Iron Man is getting an all-new series this year as part of Marvel Comics' "Fresh Start" initiative, but that's not the only thing new for the Avenger. He's getting a new romance as well, with fellow Avenger Janet Van Dyne, better known as The Wasp.
The solicit for the September issue of the upcoming Dan Slott and Valerio Schiti series entitled Tony Stark: Iron Man revealed that in the fourth issue, Tony and Janet will rekindle an old romance between them complete with a cover from Alexander Lozano featuring the heroes kissing while presumably on the clock. The pair are wearing their respective uniforms, though Jan has Iron Man's mask dangling from her fingers.
Tony and Janet being a thing isn't new. The pair had a brief relationship in the 1980s shortly after Janet's marriage to Hank Pym ended and before Tony's identity as Iron Man was known. However when Tony's secret came out, Jan ended their romance. She didn't want to be involved in another workplace romance, much less be involved with someone who was friends with her ex. Janet and Tony, however, have been friends in comics since.
Despite the history this relationship may draw on, fans have had a somewhat mixed reaction to the idea of Iron Man and Wasp getting together in Tony Stark: Iron Man #4. Some fans have objected to the pairing as they prefer to see Tony paired with his Marvel Cinematic Universe love, Pepper Potts. Others are concerned that the story isn't doing Janet justice. It's not all complaint and concern, though. Some readers and fans are excited to see how the story unfolds while others are happy to see the pair come back together some 36 years after they were first an item.
How Janet and Tony end up back together or even where the relationship ultimately goes is something fans will have to check out the new series to find out. As noted previously, the title is part of Marvel's "Fresh Start" and will see not just Iron Man, but other major Marvel characters get new stories with what Marvel's chief creative officer Joe Quesada has called "new fresh ideas".
"New fresh ideas, new fresh creators, really are taking that perspective, which is, 'if you haven't read a comic before, if you're an old lapsed fan and you want to come back, it's the perfect opportunity to do it,' because, as I say, they start and start and they're great jumping on points," he said of the initiative.
So how has the internet reacted to Janet and Tony getting together? Read on to find out.