When I was a teenager I loved the Marvel Team-Up comic books. Spoiler alert: I still love those comic books. It’s the thought of one cool superhero who might be slightly antagonistic, temporarily partnering with another one with complementary powers or an opposing personality. Iron Man: Something Strange is the young reader, graphic novel equivalent of those comic books. It’s the fourth in A Mighty Marvel Team-Up book series that seemingly has the goal of making reading fun and approachable to grades two through five.
That age is a vehicle that badly wants to read, but are torn between the destined-to-be-underemployed who question why they’re reading, and the vast library of potty-themed early chapter books. The superhero kids, and there are a massive number of them in elementary school, are forced to read flatulence or wait until they get home to dig into their comic books. There is a good selection of paper-bound World of Reading books for pre-k through second grade. However, they’re too simple and basic for some readers. Those kids who want to read in mid-elementary school are looking for hardback books with brand-name superheroes and A Mighty Marvel Team-Up book series from Abrams Fanfare scratches that itch.
It has the ‘big kid’ graphic novel sensibilities that those ages are looking for. There is action and the superhero hijinks they demand, but at a less manic pace or realistic presentation. It’s obvious that we’re reading a story with the real Iron Man and Doctor Strange, but they’re acting in a way that’s more approachable to ages six through ten. This is not Muppet Babies, where the characters are re-imagined to fit into a vehicle solely to check off the marketing demographic legacy list.
Iron Man: Something Strange starts out with Iron Man going about his superhero duties. He’s flying in New York City, battling a giant robot when Black Widow tells Tony that there’s a real problem at Avengers Tower-the phones aren’t working. This frustrates him because he’s more of a big problem kind of guy. The rest of the The Avengers are there too, all giving Iron Man some tips on what he should do. This leads him to the building’s roof where he discovers a one-eyed octopus alien has made its home inside the antennae.
The little octopus-eye escapes, but its mother is causing havoc in the park. When Tony gets tied up in one of her tentacles, he issues an S.O.S. and his least favorite friend, and Doctor Strange, answers the call. Thankfully, Doctor Strange, being fluent in the ways of magic, is able to speak with the matriarchy and is able to negotiate a truce. Unfortunately for Tony, the only truce was for the two to locate all seven of her babies within one hour, or she’ll be forced to eat Iron Man.
Doctor Strange doesn’t like to work with technology, and Iron Man is not a fan of magic. Can the two work together, crack jokes and serve up enough action to entertain ages seven and up? Older readers might wonder if the two can manage to do all of that without belittling the characters that they know and love. This is the rare case of win/win when it comes to superheroes, graphic novels and packaging it to younger audiences without offending older ones.
Something Strange! is a graphic novel. It feels like a great comic book that you always wanted to read when you were seven. Its characters were drawn in a way that’s just a little softer than the comic books that you didn’t relate to, but secretly wanted to. The panels present full-page action with some containing three or four panels, and a couple of well-placed text boxes. The text is funny, runs with action and has the heroes in a world that is not too different from the one their older siblings have seen.
Having said that, Iron Man: Something Strange! (A Mighty Marvel Team-Up) is entirely attractive to young to older elementary school students. The pages have that smell, that smell that kids like and adults remember. It reminds you of reading and will help those emerging readers engage another sense. The book does the heavy lifting. It’s fun, loaded with colors and has a story that will be impossible to resist for those ages. Spider-Man has starred in a trio of these books and now more are planned. Iron Man: Super Smash comes out in late winter 2026 and will hopefully deliver the same goods as this one.
Iron Man: Something Strange (A Mighty Marvel Team-Up) is by Dean Hale and illustrated by Douglas Holgate and is available on Abrams Fanfare, an imprint of Abrams Books.
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