Synopsis / Summary / Plot
In Marina Del Rey Iron Man is fighting the light-sabre-wielding ninjas who attacked him last issue. His AI Friday can't get any clues as to their identities. They communicate with each other over a private cybernetic web that she can't crack. But she can detect that they are people not robots.
As usual with a Marvel fight the bad guys initially have the upper hand. In particular repeated blows to his neck threaten to breach Tony Stark's armour. But he morphs the armour to provide extra protection there, and indeed all over. Then he manages to grab 1 of their swords and integrates it into his system.
Now Shellhead turns to tide of the battle. He spends 2/3 of his available power on a zero point energy bubble blast which knocks the ninjas down. Then he throws 1 of them into the ocean which shorts out the ninja's tech. And all the other ninjas are affected. Their cybernetically linked systems reminded him of the Mandroids he designed - and disrupting 1 caused the others to reboot. And during that short period the Golden Avenger is able to smash all their tech.
Now he rips the mask off 1 of his foes to find a Japanese guy within. Friday translates as the ninja says he's failed and dishonoured. Then they all self-destruct in a form of seppuku.
Iron Man leaves the local police to clean up and heads back to base. He reviews the story so far:- Madame Masque is stealing weapons of power (like a Wand of Watoomb similar to 1 Dr Strange has), and the ninjas were after her. Dr Doom is now out of his armour and acting like a good guy, but Tony doesn't buy it. Friday says she can't locate Doom or Masque. She also tells him that MM broke into the Tokyo office of Stark International 2 days ago. Stark has the security chief fired for not reporting it immediately and orders an investigation.
The AI reminds her boss that he's due to visit sick children at St Jude's Hospital. He wants to continue mulling over the situation instead, but Friday plays him a recording of himself saying that he's already put it off 3 times (for good reasons) and he mustn't do it again (not even for some humorous invented scenarios).
Tony takes along a selection of armours to show the kids, including his latest which he morphs to fit a precocious boy named Max. Meanwhile Friday in another armour is keeping watch for Dr Doom, Madame Masque or more ninjas. But Victor Von Doom's hybrid of magic and tech allows him to slip past her and interrupt the proceedings.
Meanwhile in Chicago Mary Jane Watson is opening her new nightclub called Jackpot. She's moved to the Windy City because her previous club in New York got trashed by a super-battle. But her hopes of avoiding super-clashes are about to be dashed.
Madame Masque is there to meet an associate Behilio who she now kills. And Iron Man and Doom show up to confront her.