Invincible Iron Man #26: Review

Apr 2008

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Invincible Iron Man #26 Synopsis by None

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Story #2

Haunted, part 6

Writer: Charles Knauf. Penciler: Roberto de la Torre. Inker: Roberto de la Torre. Colorist: Dean White. Cover Penciler: Gerald Parel. Cover Inker: Gerald Parel. Cover Colorist: Gerald Parel.

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

By Rob Johnson

The Deputy Directors of SHIELD Dum-Dum Dugan and Maria Hill are at loggerheads. Director Tony Stark is on enforced psychiatric leave but he's told Dugan to ready a nuclear bomb to use on the Prometheus Gentech HQ in Omaha. Dugan knows that Mandarin is about to unleash an airborne version of the deadly Extremis nanovirus. Hill equally 'knows' that Mandarin is dead. But Dum-Dum persuades her to take a chance.

Meanwhile Iron Man's invasion of the Prometheus site has started an evacuation. He's facing Mandarin in a very old armour because an adamantium anklet gift of the US government prevents him from using his current Extremis-based suit. Tony gives Maya Hansen a chance to run away before he starts the fight.

Mandarin turns on a fire-alarm sprinkler to better conduct the blast from his electricity Ring. The Golden Avenger goes for a more physical approach, but the old armour is no match for the Ring-powered foe. However a sonic shock followed by a repulsor blast gives Iron Man time to break open a liquid nitrogen pipe and throw it at Mandarin. But Mandy just dives through it.

Maria Hill hosts a briefing for SHIELD's Team Alpha. Tech-whiz Gaffer explains that the experimental nuclear device's blast will be contained by a gravitational field that will turn it into a mini-black hole, which will then evaporate. The result will be no radioactive fallout. The international SHIELD organisation will worry later about the political fallout from using a nuke on American soil.

The IM/Mandarin match continues with a clash of force blasts. Mandy wins with his black light Ring, and turns to a control panel which lets in some Extremis-enhanced test subjects. Maya hasn't run away, and Mandarin escapes with her.

While fighting the Extremis mob Stark calls in the nuclear strike. Dugan offers to take full responsibility by throwing Hill in the brig, but Maria is committed. The missile is launched and strikes the Genetech facility. Iron Man tries to fly away as the Extremis monsters and the otherwise-empty site are swallowed by the black hole. His armour starts to fail as he hangs on against the pull.

When it's all over SHIELD can't detect any life signs and there's no response from Stark.

Story #3