Appearing in "Beneath the Armor Beats a Heart"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Night Phantom (Destroyed)
- Mister Kline ⏵
- Stark Industries
Other Characters:
- Herbie (First appearance)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for "Beneath the Armor Beats a Heart"
Iron Man continues his fight with the Night Phantom android and destroys it. Meanwhile, Simon Gilbert addresses the Stark Industries board of directors criticizing Tony Stark's recent actions. Gilbert leads them in a vote of no confidence as he schemes to become their new corporate president. Mr. Kline delightedly monitors the board from afar. Kevin finds himself wishing he could have Marianne and briefly considers murdering Tony before coming to his senses. Tony learns of the no confidence vote: Marianne comforts him. Kevin accidentally walks in on the two as she accepts Tony's marriage proposal. Stung, the Guardsman crashes the board of directors' meeting, telling them he is against Tony Stark and Iron Man. When students begin demonstrating outside the plant, the Guardsman, following Gilbert's orders, launches a blast of repulsor rays killing four. He then retreats back inside. The demonstrators storm the building but when the Guardsman emerges they flee. Iron Man confronts Gilbert, but the Guardsman defends him. The two friends fight, but Iron Man activates a safety valve to shut down the Guardsman armor. Venturing outside, Iron Man finds that the demonstrators have returned, more violent and angry than ever.
Appearing in "The Students and the Guardsman"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Stark Industries
- NYPD
- Marty (First appearance)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for "The Students and the Guardsman"
Iron Man is surrounded by a mob of angry protestors who threaten to sue Guardsman for killing four innocent kids with his repulsor rays. Meanwhile, Simon Gilbert is enjoying the crisis and is elated that Iron Man is involved in this too. An angry board member argues that kids have been killed but Gilbert says that they have to be wiped out anyways and it was great that their company's own Guardsman started the job. At that moment, Guardsman enters the room and apologizes for making a mess but Gilbert congratulates him. Kevin is confused but Gilbert again congratulates him for doing his duty to his country and his company. Then, Gilbert offers him Iron Man's position as he thinks Iron Man and Tony Stark will be finished before the day is done.
The scene shifts to Iron Man who is reluctant to fight the protestors, afraid to actually hurt them. He is angry at Kevin for leaving him to face the mob alone. The mob tries to corner him again but Iron Man makes a quick decision to flee before the police come in to sort the situation out.
Meanwhile on the ground, some of the boys try to burn down the factory but suddenly Guardsman comes out and scares them away. Gilbert is still convincing the other board members that Kevin is their guy but one of the members still has doubts. Gilbert silences him by threatening to take him out from the board. Iron Man enters the room by smashing through one of the windows and he threatens Gilbert but Gilbert tell him that he is the one who is going to lose his job. Iron Man gets angry and pushes Gilbert into a chair and tells him that he is Stark's personal representative and that gives him authority over him. Guardsman also comes in and tells Iron Man to stop pushing the people he works for around. Guardsman is also bitter because Tony Stark is the only thing standing between him and Marianne. Meanwhile, Iron Man deduces that the untested power of his suit has somehow affected his mind and his judgement. Iron Man and Guardsman start fighting and Kevin is about to finish him but he hesitates. Kevin hears the police and the protestors fighting and decides to go and stop it but Iron Man blasts him with his repulsors in a secret safety valve in his chestplate which stuns Kevin.
With Kevin stunned for a few minutes, Iron Man goes to the protest to stop it. He asks for five minutes to convince them but an angry protestor hits him with a brick. With this, the police get ready to stop the protest with force.
Solicit Synopsis
Notes
- This issue contains a letters page, "Sock It To Shell-Head". Letters are published from Richard Volbrecht, Jr., Rick Kopseky, and Paul J. Arnold.
- As seen on page one, Story One (and probably Story 2) are Job Vol 1 758Z.