Invincible Iron Man #208: Review

Jul 1986

Dennis O'Neil, M. D. Bright

Story Name:

Firefang!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Invincible Iron Man #208 Review by T Vernon (November 14, 2016)

Comments: Part two of two parts. Cutest moment: Shellhead rescuing a woman from an A.I.M. tank and leaving her miles away, totally confused (“Que me paso?”). Biggest loose end: Shellhead spotted at least ten nuclear missiles in Boca Caliente and three were launched and destroyed but Alfredo Pechter was still free and in the control room, so why couldn't he launch more?

Review: Very enjoyable issue: Iron Man's new stealth mode allows for some more attractive artwork and the climactic missile chase is quite exciting. And the US bureaucracy is the bad guy! Wonder if Shellhead went back and showed the Senator what almost happened?

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Invincible Iron Man #208 Synopsis by T Vernon

Tony Stark blames himself for placing the A.I.M. death ray in space which destroyed the island nation of Boca Caliente. Rhodey argues that he is not at fault but Tony can't be dissuaded and, as Iron Man, jets off to liberate that country....

In East Germany, Bethany Cabe talks with her husband Alex Van Tilberg, criticizing him for his long-time drug habit and giving him up as hopeless. She announces that she is going to start divorce proceedings....

Arriving at Boca Caliente, Iron Man switches to chameleon mode, blending in with the background. Flying around the island, he comes upon A.I.M. Agents rounding up natives for slave labor; he rescues a woman from being run over by an A.I.M. vehicle and continues on his tour. His sensors detect an arsenal of nuclear missiles; he heads to Washington to report this to the State Department and is told to mind his own business....

At a cafe in Germany, an associate, Ludwig, tells Bethany what is going on in Boca Caliente: a former dictator, Alfredo Pechter, plans to sneak back into the country and launch the missiles at the USA, inviting a deadly counterattack against his former country which deposed him. Before he can reveal where Pechter is hiding, Ludwig is gunned down by an old enemy who is in turn shot by Bethany.....

At Stark Industries, Clytemnestra Erwin tells Tony and Rhodey that she will be joining their business venture. Tony gets a call from Bethany informing him about the latest developments in Boca Caliente. Iron Man returns to Washington but is still told to stay out of the situation. Instead, Shellhead returns to Boca Caliente where Pechter has seized control of the missiles and had three of them launched toward the USA. Iron Man pursues and is able, with the use of his repulsors, to send one into the depths of the ocean. As the remaining two zero in on their targets, Shellhead manages to push one into the other, sending them into the water as well....

Later, at the space station, Rhodey congratulates Tony on averting the disaster, but Tony still wonders if space will be free of madmen and dictators....

Story #2