Issue(s): Iron Man: The Iron Age #2
Cover Date: Sep 98
Title: "Bodyguards"
Credits:
Kurt Busiek - Story
Richard Howell - Plot assist & co-scripter
Patrick Zircher - Penciler
Bob Mcleod - Inker
Brian Smith - Assistant Editor
Bobbie Chase - Editor
Bob Harras - EIC

Review/plot: This issue is a far cry worse than the previous - possibly due to the fact that for whatever reason Kurt Busiek was not writing it alone. Whereas the previous issue added a new layer of depth for Pepper Potts, this issue, while focusing on Happy Hogan and his relationship with / faith in Iron Man, is really just an adventure story. Iron Man is bribed to look the other way when Simon Kreiger...

...leading a group of bad guys working for the soon-to-be Roxxon corporation, pretends to be Tony Stark to get onto the under-construction SHIELD heli-carrier.

But since Iron Man is Tony Stark, he is really just playing along and he defeats the bad guys and everyone still loves Iron Man. Roxxon decides that they should stop trying to take over Stark Industries. It's not a terrible story, certainly it's a step above the Standard Silver age in terms of sophistication, but it's not fantastic. The art is still nice.

A lot of this is building up to the formation of SHIELD... the helicarrier, the flying cars...

...and the mission statement. It's said that this is a "new international peacekeeping agency".

One panel cameo by J. Jonah Jameson giving a televised editorial, and another by Peter Parker watching Iron Man unmask the fake Tony Stark on TV. Also lays the groundwork for stories that will happen much later by establishing the presence of Roxxon and certain characters like Jonas Hale, Hugh Jones and the Spymaster (who assassinates Kreiger at the end of this issue).

Also manages to dredge up a colonel who was basically a background character appearing in one issue of Thor's Journey Into Mystery #87 (something i never would have noticed so thanks to the Marvel Chronology Project).

I thought this picture of a cover of J. Jonah Jameson's NOW magazine was pretty neat.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 4 - 'origin' of the SHIELD helicarrier.

Chronological Placement Considerations: The SHIELD Helicarrier is under construction. This should take place before its appearance in Strange Tales #135.

Iron Man switches to his new armor over the course of this story. As with all these types of continuity implants, i've placed this approximately based on its endpoint.

The following villains are shown on a television program: Jack Frost, Crimson Dynamo, the Melter, the Eel, the 'evil' Dr. Strange, the Sub-Mariner, the Radioactive Man, and the Sandman.

References:

• Portrait of Iron Man, Happy Hogan, meeting with Pepper, speedway crash, Shapanka fired - Tales Of Suspense #45
  
• Avengers press conference - between Avengers #1 and Avengers #2
  
• That's the Eeel (Strange Tales #112), the evil Dr. Strange (Tales Of Suspense #41), the Sub-Mariner (circa Fantastic Four Annual #1), the Radioactive Man (Journey Into Mystery #93), and the Sandman (Amazing Spider-Man #4)
  
• Colonel Edward Harrison - first seen in Conspiracy #1. Maybe.
  
• Battle with Jack Frost - Tales Of Suspense #45
  
• ...with Crimson Dynamo - Tales Of Suspense #46
  
• ...with Melter - Tales Of Suspense #47
  
• J. Jonah Jameson - first seen in Amazing Spider-Man #1
  
• Meeting in Washington - Tales Of Suspense #47
  
• New armor - first seen in Tales Of Suspense #48
  
• NOW Magazine - first seen in Amazing Spider-Man #2
  
• SHEILD & helicarrier - first seen in Strange Tales #135
  
• Peter Parker - first seen in Amazing Fantasy #15
  
• LMDs (Life Model Decoys) - first seen in Strange Tales #135
  
• The Spymaster - first seen in Iron Man #33
  
• Roxxon Oil - first seen in Captain America #180

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? Y

My Reprint: N/A