James "Rhodey" Rhodes: Iron Man & War Machine Appreciation 2020

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Iron Man #118 January 1979:
First appearance of Rhodey as Stark’s helicopter pilot

Iron Man #170 May 1983:
Rhodey becomes the new secret identity of Iron Man

Iron Man #282 July 1992:
First appearance of the "Variable Threat Response Battle Suit, Model XVI, Mark I"

which Rhodey keeps and adopts the name War Machine.

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Rhodes Names Daughter After Carol Danvers... And She Isn't The Mother https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDY0P-MiDc0

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Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #9 Jan 1985
"Assault on Galactus!"
The battle-wounded Colossus exits the rustic building he is healing inside to see Galactus starting up his machine to devour the planet.
He re-enters the building to tend to the unconscious Zsaji. He tells her he loves her and goes out to help stop Galactus.
Meanwhile, the X-Men and Magneto try to attack Galactus. An energy ball appears and blocks them from continuing up the mountain.
In the village, Hawkeye, Captain Marvel and Wasp watch the X-Men try to battle it when
suddenly a large blast on the mountain makes them think the X-Men have been defeated.

At Doombase, the remaining heroes try to return to the battle that is going on on the mountainside.
They take a ship from the base and begin to travel to the battle.
Hulk is distraught over his new "intelligence" of Bruce Banner's mind in his body.
Ben Grimm suddenly regains his powers as the Thing.

Iron Man ponders what Spider-Woman's true intentions are.

Spider-Man meanwhile, is glad to have his webs back since he has donned the new "black costume".
Mister Fantastic thinks of a reason as to why they are all there in the first place.
They reach the mountain and are hit by Galactus' beams.
They crash into Colossus, who braces their ship from impact.

The heroes exit the ship and begin their fight to reach Galactus.
As they get closer, Mister Fantastic realizes a meaning to this conflict and tells the heroes NOT to stop Galactus.

He says the only way to stop Galactus is to let him win.
In doing this the Beyonder will grant him his wish of freedom from his planet-consumption hunger.
As they all agree to stop fighting, Reed suddenly vanishes along with Galactus and the construct Galactus built.
Reed appears on Galactus' homeworld which is housed in his spaceship in space.
There Galactus shows Reed a vision of his pregnant wife and their child, Franklin.
Then Galactus tells Reed to listen to what he is about to tell him.

Inside the containment unit in the Doombase, Doctor Doom determines that he needs to get to Galactus' homeworld and he breaks free of his cell.
He ignores the pleas of the other villains who are still trapped and releases only one other, Klaw.

On the mountainside, Colossus frees the trapped X-Men from beneath some rubble.
They all journey into the village and Colossus realizes Zsaji is awake and runs not to him, but to Human Torch.
While they are all discussing what to do, Mister Fantastic reappears in the village.
He says Galactus told him that Reed was a "Champion of Life". This emboldens him not to fight Galactus. The Avengers decide otherwise.
Galactus reappears on the mountain and turns on the machine again. The Avengers then head back toward the mountain.
Doctor Doom watches the battle from inside the Doombase where he cuts up Klaw into tiny disc-shaped lenses.

The battle continues and Mister Fantastic realizes he must stop Galactus to be able to see his baby born.
He tells the heroes to stop Galactus from leaving and they cannot.
He flies off to his homeworld where he begins to devour it and creates a huge energy field.
Doom sees this as his opportunity to "steal" the energy of that homeworld by using the Klaw-discs as a siphon...

Story by Jim Shooter. Art by Mike Zeck and John Beatty.

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Iron Man #190 Jan 1985
"Losing the Touch!"
In an embarrassing development, Iron Man aka Jim Rhodes fails to defeat the pesky Termite!

So Tony Stark makes a phone call to his long-time associates in the (east coast) Avengers!
The Scarlet Witch flies to California

and brings a special weapon made by Forge of X-Men fame!
When the Termite pops up next, Tony and Wanda are ready to tangle with him!
But the reckless intervention of Shell-Head makes their task almost impossible!

If Rhodey doesn't get his act together soon, the Avengers may do it for him!

Script by Denny O'Neil. Pencils by Luke McDonnell. Inks by Ian Akin and Brian Garvey.

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Captain Marvel #1 Nov 1989
James Rhodes welcomes back Captain Marvel



Written by Dwayne McDuffie https://alchetron.com/Dwayne-McDuffie

[Hypestyle]

I want to see Rhodes leading a team, that would be a good mini series.

[K7P5V]

I want to see Rhodes leading a team, that would be a good mini series.

IIRC, Rhodes did lead a team in Chuck Austin's U.S. War Machine ongoing/limited series for Marvel MAX.

[Chris0013]

Captain Marvel #1 Nov 1989
James Rhodes welcomes back Captain Marvel



Written by Dwayne McDuffie https://alchetron.com/Dwayne-McDuffie

And just who paid for that car?? Does insurance cover super hero fights?? Did Monica just destroy someones only means of transportation to get to and from work??

[Hypestyle]

... with McDuffie writing this, likely Damage Control stepped in later..

[Agent Z]

spoilers:

War Machine will face Genos from One Punch Man in Death Battle.

end of spoilers

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Iron Man #191 Feb 1985
"The Iron Destiny"
The conflict between Rhodey and Tony Stark reaches its peak! Rhodey moves out
and heads for the West Coast Avengers' estate in California. Guest starring Tigra!

