IRON MAN vol. 3 #71 (416)
(Oct. 2003) "Vegas Bleeds Neon, part 2."
Cover art: Feister & Harris.
Script: Robin Laws.
Art: Robert Teranishi/Eric Cannon, Robin Riggs.
Tony continues his struggles with the mysterious "substance" which has inhabited his armor! He manages to activate his wrist-watch remote control, and sets his armor's self-destruct device! The armor explodes, neutralizing the mysterious substance/creature. Later, Tony hooks back up with P.I. Saige Kaufman, and introduces her to his latest armor: The Ablative Armor! (Stand by for detailed specs at the Advanced Iron site, natch!) This new suit is designed for "impact-rich" environments by reproducing its own protective tiles as needed! Tony deduces what the mysterious substance/creature was -- a form of "nanoplasm," or a blood-like fluid filled with nanobots. A meeting with the mysterious Anthony Hopkins look-alike Mr. Vicus further compounds Stark's curiosity. Then, Saige brings up an old newspaper bit about a UFO crash near Vegas back in 1954! Stark jets off his new armor, and discovers underground a huge alien network -- an organism made of the aforementioned "nanoplasm." And there is Mo Stanton -- the man for whom Saige Kaufman was searching! He's been transformed by the organism, but Stark promises to help him. Despite Stanton's pleas to the contrary, IMbegins to bust them both out, but part of the organism inside Stanton comes out -- and infects Iron Man!
Where was Laws when we needed him? Light years better than wretched Mike Grell, Robin engages the reader thoughtfully and he further demonstrates his knowledge and appreciation for the character of IM by utilizing Stark's brainpower and -- a way-cool new armor!
Hube's Recommendation: 3 1/2 repulsors!
