Section: Comics

First Look at SUPERMAN #17

Hitting stores today, SUPERMAN #16 serves as the next chapter in “H’El on Earth” - a crossover event taking place in SUPERMAN, SUPERBOY and SUPERGIRL that unites all of t

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NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS raves about BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGN
NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS raves about BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGNWriter and graphic designer Chip Kidd brings his love of Batman lore, architecture, and design together in BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGN with art by Dave TaRead more
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Tuesday Q&A: Cullen Bunn

Tuesday Q&A: Cullen Bunn

Deadpool Killustrated #2 preview art by Matteo Lolli

By Jim Beard

Writer Cullen Bunn’s living an English major’s dream with his latest project. Digging into the world’s greatest works of literature, he’s found a way to present the classics in a whole new light—by introducing them to Deadpool!

DEADPOOL KILLUSTRATED, the follow-up to DEADPOOL KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE, takes great novels and turns them into a killing field for Wade Wilson. We’ve already seen Bunn’s twist on “Moby Dick” in DEADPOOL KILLUSTRATED #1, but, as he reveals, there’s more famous authors to skewer as the four-issue series progresses.

We wanted to know exactly how Bunn approached such a project, how he began to look at the works in DEADPOOL KILLUSTRATED as cannon fodder for the Merc with a Mouth. Also, as Flash Thompson enters into a whole new world of his own, the city of Philadelphia, we slipped in a few questions about Bunn’s other book, VENOM.

Marvel.com: Cullen, what's the origin of the DEADPOOL KILLUSTRATED idea?

Cullen Bunn: When my editor, Jordan D. White, approached me about doing a sequel to DEADPOOL KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE, we batted several ideas around. We wanted this book to take people by surprise, to be something they would never expect. While we talked about many targets for Deadpool’s kill spree, this is the one that we thought would be the most insane.

Marvel.com: How does Wade move from DEADPOOL KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE to DEADPOOL KILLUSTRATED?

Cullen Bunn: In KILLUSTRATED, we learn that Deadpool is continuing his quest to destroy “the Continuity” by murdering all of the heroes and villains of the Marvel Multiverse. Yes, at the end of KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE, he attacked Marvel’s offices, but that was just a decoy set up by the progenitors of all fictional existence. He’s killed Spider-Man and Wolverine and Captain America and all their friends over and over. And he’s getting bored. He decides that the only way to destroy these characters once and for all is to destroy the literary icons that inspired their creation in the first place. So, now he’s waging war against the likes of Moby Dick, Sherlock Holmes, and the Three Musketeers.

Deadpool Killustrated #2 preview art by Matteo Lolli

Marvel.com: Why these particular classic novels? Are they favorites of yours?

Cullen Bunn: Some of these books are favorites, yes. And I’d be lying if I said in some cases I’m not exorcising some demons left over from my college literature courses. There were a couple of other driving forces, though. First, I wanted Deadpool’s targets to be visually interesting and exciting. Second—and most importantly—I wanted to be able to connect the literary figure to the Marvel character—or characters—he or she might have inspired. Even though Deadpool is rampaging through the works of classic literature, we get to see the connection to the Marvel Universe in a strange way.

Marvel.com: Where and how did you begin to insert Deadpool into the stories? What sort of moments made for the best divergence points?

Cullen Bunn: I didn’t sweat over finding the perfect place in the actual work—be it novel, short story, play, or, believe it or not, poem—for Deadpool to appear. Instead, I approached each of these works as existing in its own pocket universe. So, Don Quixote lives and breathes in his own little world. Captain Nemo lives in his own world.  These pocket universes are not supposed to intersect, but something strange is happening. Deadpool’s presence in the “Ideaverse” is causing a collapse. Suddenly, literary characters who were never meant to meet are encountering each other.

Deadpool Killustrated #2 preview art by Matteo Lolli

Marvel.com: Were there any rules you set for yourself, as far as classic characters not to kill or maim, etc.?

Cullen Bunn: There are no rules. This idea is ridiculous, I know, and Deadpool is traditionally a funny guy. But KILLUSTRATED, like KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE before it, is a horror story. No one is safe.

Marvel.com: Is Deadpool himself actually a fan of classic literature at all? What’s his real beef here?

Cullen Bunn: At first, Deadpool visits the library and tries to read all these classic works to discover the specific correlations with Marvel Universe characters. But he grows dreadfully bored with it and decides to just kill every literary character just to be sure. He’s not a huge fan; although he likes Don Quixote, probably because of their similarities. And he probably kept a copy of “Lady Chatterly’s Lover.”

