Born to wealth, his inheritance more then just monetary, Tony Stark received his fathers genius and business savvy, along with his mothers good nature and common sense . Bolstering these with a natural talent for engineering, along with a will of Iron, Anthony Stark became an even more accomplished businessman then his father. But tragedy struck the young Millionaire, trapping him , he thought at the time, forever, in a suit of Iron to match his inner resolve! Since then he has fought back against many trials and tribulations, conquering every one like a shining knight of old. His steel mesh armor acting as a weapon for good against the most hi-tech villains of all time! He is the shining warrior of the future! The Golden Avenger! He is the one and only, the invincible
Tony Stark stares from beneath his steel mesh , form fitting helmet in anger and
disbelief! Reflected in the helmets gleaming surface before him, hovering in the air are
five different versions of the Iron Monger armor, all with their deadly weaponry aimed at
both himself , and his friend and partner, War Machine. War Machine holds the unconscious
Bethany Cabe in his metallic grip, guarding her against harm.
"Hey Iron Man, time ta move!" Instantly, War Machine is in action, arcing
upwards and away, carrying Beth to some sort of safety. But even faster then War Mach can
fly, one of the iron Monger suits, the one that appeared to be shimmering in place
suddenly seems to disappear, and reappear in front of War Machine, to slam him with a
powerful right handed cross, that knocks him from the sky, ,and from his grip of Bethany
Cabe!
"NO!" Shouts Iron Man, as he ignites his boot jets, and rockets skywards, to
be suddenly grabbed about the left leg by the largest of the Iron Monger suits, and
slammed to the pavement face first!
Pa-KOOOM!
Meanwhile , above, War Machine activates his tractor beam, as he falls, and catches
Beth's hurtling form, lowering her to the ground safely , as he himself reignites his boot
jets and stops his plummeting flight.
"Okay streaky," Begins Jim Rhodes from within his War Machine suit, 'Time ta
stop the nonsense."
War Machine fires his repulsers, and the shimmering, Iron Monger merely slips around
the blasts, as if they were in slow motion!
"What th-" He stammers, "This is crazy!" he says aloud, then "Time
ta shift to the auto fire. mode." He thinks.
Instantly his suit begins to track his enemy, but still misses with every blast he
fires from his gauntlets. And then to make things worse, the other Iron Monger suits join
the attack! Suddenly a glowing, energy pulsing suit fires blasts of plasma at War Machine,
knocking him away like chaff before a howling tornado!
Shha-ROOOM!
Across the sky, Iron Man sees what's happening to his friend, as the Hulk-like Iron
Monger again slams him with fists the size of Buicks!
Bam!
"Unngh!" Growls Stark through grit teeth, as he's thrown across the sky, to
slam into a Madripoor office building, and out the other side. "This is no good.
I can't match his strength, unless I put everything into it, and then I'll have to shut
down to many systems. Time to use my own special strengths."
He rockets upwards, and away from the building, as the Huge Monger suit flies after
him, and away from the others.
"Good, time to turn the tables." Thinks Stark.
Suddenly he fires his Pulse bolts, at 100 yards distance, the effect is catastrophic!
Ba-KOOOMM!
The Big Monger is smashed backwards like a toy, and finally after all this time the
eerily silent until now Iron Monger, finally speaks! "You won't win Iron Man, our
powers are to great. To much for your pathetic suit of armor."
"Says you puppet, we both know Stane is pulling yours and all the rest of these
dupes strings, and the times come to cut the cords!"
Suddenly Iron Man activates his proton weapon, as the shoulder ridges on both shoulders
rise up, so their ends face outwards, to fire blasts of protonic energy, one side
positive, the other negative, to catch the Iron Monger in a cloud of the deadly energies,
with very explosive results!
Ta-KOOOM!
Like Broken doll, the Iron Monger suit slams into the pavement , hundreds of feet
below, leaving a smoking crater to mark his point of impact!
Bramm!
Suddenly Iron Man is hit from behind, as his right shoulder ridge is gripped
powerfully, and broken off by the "Normal" Iron Monger suit!
Trak!
"Idiot" Begins the hovering Monger. "I've just destroyed your deadliest
weapon, now you're mine!"
"My deadliest weapon is my mind, mercenary. That's something you have no hope
against!"
Iron Man rockets in, tackling the Iron Monger before him, and heaving it powerfully
away.
Thoom!
