Invincible Iron Man #5: Review

Jan 2016

Brian Michael Bendis, David Marquez

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Story Name:

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Review & Comments

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Invincible Iron Man #5 Review by Rob Johnson (January 8, 2016)

We get some basic science here as Shellhead's repulsor rays cause an equal and opposite reaction which pushes Madame Masque backwards. Strangely we don't see this when Stark uses them while in midair. If he fires an equal and opposite blast behind him to maintain his position it's some invisible emission.

As this arc ends we don't know who the ninjas in the last 2 issues were or why they were after Madame Masque. Dr Strange cryptically says that demonic stuff is on the rise. We don't know if this connects to the ninjas. And if it portends something for the future whether it's for this mag or Strange's own.

Mary Jane Watson will continue to feature in this series, while Victor Von Doom will accompany Tony Stark into the upcoming International Iron Man series.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Invincible Iron Man #5 Synopsis by Rob Johnson

Mary Jane Watson had just opened her new Chicago nightclub called Jackpot when a super-battle broke out between Madame Masque and Iron Man aided by the new armourless Dr Doom. IM has surrounded MM with a zero-point energy bubble and Victor Von Doom has encased that in a mystical force-field. The combination should keep her secure whatever kind of attack she uses.

But Whitney Frost channels more of whatever magic she has gained access to and freezes Doom in place. Tony Stark's AI Friday tells him that the same unknown mystical force is invading IM's armour and she can't stop it - and she is reduced to babbling. Frost breaks free of her prison and sends waves of force crashing through the room.

While he reboots his system Tony tries to convince Masque that the energies she is using are getting out of control and will kill her. But the insanely angry Ms Frost is just intent on killing him while she has him at her mercy. Until Mary Jane whacks her with a microphone stand, knocking Whitney's facemask off.

MJ now has her full attention - unfortunately for her. But luckily Doom has recovered and initiates a magic duel. And the Golden Avenger's armour is back online and he uses magnetism(?!) to drag MJ to safety and tells her to leave quickly.

Masque has now been possessed by the demon she was getting power from. This has transformed her face so as usual we don't get to see what disfigurement her mask was hiding. She's beaten Doom again, but Tony fragments his armour and sends it to encase her. It's still under his control and holds her helpless.

Victor tells Tony to lay Masque on the ground while he tries an exorcism. At a crucial moment he gets Tony to remove the armour faceplate so he can direct his magic into Whitney's head. There's a magical explosion.

Armoured Whitney's body is now contorting on the ground. Friday is in control of the armour and is holding her down while contacting Dr Strange for help. Stark gets Friday to fire repulsor blasts upwards so that the reaction helps push Frost down. Doom tries exorcism again. There's another magic blast and the demonic energy shoots out of Whitney's eyes and blasts open the roof of the club.

Stark revives to find Doom gone and Whitney unconscious in his armour. Dr Strange arrives. Tony removes the armour and puts Whitney's mask back in place. (Hair across her face hid her scars from us again.) Stephen Strange takes her away to heal her mystical damage. Then he'll give her to SHIELD.

3 days later Tony finds MJ in a park. He offers to pay for rebuilding her club, but she's not going to reopen it because it's got too much negative PR. So he offers her a job. The AI Friday handles his business and inventions. But he needs someone to oversee his charity work. And also to keep track of his private life.

MJ really doesn't want to get involved with superheroes again. But we know she'll accept.

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