Marvel.com: In the end, do you feel like you’ve discovered anything new about these stories? Something that may have been illuminated as you tore them apart?

Cullen Bunn: Thinking about these stories in terms of how they might have inspired other characters helped me to really consider what the classic work was about, what the characters might have represented at the time they were written. These are things I might have thought about in college, but that’s been a while, so it was nice to give myself a refresher.

Marvel.com: Any hope that readers of DEADPOOL KILLUSTRATED may then seek out the real books and give them a read?

Cullen Bunn: Absolutely! In this series, I don’t go out of my way to explain who these literary icons are. There are no ID captions identifying Moby Dick and his backstory. You don’t necessarily need to know every detail of these characters to enjoy the series, but if it inspires someone to do a little reading, that’s awesome! I don’t know how often we’ll be able to say that Deadpool inspired someone to read “Little Women,” y’ know?

Deadpool Killustrated #2 preview art by Matteo Lolli

I would also love to see some high school and college student use this series as the basis of some essays and such. And why stop there? I want college classes focused on this series!

Marvel.com: Looking over the evolution of Deadpool, what do you feel led to this sort of series?

Cullen Bunn: With Deadpool, almost anything can happen. You can tell almost any type of story. And readers expect it. Deadpool also “knows” he’s a fictional character, so that opens lots of doors. If he’s fictional, if the Marvel Universe is fictional, then what about everything else?

Marvel.com: What’s next for you and Deadpool?

Cullen Bunn: I have plans—plans that could take this murderous version of Deadpool places. One of the things that I’ve always thought was funny—and a little sad—is that many readers discount stories such as this because they don’t take place in the main Marvel Universe. They’re not “important.” I’d like to turn that notion on its ear.

Marvel.com: Flash Thompson's finally in Philly in VENOM #31 and 32 - how are you portraying the city? How do you give it its flavor in the book?

Cullen Bunn: At least at first, we’re going to be seeing the city through Flash’s eyes, and this will definitely be a case of “people are strange when you’re a stranger.” My hope is you’ll see the city’s depiction change a little as Flash gets more used to it. Initially, he’s out of his element as both Flash and Venom.

Marvel.com: What will Flash like most about the move?

Venom #31 cover by Shane Davis

Cullen Bunn: I think Flash likes the idea of the move more than the move itself. A fresh start sounds great, but relocation is stressful and off-putting and alienating. That’s some of what he’s going through in the beginning. He hasn’t even unpacked his boxes before he starts thinking about moving back home. He’ll need some baby steps to get into the groove of his new home. He’s going to make friends, learn who the quirky people in the neighborhood are, get a new job.

If he survives.

Marvel.com: And then “Toxic,” the new arc in VENOM—how toxic will it be for Flash?

Cullen Bunn: “Toxic” is gonna be a rough storyline for Flash. At first, he’s getting his feet wet, patrolling the city, trying to help people. He’s doing the things a super hero should be doing! But things go south for him in a big way when Eddie Brock shows up with the Toxin symbiote. I’m writing one of the most brutal symbiote throw downs of all time, and even though Flash is the star of the book, it might not go well for him.

Deadpool Killustrated #2 preview art by Matteo LolliVenom (2011) #32 cover by Shane Davis
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Tuesday Roundup: January 29th
Tuesday Roundup: January 29th

If you’re a DC Comics fan, weeks rarely get bigger than this one.

 

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Exclusive Preview of SUPERMAN FAMILY ADVENTURES #9

When Brainiac’s ship lands in Metropolis, he decides to pay a special visit to Lex Luthor. But what dastardly plan could this super-villain pair have in store for the entire Super Family?

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Download ‘This Week in Marvel’ Episode 64.5

Download 'This Week in Marvel' Episode 64.5

Download episode #64.5 of This Week in Marvel from Marvel.com

Ben and Blake speak with Equal Vision Records artist HRVRD about their upcoming record, their love of the X-Men and much more! For more on HRVRD, visit their official web site!

Download episode #64.5 of This Week in Marvel from Marvel.com, check out Marvel Podcast Centralgrab the TWiM RSS feed and subscribe to This Week in Marvel on iTunes or Zune, so you never miss an episode!

This Week in Marvel will focus on delivering all the Marvel info on news and new releases--from comics to video games to toys to TV to film and beyond! New episodes will be released every Tuesday and Thursday (or so) and TWiM is co-hosted by Marvel Digital Media Group Executive Editorial Director Ryan "Agent M" Penagos and Marvel.com Editor Ben Morse with Associate Producer Blake Garris and Associate Editor Marc Strom. 

