Iron Man Annual #5
War and Remembrance!
In the African nation of Wakanda, the Black Panther engages in a trial by combat to prove that he is still worthy to be the leader of the country. Concurrently, in the United States, Iron Man has agreed to test the effectiveness of new military hardware against his own suit of armor.[1] In both cases, the combatants are victorious. As Tony Stark wraps up for the day, he is told by Jim Rhodes — his personal pilot — that the plane is ready for his trip to Wakanda.
That evening, in Wakanda, a group of mercenaries break into a Stark International facility and set up explosives to blow it up. When news reaches T’Challa, he suspects that this was done in advance of Tony Stark’s visit to sow anti-western sentiment among his people.
The following day when Tony Stark arrives, he is given a royal welcome. Escorted to the palace by T’Challa, Tony confirms there are no bugs in his room so they can talk freely. Stark confirms that he brought what he was asked to bring and that they can proceed with the plan.
That evening, a banquet dinner is held in Tony’s honor and Stark’s playboy attitude rubs the others the wrong way, especially when he starts flirting with a woman named Zikeya. As this is going on, the woman known as Madam Slay approaches Jim Rhodes at the hanger and begins seducing him. When Rhodney’s guard is down, Madam Slay manages to inject him with a knock out drug. Meanwhile, Tony convinces Zikeya to go for a private walk in the royal garden. However, while everyone assumes that this is Stark trying to schmooze one of the locals, it is actually part of the plan he has set up with T’Challa.
Moments later, a gang of armed men attack the banquet, prompting T’Challa to change into the Black Panther. However, in the ensuing battle, the Black Panther is apparently shot to death. Soon a royal funeral is held for their departed leader. The ceremony is interrupted by Erik Killomonger, who announces that he will avenge his old enemy’s death for the honor of Wakanda. Moved by this proclamation, the people of Wakanda cheer Killmonger on. Little does he know that T’Challa is still alive and faked his death using a Life Model Decoy. This was done in order to bring out the leader of the terrorist group. The Panther is surprised Killmonger is still alive but he and Iron Man vow to stop him.[2]
The pair lead an army of the Black Panther’s loyal soldiers through an secret passageway to the underground technological jungle beneath Wakanda. There they spy on Killmong and Madam Slay who have gathered up all of T’Challa’s western art collection to be destroyed. Madame Slay praises Erik whose body she preserved after he died battling the Black Panther. Recounting these events, she recalls how Erik’s body disappeared shortly after and returned to her three days later alive and well and the two had been plotting this coup ever since.
That’s when the Black Panther and Iron Man let their presence known and soon a battle breaks out between the two opposing armies. During the ensuing battle with Killmonger, Iron Man notices that Erik has a familiar looking ring on his finger. When Iron Man subdues Madam Slay, she tells him that she took Jim Rhodes prisoner and he has him shackled to the Vibranium mound. When Black Panther insists on handling Erik Killmonger on his own, Iron Man takes off to save his friend. Entering the mount he discovers a cyclotron that is charging up the Vibranium, threatening to transform it into Anti-Mental, a powerful substance that weakens the molecular bond of all other metals making it melt. As this could devastate the entire world, Iron Man quickly frees Jim and then uses his armor’s power packs to overload the cyclotron, burning it out and shutting it down.
By the time Iron Man returns to the scene of Black Panther’s battle with Erik Killmonger it is over and Killmonger has been defeated. To everyone’s surprise Killmong’s body begins to rapidly decompose and the ring on his finger vanishes.[3] The ring reappears on the hand of the Mandarin, the mastermind behind this whole scheme. Disappointed with Killmonger’s defeat, the Mandarin muses that next time he will use more more than one finger next time.
Recurring Characters
Iron Man, Black Panther, Killmonger, Mandarin, Jim Rhodes, Madam Slay
Continuity Notes
Here it is stated that Stark International has not build weapons for the military for quite some time. Tony decided to stop producing weapons back in Iron Man #46.
Killmonger fought Black Panther to the death back in Jungle Action (vol. 2) #17.
This is not the end of Erik Killmonger, he will turn up alive again in Over the Edge #6, although his resurrection is not explained. It’s later revealed in Black Panther (vol. 3) #21 that he was resurrected by Klaw’s sonic powers.
Topical References
Jim Rhodes is depicted reading an issue of Playboy Magazine. This should be considered a topical reference as this is a real world publication.
