| "Armor Wars" | |
|---|---|
 Cover art toIron Man #225. | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Publication date | December 1987 – July 1988 |
| Genre | |
| Title(s) | Iron Man #225–232 |
| Main character(s) | Iron Man Justin Hammer Edwin Cord |
| Creative team | |
| Writers | |
| Pencillers | |
| Inker | Bob Layton |
| Letterer | Janice Chiang |
| Colorists |
|
| Editor | Mark Gruenwald |
| Iron Man: Armor Wars | ISBN 0-7851-2506-X |
"Armor Wars" is a seven-issueIron Manstory arc written byDavid Michelinie andBob Layton with art byMark D. Bright,Barry Windsor-Smith, and Layton, and published byMarvel Comics. The arc first appeared inIron Man #225–232.[1]
While "Armor Wars" is the popular name for the storyline, the name of thetrade paperback collection, and the name used in-universe to refer to the corresponding fictional events (inCaptain America #401, for example), the story was originally referred to as "Stark Wars" within the issues themselves. The name "Armor Wars" stems from the full-page advertisements in other Marvel titles reading: "TIME FOR THE AVENGER TO START AVENGING. THE ARMOR WAR BEGINS IN IRON MAN #225." The storyline ran throughIron Man #225 (December 1987) to #231 (June 1988), plotted byDavid Michelinie andBob Layton with art byMark Bright and Layton, though much of the groundwork for the story occurred during Iron Man #219-224. Iron Man encounters the Spymaster, who steals the Stark technology. Iron Man also encounters Force, which sets up the plot of "Armor Wars" in the following issues.
Anepilogue to the storyline was published inIron Man #232 (July 1988), co-plotted by Michelinie andBarry Windsor-Smith with art by Windsor-Smith and Layton.
In What If...? Volume 2 no. 8, released in 1989, Marvel Comics directly refers to this storyline as "Armor Wars", rather than Stark Wars.
"Armor Wars II" followed in issuesIron Man #258 (July 1990) to #266 (March 1991), with each issue's cover bearing an "Armor Wars II" header. The original "Armor Wars" did not have headers on the issues; "Stark Wars" appeared only in the interiors.
After Iron Man finishes a training session in order to impress a general, he returns toStark Enterprises. Upon analyzingForce's armor, Tony discovers that the armor is based in part on his own designs which were stolen before his currentIron Man armor was developed. He compiles a list of several armored criminals:Beetle,Shockwave,Doctor Doom,Stilt-Man, theCrimson Dynamo,Controller,Mauler,Professor Power,Titanium Man, theRaiders, and others. Distraught about the damage his technology might inflict, Iron Man teams up withScott Lang to find out who stole his designs. With information from Force, Tony uncovers that theSpymaster was the one who sold Tony's designs to his rivalJustin Hammer. Iron Man goes after Stilt-Man, who is attempting to break into a high-rise office building, and renders the armor inoperable with a negator pack which destroys Stark circuitry. A short time later, Iron Man gets Mauler to surrender his battlesuit without a fight and then defeats the Controller and negates his armor. Unable to pursue legal means to reclaim his technology, Tony plans to take out every armored warrior who is suspected of having his designs.[2]
Iron Man intercepts and negates the Raiders, and later finds out one name is missing from Hammer's database due to a glitch in the upload. Tony andJim Rhodes run a search of other armor-using individuals, which prompts Tony to identify the government-sponsoredStingray as the best candidate, as other known armored heroes and villains are either not advanced enough or would not use others' designs. Tony's actions draw theWest Coast Avengers' attention, but he declines the Avengers' offer of assistance, saying that his problems are personal. Iron Man travels to theHydro-Base, where he confronts Stingray and insists that he be allowed to test his armor for stolen circuitry. When Stingray refuses, Iron Man chases him throughout the ocean and incapacitates him. He then unsuccessfully attempts to negate Stingray's armor; Stingray's armor really was not based on Stark's designs. Due to this incident, Tony is informed that the government wants Iron Man to be shut down. Reluctantly, Tony announces that Iron Man's contract has been terminated.[3]
Iron Man ruthlessly attacks Beetle as he tries to steal exotic pieces of art. Beetle attempts to escape Iron Man's wrath, but is defeated and his armor negated. Iron Man returns to his base, where he has a talk withHawkeye.Nick Fury ofS.H.I.E.L.D. meets with Tony and demands that Iron Man be handed over to him for attacking Stingray. Tony gives Fury Iron Man's file, having prepared a fake identity for Iron Man as "Randall Pierce" in the event of such a scenario. Tony secretly intends to destroy S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Mandroid armors - which he also designed - to prevent their technology being replicated. He tells Fury that 'Pierce' has set up a hidden base in New York and suggests Fury dispatch theMandroids to bring Iron Man in. Tony, as Iron Man, engages the Mandroids and disables all five, much to Fury's dismay. Tony fakes evidence to suggest that Iron Man knew about their plan because he planted a bug in their equipment. Later, Tony arranges to create anew shield forCaptain America.[4]
Note: The "Nick Fury vs S.H.I.E.L.D." mini-series hinted the "Fury" in this story was a Life Model Decoy, the real Fury claiming to have no idea of these events.