We also want your feedback, as well as questions for us to answer on future episodes! Tweet your questions, comments and thoughts about TWiM to @AgentM@BenJMorse or @Marvel with the hashtag #ThisWeekinMarvel! And if your message is longer than 140 characters, send it through fans.marvel.com!

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Exclusive MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Previews

In case you missed previous issues of HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, Skeletor has rewritten all of Eternia’s history. Now, a scrawny and simple woodsman named Adam (a.k.a. He-Man) is haunted by dreams of his past glory.

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Our Favorite Heroes of 2012

Our Favorite Heroes of 2012

With many of Marvel’s most prominent heroes making questionable decisions or butting up against one another over the course of 2012, the task of saving the world—or in some cases all reality—fell to some unlikely suspects.

Thankfully, the Marvel Universe found champions across the board ready to do the right thing.

The greatest good guys of 2012 represent a cross section of proven A-listers along with up and comers making their mark. Regardless of their experience or power level, all these characters proved worthy to be called heroes.

Here’s who we thought did the most for the Marvel Universe over past 12 months.

This list reflects a vote conducted by members of the Marvel.com editorial staff and should by no means be considered official ranking or representative of anything but their specific tastes

10. CAPTAIN AMERICA

2012 in Review:
Cap led the Avengers charge in their collision with the X-Men, refusing to yield the Phoenix power even when it seemed the mutants could transform Earth into a paradise, holding fast to his belief it would corrupt them. He rallied his team to come from behind and win the day, indirectly helping Hope Summers to repower mutantkind. On his own, Steve Rogers won a tainted battle against the new Scourge and finally managed to shut down the Codename Bravo and Baron Zemo-led Hydra—for now.
Why He Makes the List:
All around him, the world seemed perfect, but Captain America had his doubts; in his heart, Steve Rogers knew Cyclops and the Phoenix Five couldn’t handle the power forced upon them, and despite their intentions, would lose control. Sadly, this prognosis proved correct, but fortunately, Cap positioned the Avengers to stem the damage and save the world; he made the hard choice, but the right one as well.
Digital Highlight:
CAPTAIN AMERICA (2011) #19—Steve Rogers helps an old foe find peace!

9. SPIDER-MAN (MILES MORALES)

2012 in Review:
After meeting Spider-Woman and the Ultimates, Miles Morales returned to his life with a newfound sense of purpose, taking on the Scorpion and establishing himself in New York City. The new Spider-Man faced familial conflict and ultimately tragedy resolving his relationship with his uncle, the Prowler, but rose above the fallout to prove himself to Captain America and earn Peter Parker’s web shooters from Gwen Stacy and Aunt May.
Why He Makes the List: He may have become Spider-Man on a fluke, but the more he learned of Peter Parker’s heroic legacy, the more determined Miles Morales became to live up to the ideals left behind. The new Spidey swung into huge stakes in his second year on the job, fighting alongside the Ultimates and making the tough decision to go against his uncle in the name of doing the right thing.
Digital Highlight: ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN (2011) #14—Miles meets Captain America!

8. CAPTAIN MARVEL

2012 in Review: Accompanying a group of Avengers into Kree space to confront the Phoenix Force, Carol Danvers also faced the demons of her own past and emerged with a new boldness, leading her to take up the mantel of Captain Marvel. Since the identity update, she’s traveled through time to help out against alien technology, saved Boston from a rampaging giantess alongside Spider-Man, helped Monica Rambeau salvage the New Orleans harbor and continued her duties as an Avenger along the way.
Why She Makes the List:
Change can be scary, even for super heroes, but there comes a time when necessity demands growth and evolution. After years serving the greater good as Ms. Marvel, Binary and Warbird, Carol Danvers finally seized the legacy meant for her, becoming Captain Marvel. She grew into her new role in a manner that would make her predecessor proud, assuming a command role among Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and fighting battles that raged decades in the past as well as at the bottom of the ocean; where needed, Captain Marvel fought for good.
Digital Highlight:
CAPTAIN MARVEL (2012) #2—Trapped in the past, Carol Danvers helps a group of extraordinary women take a stand!

