Marvel’s Ironheart hadn’t even premiered when it was already under fire — not from critics or audiences with genuine concerns, but from a brigade of online trolls. Before a single frame had officially aired on Disney+, the series had been dragged down to a 32% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. A similar trend was visible on IMDb, where it holds a dismal 4.9 rating. The reason? A coordinated review bombing campaign.
This isn’t the first time a project led by a woman of color has been unfairly targeted by so-called “fans.” And unless something changes in the way fandoms — especially comic book fandoms — engage with media, it won’t be the last.
Let’s call this what it is: a pattern of harassment wrapped in the pretense of critique. Whether it was Ms. Marvel, The Little Mermaid, The Acolyte, or The Last of Us Season 2, projects centering women — particularly Black women or women of color — have been consistently met with a wave of bad-faith backlash from the very people who claim to love the genre. These review bombs aren’t about quality; they’re about discomfort with inclusion.
Yes, early reactions to Ironheart have been mixed, with some calling it a disappointment and others praising its ambition. And that’s fine, but there’s a huge difference between fair critique and manufactured outrage designed to tank a show’s reputation before it has a chance.
To pretend otherwise is to willfully ignore the undercurrent of racism and misogyny that drives these campaigns.
The truth is, some parts of comic book fandom have become alarmingly allergic to progress. The moment a Black girl dons a suit of armor, or a queer character takes the lead, they’re suddenly deemed unworthy of existing in these massive cinematic universes — not because of how the story is told, but simply because of who is telling it.
It’s time for this behavior to stop. It’s time for fans — especially those who dominate the loudest spaces on social media — to grow up and engage with these stories in good faith. Not every show will be a masterpiece, but every character deserves a fair shot.
Ironheart is now streaming on Disney+.