Invincible Iron Man #21

This is part 2 of a 5-part story. We're still in Dark Reign, and our characters are hiding out in Broxton.

The mention of Dr Strange in the blurb is premature. He doesn't appear until next issue.

The Cube is a prison that was mainly known for holding Marvel Boy (Noh-Varr). It featured in Civil war and Secret Invasion. But in Dark Reign Norman Osborn took it over to use as a base (and also prison) for his villainous Thunderbolts team. (By then Noh-Varr was in Osborn's Dark Avengers.)

Ghost's new phasing-by-phone system obviously doesn't need to use physical phone lines. He's calling from a mobile phone. And in #23 he threatens to come out of Madame Masque's mobile phone.

Also, an interesting point, when he uses the phone, the phone itself will be transmitted with him.

Captain America hasn't been Reborn long. I'm not sure if Pepper knew about it. She's been busy and out of touch lately. But she doesn't act that surprised.

Cap's not made many appearances since he let Bucky continue as CA in Who Will Wield The Shield. And as far as I know they've all been last page cameos. In New Avengers Annual #3 he popped up to lead the Avengers fightback against Osborn. In Marvels Project #8 Steve gives Angel (Thomas Halloway)'s mask and guns to his grandson. And in Dark Avengers Annnual #1 he and Bucky consider recruiting Protector (Noh-Varr) to their side.

Cap is in uniform. This is before he converts to the Super-Soldier getup post-Siege. But he's carrying his shield, which actually the Bucky Cap has. The script suggests Cap hasn't yet met up with Bucky and the others, so he's had no chance to borrow it off him.

War Machine hasn't been seen since his 2nd mini-series, after he was in our #11.

I still don't believe Pepper's selfish dilemma. It isn't true that she's spent her whole life doing Stark's bidding. She spent a long time away from him, married to Happy. Until they both  came back to work for him.

Pepper's implant is now called a Rand/Stark combo, presumably to resolve previous conflicting statements that it was Stark tech or Rand tech.

I don't understand why Stark needs Pepper's chest implant. He says his brain has forgotten how to work his body. I can see that when he gets his brain pattern reloaded this will only recreate his consciousness, not the basic autonomic functions. But I can't see why he needs a power source. And the power source doesn't contain a program capable of replacing the non-conscious brain functions. Possibly the remnants of Extremis in his body will play a part, though this isn't made clear to me.

Maria found the disc at FuturePharm in #13 because it was FuturePharm that developed the Extremis virus, and that's where Stark underwent the Extremis process in Iron Man (2005) #4. So that's where he recorded his brain pattern.

This issue it turns out Stark's plan required Cap's shield. It seems that's all he needed Cap (Bucky) for. So Tony's instructions to Maria Hill back in #10 weren't really to get the hard drive and give it to Bucky, but to collect both drive and Bucky.

So everyone was there to do their bit. But Cap (Steve) wasn't needed at all. Except of course that he inspired Pepper (and everyone else). And the symbology of Cap/Iron Man/Thor being together again means that Dark Reign is on the way down. So this inspires me to give this issue a 5.

Madame Masque will skip next issue but she'll be back in #23 to insist Ghost completes his job.

*** The rest of the Comments are earlier versions of parts of this Comment that I can't get rid of.

Captain America hasn't been Reborn long. I'm not sure if Pepper knew about it. She's been busy and out of touch lately. But she doesn't act that surprised. Cap's not made many appearances since he let Bucky continue as CA in Who will wield the shield. And as far as I know they've all been last page cameos. In New Avengers Annual #3 he popped up to lead the Avengers fightback against Osborn, and in Dark Avengers Annnual #1 he and Bucky consider recruiting Protector (Noh-Varr) to their side. The 3rd such appearance that the Marvel Chronology Project mentions isn't anything to do with dark Reign. In Marvels Project #8 Steve gives Angel (Thomas Halloway)'s mask and guns to his grandson. Cap is in uniform. This is before he converts to the Super-Soldier getup post-Siege. But he's carrying his shield, which actually the Bucky Cap has. The script suggests Cap hasn't yet met up with Bucky and the others, so he's had no chance to borrow it off him.

This is part 2 of a 5-part story. We're still in Dark Reign, and our characters are hiding out in Broxton. The mention of Dr Strange in the blurb is premature. He doesn't appear until next issue. The Cube is a prison that was mainly known for holding Marvel Boy (Noh-Varr). It featured in Civil war and Secret Invasion. But in Dark Reign Norman Osborn took it over to use as a base (and also prison) for his villainous Thunderbolts team. (By then Noh-Varr was in Osborn's Dark Avengers.) Ghost's new phasing-by-phone system obviously doesn't need to use physical phone lines. He's calling from a mobile phone. And in #23 he threatens to come out of Madame Masque's mobile phone. Also, an interesting point, when he uses the phone, the phone itself will be transmitted with him.