7. HAWKEYE

2012 in Review: As an Avenger, Clint Barton stood on the front lines of conflicts with Norman Osborn, Thanos and the X-Men, even seemingly sacrificing his life during the last one only to be resurrected by an empowered Emma Frost. Meanwhile, on his off days, he protected the denizens of his apartment complex from thugs, took down a new Circus of Crime, engaged in international espionage, mentored young Kate Bishop, and aided any damsels in distress he found, innocent or not so much.
Why He Makes the List:
Plenty of heroes across the Marvel Universe look out for the continued survival of humanity and the galaxy beyond—as well they should—but even street level dudes like Spider-Man and Daredevil can lose track of the average Joe when they get busy busting super villains. Fortunately citizens of Earth and dwellers of Brooklyn alike, Hawkeye manages to balance his priorities, saving the world one day and throwing a holiday party for the downtrodden the next. His protégé Kate Bishop may give him grief, but Clint Barton’s one of the best guys we know.
Digital Highlight:
HAWKEYE (2012) #1—A day in the life of Clint Barton!

6. KITTY PRYDE (ULTIMATE UNIVERSE)

2012 in Review:
Kitty Pryde began her year in New York City, caring for a group of displaced mutants and leading her friends into battle against the horde of Sentinels empowered by William Stryker. Though Kitty killed Stryker’s body, his spirit lived on in his mechanical army, leading the young activist and her allies cross country to fight another war in the American southwest. Through Kitty’s leadership, mutants won the day, defeating their robotic adversaries and acquiring their own tenuous sovereign nation from new President Captain America.
Why She Makes the List: For the last several years in the Ultimate Universe, mutants have been living their worst nightmare, persecuted like never before, their champions and leaders broken or killed. In the absence of a Professor X, Cyclops or Wolverine, Kitty Pryde became the unlikely voice and fist of her people, both protecting and standing up for those who couldn’t be their own advocates and defenders. With the stakes higher than any dream can solve, Kitty Pryde fought for freedom—and won.
Digital Highlight:
ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #18—It’s Kitty’s army against the legacy of Stryker!

5. IRON MAN

2012 in Review: Tony Stark began the year having to face down the consequences of his actions during Fear Itself, and thanks to the Mandarin’s machinations, that struggle played out over a lengthy stretch of time. Battling his way through a powered-up army of his foes, the Armored Avenger still found himself under his archenemy’s yolk, but battled his way free to lead Ezekiel Stane and others in preventing Mandarin from grasping malevolent power. Iron Man would also play a key role in developing technology to oppose the Phoenix and restore mutantkind to prominence.
Why He Makes the List: A word that has always described Tony Stark well would be “ingenuity,” and he demonstrated it once more this past year. Under the Mandarin’s mental thumb, Stark found a loophole as he always does, willingly playing a bit dirty and forming unholy alliances for the greater good. When his technology proved unequal to the task of thwarting the Phoenix, the notorious skeptic embraced the spiritual and found a way to not only stem the conflict, but restore an entire race in the process.
Digital Highlight:
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #526—The final battle between the Mandarin and Tony Stark!

4. CYCLOPS

2012 in Review:
Leading his X-Men Extinction Team, Scott Summers made an unmistakable mark by turning back the threats of Mister Sinister, the Phalanx, various extraterrestrials criminals and even the Celestials. Though many of his allies opposed his actions during the Avengers Vs. X-Men crisis, Cyclops stuck to his principals, seizing control of the Phoenix Force and temporarily granting utopia on Earth. Though he lost himself in the power and killed his mentor Professor X, Scott would still accomplish his ultimate goal: repowering an entire race.
Why He Makes the List:
Nobody ever said playing the hero would be easy. Many would call Scott Summers an unquestionable villain for his recent actions, but examining the ends he fought for and accomplished—the safety of his race and even spreading peace and prosperity beyond it—do his means deserve further consideration? Cyclops has made it clear he regrets the collateral damage of his path, the death of Charles Xavier most of all, but he also refuses to admit there could have been another way. Disagree with what Cyclops did if you will, but it’s hard not to admire his achievements and his resolve.
Digital Highlight:
UNCANNY X-MEN (2011) #19—In the aftermath of AvX, Scott Summers takes stock of his actions!

