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Invincible Iron Man #229

Apr 1988
David Michelinie, M. D. Bright

Invincible Iron Man #229 cover

Story Name:

Stark Wars Chapter 5: Red Snow

Synopsis

Invincible Iron Man #229 synopsis by T Vernon
Rating: 4.5 stars
The West Coast Avengers confront Iron Man and ask him what he has been doing these past few weeks; Tony Stark reveals to them in detail about his discovery that his armor designs had been stolen and used by many other armored adventurers, both good and bad, and how he feels responsible for the crimes committed by villains using his designs, and his determination to destroy what is in other people's hands. He reveals that he did not ask for their help because he didn't want them to be branded criminals like he is. They tell him to give up his vendetta. Tony just silently dons his helmet and jets off. Tony meets with Rhodey to tell him of his next mission, one to Moscow....

Meanwhile in Moscow, Crimson Dynamo and Titanium Man (now controlled by Kondrati Topolov a/k/a the Gremlin) are called to a meeting with the KGB. The armored agents are informed of Iron Man's vendetta and wish to prepare for his inevitable appearance in Russia. Crimson Dynamo submits to his superiors but Gremlin considers it just a ruse so that they can steal his Titanium Man armor. What the Gremlin does not know is that this was the reaction the KGB was hoping for and he will now serve as bait for Iron Man....

In the basement laboratory of his home, Tony creates a new version of the stealth armor for his mission to Russia, sacrificing weaponry for maneuverability. He then sends Rhodey to bring the jet plane but it's a ruse so he can head off alone. The new stealth Iron Man uses boosters to jet up into the stratosphere and come down in the Arctic. His starting point will be Gremlin's old lab, Bitterfrost. Everyone is in for a surprise, though: Gremlin is in a secret bunker beneath his ruined lab, and the KGB knows he's there and has bugged the place. The Russians will let Iron Man and Titanium Man battle and then Crimson Dynamo will swoop in and destroy the victor....

Shellhead crashes into the lab but he is unable to prevent Gremlin from entering the Titanium armor. Crimson Dynamo arrives and is shot down by Gremlin's defenses. Iron Man is able to place a negator pack on CD then he struggles with T-Man around the snowdrifts. Soon, Iron Man is without repulsor power or negator packs; T-Man seizes him and Tony's one recourse is to channel all of his power into his boot jets. The fire ignites T-Man's armor causing him to plunge into the ocean; Iron Man heads for home.

Interlude: Edwin Cord informs Senator Boynton that his Project Firepower is nearly complete and within a couple of days, Iron Man will be a memory....

Epilogue: Tony returns to West Coast Avengers HQ and is told to turn in his ID card—he is an Avenger no more....

 

Review / Commentaries

Invincible Iron Man #229 Review by (May 8, 2017)
Comments: “Stark Wars” was later retitled “Armor Wars” for trade publication. This is the only appearance of Kondrati Topolov a/k/a Gremlin as the second Titanium Man; his return from the grave in issue #259 is a hoax, the Living Laser occupying the armor. And this is Crimson Dynamo #5, Dimitri Bukharin, if you're keeping score.

Review: And the battle continues as Tony loses all of his friends and supporters and may be creating an international incident by attacking Russia. The new stealth armor is attractive in both its back and white versions and the climactic battle makes for some nice imagery with red and green against the white of the snows. And it's sad that the most decent guy in the story is Crimson Dynamo, who fulfills his responsibilities to his country ahead of his own desires.


> Invincible Iron Man comic book info and issue index

Elektra
Invincible Iron Man #229 cover

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M. D. Bright
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M. D. Bright (Cover Penciler)
Bob Layton (Cover Inker)


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