Millionaire industrialist Tony Stark is an inventive genius who has dedicated all of his enormous financial and intellectual resources to a single guiding principle : the creation of technology for the betterment of humanity. Stark’s greatest creation is a modern-day miracle : a suit of form-fitting, strength-enhancing, steel-mesh armor he dons to become the living symbol of his ideals, the Invincible Iron Man! But when Stark discovers that the same technology he used to create the Iron Man armor – technology so secret he didn’t even dare patent it – is now in the hands of several deadly super-villains, he feels responsible for the evil they have done with the high-tech tools he unwittingly provided. In the face of objections from his government, friends, colleagues and fellow super heroes, Stark swears to use the power of Iron Man to bring the evil to an end – and to take back what’s his. The Beatle, Stilt Man, the Controller, Stingray, the Mandroids, the Guardsmen and Firepower don’t know it yet, but they’ve got a problem. The world’s most powerful force for good isn’t playing by the rules anymore. And he’s coming for them Collects Iron Man #225-232.

5 Responses to “Iron Man: Armor Wars”

1. Obviously says:

   December 30, 2008 at 12:00 am

   From the Michelinie/Layton team that gave Tony Stark his alcoholism comes what’s possibly the most thrilling and important Iron Man story. Tony Stark must face the reality that armored villains have been using his technology to commit their crimes making him feel indirectly guilty for all the damage they’ve done. As Iron Man, Stark hunts down these villains (and later heroes)to put a stop to the abuse of his technology.

   The intention of the plot, on the corporate level, was to thin out some of Marvel’s armored villains though the final product is a great look at the morality of Tony Stark (giving excellent insight to why he acts the way he acts during Civil War.) Iron Man goes rogue and is forced to walk on the wrong side of the law as Stark’s obsession is taken too far. The entire collection is great, but the grand finale puts it over the top.

   It’s simply a classic, no Iron Man fan should be without it.
2. "extreme_dig_cm" says:

   June 6, 2008 at 12:00 am

   I’m amazed it took me so long to find this; I vaguely remember this story from the mid ’80s. With the success of Iron Man’s 1st hit movie, I’ve been interested in reading defining stories for the character, and this paperback in particular represents one of the best I’ve ever seen.

   Highlights here for me…

   *Issue 225- Stark Wars! This 1st great issue sets up the entire storyline nicely. Stark discovers that many of his armored enemies are using technology he developed, and he wants his concepts back. Enemies mentioned include Stilt-Man, the Beetle, Shockwave, Controller, Crimson Dynamo, the Mauler, Professor Power, the Raiders, and Titanium Man.

   *Issues 226 to 228- Iron Man vs. enemies & friends. Stark realizes friends like Stingray, SHIELD Mandroids, and the Guardsmen are also using his technology, and he sets out to destroy what they know. His west coast Avenging teammates & Captain America may just stand in his way.

   *Issue 229- Stealth armor. Shellhead uses specialized methods to catch up with Titanium Man & Crimson Dynamo, and he loses his status as an Avenger in the process!

   *Issues 230 & 231- Firepower! The U.S. government has issues with Shellhead, and their answers just might be nuclear. These great issues mark a transition in Iron Man’s life, and a new direction for the character.

   I love Iron Man’s eighties, silver & red armor here, as well as *all* the great armor designs throughout. The artwork is lively & colorful, and it’s some of the best I’ve seen from M.D. Bright & Layton. If you like mid-eighties Marvel art, you’ll probably love this. As far as I’m concerned, this is one of Shellhead’s best, defining storylines ever. Great stuff!

   Included in this volume:

   *Issues #225 to #231- David Michelinie writes; Mark D. Bright layouts; Bob Layton finishes

   *Issue #232- David Michelinie writes; Barry Windsor-Smith plot, pencils & colors; Bob Layton inks
3. Jose Luis Salanova Alcoba says:

   April 26, 2008 at 12:00 am

   I had so much fun reading it. It’s really the definitive story of Iron man
4. A. Malin says:

   March 8, 2008 at 12:00 am

   This was the first time Tony Stark went against the grain and attacked other superheroes in the pursuit of his own justice. This is a well done and under appreciated story that lays the groundwork of Tony’s personality in the current Civil War/ Post Civil War stories.
5. Justin Gaines says:

   February 16, 2007 at 12:00 am

   While the “Iron Man: Demon in a Bottle” storyline tends to get the most attention, the Armor Wars saga remains my all-time favorite Iron Man storyline. The Armor Wars ran in issues 225-232 of the original Iron Man series, and featured the creative team of David Michelenie, Mark Bright, and Bob Layton. This team was responsible for a particularly good run of issues, of which Armor Wars was the highlight.

   In this storyline, Tony Stark discovers that some of his Iron Man technology was stolen and passed on to various armored villains. Agonized at the thought that his technology was used to cause the suffering and death of others, Stark dons the Iron Man armor and starts hunting down these villains and destroying their armor. It seems simple enough, but what about the technology he provided to the government, such as SHIELD’s Mandroids or the Guardians at the Vault? Iron Man’s quest soon has him taking on friends and allies like Stingray and even Captain America, and ends up costing him his Avengers membership (though to be fair, it was just the West Coast Avengers, and they hardly count).

   This is a fantastic tale of obsession, guilt, and justice, not to mention a seriously cool chance to see Iron Man taking down a whole bunch of armored bad guys. It’s about as good a tale as you’re likely to find in an 80′s mainstream comic book. Michelenie does a great job with the story, and the artwork by Bright and Layton remains the standard by which I judge all other Iron Man artists. The chilling epilogue by the legendary Barry Windsor-Smith ends things on the perfect note, and may be the best modern single-issue Iron Man tale ever.

   If you’re an Iron Man fan, this is a must-have trade paperback. Marvel fans in general should check it out as well.