Invincible Iron Man #230: Review

May 1988

David Michelinie, M. D. Bright

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Story Name:

Stark Wars Chapter 6: The Day the Hero Died

Review & Comments

Rating:

Invincible Iron Man #230 Review by T Vernon (May 15, 2017)

Comments: “Stark Wars” was later retitled “Armor Wars” for trade publication. First appearance of Firepower. Final appearance of the Silver Centurion armor.

Review: Iron Man goes up against a more powerful armored foe—and loses. Part one of a two-issue story? That's usually what happens; we'll see what the rematch brings. Nice, exciting tale lacks a little of the human factor, we've been seeing in the Armor Wars arc but it isn't over yet. Interesting little touch: Jack Taggert mentions growing up in the Projects—substandard government-provided housing for inner city blacks in America. With that one word, we can conjure up a whole former life for Taggart and get a clue to his mindset. Cool.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Invincible Iron Man #230 Synopsis by T Vernon

Edwin Cord demonstrates to the military his new Firepower armor, in a virtual reality battle with Iron Man. The man inside the suit, Jack Taggert, gets a bit too enthusiastic and destroys virtual Detroit, but Cord assures the brass that he will learn. The General suggests Firepower be tested against the real Iron Man.... At home, Tony Stark is brooding over accusations of murder leveled by the Soviets after his apparent killing of Titanium Man (last issue). Tony and Rhodey visit Abe Zimmer who shows them his new “tapeworm,” a program to endlessly loop through the entire network, seeking and erasing Stark's stolen designs, Tony's own machines are protected, of course.... Elsewhere, Firepower is given another test, against two tanks and two warplanes; Taggert destroys them all within seconds.... For the final phase of the search for his stolen tech, Iron Man returns to his space station (contaminated by A.I.M. in issue #215). Turning on the monitors, he discovers that his tech is in use at that moment (it's Firepower). Before he can deal with it, Tony gets a visit from Senator Boynton and some military officers. They want to recruit Tony in their scheme to catch the rogue Iron Man; he agrees and, to Rhodey's surprise, he intends to face Firepower the next day.... In the Arizona desert, Firepower waits and soon Iron Man arrives; he lets loose on his massive foe but nothing avails against Cord's super-armor. Shellhead dodges and tries all manner of ruses to gain advantage over his foe but nothing works. Shellhead is able to slap the negator pack onto Firepower but the armor has defenses against it, the military having learned from the one attached to Stingray (issue #226). Seriously injured, Iron Man heads for safety to the Stark helicopter piloted by Rhodey. Rhodey radios that he is a hostage but Firepower is under orders to shoot down the chopper to get Iron Man. Soon, Iron Man is seen departing from the chopper and Firepower launches a tactical nuke which blows the hero out of the sky, a bloody helmet rolling on the ground to mark its success....

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