Comic Browser:

#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#11
#12
#13
#14
#15
#16
#17
#18
#19
#20
#21
#22
#23
#24
#25
#26
#27
#28
#29
Selector

Invincible Iron Man #11

Dec 1998
Kurt Busiek, Sean Chen

Loading cover...

Story Name:

Schedule Conflicts


Synopsis

Invincible Iron Man #11 synopsis by T Vernon
Rating: 4 stars
Iron Man faces his assembled enemies—Whiplash and the Espionage Elite capture him and hold him down for a grinning Mandarin—and then Tony Stark is awoken by his pilot James Rhodes; they have arrived at his new home on Evergreen Island near Seattle. The bruised Tony disembarks from the copter in a hover-chair to be greeted by Happy Hogan and Pepper Potts. He is taken to the house’s medical center where Doctor Jane Foster awaits. After looking over his recent injuries, she prescribes complete rest so he can recover….

Not far away, Sunset Bain is informed of Tony’s arrival and that he has refused their request, citing a full schedule. So Bain calls in her “consultant” StuartRampageClarke to see about arranging a hole in Stark’s schedule….

Warbird, having quit the Avengers over her alcohol problem, has arrived in Seattle for a fresh start. Changing back to Carol Danvers she meets with old friend Tracy Burke, editor of Tech Support magazine, who offers her a job as a freelance writer. Carol orders some liquor to celebrate but remembers that Tracy is in recovery herself...then she spots Tony Stark outside. Dashing out, Carol accuses Tony of spying on her for the Avengers. Surprised, Tony denies it and an angry Carol jets away leaving a threat behind….

Tony has been called to meet with the police and he arrives to learn they want him to identify a body. He does—it’s Whitney Frost, Madame Masque, whose body he had also identified a year ago. Tony then gets an emergency call from Rhodey: War Machine is attacking the Astrodyne Systems plant, which is Stark Solutions’ next customer. Over the protests from Pepper and Happy, Tony dons his Iron Man armor and hurries to the scene of the crime….

Shellhead smashes into the fake War Machine, who is underwhelmed by Iron Man’s power. As they battle, Tony realizes this guy in the War Machine armor is very good with weaponry and aerial maneuvers. Watching remotely, Rhodey recognizes the villain’s voice. And just when Iron Man seems defeated, Warbird arrives to take on the bad guy—who is impressed but uses his stealth tech to dodge her…and threaten to hurl the injured Iron Man off the roof unless she backs off….           


 

Review / Commentaries


Invincible Iron Man #11 Review by (November 19, 2019)
Comments: Part one of two parts. Rampage (Stuart Clarke) was introduced in CHAMPIONS #5-8 (1976) and went on to battle Spider-Man, Wonder Man, and now Iron Man; later he would become an ally of the Punisher. Tracy Burke is a friend of Carol Danvers, appearing often in MS MARVEL/CAPTAIN MARVEL. The previous Madame Masque/Whitney Frost died in IRON MAN #245. First appearance of Parnell Jacobs, the bad War Machine; after this arc he will return in WAR MACHINE (2008 series). Happy Hogan mentions having boxed with Battlin’ Jack Murdock, father of Daredevil.

Review: An evil War Machine is an exciting villain—or would be if it didn’t seem as though 65% of Iron Man’s enemies aren’t guys in armor. Nevertheless, we’re told this one is better than most and adding Warbird to the mix puts a different spin on things. Okay issue has the usual clichés—it seems as though every two years Tony Stark suffers an injury which threatens to end his career as Iron Man or his life. And there’s always a doctor to gravely warn him (Jane Foster is new at this here) and some friends to panic when he disobeys orders and suits up (Happy and Pepper are old hands at this). So we know where this is going already because Tony has been taking more of a beating than usual these last few issues…and will be diagnosed with yet another life-threatening malady if he doesn’t give up Iron Manning it.



> Invincible Iron Man comic book info and issue index

Elektra
Loading cover...

Excelsioring your collection:
Marvel Iron Man MARK7 Statue ARTFX 1/6 Statue
Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Sean Chen
Lary Stucker
Steve Oliff
Sean Chen (Cover Penciler)
Lary Stucker (Cover Inker)
Liquid! (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Richard Starkings.
Editor: Bobbie Chase. Editor-in-chief: Bob Harras.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Iron Man
Iron Man

(Anthony Stark)
James Rhodes
James Rhodes

(Rhodey)
Pepper Potts
Pepper Potts

(Pepper Hogan)

Plus: Rampage, Sunset Bain (Madame Menace), Tracy Burke, War Machine (Parnell Jacobs), Warbird (Carol Danvers).