Invincible Iron Man #284: Review

Sep 1992

Len Kaminski, Kev Hopgood

Story Name:

Legacy of Iron

Review & Comments

Rating:

Invincible Iron Man #284 Review by T Vernon (July 24, 2018)

Comments: Rhodey dons the War Machine armor for the first time though he'll still called Iron Man. Cameos by Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Tigra, Wonder Man, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Woman (J Carpenter), USAgent, Wasp, Living Lightning, Doctor Doom, Bethany Cabe, Pepper and Happy, Nick Fury, Kathy Dare, and Spymaster reacting to Tony's death; Marvel Wikia also lists Rae Lacoste but I couldn't identify her. Villains in Rhodey's dream include Mandarin, Crimson Dynamo, Titanium Man, Fin Fang Foom, Firepower, Doctor Doom, Justin Hammer, Melter, Boomerang, Blacklash, Spymaster, Blizzard, Constrictor, and Porcupine. Dead friends Tony sees in his vision are his parents, Ho Yinsen, Kevin O'Brien, and Morley Erwin.

Review: Well, this was a surprise: after telling us Tony was dying for multiple issues he suddenly dies. Not uncommon for a superhero. Not even Iron Man—who was killed in CIVIL WAR II in 2017 and the Marvel Legacy title had his return stretched over eight issues in 2018—with Wolverine's comeback the same year taking even longer with an insane number of tie-in issues. The odd bit about this death, aside from the revelation that Tony was in cryogenic suspension so we knew he would come back and pretty soon, was the timing. Only a couple of months after this, Superman died. And the Distinguished Competition really dragged that out, promoting it as a milestone (once it was spoiled) and beginning the habit of making deaths of heroes a major event (open your wallets, kids) and then a year or two later hyping the hero's return with another big event (we hear you still have money in your wallets, kids). Here, Tony just went ahead and “died” and his return took place only six issues later (#290) heralded on the cover but not broadcast to the media. It was a better time when everything wasn't a superstar writer's major event.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Invincible Iron Man #284 Synopsis by T Vernon

“Anthony Stark is dead” announces the evening news, followed by speculations from the media which angers James “Rhodey” Rhodes. He recalls how Tony died on the surgical table (but he doesn't know that Dr Erica Sondheim conspired with Abe Zimmer to collect the body) and the surgeon broke the news to him. Rhodey then made the announcement public and there was a wide variety of responses from the Avengers, Doctor Doom, friends, and enemies....

Later, Tony's lawyer Felix Alvarez delivers a note and a key card to Rhodey. Following the instructions, he goes to Tony's office and plays the CD-ROM with Tony's final wishes on it: he wants Rhodey to be Iron Man again, wearing an armor specially-designed for him. If he declines to take on that role he will still be in charge of Stark Enterprises. When Rhodey's girlfriend Marcy Pearson learns of this, she wants Rhodey to step aside so she can be the Stark CEO and she issues an ultimatum, the job or her....

That night, Rhodey has a nightmare that all of Iron Man's famous villains have gathered together to conquer the world but when the people appeal to Iron Man, the armor turns out to be empty—and the ghost of Tony Stark blames Rhodey.... Rhodey gives in and puts on the new armor, then telephones Marcy to tell her she's fired....

Tony's spirit is traveling to the light, seeing beloved family and friends who have died and then we discover that Abe Zimmer has put him in cryogenic suspension....