ULTIMATE IRON MAN II #5 cover art

By Kiel Phegley

Since the start of ULTIMATE IRON MAN II last December, artist Pasqual Ferry has been delivering some of the slickest-looking tech-driven action this side of the adult Tony Stark's turn on the big screen; but ask the Spanish creator for his favorite scene from the series and you'll get a slightly different side of the story.

"My favorite moment [was] every one with Obadiah [Stane]," enthuses Ferry of the series' twisted teenage take on Iron Man's inventor rival. "I love this sick kid!"

Luckily for readers who feel the same way, the fifth and final issue of the Ultimate limited series—which hits comic shops on July 9—by Ferry and renowned novelist Orson Scott Card will be driven by the final battle pitting Iron Man and War Machine against Obadiah and his mother, the equally insane Loni.

"Nobody will be disappointed with the end of the story," promises Ferry, who teases plenty of surprises, emotion and "a very big smash." Although the artist also notes that his work on the book has forced him to stretch his skills as an artist beyond his heavy action chops:

ULTIMATE IRON MAN II preview art

"[Working on] this series has been a real challenge [for] me. I'm more used to doing sci-fi fantasy stuff, and the story [by] Orson Scott Card was heavier in conversation and dialogue. I'm a big fan of the Card novels, so the chance of work with him has been a dream come true."

And the dream lives on later in 2008 when Ferry will tackle the art on Marvel's highly anticipated adaptation of Card's ENDER'S GAME, the story of a teenage outsider's initiation into a future battle camp where young soldiers train to save humanity from a distant race of bug-like aliens.

"ENDER'S GAME is one of my favorite books," says Ferry. "It was important to me in my adolescence, and the opportunity to make real the images in the book is something that I couldn't say no to.

"Orson's writing is emotional and intense, the feelings are all [shown through] the words. His descriptions are natural and simple even when the situations are complicated and really sophisticated. Orson makes easy what is really hard."

And for readers not as familiar with ENDER'S GAME as Ferry, the artist feels confident that comic fans will find as much to respect and root for in the series' young protagonist as they do in their favorite Marvel heroes.

ENDER'S GAME promo art

"It's something similar that happens with the Peter Parker character," says the artist of Ender's plight. "There is a lot of iconic personality stuff here. I think that a lot of young readers will identify with the character and some situations."

But does the prospect of working on such a beloved and well known novel have Ferry feeling a little nervous?

"Well, talking sincerely, yes," he admits. "There will always be people that will be disappointed with the comic version. In any case I will put my heart into it. There is a lot of illusion for all the people involved in this project, and it's a good for the final result. I think that people will be happy with our effort."

Get caught up on ULTIMATE IRON MAN with Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.