The Captain (an alias used by Steve Rogersat that time) thanks Tony for the new shield, but after having learned of Tony's crusade, he tries to dissuade him from continuing. Meanwhile, Rhodes, disguised as the villainElectro, lets himself get captured by theGuardsmen to infiltrate theVault. Iron Man sneaks into the prison to neutralize the Guardsmen, but is followed by the Captain and engaged by several Guardsmen. Rhodes accidentally breaks out all the prisoners likeMister Hyde andTitania at the Vault after he tricks a Guardsman who ambushed him. While the Captain tries to save a Guardsman from dying, Iron Man temporarily paralyzes him, but the reproachful look Rogers gives him in turn gnaws at his conscience.[5]
The West Coast Avengers arrives at Tony's home, where they try to make Tony stand down, which he refuses. In theSoviet Union, Crimson Dynamo andGremlin (as the Titanium Man) meet with theKGB, who tell them of Iron Man's crusade and that he will soon come for them as well. Gremlin refuses to heed the warning and departs for his hidden base Bitterfrost, thereby unintentionally making himself a bait for Iron Man. Tony constructs a modified version of the Stealth armor to sneak into Russia undetected and go after Titanium Man. The KGB sends the Crimson Dynamo in to take out Iron Man and the Gremlin, distracting Iron Man and giving the Gremlin time to enter his Titanium Man armor. Iron Man defeats and negates the Crimson Dynamo, but is overwhelmed and grabbed by Titanium Man. Iron Man flies up to space to try to shake him off, but his boot jets ignite Titanium Man's armor, which combusts, apparently killing the Gremlin.[a] Back at the West Coast Avengers Mansion, Iron Man is stripped of his Avengers membership.[6]
Edwin Cord, Tony's rival, demonstrates hisFirepower armor, piloted by Jack Taggert, to his sponsors Senator Boynton and US Army General Maede regarding theUS Government's plan to neutralize rogue superheroes, starting with Iron Man. After safeguarding his technology from later thefts by introducing a "tapeworm" virus into the worldwide computer network, Tony discovers that Firepower is the missing name from Hammer's list. Later, Maede asks Tony to help lay a trap utilizing Firepower against Iron Man, and Tony decides to spring it in order to eliminate this final security risk. But as he encounters Firepower, he finds himself heavily outgunned and barely escapes with the help of Rhodes. But when the military prepares to continue the attack, therebyputting Rhodes' life at risk, Tony sends out the empty Iron Man armor by remote control. Firepower launches a nuclear missile at Iron Man, seemingly killing him.[7]
With Iron Man officially declared dead, Tony refuses to construct new armor, deciding to let his Iron Man identity rest. Elsewhere, Boynton and Maede try to make Cord hand over Firepower, but Cord blackmails them by threatening to leak their plans about using Firepower as a means of crowd control to the public, should they try any form of legal action against him. Firepower then disrupts Stark Enterprises' commercial operations and reveals to Tony that Cord wants revenge on both Tony and Iron Man for destroying Cord Conglomerate.[b] Determined, Tony invents another version of the Iron Man armor to combat Firepower. Days later, Firepower attacks Stark Enterprises' San Francisco bureau, only to face off against the "new" Iron Man. After a lengthy battle, Iron Man defeats Firepower, and an attempted taunt by Taggert makes him reconsider continuing as Iron Man.[8]
Tony battles the Iron Man armor in a nightmare and has to come to terms with the innocent victims his company created and his struggle with alcoholism.[9]
The storyline was collected in atrade paperback in 1990. The book was re-released in 2007, with a new cover (ISBN 0-7851-2506-X). The book collects issues #225-#231 as well as the epilogue to the story presented in issue #232.
