Carol Danvers’ Cameo and Iron Man’s Mysterious Malfunction: Iron Man Vol 1 #125 – August 1979
Iron Man Vol 1 #125: "The Monaco Prelude"
Carol Danvers just appears in this issue as Ms. Marvel in the background of one scene.
The issue opens with the information that Iron Man apparently killed an innocent Ambassador with the repulsor ray of his suit. He is about to be arrested. Iron Man tells the police that the suit fired on its own. They believe him, they also allow him to conduct his own investigation, as long as they will impound the suit. Tony Stark also promises the mayor to investigate the incident. Of course, the suit that they get is mostly none-functionable.
Stark’s alcoholism starts to get out of control due to the murder and other reasons as well. For example, Bethany, the ambassador’s bodyguard, is Stark’s girlfriend. Well, now ex-girlfriend. Protecting the alleged murderer of the person she should have been protecting doesn’t give him extra points.
Then we switch to the Avengers mansion and them discussing Iron Man’s situation. For now, Captain America will have to lead the Avengers. Cap is not sure that Iron Man will be vindicated, a statement which angers Beast. Obviously, both Ms. Marvel and the WASP have no lines in this discussion. Then, awkwardly, Stark arrives at the mansion.
Stark asks for some self-defense lessons from Cap. For the entire afternoon Cap teaches Stark, in a funny montage of endless defeats, how to fight.
Then Stark starts the investigation to clear his name. He starts by going to Scott Lang who works for him. He wants Scott to tell him everything he can about Ryker’s Island, a prison district. After all, Lang spent three years in prison there. Scott owes Stark for giving him a job in the first place, so he offers to help. He breaks the prison cell of Whiplash as Ant-Man. He threatens Whiplash to get information from him. Stark doesn’t know that Scott Lang is Ant-Man. Two people together, who have no idea that the other is a superhero, amusing.
Based on the information that Lang gave him, Stark flies to Monaco. With his pilot by surprise and friend, James Rhodes. Stark uses his connection to find the person that he is looking for, Hammer. And Hammer sends some bad guys to take care of Stark. A fight starts, but now Stark has some moves and Rhodes is on his side. They manage to escape the bad guys and the local police. However, the issue ends with both Stark and Rhodes about to face a small army of bad guys.
This is actually a really good issue and it presents an interesting mystery. The Avengers doesn’t really appear here other than Captain America. But, it does sting that Ms. Marvel and the WASP have nothing to say about the accusations against Iron Man. However, Vision also remains silent and so does Falcon. In the end, it is Stark’s story and it is a damn good one.
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