3. LOKI

2012 in Review:
Alongside Leah and his assortment of allies—more frequently coerced than not—Loki braved the realm of dreaming to stop an invasion by Nightmare, saved the Disir from their exile and brokered peace with Otherworld. When Surtur struck against Asgardia, the Trickster wove a web of lies and deceit to help his brother, Thor, save the day. In the end, however, Loki’s path to redemption reached its conclusion when, in order to stop Mephisto from assuming great power, he sacrificed his consciousness, allowing his former villainous persona to reassert.
Why He Makes the List:
Given how many lies he’s told—albeit with good intentions—and powerful figures he’s manipulated—for the best of reasons—it seemed only a matter of time before Loki’s myriad plots caught up with him, and when they did, all of reality became threatened. Once upon a time, a more sinister Loki would have opted for self-preservation and figured out how to live with the consequences, but echoing the hero he became through battles with Nightmare, Surtur and the like, the Trickster instead opted to give up all he held dear so that countless beings he’s never met would remain safe. Will his new incarnation carry the lessons of this sacrifice forward? Time will tell…
Digital Highlight:
JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #645—To ensure his schemes don’t lead to destruction, Loki must pay the ultimate price!

2. SPIDER-MAN

2012 in Review:
When Doctor Octopus reorganized the Sinister Six and held the world hostage, Spider-Man led first the Avengers and later a stripped down team of himself, Black Widow and Silver Sable to thwart the master plan. An emotional battle to save the Lizard from himself and a civil war of Hobgoblins followed before Peter Parker became trapped in another Ock scheme that involved switching their minds and bodies, ultimately leading to Spidey as we know him meeting his demise.
Why He Makes the List:
Since he’s joined the Avengers, Spider-Man has regularly combatted global and universal threats alongside his teammates, but on his own, your friendly neighborhood webslinger has mostly stayed in his comfort zone of said neighborhood. When the Sinister Six launched a campaign of terror with potentially apocalyptic consequences, Spidey responsibly sought out Earth’s Mightiest Heroes for back-up, but when the likes of Iron Man and Thor went down, Peter Parker kept his wits about him and regrouped, using his knowhow and whatever allies he could muster along with a refusal to quit; this proved enough to beat back Doc Ock and his allies. Later on, Peter would pay for his efforts in an unimaginable way, but from what we’ve come to know of Spider-Man, he’d do it all over again.
Digital Highlight:
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #682—Spidey leads the Avengers into battle against Doctor Octopus and the Sinister Six!

1. HOPE SUMMERS

2012 in Review:
Serving simultaneously as the leader of her own “Generation Hope” squad and the Extinction Team within the X-Men, Hope faced threats from Mister Sinister to the Phalanx, not to mention her own often distrustful teammates. When the Phoenix Force returned to Earth, the Avengers and X-Men went to war over her connection to the cosmic entity, with Cyclops and four other mutants ultimately usurping the power. Along with the Scarlet Witch, Hope proved pivotal in stopping the Phoenix Five run amok, then once possessed herself, the teenager willingly surrendered omnipotence to undo the disasters wrought upon Earth and jumpstart the mutant race’s stagnant evolution.
Why She Makes the List:
For as long as she has been alive, other people have been telling Hope Summers her destiny. She spent years in a terrifying future with her surrogate father training in the worst conditions to be the mutant messiah, then returned to the present only to lose her beloved mentor and be thrust into the thick of the X-Men’s world in one fell swoop. With the entire AvX conflict centering and weighing on this teenage girl, she carried the—no pun intended—hope of not only her race, but indeed the entire world in her hands. Making the bold choice to break away from her teammates and back the Avengers, Hope took on her nigh-omnipotent former leader, Cyclops, wrestled the Phoenix Force from his grasp, but then, most importantly, divested herself of ultimate power, instead using it to rekindle mutantkind’s withering flame. Showing a resolve, resourcefulness and unselfishness most heroes twice her age seemed to lacked this year, Hope Summers more than lived up to her destiny.
Digital Highlight:
AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #12—Hope must embrace her destiny and take on the Phoenix Force to save Earth and reignite the mutant race!
Acceptance Speech: “When the redheaded mutant messiah with the mysterious Phoenix connection entered the Marvel Universe, there were people who asked ‘what's the difference between her and Jean Grey?’ ‘Well,’ I told them while ruffling their hair affectionately, ‘Jean Grey rarely chose a head-butt as her first call of action when disagreeing with someone.’
“She's saved the Earth, cleaned up the mess of her former-mentor Cyclops and never once sacrificed her first instinct to problem solving of butting it. If Galactus turned up now the only problem would be Reed Richards working out how to make a ladder long enough to get her up to his enormous nose.” – UNCANNY X-MEN and GENERATION HOPE writer Kieron Gillen


Got thoughts on the list? Head to Twitter and share them with the hash tag #TWiMBestOf12 to be discussed on an upcoming This Week in Marvel podcast!

