Invincible Iron Man #190: Review

Jan 1985

Dennis O'Neil, Luke McDonnell

Story Name:

Losing the Touch!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Invincible Iron Man #190 Review by T Vernon (June 20, 2016)

Comments: Part two of two parts. Termite's only subsequent appearance is in IRON MAN (1998) #75. Stane's female associate is revealed to be Madame Masque in issue #198. Revelation: Rhodey enjoys Popeye cartoons.

Review: Very odd issue: last time we had Iron Man versus a villain who could dissolve anything he touched; now we learn that the Termite is just a frustrated artist seeking recognition (and money to buy stone blocks) so he has become a costumed bad guy. This takes the story in a very bizarre direction as the climax takes place at an art show where the Termite acts like a pathetic loser and Tony and Wanda end up feeling sorry for him. We hadn't seen enough of Termite to share that sympathy, and Obadiah Stane never explains why he hired such a newbie for his (poorly defined) caper. The real point of the issue is to see Rhodey spiraling out of control, paving the way for Tony's return in issue #200; these sections are getting scary. The art however is nice, especially the sequences of Iron Man and the Termite tunneling through the earth. Okay issue but odd.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Invincible Iron Man #190 Synopsis by T Vernon

A disgusted Rhodey asks Tony Stark to repair his bootjet damaged in last issue's fight with the Termite. We now discover that Termite burrowed underground to escape Iron Man and he broke into a large cavern; he comes upon a large rock and we learn that Termite is a sculptor, as he shapes the rock into a human figure....
Tony confronts Rhodey about his growing hostility so Rhodey responds by destroying the chestplate Tony has been working on, mocks Tony's helplessness, and walks out. Tony understands that Rhodey's self-image depends on his being Iron Man and he is afraid that Tony will take back the armor soon. Tony also knows that if Rhodey grows any more irrational, Tony will have to stop him....
Meanwhile, Rhodey as Iron Man works off some frustration by tearing down trees, then he gets on the Termite's trail. He discovers the same subterranean cavern and the newly sculpted statue, and spies Termite's exit path up to the surface. When the baddie surfaced suddenly he caused a traffic accident; now Iron Man arrives and has to rescue the injured and he must hurl a burning truck of liquid oxygen into the air where it explodes harmlessly....
Interlude One: Tony Stark calls the Avengers in New York, asking for help; soon, Scarlet Witch arrives, bearing a high-tech weapon....
Interlude Two: Obadiah Stane and his female partner ponder their latest schemes....
Back at Circuits Maximus, Rhodey sees a TV news story about a mystery artist leaving a sculpture at an art show; he recognizes the statue as the twin to the one in the underground cavern. Iron Man heads to the art show where the Termite is walking around in full costume. Shellhead recklessly chases after his quarry, injuring people, and when Tony arrives and warns him, Rhodey slaps him away. To save the Termite from an enraged Iron Man, Tony shoots the baddie with the anti-mutant gun, depowering him. Rhodey, angry that he had to be bailed out by Tony and Wanda, destroys the gun and stalks off....