Invincible Iron Man (2008 series) #1

This issue was dedicated to colorist Stephane Peru (1981-2008).

The five biggest nightmares of Tony Stark:

1. To get drunk
2. The Iron Man would become replicable
3. The Iron Man being piloted by other than himself or Rhodey
4. The Iron Man becomes disposable
5. The worst: That someone else other than Stark makes the Iron Man cheap, easy to use, and disposable (Iron Man 2.0)

This story arc was published concurrently with Iron Man: Director of SHIELD #29-32. It occurs during the period of the Initiative, between World War Hulk and Secret Invasion and after that other IM series. In particular the Marvel Chronology Project has this issue after the 2nd story in the Iron Protocols 1-shot and the 1st story in the Indomitable IM single issue.

Tony Stark was made Director of SHIELD after Civil war, and has been in office since IM (2005) #15 (the series which was eventually renamed IM: DoS).

Iron Man is still wearing the Extremis armour, partly stored within his body.

This is the first appearance of the AIM splinter group Advanced Genocide Mechanics, and they disappear after next issue.

It's also the first use of the ArmorMap system. Tony remembers a previous time when he tracked down villains using versions of Iron Man technology in Armor Wars in IM#225-231.

ArmorMap keeps track of all armoured villains, not necessarily anything to do with Stark technology. I can't identify all the people depicted. But some may be duplicates, like the old Beetle and new Mach-V (both Abner Jenkins), and more than one Crimson Dynamo (different people). I think I can also spot War Machine, Dr Doom, Stingray, Mauler and a Mandroid. The Marvel Wiki suggests that Firepower and the original Titanium Man are also there.


Matt Fraction brought the character Ezekiel Stane with him from The Order series. He is the son of Stark's old (dead) enemy Obadiah Stane. His attacks on The Order were the first stage of his revenge on Stark for his father's death. The plot continues here.

Pepper Potts is apparently looking after Stark's company while he's being Director of SHIELD, a bit more than the personal secretary job that is probably her title. She was his secretary from Tales of Suspense #45. She had a crush on him, but eventually married Stark's chauffeur and bodyguard Happy Hogan.

She disappeared from the series for a few years after the Avengers Disassembled storyline in IM(1998)#89. She reappeared during Civil War in IM(2005)#13-14, where Happy died. After that she ran The Order in their series. When the series ended she came back to work for Stark (as seen in the 2nd story in Iron Protocols). So she's another character Matt Fraction has copied over from his last gig. Mrs Rennie was Stark's PA during the previous series. She won't be seen again. But since Pepper is now effectively CEO of Stark International, maybe Mrs R hasn't been made redundant but is now *her* PA.

This story arc was published concurrently with Iron Man: Director of SHIELD #29-32. It occurs during the period of the Initiative, between World War Hulk and Secret Invasion and after that other IM series. In particular the Marvel Chronology Project has this issue after the 2nd story in the Iron Protocols 1-shot and the 1st story in the Indomitable IM single issue.

Tony Stark was made Director of SHIELD after Civil war, and has been in office since IM (2005) #15 (the series which was eventually renamed IM: DoS).

Iron Man is still wearing the Extremis armour, partly stored within his body.

This is the first appearance of the AIM splinter group Advanced Genocide Mechanics, and they disappear after next issue.

It's also the first use of the ArmorMap system. Tony remembers a previous time when he tracked down villains using versions of Iron Man technology in Armor Wars in IM#225-231.

ArmorMap keeps track of all armoured villains, not necessarily anything to do with Stark technology. I can't identify all the people depicted. But some may be duplicates, like the old Beetle and new Mach-V (both Abner Jenkins), and more than one Crimson Dynamo (different people). I think I can also spot War Machine, Dr Doom, Stingray, Mauler and a Mandroid. The Marvel Wiki suggests that Firepower and the original Titanium Man are also there.

Maria Hill was made Director of SHIELD after Nick Fury was disgraced by his Secret War. After Civil War she resigned in favour of Stark, but was kept on as a Deputy Director. She's been shadowing Tony closely since then, often accompanied as here by the other Deputy Dum Dum Dugan (who's actually a Skrull imposter in this period). They've been in most recent issues of IM. Their last joint appearance was Moon Knight (2006) #25, and then Hill accompanied Stark in Eternals (2008) #4.