Comic Browser:

Iron Man #220

Jul 1987

David Michelinie, M. D. Bright

Story Name:

Ghost of a Chance

Synopsis

Iron Man #220 synopsis by T Vernon

Rating:

James Rhodes discovers Tony Stark in his Iron Man armor sitting alone in his apartment, which is the only way he can be sure that the Ghost is not stalking him....

Meanwhile, at Roxxon headquarters, big boss Carrington Pax tells the board that their operative the Ghost, hired to force Accutech to sell out to Roxxon, has failed and compounded his failure by threatening Tony Stark. Pax phones the Ghost and tells him he is fired; Ghost refuses to leave the job unfinished, determined to destroy Tony Stark. Pax then places a call to another operative....

Tony, driven to paranoia, works feverishly in his lab to improve his armor's defenses. Then they learn that “Tony” has been sighted on his way to the penthouse and realize it must be the Ghost. Tony's armor is disassembled, so he takes Rhodey's gun while Rhodey heads over to his office to pick up the old armor. Ghost arrives at the penthouse and shoots Tony with an energy weapon; “Tony” falls but jumps up again, firing an energy siphon into the Ghost, disrupting his suit's power. “Tony” is the Spymaster, hired by Roxxon to kill the renegade baddie. The real Tony walks in on this scene and Spymaster suggests he leave since killing Tony isn't part of the job and there is nothing the industrialist can to to stop him. Tony shoots anyway to prevent Ghost's murder and Spymaster fires back with razor discs. While Tony and Spymaster start shooting at each other, Ghost manages to recharge his outfit and retreat. Noticing his quarry is gone, Spymaster leaves Tony to pursue the Ghost; the two meet in the ladies restroom and Spymaster can track the invisible Ghost with a special device. Tony catches up with him as Rhodey arrives with the old armor in a case; he doesn't want to put it on, so Tony is forced the wear it to tackle the baddies. Realizing he can't take on Iron Man, Spymaster prepares to depart; the Ghost gives him a portable circuit so that he can dematerialize too. Spymaster can't understand why Ghost would want to save him; turns out Ghost is killing him by snatching the circuit away while the poor schnook is only halfway through the wall. When he discovers the body, Tony blames himself for the villain's death. A message comes over a printer for Iron Man: the Ghost repeating his vow to kill Tony Stark—only this time, Tony is going after the Ghost.....

Review / Commentaries

Iron Man #220 Review by T Vernon (February 28, 2017)

Comments: Part two of three parts. Title comes from an idiom meaning “no chance at all.” Issues #220-221 are the sole appearances of Carrington Pax. It is revealed in DARK REIGN: MADE MEN that Spymaster had faked his death here though no explanation is offered.

Review: The story continues in a thrilling vein with the addition of the coldly ruthless Spymaster to shake things up. And we have the unusual sight of an unarmored Tony, fighting baddies with a gun, not your typical superhero ploy (the Punisher doesn't count). And what a gruesome death for Spymaster! Haven't seen anything like it since the same thing happened to Death-Stalker in DAREDEVIL #158 (Frank Miller's debut on the title)! It still packs a grisly wallop.

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Main/1st Story Full Credits

David Michelinie

M. D. Bright

Bob Layton

Bob Sharen

M. D. Bright (Cover Penciler)
Bob Layton (Cover Inker)

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Iron Man #220

Ghost of a Chance

Synopsis

Review / Commentaries

Main/1st Story Full Credits