"Laundry day. Nothing clean."

Would Tony even recognize a laundromat? No jokes here, since Tony's got a broken neck, and that's still like the least of his worries! From 2021, Iron Man #6/631, "Dreams of Deicide" Written by Christopher Cantwell, art by Cafu, color art by Frank D'Armata.

Damn, I think I slept on this run until it was all but over: I maybe got the Iron Man/Hellcat annual; but this one's much earlier in their latest storyline together: a resurrected Korvac has just trashed Tony and Patsy, and had a solid crew of lackeys: long-time Iron Man foes the Unicorn, Blizzard, the Controller, and...the Guardsman? I don't know why he was Team Korvac here, but he seems like a true believer, volunteering to stay behind to deal with the escaping James Rhodes; while Korvac led his assault on Galactus's worldship, a stepping-stone in his quest for ultimate cosmic power. It's also like the best that suit has looked in years!

Patsy didn't seem to be in great shape either, but she gets Iron Man...to a mechanic? That might be what it takes to hold him together at this point, as the mutant Halcyon and Misty Knight work on him. Tony's also on a lot of drugs, which he knows is going to be a problem later, but right now he couldn't even take off his suit until he was ready for surgery, and no time for that. Also, no time to wait for another injured member of his crew, the Gargoyle, who was hurt badly saving the others from an explosion. (Tony also had Frog-Man and Scarlet Spider on his team; the rationale being these were guys that wouldn't be on Korvac's radar.) Tony then has a conversation with Patsy, who might have been seeing visions from Korvac, of the perfect universe he promised. Tony doesn't buy it, claiming he could probably create a better universe than him...ah, how hard could it be?

Rhodey arrives, in full War Machine gear, and tells Tony he'll take it from there. That goes over great; but Guardsman then arrives...and immediately realizes he's bitten off way more than he could chew. Tony clocks him, smashing a bunch of cars, and puts Rhodey on pilot duty: get a ship. 

I'm going to have to find this run in trade; I dug this one!

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Can I get more Ghost Rider guest-spots? No, we have Ghost Rider at home!

Ghost Rider at home:

Oh, you know I love Vengeance! And random-ass issues of serial anthologies. From 1994, Marvel Comics Presents #153, opening with, "Dangerous Games, part 2 of 4: Urban Safari" Written by Chris Cooper, breakdowns by Reggie Jones, finishes by Fred Harper. The Big Game Posse nearly killed Vengeance's cop friend Rebecca, and later kidnap rookie hero Annex (from the pages of Spider-Man, for some reason) is captured by the Posse, who intend to use him as bait to hunt "Ghost Rider." (Vengeance was not widely known by name, in-story.) The Posse is interrupted by Sam Buchanan from Darkhold, who wants to use Annex's technology with the anti-supernatural "Linda" weapon from Nightstalkers! That's like three deep cuts in an eight-pager, making Vengeance look like a big star in comparison.

Next up, "Hung Jury, part 2 of 3," written by Chuck Dixon, art by J.J. Birch. Moon Knight and Marlene investigate the Pretorians, a gang trying to influence a trial by extorting the jury. Marlene does the detective work, which Marc acknowledges is most of the job, while busting heads. Not bad.

On the flip side of the comic, somebody finally got to use the title "Logan's Run." (Written by Nel Yomtov, pencils by Phil Hugh Felix, inks by Rey Garcia.) Wolvie is chasing after his kidnapped friends from early in his solo book, Tyger Tiger and Archie Corrigan. But this is post-Fatal Attractions, so is Logan up to it? A burly thug isn't giving him the leads, so Logan appears to be on the verge of popping his claws through that guy's face!

Finally, we get War Machine, in "The Dying Game, part 2 of 4, Taking Care of Business" Written by Len Kaminski and Scott Benson, pencils by John Czop, inks by Tim Dzon. This was leading up to his solo book, as he investigated high-tech guns hitting the street. With four eight-page chapters, I feel like this could've just been his first issue; but maybe needed the build-up. Read more!

We saw the previous issue two years back so the suspense has probably built up enough, right? From 1994, Marvel Comics Presents #169.

