Review by Frank Plowright

Teenage genius Riri Williams also fights crime as the armoured Ironheart, not bothering to conceal her other identity from the public. She earns a living through having a lab provided by M.I.T., and her armour incorporates her AI personality, although visually configured to resemble her now dead best friend.

Ironheart’s previous solo series was well conceived, if eventually disappointing, but Those With Courage has Eve L. Ewing hitting all the right spots from the start. In addition to supplying engaging superhero action, she ensures we care about Riri herself, using flashbacks and the petty annoyances of her day to day life. For instance, the price of being supplied with a lab is the college administration constantly touring visitors around it, which eventually plays into other events. Ewing accompanies this with interesting science-based observations in Riri’s narrative captions, such as revealing atoms are always moving, just so slowly we can’t tell.

Luciano Vecchio’s design for Riri as Ironheart is cleverly unsettling, curving and bulking the armour to ensure it no longer entirely follows the human shape. All four limbs and a head are apparent, but the design ensures Ironheart catches the eye, while the addition of an illuminated heart incorporated into the helmet is a nice final touch. Geoffo is credited for additional layouts, so it may be the case that Vecchio subcontracts elements of his art, but either way, it sparkles whether Riri is in or out of her armour, and colourist Matt Milla plays a part, his subdued shades for flashbacks being noteworthy. Kevin Libranda draws the final chapter in a style very similar to Vecchio, but slightly more detailed.

Ewing’s plot is a mysteryopening into a serious threat that can’t just be punched out, as other lives are endangered, one of them once a friend of Riri’s. Running as a subplot is the idea that mental health should be a priority, and addressing issues isn’t something to be put off until later, and the supporting cast is strong and well defined. Ewing also comes up with clever solutions to Riri’s problems both in and out of armour. A final chapter supplies an intriguing puzzle to be solved along with a guest appearance from Miles Morales, and the whole package adds up to a constant delight.

Ten Rings follows, or both are combined as Meant to Fly, but in a smaller format paperback.