INVINCIBLE IRON MAN: 10 Deadilest Foes from the Micheleinie/ Layton/ Romita Jr run
My favorite run of the comic book, THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN, was written by David Micheleine, co-plotted with inker/finisher and sometime layout artists Bob Layton, and usually drawn or layed out by John Romita, Jr. Their run started together in summer 1978, about the time GREASE came to theaters, with #117. With a few guest artists like Carmine Infantino in #122's origin recap, Alan Weiss (#136) and Jerry Bingham (#s 131- 135), they chronicled the character long-time fans of Marvel know as ‘Shellhead,’ until summer of 1981, with issue #153. Best friend/ personal pilot James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes is introduced with #118. Bethany Cabe is the other key supporting cast member, a devastatingly lovely redheaded woman who is full of surprises, beginning with her profession, bodyguard, and continuing from criticizing Stark’s absent and seemingly-incompetent bodyguard, to revelations in her last year in the strip that eventually led to her parting ways with Tony. This is also the home of Scott Lang, a.k.a. Ant Man II- the one from the movies, right. He'd premiered in a two-part story, then, mostly as Lang, became a series regular.
Since the Mandarin had already been hit in epic fashion in IRON MAN #96-100, he’s one of the best classic rogues we don’t see. I personally would’ve loved to see both Hawkeye and the Black Widow, no longer villains, but his rogue’s gallery’s an inspired mix of old-time opposition and cutting-edge contemporary foes. Iron Man, my second-favorite superhero, was also the third-best selling solo character, behind Star Wars and three Spider-Man titles, then Conan, to be the estimated #6 selling title for Marvel in 1978.
Now, I’ve not read the entirety of Shellhead’s title’s run- I’m aware of nearly every plot for the first twenty-five years of his history, but a lot of it sounds like something OK to miss. There’s considerable and rightful praise for Bill Mantlo’s year-plus on the title just before this, but somehow, this Micheleinie/ Layton/ Romita team get aboard, and suddenly the strip that should be the most modern, if not futuristic, in its sensibilities, becomes the level of quality that will be the Marvel Comics Group hallmark. John Romita, Jr., joins with issue #115; Layton and Micheleinie come aboard with #116 (November, 1978 cover date- so, just about this time of year, that year: cover date months are better thought of as ‘pull dates’ to take the magazines off the shelves, unofficially.) I would argue only UNCANNY X-MEN, DAREDEVIL,CAPTAIN AMERICA, and DR. STRANGE are as consistently good or better, in the same period. But what’s a hero without his opposition?
So, first, if I make this TOP TEN VILLAINS, we now have a reason not to list the Incredible Hulk, who provides a terrific dilemma and a hellacious rampage in issues #131-133. It’s a very fun story that is right in line with what Marvel was in 1980. The Hulk was not plotting anything nor deliberately coming into conflict with Iron Man, who tries to cure Banner once more in his guise as genius inventor, Tony Stark. Scott Lang's Ant Man origin story also ties in Dr. Erica Sondheim, who performs the key surgery on Bruce Banner in #131.
Bethany Cabe 
Another might make a case for Whiskey, but the stuff is only as big a villain as you make it. It’s just the weapon Tony Stark uses while being his own worst enemy!
That first moment, looking back, when Tony's playboy drinking is foreshadowed as the problem it will be. 
Melter, Blizzard, the All-Devourer (the Japanese techno-demon in #130, solo Layton art), Endotherm (from a Scottish sojourn), Brand Corporation’s Raiders- not even Force, from #140-1, quite makes the list. Once I confirmed the Unicorn’s return in #154 was the actual last appearance of these three creators together on this run, I had to consider the blockbuster battle in that issue. But in the end, I feel the Unicorn’s a pitiful, mad pawn. He last was seen in #114, with the Avengers and one of the last printed guest-art jobs of penciler and plotting genius, Keith Giffen. If anyone else deserves the spots I gave SHIELD or ROXXON, ‘tis he. The last issue could be considered a hidden gem.
Other than a fun Paul Smith-drawn story coming up- and the surprising drama possible of Iron Man vs. a simple tank in #155- this is the high point before the title starts devolving into what my wife calls ‘Whiny Bitch Man.’ I think there’s some good issues leading into Stark’s re-match with alcoholism, and came at the run in a different way: I was really into James Rhodes as a relatable Iron Man II. I find him likeable in these issues, even if his style of lady-killer seems out of fashion now.
The big bad at the top should be no surprise to anyone who knows the run. I personally enjoy these more than the movies, though I had a great time at each one. I felt like they touched upon so many interesting ideas and you can find my reviews from those years. So, judging in part by their effectiveness and vindictiveness, as well as points for being interesting personally, here’s ten viilains who made water hot for the millionaire industrialist.
10. SHIELD- The counter-intelligence agency Stark helped found becomes a much-more insidious menace to him than the Unicorn or any of the trouble makers listed above. Force gives him one heck of an undersea battle- most every villain seems better-quality if you are into this team’s style. But SHIELD not only nearly disposes of Tony cleverly when their rogue agents move in #118- they become the kick-off domino to Stark’s drinking free-fall, in the lying face of honcho Col. Nick Fury. It’s in America’s best interest, they decide, for Stark to come back to manufacturing weapons and defense apparatuses for national security. But how can he trust them with his tech? That said, from his image-inducer seen over in X-Men, used by Nightcrawler, to many a clever weapon, it’s been a Marvel Universe default for Stark to design much of SHIELD’s equipment. His defense of the Helicarrier when the rogues let it drift into Russian territory actually underscores the point of Stark tech effectiveness, in the form of Iron Man defeating four Soviet fighter jets!