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Preview Monday: BATMAN AND ROBIN ANNUAL #1 and GREEN LANTERN CORPS ANNUAL #1
Preview Monday: BATMAN AND ROBIN ANNUAL #1 and GREEN LANTERN CORPS ANNUAL #1Welcome back for another installment of Preview Monday!Read more
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The History of Iron Man Pt. 32

The History of Iron Man Pt. 32

By Jim Beard

50 Years ago, Tony Stark became Iron Man, a historic milestone in the tapestry of the Marvel Universe.

Flash forward half a century, and the Armored Avenger has become a worldwide sensation. Beyond his prominent role across the Marvel Comics line, Shellhead hit the big screen in 2008 as Robert Downey Jr. brought Tony Stark to life in the first “Iron Man” movie. The character’s popularity grew in 2010’s “Iron Man 2” and 2011’s “Marvel’s The Avengers.”

On May 3, 2013, Tony Stark returns to theaters everywhere in “Iron Man 3.” In anticipation of this momentous occasion and to celebrate Iron Man’s 50th anniversary, each week Marvel.com will be bringing you another chapter in the history of this complex and beloved character. Year by year, get an in-depth rundown of the trials, foes and experiences that have made Iron Man the hero he stands as today.

You can start here.

Also, be sure to visit the Marvel Digital Comics Shop and Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited to read 50 years’ worth of Iron Man adventures!

A new year brought new armor for Tony Stark, but just over the horizon awaited a tense showdown with his best friend and another terrifying confrontation with his worst foe.

The landmark IRON MAN #300 introduced the Iron Legion, a phalanx of Tony’s friends wearing past suits of armor and flying in to fight his fights, a recurring situation that angered James Rhodes and widened the schism between the two men.

The cyborg Deathlok showed up in IRON MAN #301, unhappy about leaked Stark files on the Internet. After a brief scuffle, our hero calmed the cyborg warrior down and promised to look into the leak himself. Then, Venom struck down Stark, removing his head. As it turned out, the alien symbiote only bit the head off of a Life Model Decoy, as revealed in IRON MAN #302, along with Tony’s further problems with Stane International and a growing disdain between his new beau Veronica and his old flame Bethany.

While investigating a destroyed dam designed by architect Eric Masterson in IRON MAN #303, the Golden Avenger ran afoul of Thunderstrike, Masterson’s Asgard-powered alter ego, and the fight spilled over into IRON MAN #304. In that same issue, Bethany took over the investigation into Stark Enterprises’ hacker troubles, while Iron Man himself jetted off to confront the Hulk over a gamma bomb plant in new Hulkbuster armor, of course. Once the two reached an accord, they destroyed the plant together in IRON MAN #305.

Somehow, in the middle of the chaos of his life, Tony Stark founded a new team of heroes called Force Works, as seen in FORCE WORKS #1. Intended to be a more proactive strike group, it consisted of Iron Man, the Scarlet Witch, Spider-Woman, Wonder Man, and the USAgent, among others

Then, in a surprising move, Tony dissolved Stark Enterprises in IRON MAN #306 and moved to restart it as what he hoped would be a more ethical company. Nick Fury requested Iron Man rein in Rhodey—active then as War Machine—and the Mandarin awoke in China. After a virtual workout with the X-Men, Shellhead downloaded himself into cyberspace in IRON MAN #307 and entered into a strange struggle with VOR/TEX, an electronic sentient entity. Said entity overloaded Iron Man and then downloaded itself into Stark’s body in realspace.

While the real Tony languished in cyberspace, VOR/TEX went on a rampage against its creators in IRON MAN #308 in Stark’s body. Our hero engaged Philip Grant, the hacker who’d caused him so many previous problems, to help download himself into the prototype of his telepresence armor to fight VOR/TEX. The full throwdown between the two Tony Stark’s occurred in IRON MAN #309, as well as the Mandarin’s new mission: recover his 10 rings of power.

In IRON MAN #310, Stark refused to hand over the specs to Rhodey’s War Machine armor after it incurred damage. No surprise, this lead to a brawl between the two men, a situation cured by smart-thinking Bethany Cabe and a hastily applied EMP gun—before the Mandarin showed up, to make matter worse.

The worst transpired in the final issue of the year, IRON MAN #311, as the Mandarin tortured a captured Iron Man and once and for all confirmed his long-time suspicions of the Armored Avenger’s true identity.

Check out IRON MAN (1968) on the Marvel Digital Comics Shop, plus more Iron Man is available to subscribers of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.

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