Invincible Iron Man #99: Review

Jun 1977

Bill Mantlo, George Tuska

Story Name:

At the Mercy of the Mandarin!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Invincible Iron Man #99 Review by T Vernon (August 5, 2014)

Review: Pretty cool story as our hero takes down the formidable Sunfire then discovers that the Mandarin is alive (actually that it was another case of a new writer reversing an earlier writer’s plot points). Nothing special here, just cool comic book action from the good old days.

Comments: Part five of six parts. Mandarin was apparently killed by the Yellow Claw in issue #70. First appearance of Senator Byrd since issue #10. For some reason the Mandarin’s robot guards are dressed like Japanese warriors.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Invincible Iron Man #99 Synopsis by T Vernon

Iron Man has vanished from the field of battle against Sunfire! More accurately, Michael O’Brien wearing the Iron Man armor has been teleported away. Now the Japanese villain faces another Iron Man—this one is Tony Stark in an older armor. As the two foes struggle in the sky over Stark Industries, Jasper Sitwell protects the visiting Prof. Watanabe and his daughter Fujiko….
Inside Tony’s office, the shady private eye Harry Key is searching for the Iron Man armor only to be confronted by a mysterious masked woman….
After many explosions, an angry Iron Man unleashes a mighty blast that knocks Sunfire cold. The seriously ill Tony returns to his office and tracks Michael and the missing armor to a fortress in China. He watches on a viewscreen as Michael is overcome by robot warriors and taken before the new Mandarin who chains him to a missile ready to launch. Leaving the plant in charge of Jasper and Krissy Longfellow, Tony boosts the power on the old armor and jets off to Avengers Mansion. There, he borrows a Quinjet and takes off for China….
Meanwhile in Washington, Senator Hawk’s aide Jonathan Rich is about to open Tony Stark’s briefcase in front of the entire committee to prove Stark is a traitor….
A gloating Mandarin launches the missile to start a war between the superpowers. The real Iron Man intercepts the rocket and frees O’Brien. They take refuge in a cave and switch armors, Michael learning that Iron Man is Tony Stark. Tony sends him home in the Quinjet then heads to the castle for a showdown with his revived foe….