Before the Monger can right himself, Iron Man fires his uni beam laser,
blasting the Iron Monger in mid tumble, then Iron Man streaks in, his right fist cocked
back.
"Time to end this, loser."
Ba-Boom!
His powerful punch devastates the tumbling Iron Monger, actually breaking sections of
the suit off!
"N-no!" Chokes out the falling villain, as he again seeks to right himself
and renew the attack, "I will not fall! Not now, nor ever!"
He rockets in towards Iron Man, trying to ram him from the sky with the last vestiges
of his power.
"Wrong move ,loser." Roars Stark, as he raises both hands , and again
unleashes his pulse bolts.
Ba Raaaam!
"Two down." He speaks aloud , as the second Iron Monger drops to a nearby
roof top, smoking and smoldering. "Time to find Rhodey."
His scanners instantly pinpoint his friend, as three Iron Mongers pound him
unmercifully. Instantly. Iron Man is gone, racing across the sky, back to his almost
fallen friend! "Hang on War Machine! I'm almost there!" He shouts over their
communication array.
"Well hurry it up , man. I'm gettin' pounded here!" Answers Jim Rhodes ,
angrily.
War Machine fires his back pack mounted pulse cannon, but the ultra fast Shimmering
Iron Monger seems to move faster then the eye can follow, the pulse bolts miss entirely,
as the slimmer Iron Monger leaps in for the attack, hit and running War Machine, as from a
distance, the energy pulsing one continues to periodically fire bolts of plasma that
hammer War Machine unmercifully.
Suddenly the thinner Iron Monger attacks up close again, but this time War Machine is
ready! In one smooth motion, he ignites his glove mounted laser blade, and hacks through
the oncoming suit, at waist level, slicing it cleanly in place.
"Aggghh!" Screams the pilot in side the suit!
War Machine smiles beneath his armor,. "Relax stooge, you weren't cut, my suit saw
to that, but your armor is now wide open, and failin'" Suddenly War Machines backpack
opens again, and the rocket launcher swings up and into position. "Nighty night,
punk." A single rocket leaps forwards from the pack, to shatter the damaged armor
before War Machine.
Ba-Boom!
Before War Machine can even celebrate, he's again bathed in deadly energies from the
glowing Monger suit!
"ArrrgH!" Howls Rhodes painfully, but suddenly the deadly energies are cut
off, as the air is filled with a familiar sound!
Zark! Zark!
"Repulsers!" Thinks Jim, as he looks skywards, his vision clearing
enough to see Iron Man fire repulser blast after repulser blast into the energy filled
Monger suit! The Villain is pushed backwards, as Iron man doesn't give him a chance to
think with his continuous barrage. But then the last Iron Monger suit is back, and
attacking Iron Man. Streaking faster then the eye can follow, the shimmering suit is never
in place where it was before, its hit and run techniques allowing the glowing suit a
moments respite!
"This is no good, " Thinks Rhodey, "Shell head had that one
beaten, now it's gonna get back in the game. These two are the most dangerous outta the
whole crew, and IM's proton weapon is damaged, I can see the broken shoulder cuff from
here. I gotta take out one a these mooks, and do it fast!"
Rhodes HUD zooms in and pinpoints energy bleeding Monger, as Rhodey activates every
weapon at his disposal! All aimed at the glowing Iron Monger !
"What the hell," Thinks Rhodey, "Might as well go for
broke."
He fires every weapon in his suit , simultaneously!
Ba-Kooom!
The Glowing Suit is hammered from the sky, in a gleaming, sparking arc, like unto a
comet from the heavens, it tumbles across the skyline, to land in a haphazard splash in
the bay!
"One down, one to go." Crackles Iron Mans voice in Rhodeys helmet.
"Yeah, lets take out this punk." Answers War Machine , venomously.
The Shimmering Iron Monger blips across the sky, seemingly teleporting from place to
place. Both heroes take wide births around the last villain.
"You know how he's doin' that?" Ask War Machine.
"Yes, he's not teleporting, if that's what you're asking. He's using a form of
instant acceleration, with an anti grav type of propulsion."
"Ooo-kay," Sighs Jim Rhodes, "sorry I asked. Let's smoke 'im."
Both heroes raise their arms and fire repulsers, and the Iron Monger zips easily around
the beams, to fly full speed into Both Iron Man and War Machine, smashing them both
backwards and away!
Ta-Koom!
"That didn't work out the way I hoped, time to change tactics." Speaks Iron
Man, as suddenly his suit seems to shimmer as well, but then solidify once more.
