By Jim Beard

Following hot on the heels of the encyclopedic MARVEL HANDBOOKS and the globeriffic MARVEL ATLAS comes the brand-spankin-new IRON MANUAL. In 2008, the Year of Iron Man, you just can't be without this exhaustive tome, a Handbook overflowing with the low-down on the Golden Avenger and his universe, and a labor of love for writer Michael Hoskin. Michael's insured the IRON MANUAL includes everything you need to know about Tony Stark and his repulsor-rayin' alter ego.

You want info on the billionaire himself? It's in there. His friends? Check. His enemies? Got ya covered? Every suit of high-tech armor? Heck, yeah. Iron Man's history, triumphs, defeats, and inventions? Listen, are you trying to get us mad? Did we mention brand new art by Carlo Pagulayan ("Planet Hulk"), illustrating every conceivable nut, bolt, and welded seam? Like we said—it's all there.

Cover by Greg Land

But a Manual like this doesn't put itself together. You need someone who loves the characters, loves the tech, and loves the research. That's Michael Hoskin, and lucky you, we held him down just long enough to get a few Q's into him and a few A's out of him…

Marvel.com: So, adding the IRON MANUAL to your lengthy list of Marvel Handbooks just about did you in, huh?

Michael Hoskin: It has been a long journey for me so far—four years of these projects, in fact. I do have to thank my long-suffering editor Jeff Youngquist, who has weathered my requests for books about monsters and westerns and even granted me custody of Marvel's Earth to bring the MARVEL ATLAS to life. I can only say "four more years!"

Marvel.com: What makes the IRON MANUAL different from your work on, say, the X-MEN HANDBOOK or the ATLAS?

Michael Hoskin: There is the obvious difference that the subject of discussion is Iron Man, which implies rather less time spent concerning the economy of Latveria or the physiology of a ghoul; what really sets this special apart from the majority of my work is the amount of brand-new artwork which has been commissioned. It really is a blessing, especially for characters who are difficult to reproduce from older artwork.

Marvel.com: What tone do you set when writing a book like this, as far as the presentation of a sort of fictional technical manual for a super-hero?

Michael Hoskin: As with its brother and sister handbook projects, the IRON MANUAL is written in an objective point of view. In terms of the subject matter, in addition to delving into the main man, Anthony Edward Stark himself, the emphasis is on his rich supporting cast and rogues gallery—with particular attention given to supporting characters of recent years and rogues who utilize armor.

Marvel.com: There's a lot of text in and around the great illustrations; how do you both inform new readers with a book like this yet also offer something for long-time Iron Man fans?

Michael Hoskin: I utilize brightly-colored puppets with catchy upbeat songs; edu-tainment.

Marvel.com: Ha! Take that show on the road!

Michael Hoskin: I worry more that the educating could be boring to a new-timer rather than a long-timer—I expect that long-timers will be double-checking my work, looking to see that I got everything right—and prove that Iron Man can totally beat the Hulk like a cajillion times over. This book will be chock-full of interesting graphics of Iron Man, his friends and his foes to break up the monotony of the text and keep the eyeballs energetic.

Marvel.com: Now, does your research encompass both comics and the "real" world? Do you peruse tech manuals, science books, that sort of thing?

Michael Hoskin: I have read James Kakalios' "Physics of Superheroes," but real world science isn't my beat; I have had discussions in the past about how Iron Man's armor works with Eliot R. Brown, who is an engineer and keeps current with scientific developments; in last year's MIGHTY AVENGERS: MOST WANTED FILES. This led to some interesting explanations of how the Extremis virus operates, but I doubt that many fans caught the real science Eliot employed.

Marvel.com: It sounds like you're more up on things than you give yourself credit for, Michael! So, what's your favorite type of entry to write for the Handbooks? Characters? Events? Equipment/tech?

