Synopsis
Iron Man (1968 series) #281 synopsis by
T Vernon
Rating:
Tony Stark is having a nightmare that as Iron Man he is confronted by a giant robot that melts his armor off and impales him and twists him in wires—betrayed by technology. James Rhodes wakes him up: Tony's life support had malfunctioned as he was recovering from the beating he took last issue. The displeased Dr. Erica Sondheim advises Tony to rest and recuperate....
Meanwhile, a secret cabal led by [spoiler alert] Justin Hammer knows Tony Stark is incapacitated and plots to seize his business holdings and divide it between their groups (including Hydra, Roxxon, and Moroboshi International)....
Tony prepares for the worst scenario, calling his lawyer Felix Alvarez to revise his will. On TV he notes news of a reactor failure in Japan, unaware that he is about to become personally involved....
Rei Takahashi, CEO of Akane Fusion is ruined, the failure of his reactor caused by defective valves purchased from Stark Enterprises. To get revenge he calls on the Masters of Silence, a trio of Ninja assassins who judge Tony Stark deserving of death and set out to exact that price....
Tony has some instructions for Abe Zimmer and Mrs. Arbogast and then Rhodey smuggles in a remote armor interface allowing Tony to operate Iron Man armor in order to work on a project in the lab. The Masters of Silence enter the building and Tony detects their presence. He sends Iron Man to face them and the ninjas with their energy weapons and expertise defeat the armor but Tony set it to self-destruct. The Masters find Tony in the hospital ward but he turns out to be a hologram, taunting them—and followed by an explosion, to slow them down. Meanwhile, Tony has completed a neuro-booster, allowing him to don a new, gray, weapon-heavy armor to face his enemies....
Characters:
Plus: Erica Sondheim, Felix Alvarez, Justin Hammer, Masters of Silence, Mrs. Arbogast.