The Five Nightmares, Part 5: Code Black

Zeke Stane is plotting to destroy Iron Man (Tony Stark) and his company, Stark Industries. To this end, he has reverse engineered illegally purchased Iron Man tech to turn religious extremists into suicide bombs and sent them to key Stark buildings in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Valencia, and Long Island. These bombers all pose as tourists on a guided tour of these buildings. At the Long Island location, Zeke Stane himself has come as this is where Stark Industries got its start.[1]

Iron Man is well aware of this plan and is tracking Stane thanks to trackers that he planted on Iron Man tech that he intentionally released onto the black market. Conferring with SHIELD Sub-Director Maria Hill and Pepper Potts, the Stark Industries Director of Operations, they all agree that a code black evacuation needs to be done to get people to safety.

While the evacuations are well underway, Iron Man arrives at the Long Island location to personally search for Zeke Stane. Zeke, meanwhile, is being guided through the facility by his lover, Sasha Hammer. While they are waiting for Iron Man, the Valencia team reports that they are in position. They are given the go ahead and they put a call to the local newspaper. When someone answers the phone, it triggers the repulsor bombs that suicide bombers are wearing, annihilating the Valencia branch of Stark Industries. With the evacuations elsewhere still on going, Pepper warns Tony that they need to step things up in order to prevent any further casualties.

When Iron Man searches for Stane, he is ambushed by Zeke from behind. The two tussle, smashing through the facility. Tony tries to convince Zeke to call off his other suicide bombers but Stane refuses to do any such thing. Since the youth won’t stand down, Tony realizes that it might take lethal force to stop him. He tries to use a nanite cloud to shut down Zeke’s lungs, but thanks to the modifications made to his body, Stane no longer needs to breath.[2] He then unleashes a repulsor blast that is stronger than all of the bombs he has set off combined. Iron Man’s armor manages to survive the blast, but he won’t be able to withstand this kind of punishment for long. Stane then attacks Iron Man and overpowers him. He then places his hand on Iron Man’s head, intending to kill the hero the same way he killed his father. When Tony tries to explain that Obadiah Stane committed suicide, Zeke refuses to listen. He then blows off Iron Man’s head and proclaims Tony Stark as dead.[3]

Recurring Characters

Iron Man, SHIELD (Maria Hill), Pepper Potts, Zeke Stane, Sasha Hammer

Continuity Notes

1. Zeke Stane is wearing a “Tony Was Right” t-shirt, which includes a picture of a skull wearing a Captain America mask. This is a reference to the then recent superhero Civil War. Iron Man and Captain America were on opposite sides of the conflict, as seen in Civil War #1-7. In the end, Captain America surrendered when he realized the majority of Americans supported the new law governing superheroes. At the time of this story, everyone believes Captain America was murdered in Captain America (vol. 5) #25. In reality, he was merely displaced in time, as we’ll learn in Captain America: Reborn #1-5. This is a variation of the “Magneto Was Right” slogan that began appearing in the Marvel Universe starting in New X-Men #135.

2. This story makes multiple mentions to Zeke’s father, Obadiah Stane. Obadiah destroyed Iron Man’s life over the course of Iron Man #166-173. This included a hostile take over Stark International and pushing Tony to start drinking again. Tony eventually ended up homeless and almost died from his bender, but decided to get clean again in Iron Man #182. He went on to start a new company, making him a target of Stane once more. Their final conflict took place in Iron Man #198-200, ending with Stane’s suicide.

3. Do I need to tell you this is a decoy and Tony Stark was controlling the suit remotely? Well that’s what is revealed next issue.