Iron Man #215-224 was published in a trade paperback titledIron Man: Armor Wars Prologue on March 17, 2010 (ISBN 978-0-7851-4257-7).[10] A collection ofArmor Wars II (#258-266) was released in May 2010 (ISBN 978-0-7851-4557-8).[11]
The first issue of the two-part new-artist-introduction seriesBreaking Into Comics the Marvel Way offers a final epilogue to the story. In the immediate aftermath of the Armor Wars, Tony Stark makes a video recording of hislast will and testament. In his will, Tony explains his desire to seehumanity changed for the better by advanced technology, but also expresses his horror and sense of guilt for the past misuse of technology that he created. Unwilling to allow for the possibility that his inventions might continue to be abused after he dies, Tony reveals that his death will automatically trigger 'Project Icarus': a computer program that will seize control of every Iron Man suit Tony has ever created, as well as every machine on Earth containing any Stark-developed technology, and set them all on a collision course with the sun.
A 4-issue mini-series titledIron Man & The Armor Wars, a modernization of the Armor Wars concept for a new audience, debuted in August 2009, written by Joe Caramagna with art by Craig Rousseau. A hardcover collection of the story was published in February 2010 (ISN 978-0-7851-4448-9).[12]
A newArmor Wars mini-series appears as part of the 2015 "Secret Wars" storyline. TheBattleworld domain associated with this mini-series is called Technopolis where its inhabitants are forced to wear Iron Man armors due to a disease and will have that area's Tony Stark andArno Stark as rival manufacturers.[13]
A four-issuemini-series titledUltimate Comics: Armor Wars began in September 2009. It is written byWarren Ellis. It takes place after "Ultimatum" whereIron Man tries to find his remaining armors and save his enterprise.
There was an issue of "What If" titled "What If Iron Man Lost the Armor Wars" in which Scott Lang and his daughterCassandra are captured and used as hostages by Hammer. When Tony Stark dons his Iron Man armor, Justin Hammer takes control of it and forces Stark to place a mind-control collar on himself. Hammer then makes Stark destroy his own enterprise and reveal his identity to the world. Just then,A.I.M. kidnaps Hammer, enabling Stark to go into hiding. A.I.M. then goes after every armor using Stark technology, killing two of the Raiders. Tony meets up with Controller, Mauler, Stilt-Man, Beetle, Titanium Man, Crimson Dynamo, and the surviving Raider to infiltrate the A.I.M. Omega Branch, where Tony takes control of the Firepower armor to defeat A.I.M. When he suggests to the armored villains to turn themselves in, they attack Stark, only to be stopped by Captain America,Wonder Man, andHank Pym. Hawkeye tells Stark that they will have to take him into custody. Rather than attack the heroes, Stark surrenders himself, for he knows that if he did attack, Hammer would have won.[14]
The "Armor Wars" serves as inspiration for films set in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
"Armor Wars II" serves as loose inspiration forThe Invincible Iron Man.
| Characters |
| ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teams | |||||||||||||||||
| Antagonists | |||||||||||||||||
| Comic books |
| ||||||||||||||||
| In other media |
| ||||||||||||||||
| Alternative versions | |||||||||||||||||
| Locations | |||||||||||||||||
| Armor | |||||||||||||||||
| Related articles | |||||||||||||||||