But the team clearly means to set up Tony’s manic-depressive spiral with the betrayal of Nick Fury, set so late in issue #119, you can’t see it coming. Because this storyline carries on to #129, I felt SHIELD had to have a spot on this list.
You could argue that Tony’s visibly-increased dependency on hooch is really kicked off by his encounter with Count Nefaria in #116, and separation from that arch-criminal’s daughter, organized crime leader...
9. Madame Masque- Despite the havoc caused by her kidnapping attempt (Ling McPherson, Beth’s partner, is set-up and beaten brutally after defending herself with a pistol), Beth believes she’s cut her to the quick with deadly insight, so much so that she allows her to flee. She actually achieves most of her objectives by hiring the Spymaster. She’s behind the scenes in #137, confronting Stark in #139. It’s not her finest hour, but it’s the best showcase yet for Beth as a thoroughly-modern woman who can look out for herself in the heightened world of Iron Man’s intrigues.
8. ROXXON Oil- They set up a big fight with the Submariner in #121-2, coincidentally, and keep the corporate espionage/ weird experiments going throughout the Marvel Universe in these years. Roxxon isn’t a single villain, and they don’t actually create a villain to send after Stark Industries. But they are behind the space station that malfunctions around #140. They are more like a constant pressure and rival than a head-to-head opponent.
7. Blacklash- utterly destroys Stark’s home and much of the grounds of Stark Industries. He’s Whiplash with some cool upgrades. His attempted hit on security head, Vic Martel, plays into another great use of supporting characters- something Micheleinie does throughout the run. 
He appears in #146-7.
6. Spymaster- actually gets away nearly every time!
He 'assassinates' a Life Model Decoy of Stark in #117, trashes an experimental drilling platform in #137, and follows it up with a proper kidnapping of Bethany Cabe, which is no easy feat.
5. Sunturion- the one guy with the makings of a hero. Circumstances are just aligned against his purposes, and he crosses a line. His vision – to beam cheap energy to Earth’s surface from a space satellite- is presented with some of the coolest hi-tech art in the run. He’s one opponent whose secret identity plays into the story. Plus: our first bonus ‘specialty armor’ appears! This was originally planned to appear around issue #136, but that letter column first addresses the idea that they'll feature some 'specialty armor'- variations of Iron Man' suit that do extreme specializations of certain tasks, well. It was bumped for some reason because there was a space-station storyline in MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE at this time. That's how serious the editors were about diversifying line-wide content, apparently; the letter column for #136 hints at this story. I like how Tony identifies with Sunturion, and what a great last scene, if this were his only appearance.
His adventure appears in IM #142-4.
4.Living Laser- LL really totally has Iron Man dead to rights in #153. He brings a hell of a fight upon himself, but he’s got a good chance of still winning it until his condition destabilizes. I choose his appearance in part because he’s exhibiting new powers and a new status quo, unlike...
3. Titanium Man -the closest thing to an outright flashback to the strip’s classic days. When even SHIELD is no longer the trusted ally of the early times, it’s refreshing to still have the massive Titanium Man come try to sink Manhattan with a devastating rampage. He gets extra points for being The Other, behind the Unicorn’s attack at the beginning of this run. The mystery gets buried a little in the midst of the much-bigger ‘Demon in a Bottle’ storyline, but T-man finally appears in IM #134 and 135. That battle was one of my favorite back issue acquisitions in those early days, and really turned me on to which run of issues had what I most wanted.
2. Doctor Doom- Using Stark International to gain components for his bizarre inventions is just the beginning of not-good-Doctor’s engagement. In issues #149-150, 
Iron Man’s effort to stop shipments going to Latveria leads to a confrontation that Doom’s winning at the moment Dr. Hauptman throws the switch on a one-way time travel trip to : Camelot! His alliance with Morgan LeFey could’ve been the stuff of a mini-series. I don’t know of many face-offs between just these two, the monarch and the ‘errand boy,’ before this- any, just them-but this one was made to be worth the wait.
Justin Hammer-
created, like Sunturion, especially for this three year run, Hammer proves you don’t need a skin-tight costume to be a top-flight menace. It’s the things Hammer controls, the ways he manipulates, his criminal empire, and especially his sideline of providing upgrades, repairs, and apparently even bail to super-villain operators, “in exchange for 50% of their profits, of course.” Cold and calculating as Stark is hot-blooded and passionate, whatever Hammer lacks in depth, he makes up for with some cool Bond-movie atmosphere and devious long-term planning. He begins invading Iron Man’s communications system with hyper-sonic scans. His technicians experiment with armor device malfunctions, three times from #118 to 123, providing dangerous mischief. That pales in comparison to the flick of a switch in his fourth and final phase. What he makes Iron Man’s armor do was surely shocking to five year-old me when I first brought home that comic, one of the rare ones bought for me and also, the second-ever off the racks. Hammer’s criminal enterprises include a showdown between #125-127 that climaxes with the revelation of his super-villain army of operatives. However, they are all generally better off against Spider-Man...or Daredevil...not a fighting-mad, avenging Iron Man!
His adventure appears in IM #142-4.
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