Synopsis
Iron Man (1968 series) #33 synopsis by
T Vernon
Rating:
The sinister Spymaster gathers the Espionage Elite for a mission against Stark Industries. The Elite are ex-Soviet spy Marya Penskyov; Samson Washington, strongman and Rhodes Scholar; Farley London, magician and master of disguise; electronics wizard Godfried Herter; and athlete/gymnast Roger Phillips. Having assembled his team, the Spymaster explains his plan….
Late at night, Tony Stark broods over his recent troubles as Iron Man (briefly recapping issues #26, and 28-32, skipping the story with Firebrand). Yet he also recalls his glory days with the Avengers and so wakes up in a better mood the next day, feeling like his life has purpose again. While on the phone to his banker, Kevin O’Brien rushes in with some good news but Tony chews him out for interrupting. He then gets a call from Nick Fury that the Espionage Elite is scheming to destroy Stark Industries and asks him to a rendezvous at midnight; Tony then calls for a meeting with Jasper Sitwell and his security chiefs.
Meanwhile, the Espionage Elite has already been at work. Herter, impersonating a telephone repairman, planted a bomb in the Stark building and London placed two more, disguised as an elderly tourist and a job applicant. Later, at the meeting with Sitwell, Tony plays a pre-recorded tape of Iron Man refusing to aid Stark any longer, figuring the situation will boost Jasper’s ego and keep him from brooding over Whitney Frost. They are interrupted by an explosion—but it isn’t one planned by the saboteurs; instead it comes from Kevin O’Brien’s lab. Tony changes to Iron Man and finds the inventor unharmed in the wreckage. He yells at Jasper about disregarding safety procedures and Kevin notices that an angry Iron Man sounds a lot like the angry Tony Stark from the morning….
Later, after Tony leaves for the late night meeting with Nick Fury, the bombs go off at Stark Industries. The Espionage Elite agents enter the building and take down the guards. Near the top secret file room, Kevin attacks the spies but is knocked out for his troubles. At the meeting with Nick Fury, Tony is gassed by Fury, who is Farley London in disguise, and awakens a prisoner in the headquarters of the Espionage Elite….
CharactersGood (or All)Plus: Kevin O'Brien, Whitney Frost.
Enemies
Espionage Elite, Spymaster (Spymaster 1).