The New Iron Man!

If you're a guy that goes by the name of Firepower, chances are you're going to make an explosive debut. And that's exactly what Jack Taggert did, by targeting Iron Man with a nuclear device and blowing him out of the desert sky in Iron Man #230. Dozens of witnesses saw the weapon's impact on Iron Man as he attempted to retreat from the battle--and, given the fragments of his armor scattered over the terrain, coated with his blood, there could be little doubt from anyone that the ex-Avenger had met his end.

Unless you're Tony Stark, watching reports of his "death" and licking his many wounds from the beating he took from Firepower:

But, hang on--we saw the same thing that everyone else saw, didn't we? Iron Man knew that his presence on the 'copter with Rhodey would endanger his friend's life, and so he sacrificed himself--right? Well, it might have indeed come to that, if not for a little quick thinking:

But, with the deception comes a surprising decision from Stark, who comes to the conclusion that Iron Man's "death" should be a final one:

So, that's it?? No more Iron Man? I guess we'll just be reading about the business dealings of Stark Enterprises from now on. But not if Firepower has anything to say about it.



And speaking of Firepower, the military has come to collect its new property from the armor's manufacturer, Edwin Cord. But Cord still has a grudge with Tony Stark, the man who ruined his company, and he has altogether different plans for Firepower:

It's not long after that before Stark Enterprises begins to see its business dealings suffer, with Firepower becoming Cord's enforcer and using his armored might to blunt Stark's every effort to rebuild his company's image and profits which were affected by Iron Man's illicit activities during the armor wars. Shipments are destroyed, and buyers are threatened in a campaign by Cord to destroy his rival. Eventually, Cord sends a clear message to Stark about his intentions, using a messenger who makes sure it's taken seriously:

And Stark does take the warning seriously. But at the opening of a new branch of Stark Enterprises in San Francisco, Firepower finds his warning has produced an equally harsh response:

Since Cord has effectively tied the hands of the military where Firepower is concerned--pressure which has trickled down to the police, as well--Stark has realized that he's the only one who can stop Cord's plan. And so he's designed a new suit of armor, though one he plans to destroy once Firepower is dealt with, fearing that it, too, could fall into the wrong hands. As for Firepower, he's as cocky as ever against this "new" Iron Man, having no reason to think that the foe he obliterated has returned from the dead--but, thanks to Stark's innovation with the new armor, he's in for a few surprises:

Already, much of Firepower's weaponry has failed, as Iron Man takes the initiative and keeps it. And Firepower finds himself playing for time that Iron Man doesn't plan to give him:

Finally, Firepower has no choice but to deploy the weapon that "killed" the "other" Iron Man. However, as with Firepower's other offensive measures, Iron Man is a step ahead of him:

Iron Man then successfully deactivates the warhead's timer. But, even soundly defeated, Firepower has one last parting shot for Iron Man which later gives Stark food for thought:

With both Taggert and Cord carted off to nice, comfy prison cells, it seems it's finally onward and upward for Stark's company, with Stark having found at least a semblance of closure from the armor wars. As for Iron Man, everyone (particularly the Avengers) will have to adjust to a "different" man being in the armor, though we know in hindsight that it's only a temporary concern. I wonder how Taggert will feel when he's eventually told that the notch he'd carved from his "victory" will have to be sanded over?