Synopsis
Invincible Iron Man (2005 series) #23 synopsis by
Rob Johnson
Rating:
Nebraska Initiative team member Paragon is fighting Tem Borjigin in the Prometheus building. Cooper Roth's beef is that the Prometheus CEO has failed his promise to cure his mother, despite Coop doing everything Tem wanted. Borjigin fights back, and we see Mandarin's Rings embedded in his spine. Then he affects Roth's mind and convinces him that it was Graviton who killed his mother.
In the SHIELD helicarrier above Omaha Director Tony Stark has accessed the raw data about missing persons in Nebraska and come to the same conclusion dead Gadget had - that there were a lot more than normal this year. Deputy Director Maria Hill's worry about him increases when he loses it over this.
Superman-like Paragon invades the helicarrier and reaches Graviton's hospital bed, accusing him of murder. Graviton fights back and counter-claims (correctly) that Paragon killed his Initiative partner Gadget. Then Graviton murders Roth the same way - crushing him to a dense ball. Iron Man arrives too late and berates the villain for killing the only person who could clear him of Gadget's murder. But Graviton responds that he wouldn't be allowed to live long himself now, and commits suicide with a microgravity pulse to the brain.
SHIELD Director Stark has to report all this to the Commission on Superhuman Activities, including Val Cooper and Ray Sikorsky, with Norman Osborn sitting in for the Thunderbolts. They are sceptical of his claims, especially his theory that there is an unknown mastermind behind it all.
Tem Borjigin brings Maya Hansen data indicating the genetic sequence that allows some to survive Extremis. He claims that it has been deduced from computer simulations rather than the illegal human experiments she doesn't know about.
The CSA meet with Defence Secretary Kooning where Val Cooper suggests that it would be unwise to dismiss Tony Stark's theory out of hand. But Kooning brings in Maria Hill to testify to Stark's current instability. The Commission decides that Graviton killed Gadget and Paragon had a breakdown. They order Stark to drop the case, and the helicarrier to leave Nebraska (which is what Borjigin wants).
Stark finds Leonard (Doc) Samson in his office. The psychiatrist believes Tony's theory, but he also believes a claim that Graviton made last issue that IM is seeing ghosts. He asks Shellhead to remove his helmet, and we see an unkempt Tony Stark inside - he hasn't taken the armour off for a week.
Under a provision of the Superhuman Registration Act Samson relieves Stark of his duties for 2 weeks and schedules him with regular assessment and counselling sessions. He also gives him an adamantium ankle device to cancel his Extremis powers so he can't use his (current) armour.
Maya is relieved when the helicarrier leaves - the near presence of Tony Stark was unsettling her, interfering with her work. She agrees to develop an aerosol version of Extremis using some tech she developed for Stark's company.
Tony rings his secretary Mrs Rennie in Stark Tower and asks her to send his 'classic car' to Omaha, and to tell anyone who asks that he's on a long vacation in an out-of-the-way place.
CharactersGood (or All)Plus: Superman.
Story #2Haunted
Writer:
. Penciler/Inker:
Butch Guice. Colorist:
Dean White.
Synopsis