Iron Man #15
Said the Unicorn to the Ghost —!
In the Alps, the Unicorn has Iron Man at his mercy. Holding the Avenger high over his head, the Unicorn tosses Iron Man over the edge of a cliff. However, this is only a dream, and the Unicorn is woken out of it by his new ally, the Red Ghost. The Ghost tries to get the Unicorn to focus on reality, reminding him that he lost his last battle with Iron Man. That this happened when the hero ripped off the Unicorn’s power belt and threw it over the edge of the cliff.[1] The Unicorn foolishly dived after it and only survived thanks to the secret jets built into his boots. He was then drawn to a nearby cabin because of a signal that was being transmitted by the Red Ghost.
The Unicorn begins to remember all of this and asks why he should work with the Ghost. The scientist points out how they were both loyal communists who have since struck out on their own.[2] Other than this commonality, the Red Ghost also has created an injection that will prevent the Unicorn’s powers from killing him. This, and the opportunity to get revenge against Iron Man is all that is needed to convince the Unicorn to ally himself with the Red Ghost. The Ghost suggests that they attack Tony Stark when he is scheduled to a new cosmic ray generator in order to draw Iron Man out.
Back in the United States, Tony Stark and Janice Cord are posing for a romantic photo for the press ahead of the announcement that Stark Industries won’t be buying Cord Manufacturing after all. Tony tells the gathered press that he looks forward to healthy competition from Janice’s company. Tony deals with Janice at arm’s length, which hurts her feelings as she hoped she and Tony would have something more than a professional relationship and wonders why he’s pushing her away. Tony then abruptly leaves the press conference with Jasper Sitwell as it is time to move the cosmic ray generator. Janice is disappointed because she wanted to introduce him to her new employee, Alex Niven. Alex assures her that he and Tony Stark will cross paths soon enough.
Soon, Tony and Jasper are transporting to the generator in a SHIELD aircraft. Tracking their progress, the Red Ghost confirms that the generator is aboard the ship and dispatches the Unicorn to steal the device. What the Unicorn doesn’t know is that the Red Ghost was stripped of his power during his last encounter with the Watcher and needs the device to restore them. When the Unicorn attacks the ship, Jasper Sitwell puts Tony in a parachute and shoves him out of the craft so he can battle the Unicorn alone. Landing safely on the ground, Tony watches in horror when the plane explodes. This leaves Tony to believe that Jasper died in the crash and he changes into Iron Man to avenge his death.
Tracking the Unicorn’s heat signature, Iron Man is led to an abandoned ghost town. There he is attacked by two giant apes. From their secret hideout, the Unicorn is furious to learn the Red Ghost is employing apes, but the rogue scientists insist that they are necessary. As Iron Man battles the gorillas he correctly deduces that this must be the work of the Red Ghost.[3] When the Unicorn goes above ground to battle Iron Man, it gives the Red Ghost an opportunity to use the cosmic ray generator to restore his powers. By this point, Iron Man and the apes come crashing through the wall into the hideout. Once there, the Red Ghost orders his apes to step into the cosmic ray generator to get powers as well. Iron Man warns the Ghost that the device could cause untold chaos to the surrounding area. However, the Red Ghost doesn’t care as anyone who is within the cosmic ray bombardment area are protected from any danger.
When Iron Man tries to attack the Red Ghost, the villain tries using his intangibility powers and discovers they have changed. Instead of simply becoming intangible, his body transforms into a red mist. That’s when Unicorn ambushes Iron Man from behind allowing the Red Ghost and his apes to escape. Over the intercom, the Red Ghost tells the Unicorn that he has outlived his usefulness and that his supposed cure was a lie. He then tells the two combatants that he is going to Africa to create an army of Super-Apes and then detonates the hideout with Iron Man and the Unicorn still inside.
Recurring Characters
Iron Man, Unicorn, Red Ghost, Janice Cord, Jasper Sitwell, Alex Nevin, Alpha & Beta (both unidentified)
Continuity Notes
Iron Man previously fought the Unicorn in Iron Man #4.
A footnote here reminds readers that the Red Ghost was previously seen in Fantastic Four #13 and 29. (It forgets to mention his appearance in Fantastic Four Annual #3, and Kragoff has appeared in a few flashback stories, but why quibble?)
Iron Man recounts how he fought the Red Ghost and the Mole Man in Avengers #12. He also states here that the Red Ghost abandoned his original Super-Apes. Publication-wise, they were last seen in Fantastic Four #24, but — chronologically — they were last seen when they were pulled forward in time in Fantastic Four #400. Later in this story, the Red Ghost states that the Super-Apes were destroyed by the Russian government. But this proves to be wrong. He will start using them again (chronologically) in Marvel: Shadow and Light #1. One could assume that the Red Ghost assumed the Super-Apes were destroyed only to discover later that he was wrong. The apes in this story are unnamed. They are identified as Alpha and Beta next issue.
