Sometimes I wonder which is the real me... this splendid metal skin I've created -- or the frail thing of flesh that wears it. 
Appearing in "Deadly Blessing"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Chessmen
- Obadiah Stane (Behind the scenes)
- Bishop (Alban Emond)
- Knight (Fletcher Heggs) (Death)
- Rook (Barnabus Kinloch)
- Laird Jamie of Glen Travail (First appearance)
- Pawn
Other Characters:
- Various New Mexico prison guards
Locations:
- United States of America
- Scotland
- Glen Travail, Northern Scotland
Items:
Vehicles:
- Stark's roadster
Synopsis for "Deadly Blessing"
The mysterious leader behind the Chessmen sends his Bishop to punish the Knight for failing to assassinate Tony Stark. The Bishop goes to New Mexico, breaks the Knight out of prison, then flies him high up into the air, whereupon he drops him, allowing him to fall to his death.
Tony Stark meanwhile, returns to New York where he takes Indries Moomji for a romantic dinner at the World Trade Center. While there, he receives a telephone call from Stark International's security chief Vic Martinelli, who tells him of the Knight's death. He also tells him that has tracked the information concerning the Knight's assailant to a lead in northern Scotland. Tony cuts his dinner short and makes arrangement to travel to Europe. Indries takes it upon herself to accompany him.
Tony, Indries and Jim Rhodes arrive at the estate of Laird Jamie of Glen Travail. Jamie has all of the trappings of a Scottish lord including the kilt, beret, rich accent and ancient castle. He invites them all into his keep and provides them with rooms for the night. Early in the morning, Tony changes into Iron Man and decides to do a little exploring.
While flying over the countryside, Iron Man runs afoul of the Bishop. The Bishop assaults him with his energy-staff, bellowing at him to "Repent!" Tony tries to resist, but finds it difficult to bring himself to strike his opponent. His indecision puts him on the receiving end of a flurry of blasts from the Bishop's weaponry. The Bishop finally forces Iron Man into a nearby loch where he proceeds to poke at him with his weapon. The water seems to clear Tony's head a bit, and he realizes that a electrical device concealed within the Bishop's miter is manipulating his motor function, preventing him from striking the man. The water is somehow interfering with the electronic signals. Iron Man lobs a rock up through the water, knocking the Bishop's hat from his head. No longer hampered, he easily defeats the elderly man and the Bishop faints before him in fright.
Iron Man returns to the keep and discovers that Laird Jamie is not quite the jolly Scotsman he purported himself to be. He shows Iron Man that Indries and Rhodey are trapped elsewhere in the castle. They are now prisoners of his accomplice -- the Rook!
Notes
- The ringleader behind the Chessmen is revealed in Iron Man #166.
- This issues letters page revels that Luke McDonnell is not this title's regular artist.
- This issue contains a letters page "Printed Circuits". Letters are published from Jens H. Altman, Doug Buseck, Don Carnes, David Pirkle, and Jeff Rees.
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
- Iron Man (Volume 1) series index at Comicbookdb.com
- Iron Man (Volume 1) series index at the Grand Comics Database Project