Michael Hoskin: It's the characters, beyond any doubt. There was a time when Iron Man was one of my least-favorite Marvel heroes—I thought he ruined people's lives and ate all their steak. Intensive immersive reading of the character's past—especially the eras of Archie Goodwin, David Michelinie, Denny O'Neil, Len Kaminski, Kurt Busiek, John Jackson Miller, Warren Ellis, Adam Warren and up to the Knaufs—has gradually changed my mind. I've learned to appreciate Tony's flaws—and forgive him for that time he knocked out Steve Rogers from behind—and enjoy his heroism all the more; Iron Man is the first true power armor hero, the link between man and machine, especially since the Extremis appeared; I also truly enjoy the ranks of his supporting cast over the years—especially Mrs. Arbogast, Rhodey, Happy and Pepper.

Marvel.com: Did you cover alternate universe/history versions of Iron Man?

Michael Hoskin: No, we're keeping to the "616" Iron Man. Ultimate Iron Man was covered in 2005's ULTIMATES/X-MEN HANDBOOK; Iron Man 2020's world was covered in 2005's [alternate universes edition] and will be turning up again in February's ALL-NEW HANDBOOK VOL. 1; as to the Marvel Adventures version of Iron Man, wouldn't an Official Handbook of the Marvel Adventures Universe be antithetical?

Marvel.com: Do you 'stretch out' at all with entries, meaning, do you add things that've never been said in the comics?

Michael Hoskin: Yes, where appropriate—and where any involved creators permit us to. I truly do appreciate the cooperation from Iron Man writers of the past, as well as ever-beleaguered editor Tom Brevoort. New information will be invisible at a glance, but the Iron Maniacs out there will catch a few new tidbits.

Marvel.com: Anything you focused on as a personal favorite among Iron Man's long history? Did you snatch up any entry in particular to hoard for yourself?

Michael Hoskin: My favorite period of Iron Man history is the mid-Archie Goodwin era—where the LMD took Tony's place, Midas was trying to eat up Stark Industries, Tony's heart was on its last few beats and Madame Masque and the Crimson Dynamo were waiting in the wings! But I try to keep all of my handbook work objective and consider its significance within the larger scope of Tony's life. I enjoyed, say, his fight with Vitriol in Iraq, but it isn't necessary to a fan's understanding Iron Man's backstory.

Jeff gave me a very free hand in selecting which characters would be covered, so I was able to include most of who I wanted. I tried to keep the character selection within the most important characters to the Iron Man franchise—Tony, Happy, Pepper, Mandarin, Stane—older characters who deserved the play—Guardsmen, Mrs. Arbogast, Abe Zimmer, Jasper Sitwell—and newer additions to the series whose impact is still being felt—Sal Kennedy, Maya Hansen, Dum Dum Dugan, the Helicarrier.

Marvel.com: Whew! Exhaustive! Anything that you wrote that got cut? Something you thought was really, really cool that won't see it to print?

Michael Hoskin: I mentioned before that Tony has a great supporting cast—unfortunately it's too large to fit in the book! Fans of Artemus Pithins, Vic Martinelli, Erica Sondheim, Marcy Pearson—one day your time shall arrive! I also would have liked a separate entry for Iron Man 2.0, introduced in last year's [IRON MAN: HYPERVELOCITY limited series]; he was
one heck of an AI.

Marvel.com: Okay, quick-like, mention one more cool thing that did make it in...

Michael Hoskin: One thing that I think is very cool is that I was able to fit all of the "official" Iron Men—Tony Stark, Happy Hogan, Eddie March, Michael O'Brien, James Rhodes, Force, Bethany Cabe—fans who have read [IRON MAN v1 #300] no doubt recall the coolness factor of seeing seven Iron Men in action.

Finally, of course, there's the artwork of Carlo Pagulayan! I loved Pags' work on "Planet Hulk" [and] it's a thrill to have him lend his magic to the MANUAL!

THE ALL-NEW IRON MANUAL hits stores on May 19.

Need to catch up on your Iron Man reading? Looking for the perfect stories starring Ol' Shellhead? Check out our list of the 10 Collections marked as required reading by any Iron Man fan!



"Iron Man" opens this Friday, May 2 at a theater near you! Visit the official "Iron Man" movie site! Also, Saturday, May 3 is FREE Comic Book Day—get your FREE Iron Man comic at comic retailers everywhere that day!