"I ain't gonna ask what you just did , Avenger."
"Good War Machine, Don't." Answers the golden Avenger.
Again the shimmering Iron Monger zooms in for the kill , faster then either hero can
move, but as he strikes out at Iron Man, he seemingly goes through him!
"Wha?" Shouts the stunned Iron Monger , as he tumbles through the air after
failing to connect. Suddenly he's hammered from the air by an invisible fist!
Ba-THOOM!
"Gotcha!" Yells a triumphant Iron Man, as he suddenly shimmers back into
view, from his "Stealth" mode, the image he had placed of himself simultaneously
disappearing from the sky.
Suddenly War Machine activates his rocket launchers again, as multiple war heads fire,
and this time catch the stunned Iron Monger suit, dropping it to the ground.
Both heroes land simultaneously , on either side of the fallen villain, as the enemy
fumbles with his helmet, and Starks stomach drops, as a familiar face smiles evilly from
beneath the removed helmets insides.
"Stane! " Shouts Iron Man.
"That's right , you fool, and you'll never take me alive!"
"No!" Yells Iron Man as he rushes forwards . "Not again!"
Still smiling, Stane fires his repulser, right into his own head! Obliterating his
skull! History repeats itself before both heroes stunned eyes!
"H-he killed himself! " Stammers War Machine.
"No." Answers Iron Man, "He didn't It's another double. Another innocent
whose blood is on Stanes hands. This ends now"
Iron man rockets upwards and away, towards the building where he and James Rhodes were
both prisoners only an hour ago.
With a roar of boot jets, he slams through the wall, shattering stone and concrete like
glass, his internal HUD* switches to heat seeking mode, as he scans the floors above ,
below and around him for a particular signature, and he finds it . Three floors down. Iron
Man activates his repulsers, blasting away the floors beneath him, as he flies upwards in
a short arc, and dips downwards , rocketing straight towards his target, a glowing blip on
his HUD.
*HUD =Heads Up Display
With a crash of crumbling steel and masonry, he smashes through another ceiling, to
stand hovering above a startled Obadiah Stane.
"There's no escape , Stane. Not this time." Growls Iron Man, his seething
anger drips with his words. "They'll be no more deaths, no more innocents lost by
your hands."
Stane laughs, as he stands next to a desk "There are no innocents, Iron Man. You
should know that. Oh, you mean those duplicates who were flying the Monger suits? They
were scum, trash before I gave their pitiful lives meaning. At least they died fulfilling
something greater then themselves."
Iron Man lands and walks over to the desk, laying his hands on it's top. "You DARE
to act like those men were worth nothing? They were worth far more then your pathetic
existence. ever was or will be you filthy animal." To emphasize his point, Iron Man
crushes the desk like rice paper.
"You were behind Clarindon, and the Yesterday Coalition, weren't you? That's why
they had an Iron Monger* in their employ."
*See issue #364
"Yes Iron Man, I assumed that would unnerve you, or Stark, or whoever is really
inside that suit. I believe I succeeded."
"You believe wrong, Stane. Nothing you do could unnerve my employer, or
myself."
"Really Iron man? Then what about this?" Instantly , Stane pulls a gun from
inside his jacket and buries the muzzle to his temple, firing instantly !"
Pow!
The body slumps to the floor as Iron Man stares in stunned disbelief. Before he can
utter a word, a monitor springs to life on a computer desk, an image fills the screen,
that of Stane., that then speaks
"Really Iron Man, did you believe I would allow myself to be taken in by you? You
should know better by now."
"You're right Stane, I should've. But don't worry you pile of garbage, I WILL find
you , no matter where you hide. Eventually, you'll be mine, the real you."
Stane laughs "Ah Iron Man, you are indeed humorous. That's one thing that never
changes it seems. Any other questions, hero?"
"Where's the Mandarin, what's he got to do with all of this?"
"Ah yes, my erstwhile partner. He has gone to Tibet. Something about a dragon I
believe. You can still make it in time if you leave now. Well I must be going, old boy.
I'm sure our paths will cross again soon enough."
"Count on it , Stane. Make sure you're looking over your shoulder, always."
He punctuates his words by firing his right repulser into the monitor, destroying it.
Instantly, Iron Man links his communications system to the buildings intercoms, and
speaks."This is Iron Man, you have 30 seconds to leave this building. I see through
my thermal scans there are only a handful of you employees-I should say former employees,
of Stane left here. Leave now. You won't get a second warning. This edifice of evil is
going down."
