Iron Man: Demon In A Bottle TPB

Product Information

It is in this storyline that the Tony Stark character was given the deep human elements that will make him timeless. He was shown at his most humble and at his noblest. The opening lines to the final issue of this story arc say it all:

Colonel Fury threatening to take Stark's technology away from him becomes a little bit more important later on. The jet booster on Iron Man's right boot jet fires up mid-flight, throwing him off balance and sending him through an office building (which is actually played out to be the Marvel Offices). Additionally, neither of his boots responds to his commands. David Michelinie and Bob Layton’s plots take the slow-boil approach, with things taking a while to warm up, but there are plenty of hints of the bigger problems Tony Stark is about to face. His armour keeps malfunctioning and his reliance on the sauce isn’t helping matters at all. The bottom of the liquor bottle pictured on the cover of this issue says "Coming Soon Jerry Bingham...". Bingham would replace John Romita Jr. as Iron Man's regular artist in Iron Man #131. One thing I've always loved about Tony Stark: he's a redemption story. This is a man that isn't proud of the awful things he's done in the past. He's spent his entire life trying to atone for his mistakes and trying to keep others from following in his footsteps. This is a man that gives other people second chances and that's the most amazing aspect of this character for me.

Plot Summary

The signing ceremony for the contract between S.I. and Carnelia is held at the UN Building. The Carnelian ambassador requested that Iron Man be present at the event. Cabe is also present at the ceremony as the bodyguard for the Carnelian ambassador. Cabe displays her distaste with the armored Avenger by insulting Iron Man a few minutes prior to the ceremony. The Carnelian ambassador is a fan of Iron Man and one of the major reasons that Stark International was chosen to build the plant in Carnelia. However, during the signing ceremony, Hammer uses the hypersonic device to activate Iron Man's repulsor and blasts the ambassador, killing him. Knowing that Tony Stark battles "obsession" how does that affect your reading of the "Civil War" story arc?) A man subject to pressures and responsibilities far beyond those of his peers. Such is a burden that must take its toll, eventually, from even the most valiant warrior. To a staunch anti-war activist like O’Neil Tony Stark was practically alien, steeped in pro-war arrogance and aside from an injury that was removed in his earlier years, completely insulated by his privilege and status. There was, however, one link that the writer and the character shared: Stark, like O’Neil, was a recovering alcoholic.

I've been wanting to read the comic where Tony Stark has a drinking problem for quite some time. Ok, that sounds kind of weird, but it's true. This is the volume that includes the classic "Demon in a Bottle" comic. This is a sort of last hurrah of sorts for the original incarnations of Blizzard and Melter, as both would only make a few more appearances after this storyline before being unceremoniously killed off. While the second Blizzard would become a mainstay in Iron Man's rogues gallery, the Melter would rarely reappear in any incarnation. A previously unknown adversary reveals himself when an act of sabotage implicates Iron Man in a murder... but the true threat comes from within.

Collected Editions

While aboard SHIELD's Helicarrier, Iron Man is eavesdropping on a group of rogue SHIELD agents who hired the first Spymaster to assassinate Stark. The spotlight feature in Iron Man's chest beam spontaneously activates and illuminates the agents. Instead what I got was him having a fight with Namor, which was good and I can't believe I'm actually saying this but it was the best story in the whole thing. It's barely connected with the rest, with just 2 little panels. There are a lot of coincidences throughout this that just happen randomly like how does Hammer know Tony's underwater or does he know that he's got his hand on a fat man. Another element that makes this collection worth reading is the early art of John Romita, JR. (JRJR) I see JRJR has a highly stylized artist today. Anyone who's familiar with his work can spot it ten miles away. You can just tell when something is drawn by JRJR. This collection offers a look at his beginnings as an artist, before his style was so immediately recognizable, and there's great value in that. A comparison of this collection with his recent work on Spider-Man clearly shows the elements of his style that he's kept, developed, or discarded. Though I'm not a graphic artist, I'm fascinated by the obvious artistic journey JRJR has been on, and I imagine art students and future comic artists would benefit from observing it too.

Jon Favreau, director of the 2008 Iron Man film, said: "Stark has issues with booze. That's part of who he is." [9] Favreau said that elements of the story would be used in future Iron Man sequels: "I don't think we'll ever do the Leaving Las Vegas version, but it will be dealt with." [9] In Iron Man 2, Favreau notes that the scene of Tony drunkenly carousing during a party in his armor at his residence until Col. James Rhodes intervenes is the closest he intended to adapt the "Demon in a Bottle" storyline. [ citation needed] Collected editions [ edit ] Later, Hammer gets Whiplash, the Melter and the Blizzard out of custody. Soon Stark and Jim Rhodes land in Monaco, then Stark is captured by Hammer's henchmen and brought to his headquarters via an amphibious craft. Stark learns that although Hammer is not as public a figure as Stark, Hammer's wealth and power is second only to that of Stark's influence. Stark International had been Hammer's business rival for a long time but the Carnelian contract was the most recent competition between the two. Stark also learns that losing the Carnelian contract to him was the main reason that Hammer discredited him. Eventually, we learn that the armor malfunction was caused by longtime rival Justin Hammer in a bid to gain control of Stark’s company. But even after stopping Hammer’s plot, Tony can’t undo the damage that’s been done. Instead, he increases his alcohol consumption.Much like the never-ending, serialized nature of comics, Tony Stark will always continue to battle his personal demons. And while he may stumble or fall, sometimes harder than ever, it’s his ability to endure, to rise above these struggles, that makes him truly invincible. Sources: The story opens with Iron Man and Namor teaming up against Roxxon Oil, an evil petroleum conglomerate in the Marvel universe. Suddenly, Iron Man’s armor malfunctions, sending him crashing to the ground mid-flight. After running diagnostics, Stark doesn’t find anything wrong. Writer/artist Bob Layton said of the story: "I'm gonna quote David Michelinie here, that it was never our intention to do anything relevant. We were paid to, basically, do the next episode of Iron Man. [It's] just [that in] that particular issue, alcoholism was the bad guy. Instead of Doctor Doom or somebody like that, it was the bottle. That was our villain of the month. And that's really the way we treated it. We built everything up to that. But the point of it is, it was never... we never attempted to be relevant. It just... in the corporate world, what gets to guys? What causes the downfall? Usually it's greed, or it's sex and drugs, right? Well, we couldn't do the sex part, right? Alcohol wasn't talked about all that much, really, to be honest with you. Especially with kids, you know, in that particular era. But, you know, we treated it as we intended to, as the bad guy." [2] Reception and legacy [ edit ] For generations, superheroes have been held up as an inspirational ideal, symbols of our own ability to transcend our limitations and realize our fullest potential. But for every moment of hope, there is one of doubt; a personal crisis that tears our self-image away and leaves us to face our own inner darkness. For many, this struggle is unending. It may break us. But it also gives us the opportunity to rise up, stronger than ever before. At the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tony Stark was immediately established as a heavy drinker, indulging in alcoholic beverages in the morning and in business meetings in the 2008 original Iron Man film. By Iron Man 2, the pressures of being a superhero and facing his own impending mortality due to blood poisoning had led to Tony to significantly increase his alcohol consumption to Pepper Potts and James Rhodes' visible concern, leading to an armored altercation between Tony and Rhodey when an intoxicated Tony goes out of control at his birthday party.