Invincible Iron Man #126: Review

Sep 1979

David Michelinie, John Romita Jr.

Story Name:

The Hammer Strikes!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Invincible Iron Man #126 Review by T Vernon (March 17, 2015)

Comments: Part seven of the “Demon in a Bottle” story arc. First appearance of Ling McPherson who will show up sporadically over the next couple of years. The reserves include: Beetle, Constrictor, Discus, Leap-Frog, Man-Killer, Porcupine, Spymaster, Stiletto, Water Wizard. Cover is a homage to TALES OF SUSPENSE #39. Typo on page 7, panel 3: “formally” for “formerly.”

Review: Another James Bond-inspired issue (Hammer checks out as a Bond villain) with a stand-up-and cheer climax! Plus a hint of something more to Bethany Cabe, which, while it likely won’t be as thrilling as a battle against a dozen bad guys, certainly shows some creativity on the writers’ part.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Invincible Iron Man #126 Synopsis by T Vernon

On a Monaco beach, Jim Rhodes is being taken away by police who do not believe his story that Tony Stark has been kidnapped by paramilitary thugs….
Elsewhere, Tony awakens to meet his captor Justin Hammer, who explains that he has secretly long been Stark’s leading competitor. Hammer also explains that his scientists have been able to control Iron Man’s armor remotely and used it to kill the Carnelian Ambassador so that his deputy could sign a contract with Hammer. Tony slugs the guard and tries to climb over the wall of Hammer’s estate—only to discover it is on a floating platform out at sea….
Back in New York, Bethany Cabe is in a daze over the Tony Stark problem; her business partner Ling McPherson is concerned, “Is it Tony or Alex Beth is worried about…?
Tony is locked in a room aboard Justin Hammer’s floating estate. He asks for liquor but there is none. He calls the guard in and uses a pitcher of water and a broken lamp to shock him into unconsciousness. Escaping the building, Tony sees Hammer greeting Blizzard, Melter, and Whiplash who were in his employ (issues #123-124). Tony uses the belt given him by Ant-Man which folds out into a climbing cord and grappling hook to enter the upstairs laboratory and recovers his briefcase holding the Iron Man armor. He blows up the computer that controls the armor; Hammer hears the explosion and calls out his reserves—a dozen minor villains. They burst into the lab to face…Iron Man in all his shining glory….