Invincible Iron Man #238: Review

Jan 1989

David Michelinie, Jackson Guice

Story Name:

Two Live or Die in L.A.!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Invincible Iron Man #238 Review by T Vernon (July 12, 2017)

Comments: Title is a pun on the film TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. (1985). First appearance of Felix Alvarez who would be around for the next few years. Blizzard was arrested in issue #224. It will be revealed that the Madame Masque appearing since issue #138 and last seen in #204 has been a bio-duplicate; that's one way to correct continuity—though not a good one. This issue takes place after CAPTAIN AMERICA #350, so Steve Rogers is back as Cap. Tony Stark's racing competitors “Newman and Smothers” are likely movie star Paul Newman and comedian Dick Smothers, both real life racing aficionados.

Review: Nice vibrant cover sets up a fairly standard adventure with the Rhino—always a good choice when looking for a super-strong but not very bright baddie—and it's pretty exciting. The real purpose of the issue is to keep tabs on various plot threads each at a different stage of development: Kathy Dare, Captain America, Madame Masque, Rhodey and Marcy, the monster from last issue, and the new Ghost plot. And it's all handled very well by one of Marvel's all-time best creative teams. I miss these guys.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Invincible Iron Man #238 Synopsis by T Vernon

The Rhino crashes through the wall of a Los Angeles prison; his object: to break out Donnie Gill—Blizzard—for Justin Hammer. Gill isn't so sure he wants this but it isn't his choice so he goes. The police send a Ram vehicle after them but Rhino destroys it—by hitting it with their own hovercraft. They have to run for it....

Elsewhere, Tony Stark wins a charity auto race and is given a congratulatory kiss by the Race Queen. Kathy Dare shows up uninvited and jealously dumps ice water on the woman's head. Embarrassed, Tony orders her away, going back to don his Iron Man armor to head to his next engagement while James Rhodes fends off the reporters. At a National Guard testing range in the Mojave desert, Marcy Pearson has him film a house ad for Stark Enterprises....

On the East Coast, Madame Masque is ambushed by a mysterious woman who shoots her and claims her golden mask....

Back at the company, Tony Stark and his new lawyer Felix Alvarez meet with officials from the Justice Department to defend Iron Man's actions in destroying the space monster last issue. Alvarez threatens them with exposure and the government is forced to keep up their end of the bargain....

Interlude: Rhodey and Marcy get romantic in a hot tub....

After this, Tony drives out on a mountain road for a clandestine meeting with Steve Rogers, trying to smooth things out in the wake of the Armor Wars; peace of a sort is made. On his way back, Tony hears on the radio that Rhino is on a rampage at the airport so he heads over as Iron Man. After some violent sparring, Iron Man realizes that Rhino's uncovered face is vulnerable, so he creates a fire ring around the villain and holds him there until he passes out from the smoke. Donnie Gill, however, has escaped....

Epilogue: Electronica Fabrizzi, an Italian company Tony is interested in buying, is invaded by a saboteur who can pass through solid walls—the Ghost....