Iron Man #324
So Far to Fall
This story continues from War Machine #22…
Iron Man has returned to his Arctic bunker to regroup after it was revealed that he had betrayed the Avengers.[1] He returns to find his assistant — the Machinesmith — destroyed and Masque has escaped.[2] As he works on making repairs to the Machinesmith, Marianne Rodgers watches silently. She is able to read Tony’s mind and is aware of the dark thoughts in his mind.
Meanwhile, Masque has arrived at the Van Dyne estate to warn the Avengers about Tony Stark, only to discover that the team had already found out the truth and he escape his battle with them. Luna, the daughter of Quicksilver and Crystal, has also gone missing and after a quick search of the property, they can find no trace of her.[3]
That’s when Century, the Black Widow, and Moonraker teleport onto the scene. They have discovered that Iron Man has built a powerful temporal weapon in his Arctic bunker that will cause a massive global cataclysm unless it is stopped. They also reveal that Moonrake carries the soul of Gustav Brand, formerly known as Libra of the Zodiac cartel. Moonraker explains that he was planted within Force Works by the Priests of Pama to help stop his wayward daughter Mantis who is now working with Kang the Conqueror, the mastermind of everything that’s been going on recently.[4] They get in touch with the rest of Force Works at their headquarters. The Scarlet Witch informs them that her team have been trying to access their headquarter’s sub-basement to deactivate one of the devices. Unfortunately, their headquaters is a “smart building” run by an artificial intelligence called PLATO that has been blocking their attempts by actively trying to kill them. The Witch also reveals that Tony has killed again, this time murdering Amanda Chaney, Force Works’ publicity manager.[5] They also give Wanda an update on the Wasp, who was injured in Tony’s fight with the Avengers.[6] The two teams agree that their best course of action is a full frontal assault on Stark’s Arctic bunker.
Back up north, Tony is continues his work to repair the Machinesmith. As he works, Marianne Rodgers can sense the true Tony Stark for the first time since she re-entered his life. She tries to get him to open up to her, but he resists telling her the truth about the lies he’s been hiding for years. Before she can get him to reveal the truth, the perimeter alarm begins going off, warning Tony that there are intruders outside. Outside, Century has teleported himself, the Vision, Crystal, and Moonriker outside the facility. When the Vision tries to hack the front door, he discovers that Stark has prepared a countermeasure against his phasing powers. Suddenly, the bunker transforms into a massive mobile battle station.
Inside, Marianne tries to talk Tony out of attacking his friends and allies but he has sealed himself in the command center of his bunker. She tries reaching out to him telepathically, but rather than convince him to stand down, she finds something that might help his friends put a stop to this. She reaches out to the heroes outside and tells them that the key to defeating Tony is to find a younger version of himself that has not yet been tainted by evil.[7] As the fortress is impenetrable and with the Vision seriously injured, Century teleports them all back to the Van Dyne estate. However, when they arrive they discover that Moonraker has disappeared in transport.
This is because Moonraker has been plucked out of time and space by the mastermind’s behind this scheme: Kang the Conqueror and Mantis.[8] Moonriker is then locked up in the dungeon where he is being tortured. Mantis gloats over capturing his father and when he asks why she has turned on her friends, Mantis explains that he will never understand and slams the cell door shut, leaving him to his fate.
… This story continues in Force Works #20.
Recurring Characters
Iron Man, Avengers (Black Widow, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Vision, Hercules, Crystal, Swordsman, Giant-Man, Wasp), Masque, Force Works (Scarlet Witch, Century, Moonraker, Spider-Woman, US Agent), War Machine, Machinesmith, “Kang”, “Mantis”, Marianne Rodgers
Continuity Notes
Last issue it was revealed that Iron Man was responsible for the murders of Yellowjacket and Marilla in Avengers: The Crossing #1. The big revelation of the story is that Tony has secretly been a sleeper agent for Kang the Conqueror since his first appearance in Avengers #8. In reality, this is all a huge deception orchestrated by Immortus to keep the Avengers busy while he manipulates their destiny. See Avengers Forever #8.
Speaking of the ol’ bait-and-switch plotline, Masque was revealed to be Bethany Cabe last issue. Actually, this woman isn’t Bethany Cabe at all, but an impostor. In Age of Innocence: The Rebirth of Iron Man #1, we learn that Masque is a shapeshifter. However, her true identity won’t be revealed until Avengers (vol. 3) #32. That story explains she is actually a rogue bio-duplicate created by Madame Masque to act as her proxy in the real world as a means of self-preservation. That same story explains that Masque had the ability to imprint the appearance of someone close to her intended target, hence why she appears to be Bethany Cabe here.
The Avengers learned the truth and fought Tony Stark last issue and in Avengers #393. This was also when Luna was kidnapped by Tuc, a young man claiming to be Luna’s older brother from the future. This is another Immortus created deception. Tuc is really a Space Phantom in disguise per Avengers Forever #8.
The whole Moonraker thing is as confusing as it sounds and is also a load of bullshit. The details:
Gustav Brand, aka Libra, was a member of the Zodiac cartel back in Avengers #72. He was revealed to be the father of Mantis, who was being groomed by the Priests of Pama to become the Celestial Madonna. This all happened in Avengers #130-135 and Giant-Size Avengers #4.
At the time of this story, Brand was believed to have been killed in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #26. However, he faked his death and will turn up again in Avengers Forever #1.
Moonraker first appeared in Force Works #16 out of nowhere and everyone was acting as if he was always there. The team learned the supposed truth about Moonrake and his mission and Tony’s master plan in Force Works #19 and War Machine #22. About that “truth” though….
Moonraker is another Space Phantom impostor planted by Immortus. See Avengers Forever #8, again.
Moonraker notes how the Avenger known as Swordsman is the spitting image of the one he “knew” back in the day. He is referring to Jacques Duquesne the original Swordsman who first appeared in Avengers #19. He died defending Mantis in the aforementioned Priest of Pama story arc circa Giant-Size Avengers #2. This Swordsman is actually Philip Javert, who first appeared in Avengers #343. He is Jacques’ counterpart from Reality-921.
Amanda Chaney was hired to be Force Works’ PR person in Force Works #4. She was murdered by Tony in issue #19 of that series.
The Wasp was seriously injured in Avengers #393. She will recover, transformed into a more insectile form in the following issue of that series.
This suggestion leads to the Avengers going back in time to recruit a younger Tony Stark to help them defeat his older self. See Avengers: Timeslide #1 for more on that bad editorial decision.
This of course is not the real Kang and Mantis. Mantis is yet another Space Phantom in disguise and Immortus is posing as his former self. See Avengers Forever #8 (again).
The Crossing Reading Order
Avengers #390, Iron Man #319, Avengers: The Crossing #1, Force Works #16, Iron Man #320, Avengers #391, Iron Man #321, Force Works #17, Avengers #392, War Machine #20, Iron Man #322, Force Works #18, War Machine #21, Iron Man #323, Avengers #393, Force Works #19, War Machine #22, Iron Man #324, Force Works #20, War Machine #23, Avengers #394, Avengers: Timeslide #1, Iron Man #325, Avengers #395, Age of Innocence: The Rebirth of Iron Man #1