"The Sting."  Script: Jim Owsley. Art: Greg LaRoque/Vince Colletta.  Scheming, nasty Justin Hammer concocts a plot to kidnap Tony Stark...and succeeds! Tony is left on an isolated isle after Hammer snatches his briefcase (no, not the briefcase). But hold it -- looks like Stark has a back-up plan!! Hee hee! Seemingly needless island native rescuing ensues...at least until Shellhead runs out of power! This yarn is continued in...

    "Checkmate."  Script: Jim Owsley. Art: Greg LaRoque, Bruce Patterson/Armando Gil.  Tony is in a predicament: his Iron Man armor is depleted of power, and then Justin Hammer shows back up on the island demanding he show himself -- or else! Hammer gets a hold of the IM armor (since Tony left it out in the sun to recharge), and Stark is taken prisoner! Needless to say, half the fun is watching Tony "relieve himself" of his predicament!

    "Gold Fever."  Script: Kurt Busiek. Art: James Fry III/Jim Sanders III.  Ever wonder what happened to classic IM villain Midas (I sure did)? Wonder no more. Writer extraordinaire Busiek explains, as only he can, how the bloated one escaped his seeming mindwipe at the hands of former Stark lover Marianne Rodgers. And get this -- Midas is now actually made of gold! Not as cheesy as it may sound, especially since this vignette features the red and silver "Silver Centurion" armor!

This issue also features a spread of Iron Man pin-ups: an awesome War Machine pic by Kev Hopgood, a so-so collage of Stark/IM by Bruce Patterson (who?), a decent Gene Colan montage, and lastly a pretty lame Don Heck piece (may he rest in peace).
Hube's Recommendation:  repulsors!