He watches his x-ray, thermal imaging scans over his HUD display, as a the last few
mercs and other employees of Stane scatter, then he's gone in a roar of jets!
He flies upwards through the building, shattering the support columns as he goes,
leaving through its roof, and once above, he unleashes his full power though his
repulsers, leveling the building under its own weight, watching as it crumbles to dust
beneath him.
War Machine flies up to him, holding Bethany Cabe in his arms.
"How is she, Rhodey?"
"She's okay, man. A little out of it, but other wise she's cool."
"Good. Get her back to your jet, then back to the states. She needs medical
treatment, both mental and physical. Make sure she gets the very best."
"What about you man? Your talkin' like you ain't gonna be there."
"I'm not , Jim. I'm going on to Tibet, after a stopover in Tokyo to repair the
armor at my facility there. Both these suits are barely operable after the beating they
took today."
"What's in Tibet, Tony?"
"Not what , Jim, Who. The Mandarin. He's been pulling all our strings for months.
He's the one who brought Stane back into my life. This has to end now, Jim. I've had
enough of being manipulated, and played like a cheap instrument. It's time I took the
fight to him. One way or another, this insanity is over."
"Okay man, you call it. If you need me, yell. I'll be there as fast as I
can."
"Good Rhodey, thanks. Bring your suit into my sub basement lab, once you return to
Stark Long Island. The auto repair systems there will take care of all your damage."
"Okay man, thanks, and be careful. I'll be waitin' to hear from ya."
Both men shake hands, then fly off in opposite directions...
Epilogue
Tibet, the Mandarin stands on a windswept mountain top, his silk robe blows about him
in the sub zero wind, but he doesn't feel it. His entire being is focused on one thing,
and one thing only. The temple before him. Slowly he walks towards it, as his ten deadly
rings begin to glow...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Armored assaults
Hey Ralph! All right I'll be honest... I always wanted
to see Jim Rhodes in Madripoor, so that alone would
have been enough to get the highest praise from me. As
always though, you do even more than that! The cameo
of Wolverine without it being widely publicized and
using his name made me very, very pleased! Tyger Tyger
and Tony's discussion was very well done, as was the
master plan of Stane's... I can't wait to see what
he's up to. Keep up the great work buddy! Bye!
TJB
Thanks TJ, this issue finishes up the Madripoor/Stane arc, and next
issue, (MY last here) will tie up a storyline Matt and I discussed a while back.
Hey Ralph! Well, this was one great issue! I expected
that the Mandarin was involved... it's really nice to
see him in character again... but I never EVER saw the
mystery villain as his partner coming. Great move and
one I definately approve of! I also liked the tie in
to the Punisher mini. I wonder... maybe Rhodey and
Frank met in Vietnam... anyway, keep up the great
work!
TJB
Cool TJ, Thanks again.
Ralph, you are, without a doubt, one of the greatest writers at MV1! One of the two
things I have a problem with this series is that it takes time away from your Captain
Marvel and Invasion series (both fabulous, by the way!). The manipulation of Bethany by
the Mandarin, the cool armor alert in the fingernails, and the James Bondish scene between
Stark and Stane all blended in perfectly with your manner of storytelling.
Unfortunatly, the other problem I have with this issue is Stane, more specifically his
return. While he was once among Iron Man's greatest villains, and never should have been
killed in the first place, the guy died. Your version of his death and how he survived
sounded a little like Norman Osborns tale, and I find myself wishing that Stane's ends the
same way. That the Jackal would help two major villains survive their death, and to have
both villains wait out their time abroad, is just too big a coincidence, even in this
genre. I personally would have preferred it if you created a son of Stane to be the
villain here. That way there'd have been two rich, young, handsome, intelligent business
men with suits of armor fighting it out both physically and financially.
Other than that, I love the way this story goes, and I can't wait to see how your run
ends.
Wise Steve Solomon<BR>
Thanks Wise Steve, hope you like the end of this arc.
Hi ralph! Well, I loved your explanation of Stane's
survival! It made perfect sense! (It even explains why
he went from the goofy outfits he wore in his first
appearances to the way he looked at the end!) I also
liked the way that Tony and Rhodey were prepared for
him and easily escaped his dungeon later! :-) Keep up
the good work buddy! Talk to you later! Bye!
TJB
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