Book of the Ten Rings, Chapter One

In the mountains of China, a man braves the freezing cold and treacherous climb to reach a rope bridge. It leads him to a valley where a massive hidden temple resides.

Meanwhile, in New York City’s Chinatown district, a drug dealer heads into a warehouse for a supply of a new drug called Sleeping Dragon. The stuff is so popular it is selling better then heroin.

However, this is the day that their operation gets raided by Iron Man (Tony Stark). The man in charge of this operation tries to shoot himself in the head in order to keep himself from talking. Iron Man stops him by kicking his desk into him. Unfortunately, this backfires, as the goon lands face first into some vials of Sleeping Dragon. The exposure to the drugs is instant and fatal, silencing him anyway. Still, if Iron Man can’t shut down the operation entirely, he can at least slow down production by destroying this lab.

Tony takes a sample of the drug back and has his new AI assistant, Friday, analyze its composition. They learn that the narcotic is called Sleeping Dragon because it is highly addicted and if it doesn’t kill you the withdrawal symptoms include uncontrollable rage and violent outbursts.

At that same moment, the US Coast Guard stops a Russian cargo vessel so it can be searched for any contraband. When they open up a crate that supposed to be contain a load of vodka, they discover it is actually empty. The captain figures that his crew likely drank it all. In reality, the crate was carrying a stow away and slipped out when the boat was stopped. Thanks to their cybernetic nature, they are able to leap into the water and easily swim the rest of the way to shore. A short time later, a man addicted to Sleeping Dragon learns that his girlfriend used up the last of their supply of the drug. He ends up killing her with a knife in a fit of rage. When he tracks down their dealer — a man who escaped Iron Man’s raid — he tells him that his supply has been cut off and this has inflated the price for Dragon’s Sleep. Not having the money to buy more, the addict stabs his dealer to death. He doesn’t have the drugs for very long as the cyborg who swam to shore kills him and takes the drugs for themselves.

Back at the temple, a man named Temugin meditates under a tree. A group of ninja assassins try to ambush him behind. Although they move in silently, Temugin is tipped off by their approach when a single leaf falls from the tree. He springs into action and takes all of his attackers down. This turns out to have the final test by Master Ahn, who tells Temugin and he is now considered an equal among this secret order of monks. That’s when the gong announcing a visitor is rang. Temugin is soon found and says that the visitor is for him. When he asks who it is, he is told that it is someone who represents Temugin’s father.

This visitor is a man named Po, who was indeed sent by Temugin’s father. Temugin hardly remembers his father, with only a vague recollection of being dropped off at this monastery when he was a little boy. Since then he was trained by the monks in the way of martial arts. His anger at being abandoned by his father melted away as he learned to manage his anger and find inner peace. He then dedicated his life to learning poetry, art, philosophy, the sciences, and the ancient traditions of his people. Po says that his father sent him to the monastery so he can train for his destiny, and that day has come. Opening an ornamental box, Po reveals to Temugin that he is the sond of the Mandarin, and following his father’s death his Ten Rings of Power are his to inherit and carry on his legacy.[1]

Meanwhile, the police have arrived at another Sleeping Dragon operation has been hit. While the crooks insist that it was Iron Man who wrecked the operation. However, the cops aren’t quick to buy this because of the level of violence involved in the attack, not to mention it looks like the drugs were stolen instead of destroyed.

At Stark Enterprises, Tony walks Pepper Potts down to her car since her Happy Hogan is still away on a sales conference in Dallas. When Pepper complains about how Hap is always away from home, Tony admits that he’d always come home for her. There is a brief moment where they almost kiss but they restrain themselves. Pepper tells Tony not to work too late and drives off. As Tony heads back upstairs he is confronted by the cyborg who muses Stark knows what loneliness feels like. Tony is shocked to discover that this cyborg is Ayisha Ashirov.[2]

Recurring Characters

Iron Man, Pepper Potts, Friday, Temugin, Ayisha Ashirov, Po

Continuity Notes

1. At the time of this story, the Mandarin is believed to have died in Iron Man (vol. 3) #9-10. The Mandarin is believed to be dead here, but he is actually rotting away in a Chinese prison and will turn up again in Iron Man: Agent of SHIELD #15.

2. Ayisha Asherov was a freedom fighter in a war torn Eastern European nation. Using a prototype suit of Stark build battle armor she was seemingly killed destroying a heavily armored Warwagon in Iron Man (vol. 3) #50. How she survived is explained next issue.

Topical References

• Friday frequently changes her appearance to match what she is talking about, usually for the sake of humor. She takes on the appearance of the following individuals:

  • Sigmund Freud (1856-1938): A neurologist who is considered the father of modern psychiatry.

  • Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962): Legendary model actress.

  • Albert Einstein (1879-1958): Noted theoretical physicist. Widely accepted as the greatest in the field.

  • Malcolm MacDowell: Currently living actor (time of this writing). Here is he portrayed in his most well known role of the character Alex DeLarge from Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 film adaptation of A Clockwork Orange.

  • Jessica Rabbit: As the character was portrayed in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

• Lauren Bacall: She is depicted as Mary “Slim” Browning, one of the main characters in the 1944 film To Have and Have Not. She does a variation of the classic line from that movie.

• You could argue that none of these depictions are topical as Friday chooses takes on the likenesses of historically significant individuals or iconic fictional characters.