The Vengeance/War Machine serial concludes here, after only three parts? That doesn't seem like enough; and I had thought the artist had changed as well, since Vengeance's imitators the Revengers now look more formidable and Vengeance less so. With his armor not in tip-top shape, Rhodey worries he may accidentally kill someone if he fights it out hand-to-hand; but some supporting cast members I don't recognize were working on a countermeasure to shut down the drugs the Revengers used to gain super-strength. Vengeance himself talks them down, seemingly fed up with killing and well, vengeance. While War Machine doesn't think stopping the Revengers lets Vengeance off the hook for his crimes, Vengeance agrees, but isn't going to be stopped, either, as he decides to put things right. Meanwhile, a TV preacher and an obvious CIA spook-type lament the loss of Vengeance as a public relations weapon against superhumans, and plot to correct that...("Fallen Idols" Written by Chris Cooper, breakdowns by Reggie Jones, finishes by Fred Harper.)

Next...hey, what's that scraping noise? The bottom of the barrel? Ah, I don't know that anybody was clamoring for an It, the Living Colossus story; but it's hardly the worst story I've ever seen in MCP. Special effects guy Bob O'Bryan had built a new version of It himself; but found that a former assistant was stealing his work with his own robot. A giant robot throwdown ensues, although the main blow landed is that O'Bryan's early work was pretty derivative itself, and that's just Hollywood: everybody steals, and only the box office will judge them. I don't know if that's the best lesson for a strip obviously intended to keep that copyright, but okay. ("Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots" Written by Barry Dutter, art by Jose Fonteriz.)

The flipside of the issue is crossover territory, with what is ostensibly a Force Works serial but is really the first of a Mandarin two-parter, setting up the Hands of the Mandarin crossover. I had to go check my bookshelf, since I knew I had the trade (cheap, from my dearly departed Hastings) and didn't remember this. The Mandarin doesn't even get on the cover of the trade, either; but why should he? Here, an inner voice that may not be his own tries to guide him to a new destiny, but man, hasn't Iron Man crushed you, and a lot? ("In the Hands of the Mandarin, part 1 of 2" Written by Len Kaminiski and Scott Benson, pencils by Patrick Rolo, inks by Reggie Jones.)

The second chapter is more Force Works, a Century chapter: while fighting mysterious monsters in Hong Kong, the enigmatic alien regains a piece of his missing memory--then splits, seemingly leaving Spider-Woman to die! That was actually in that trade as well; I may have to re-read the whole thing, then. (Written by Dan Abnett, art by Lawrence Brown.)
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Callback! It's taken years, but we finally have our Player-2 Avengers team; or if you prefer, the boys from The Terminatrix Objective. War Machine has gotten more than a couple figures since our 'callback' picture, and USAgent could do with an upgrade, but today we've got the brand-new Thunderstrike!

I don't know if the screaming head suits him, although it reminds me of Quasar #48, possibly because that's one of the only issues with him I had when they were coming out. I could be wrong, but does his head look like Triple H? Along with his titular mace, Thunderstrike also came with a BaF Mr. Fixit head and an alternate left fist; but his regular left is a perfect drinking hand! Not sure he has any up-down neck movement, though.

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The dramatic conclusion, just not the conclusion I was thinking of.

The art and and the B-villain added to my confusion, though: we looked at Secret Defenders #12 three years back, but today we've got Secret Defenders #10, "Revenge, part 2" Written by Ron Marz, pencils by Tom Grindberg, inks by Don Hudson.

Nebula, with her loyal henchman Geatar, is about to use the captured Silver Surfer as part of a warhead to destroy Titan: I'm not sure why she's out to blow up her (alleged) grandpa Thanos's home, except maybe to rebuild her rep as first class space criminal. Dr. Strange couldn't intervene directly, but has sent this issue's Secret Defenders, War Machine and Thunderstrike--presumably USAgent missed the callback. War Machine has to chase down the missile, leaving Thunderstrike to fight hordes of henchmen, but it turns out all right. Geatar gets blown into space and is presumed dead, but he'd be back in two issues.

Grindberg was deep into his Mignola-phase here; and I wonder if Hudson broke even on the ink costs for this one...
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