Villain: Vibro.

And Tony Stark faces his most fateful decision of all — should he don his armor again?

Script by Denny O'Neil. Pencils by Luke McDonnell. Inks by Ian Akin and Brian Garvey.

[Agent Z]

[Agent Z]

[Hypestyle]

Obviously Rhodey's background is as a pilot (and general combat in the marines). Has he ever tried to design any specific weapons or gadgets? Anything he gets credit for?

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Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #11 Mar 1985
"...And Dust To Dust!"
Doctor Doom has stolen the power of the Beyonder and appeared before the heroes gathered on Battleworld.
Removing his mask, Doom reveals that his face has been completely healed.
He then announces that with the Beyonder seemingly dead, the Secret Wars are now over.
From afar, Doom's former minions watch as Doom speaks with the heroes.
Thinking Doom has betrayed them, the Molecule Man is furious and uses his powers
to uproot the earth under the heroes and fling them across Battleworld.
When Owen Reece angrily confronts Doom, Doom merely opens up Reece's mind
and removes the mental blocks that prevented him from being able to alter the molecules of living things.
Struck by this revelation, Molecule Man suggests that they retreat and figure out their next move.
Volcana suggests her apartment and so the Molecule Man creates a ship that
will allow them to fly to the chunk of Denver that has been brought to Battleworld.

Meanwhile, the heroes regroup at Doombase to review their notes and decide what to do with the now god-like Doctor Doom.
While they discuss this, the villains have regrouped at Marsha's apartment.
There they all agree that the Secret Wars are not worth it, and want to go home even if it means forfeiting the prize.
With that, Molecule Man uses his powers to erect an air-tight dome around Denver and pull it free from Battleworld and venture off into space.
This is picked up by the heroes' scanners and when Spider-Woman expresses concern for the friends
and family she still has in Denver, Mister Fantastic regretfully tells her that there is nothing they can do.
That evening Colossus cannot sleep because of his growing feelings for the alien woman Zsaji that he has fallen in love with.
Unwilling to go forward with whatever plans until he sees her one more time, Colossus leaves in the night.
As he goes, a ball of energy arrives at Doombase and takes possession of the Hulk.
The possessed Hulk is spotted by Spider-Woman, who tries to stop him.
When the Hulk's path is impeded the energy that is possessing him switches over to her and she continues on into the lab.
There she finds Captain Marvel -- still trapped in energy form -- as well as the severed head of Klaw.
Before she can do anything there is a blinding flash of light that causes her to scream.
When the other heroes arrive they find Klaw missing and Captain Marvel restored to normal.
They also find a message from Doctor Doom telling them to meet him at the Tower of Doom at dusk the following day.
When they wonder where the Tower of Doom is, they look out the window and see a massive stone tower off in the distance.
Doom has reformed Klaw and brought him to his side.
Having grown tired, Doom orders Klaw to guard his tower while he sleeps.

At the alien village, Zsaji is awoken by the arrival of Colossus who has brought her flowers and professes his love to her.
Back at Doombase Nightcrawler and Wolverine are looking for Colossus for the big meeting.
Wolverine points out that he is off with Zsaji and Nightcrawler laments about what this will to Piotr's girlfriend Kitty Pryde back home.
Wolverine points out that Colossus isn't really in love with Zsaji, he is just feeling the after-effects of her healing powers.
The heroes soon board a craft and fly out to Doom's tower to meet with him.
Doom announces to them that there is no more need to fight as he intends to use his omnipotence for altruistic ends.
In order to demonstrate this, he uses his power to resurrect Kang the Conqueror and return him to his own time.
He also explains that he has summoned Nova, the herald of Galactus, to recover her master from space.
He then offers to grant the heroes any wish they want in recompense for all the suffering he has caused them in the past.
When they all begin discussing it, Captain America notices that Spider-Woman is acting strangely and paying particular attention to Klaw.
Cap eventually comes back and tells Doom they want nothing.
As such Doom allows them to go free but warns them against acting against him in the future as he will destroy them instantly.
As the heroes exit, Captain America sends everyone else back so he can venture back inside and try to spy on Doom.

He finds Doom spending time with Klaw, and once detected, Doom invites the Captain in, sending Klaw away.
Down one of the corridors, Klaw is ambushed by Spider-Woman and
the energy that has been possessing her since the night before transfers to Klaw.
Captain America hears that Doom has no interest in conquering the universe and when Klaw returns
to inform him that Spider-Woman is knocked out in the hallway, Doom sends Cap away to her.
Outside he finds the others still waiting and tells them they need to call a meeting.
Elsewhere, Colossus is trying to have a romantic interlude with Zsaji but is forced to come back due to the mental summons of Professor X.
The heroes then meet back at Doombase, where they discuss whether they should go up against a god-like
Doctor Doom or leave him be, but they agree that to only go after their foe if the vote is unanimous.


Everyone agrees that Doom cannot be left with such power unchecked with almost everyone voting yes.
With the last vote boiling down to Colossus, he tearfully asks Zsaji to forgive him and votes yes.
The moment he does, the heroes are torn apart by a massive blast of energy that seemingly kills them all.

Story by Jim Shooter. Art by Mike Zeck and John Beatty.