Ultimate Armor Wars #1

Two armored figures — a sleek red-and-gold Iron Man suit blazing with arc-reactor light and a bulkier orange-and-grey mechanized suit at his side — surge forward through a backdrop of fire and crumbling ruins, setting a tense, high-stakes tone for this four-part Marvel series. Writer Warren Ellis kicks off Ultimate Armor Wars with what the cover promises is a conflict where advanced technology and sheer destructive force are very much center stage, brought to vivid life by cover artist Brandon Peterson's dynamic linework and rich, smoldering palette. If you've been looking for a 2009 Marvel miniseries that puts armored combat front and center, this first issue makes a compelling case right from its opening image.