IRON MAN vol. 3 #42 (387)
(July, 2001) "The Big Bang Theory."
Cover art: Keron Grant & Rob Stull.
Script: Frank Tieri.
Art: Keron Grant/Stull, Story & Perotta.
Tony Stark has essentially "erased" his identity and has now become tech wiz "Hogan Potts" at Askew Electronics. Yep, you got it -- T.S. is a 9-5 average joe, now!! Yeesh. On his way to work, the Shocker wrecks the subway car Stark is on, and we see him battle Shock in a prototype armor. The armor looks like crap, which is fitting since it goes along w/the rest of the story. Shocker is defeated, Stark gets chewed out by his boss for being late again, but then later we see Iron Man testing his new suit of armor at Askew's labs! (Wonder how they checked his ID to verify it is indeed IM and not some baddie posing as IM....not to mention how "Potts" can actually work on the IM w/o anybody getting suspicious! It's not Tony Stark in his own private lab anymore, after all!) The material dubbed SKIN is apparently used in IM's new duds, and at least that looks like a cool idea. In the waning pages, the "Mad Bomber" who has been plaguing NYC the last few days now transmits a bomb into Shellhead's armor! To be continued!!
Hube's Recommendation: 2 repulsors!
