Source: comicsalliance.com
2. Mandarin: The Story Of My Life
(Invincible Iron Man Annual #1)
One of my favorite single issues of all time, and the best issue of this series by FAR.
With guest artist Carmine Di Giandomenico! And it’s an issue that features literally zero appearances by Iron Man himself! Neat, huh?
This issue stars famous Chinese filmmaker Jun Shan, who is one of the favorite filmmakers of…The Mandarin!! That isn’t a good thing, turns out, as he finds himself and his wife abducted by the villain for one purpose: so Jun Shan can make a movie about the life of the Mandarin. Under heavy watch in Mandarin City, and provided only with fake information that glorifies his kidnapper, Shan is forced to make the worst movie of his career. That is, until he comes up with an idea. Through the power of guerilla filmmaking, and the help of a group of willing contributors, Shan begins to make a new movie in secret. And this one is devoted to telling nothing but the truth and destroying the myth the Mandarin has perpetuated for himself. Of course, this project will most likely end in a death sentence.
Not only is this story great because it’s loosely based on a true story involving North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il’s abduction of filmmakers, it’s also a perfect reintroduction of the Mandarin to a modern audience. Turning him into a foreign dictator shaping his people into viewing him as a god? That’s friggin’ brilliant.
