The Invisible Iron Man #512: In the thick of it [SPOILERS]

[Brian]

To give a small excuse for this issue, it is a middle issue. So, as a bridge, it suffers from the problems of having to carry the story but having little action.

We last left our intrepid hero, collapsed in Time Square after being elbow punched by the Living Laser which damaged the RT device. We learn in the intro that the RT device has been "heavily damaged."

As the preview indicates, Tony gets wheeled into a hospital emergency room with his suit in some flux and him in cardiac arrest. They use a defibrillator on him, but it hurts the RT device some how. He then gets up, re-armors himself and flies away.

We cut to Stark Resilience HQ in Aberdeen, Washington. Apparently, their testing some new personal armor on a live test dummy. So, for two pages, we are entertained by snappy conversation and find out the armor works. Then, an alarm goes off and we discover that Tony had a heart attack.

Then, we cut to the Blizzard and Living Laser in Mandarin City. They're dicussing the fact that they're expendable and have bombs in their bodies. Laser wants to stage a coup, but the Blizzard says that all of the supervillains in Mandarin City (12) could not take out the Mandarin.

Next, we see a discussion between the Mandarin and 'Zeke Stane. Stane tells the Mandarin that the Dreadnaughts won't be ready on schedule because the Mandarin cut his budget. The Mandarin tortures Stane into doing what he (the Mandarin) wants.

The Dreadnaughts launch. We see a funeral for Doug Johnson, the prior Detroit Steel, but the current Detroit Steel takes off to handle the problems in China.

Tony talks to Henry Hellrung in a coffee shop in NYC. The police show up and want Tony to answer some questions. He refuses and takes off in the suit.

Then, we are in a briefing at the Pentagon by General Babbage. He basically trashes Tony by saying that he has "legally actionable intelligence" that Tony was drunk when he piloted the Iron Man. Then, the attack in China comes up and the briefing ends with Rhodey taking off in War Machine.

Finally, we see Stane's Dreadnaughts attacking the Three Gorges Dam in China.

Well, like I said initially, this issue has the problem of being a middle issue and is just setting stuff up. So, it's hard to understand. Nonetheless, it's still crap.

First, Bethany Cabe is in charge of security and she doesn't know what each alarm means? How is that possible?

Second, my earlier criticism is getting stronger. Tony's RT device is broken. Yet, he spends time talking to Henry Hellrung rather than getting into a lab and fixing the damn thing?

Third, Babbage's briefing is ridiculous. "Legally actionable intelligence?" What in the world could that be? Let's suppose the worst case scenario that they know that Tony drank when he built the weapons in Asgard. That isn't a crime in the US.

This is ignoring minor flaws, like how could Blizzard work out with fresh surgical scars not breaking, why would the Blizzard or Living Laser agree to let bombs be placed in their body, when did Obadiah Stane have a jewel in the middle of his forehead, why is Bethany Cabe involved in development and not security, et cetera.

But what can we expect from a Fraction product?

[Ironghost]

The sad thing is I can pretty much guess how all this will end.  The villians Mandy's worked on will do that coup, and do enough damage to blow the plot up.  IM will look stupid again, and even more worthless.  Which must be how Marvel likes it.

[stark182]

I just noticed that you called it Invisible Iron Man...awesome!

[Typhon]

Second, my earlier criticism is getting stronger. Tony's RT device is broken. Yet, he spends time talking to Henry Hellrung rather than getting into a lab and fixing the damn thing?

Let me add a second excuse.  If I recall, there has been a few moments in the past when Tony has known there is a problem with his armor but has neglected to address the problem right away.  The cloaking device in the Red and Silver armor for example.  He had a problem with the Heroes Reborn armor too, I think, that he allowed to go on for a bit.  And I can see Beth having a hand in development when it comes to this particular product.  It's high tech body armor, and she has the most experience when it comes to this field.  It makes sense they would want her in on the testing.  Plus Resilient is a small company.  I work in a small department, and everyday I find myself pulled into projects just because my co-workers would like another opinion or because I know something about what they are working on.   

It's flimsy, but it's there.  You are right on with everything else.  Especially when you called out Beth not knowing what alarm is what, and Stane's jewel in the head thing.       

[Brian]

Second, my earlier criticism is getting stronger. Tony's RT device is broken. Yet, he spends time talking to Henry Hellrung rather than getting into a lab and fixing the damn thing?

Let me add a second excuse.  If I recall, there has been a few moments in the past when Tony has known there is a problem with his armor but has neglected to address the problem right away.  The cloaking device in the Red and Silver armor for example.  He had a problem with the Heroes Reborn armor too, I think, that he allowed to go on for a bit.  And I can see Beth having a hand in development when it comes to this particular product.  It's high tech body armor, and she has the most experience when it comes to this field.  It makes sense they would want her in on the testing.  Plus Resilient is a small company.  I work in a small department, and everyday I find myself pulled into projects just because my co-workers would like another opinion or because I know something about what they are working on.   

It's flimsy, but it's there.  You are right on with everything else.  Especially when you called out Beth not knowing what alarm is what, and Stane's jewel in the head thing.       

I would concur with you if it was a minor problem, like the cloaking device (I discount Heroes Reborn because it was not in "continuity"). But this is a "if I don't fix it, I will die" issue. There were a couple dozen times when this has happened before and he was usually dedicated time to fixing the damn thing. The only other time I can remember where he neglected to repair his armor was during his Iron Secretary phase where he was too busy to fix it.

This time, however, he has time to fix it. Instead, he spending time navel gazing. If you had a pace maker and it was acting up, would you (1) get it fixed or (2) talk to your alcoholic sponsor over a cup of coffee?

Keep in mind that we're talking about Tony Stark here. His life is dedicated to engineering (or so we thought). He's faced with an engineering problem and he isn't trying to fix it? What the hell?

[The IronJedi]

I discount Heroes Reborn because it was not in "continuity"). But this is a "if I don't fix it, I will die" issue.

Actually, I think he meant Heroes Return. There was a whole whole arc about the em-field generated by the armor causing Tony problems similar to the chameleon field. While the armor didn't change appearance, it became to bulky for briefcase transport so Tony had to have a summoning device/wristwatch and the armor usually stowed in the back of the Prowler he was driving at the time.

[Ralph6669]

couldn't LL just turn into light and remove the explosive device?

[Iron Mark]

How DO you install/implant a bomb in someone made of photons?

[Ironghost]

How DO you install/implant a bomb in someone made of photons?

Plenty of Handwavium?

[Iron YoJimBo]

How DO you install/implant a bomb in someone made of photons?

Plenty of Handwavium?

with unobtainium ?

[Brian]

I discount Heroes Reborn because it was not in "continuity"). But this is a "if I don't fix it, I will die" issue.

Actually, I think he meant Heroes Return. There was a whole whole arc about the em-field generated by the armor causing Tony problems similar to the chameleon field. While the armor didn't change appearance, it became to bulky for briefcase transport so Tony had to have a summoning device/wristwatch and the armor usually stowed in the back of the Prowler he was driving at the time.

Is that the time when he was recuperating at some spa that was being run by Basil Sandhurst (the Controller)? If I remember correctly, he used the down time to run tests on the suit to fix the problems.

[Brian]

How DO you install/implant a bomb in someone made of photons?

I guess the same way you reduce his power but increase his speed (when he already goes at the speed of light).

[Iron Guy]

So he's using Nonsensium then. Great stuff that. Only problem is it's like the Force, it only works on the weak minded.