Iron Man #190, Jan. '84
Written By Denny O'Neil and Penciled By Luke McDonnell
By this time Tony Stark's Iron Man suit was taken over by his friend and former US Air Force Pilot James Rhodes. Tony's drinking problem had given Tony no choice but to give up the title until he could get his alcoholism under control.
Although not explicitly known yet, wearing the Iron Man suit calibrated for Tony was slowly driving Rhodey insane. This is at the height of his insanity yet before the suit was properly calibrated for Rhodey. The first page we see how angry and irritable Rhodey is to Tony.
Rhody, as Iron Man, returns to Tony for some repairs to the suit after a battle with the termite. Tony starts the repairs while Rhody tells Happy and Pepper about the anti-climactic battle.
How about we discuss WHO the Termite is before we get into where he went. The Termite's real identity is unknown. He was hired by Obadiah Stane to sabotage Stark and any of his new ventures. The Termite can dissolve any material with his bare hands, THE TOUCH! The Termite was/is an artist and often sculpts with his new powers in caverns below the ground. Got it? OK. Here's the short explanation.
Now where the hell did he go? After the Battle with Rhodey, The Termite escaped and made his way underground as usual. He's more underground than Hipster Rollerblading Disco, so underground that Iron Man will not find him.
Meanwhile...Rhodey is fucking pissed and he's not afraid to say so. Also, how dare Tony ask what's the problem when he already fucking knows. How redundant. AmIRight?
Oh, that...that's what he's mad about. Rhodey doesn't like the fact that Tony is building a new suit. He feels threatened. He thinks Tony is ready to become Iron Man again and he's building a new and improved armor to show off when he comes out of retirement. Rhodey bends Tony's new armor plate like it's one of those tin foil balls cats go ape-shit over, while Tony gives Rhodey some sound advice.
But Rhodey has a better idea. Telling him that a drunk like Tony has no business telling him he needs help, while getting a little violent. Tony could probably use a drink after having his best friend man handle him and then falling on his back that way.
OK, Iron Man, isn't there an asshole dressed as a Termite your supposed to be finding?
Rhodey takes off. Happy doesn't seem to like the way Rhodey talks to his friends. Pepper doesn't think Rhodey is a rat but rather a frightened man, and Tony defends Rhodey and admits being Iron Man isn't as important to him as it is to Rhodey.
However, there is a little future planning on Tony's part, which sets the scene for an epic battle in a latter issue.
Rhodey discovers the 405 has a pest control problem and decides to do some exterminating. Until that asshole Harold gets himself trapped. What the fuck Iron Man has to act like a superhero in this comic, again?
Ah, there we go. Yeah, fuck off, Harold! That'll teach you to get stuck and then saved by Iron Man!
Well back to Tony who has to make a collect call to...The Avengers! You'd think a founding member of a superhero team would have a better line of communication than a touch-tone phone. Well after some catching up with Vision, Tony gets down to brass tax. He needs help.
Let's check in with old man Obadiah. Who's the chick with the face in the shadows? Why is she asking him questions like "...so your agent failed?"? I don't know. But I do know if she didn't have a nice rack, Obadiah would have stood for that shit. He's got some plans for Mr. Termite and as for the mystery woman, she has some plans for Obadiah. Yowza!
Iron Man tracks down Termite to an art gallery where he was trying to show off his latest sculpture. No one liked it so Termite had a hissy fit and Rhodey came by to show support and also beat the shit out of him. Rhodey by now is pretty fucking mad. Mad at Tony and mad at himself. So he's going to take it out on an asshole sculptor dressed as a Termite. Fair enough.
Scarlet Witch and Tony show up to the party as well. The Avengers sent Wanda with a gun designed to neutralize mutant abilities. When they arrive, Iron Man has caused a lot of collateral damage, and Wanda's not happy.
Tony spots Iron Man and Termite and gets one good shot off with his pop gun to end the battle and possibly Termites career as an architect.
So Tony helped Iron Man defeat Termite, but Iron Man is angry that Tony didn't let him do it on his own. Because he interfered.
Rhodey as Iron Man walks off alone, Mad at the world. Perhaps setting up an epic battle between two iron Men. What will happen? As Stan Lee would say "Find out next 'ish!".
