony's 18th birthday, too! However, Gene's rule is short-lived when the activation of the rings serves it's true purpose: acting as a homing beacon for the Makluan Empire to arrive and take its rings back, and prepare for an invasion of Earth. And so begins Tony and co,'s final battle as they team-up with previous allies, and even one foe, go through a gladiator ring and a rematch against Ultimo, and a final showdown against the ring-powered Makluan Overlord.

So, this is the grand finale, and it's just alright. Nothing to really nitpick and complain about this two-parter. The Makluans were fun, even if they didn't look as cool as in the comics, and I'm glad they finally resolved Gene's plot, even if his redemption felt very sudden and rushed. I enjoyed seeing all the heroes from throughout the season team-up, and was especially nice to see more of Gray Hulk. Pepper and Tony's pay-off, though, was kinda weak, but as shown through Tony's romance with Whitney, love stories are REALLY not this show's strong suit.

Of course, there are still some unresolved stories. Technovore, Mad Thinker, and Madame Masque are still on the loose. Despite Tony and friends' identities being revealed, it's still odd that Ghost wouldn't do anything about it. Even the Mandarin's sudden realization that he shouldn't "rule" doesn't necessarily translate to him being less of a threat. But overall, most of the major plots are resolved.

All in all, this was a solid, but predictable, finale. No major hooks, and concludes the show successfully.

Overall series overview:

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

Iron Man: Armored Adventures is an adequate show, and probably better than its premise made it seem to be. Thanks to Christopher Yost and Brandon Auman, it does a good job making the controversial premise of a teenage Tony work. Not to mention there are some ideas and villains that work, such as the Mandarin's design, a more compelling and dangerous foe in Madame Masque, and the overall coolness of Ghost. Some of the more serious moments worked, and had the right tone. Tony himself is a flawed character who retains some key elements from his comic book self, such as his inability to fully understand people and his obsessive drive to end the misuse of his creations. Rhodey is the voice of reason that does loosen up, and Pepper is.....Pepper, the only static character in the show. This trio, however, is still likable enough, and I did care for them as friends, which is FAR more than what I can say for Ultimate Spider-Man.

However, the CGI animation would manage to make the show's strong designs very bland, and when it comes to humor and romance, this show did fall flat. Not to mention it also had some downright stupid moments, like Living Laser's pointless revival and Hammer's whole deal with the zombie gas. Not to mention some episodes did manage to be boring filler, even with the strong continuity, and Stane's characterization was all over the place.

Overall, this show is fine, and probably the best animated show Iron Man has. Despite it's premise, it manages to be mature at times, and is loyal to the spirit of the Iron Man comics than it seems. But it does have it's share of bad ideas and bland moments. The current Marvel Animation regime is coming up with a new Iron Man show, and while it will most likely feature an older Tony Stark, Loeb and Man of Action's current work and philosophies makes me worry it will be the most immature take on the Shellhead yet.

[C_Carmichael]

I actually like IMAA, because it allowed me to introduce an otherwise very "adult" hero (drinking, womanizing, more drinking) to my son, which was only possible because of the kid-friendly nature of the "teenage" Tony Stark.

Additionally, I am finding I like the different portrayals, and the references to "stock Iron Man lore" in a slightly different setting and format.

Oh, and I loved the first Hulk episode. It was like "Oh holy crap! The HULK!!!!"

Then the Hulkbuster armor comes out.