While in the jungles of Africa, Tony Stark was out testing one of his weapons, used for fighting terrorism. He accidentally stepped on a trap and the following events led him to adopt the guise of...

The Invincible Iron Man! #1: The Raid of the Barracuda

He was one of the wealthiest. He had an incredible and imaginative mind. He dated the best of society. He seemed to have everything going for him. In his other identity, he flew above New York City, striking fear into the hearts of those who menace society. He looked invincible. Both identities gave him the envy of millions. But billionaire industrialist Tony Stark, also known as the new superhero Iron Man, wasn't as lucky as people thought.

In his heart were the remnants of a terrorist booby trap which he accidentally triggered in Africa. The metal remnants got closer to his heart as he was taken prisoner by the terrorists. Fortunately, he had found the help of another captive scientist, Dr. Wen, a Chinese man visiting Africa. He helped make special transistorized armor for Stark to survive while their captors weren't watching and the industrialist wrecked the camp, but not before Dr. Wen was shot dead. Now Tony Stark was in America as Iron Man, a human fighting machine armed with repulsor blasts.

Now he walked towards his office, saying good morning to his secretary and sometimes advisor Virginia "Pepper" Potts, a young but efficient woman who he suspected of having slight romantic feelings for him. Her nickname "Pepper" came from her freckled face, although she could be fairly attractive. He sat down in his office and thought about what his next business move would be. Stock prices were high and his products were selling. What could make Stark Industries better, or should his company just coast along with its comfortable profits?

Pepper Potts called him on his office phone.

"Dr. George Shapanka is on the line Mr. Stark."

"I'll answer him."

Tony waited a little then heard a voice. "Hey, Mr. Stark, I think I should get paid more for my efforts! I'm one of the main reasons that this company is in the top three."

"Look, Mr. Shapanka," Tony answered."It's been a while since you've come up with anything groundbreaking to merit a raise, skilled as you are. And if I give you a raise on an already high-paying job, I'll get complaints from the other scientists. And you need to cool down on your temper. Almost any employer would have fired you for that outburst. I try to be patient because you are indeed one of my best scientists. I'm sorry, but until you come up with something amazing, the answer is no."

"Yes. I guess it's useless arguing with you."

George Shapanka, an expert at cryogenics, was obviously jealous of Tony. The millionaire sighed. Everybody though he had it easy. True, he could just sit on his fortune and let everybody else do his work for him, and he was on top with his life a month ago, but since the incident in Africa he was in danger of dying at any moment. Tony looked at his watch. Four hours until his boat ride with his butler, the well-trusted Edwin Jarvis, and some other businessmen. Suddenly he felt great pressure and pain. He quickly threw off his top clothes, getting weaker by the moment. Out of his iron breastplate extended a cord with a plug, which inserted into a panel on the wall. He felt his energy slowly restore. Was this the way he was going to live? With his life on the line every six or seven hours?

Manhattan Bay

Tony Stark and his fellow businessmen waved at the cheering crowds. They were celebrating the installment of a highly sophisticated guard tower on Ellis Island. This tower would be able to detect enemy planes from growing terrorist organizations such as Hydra and blast them out of the air. After they were well on their way, Tony went to his butler, Jarvis.

"Is the champagne ready?"

"Quite, sir. Is there anything else that you would need?"

"No, nothing at all." He stared out at the waters. "This guard tower's going to perform ensure more security from these new terrorist organizations that are popping up. New York is going to be safe.

As Tony turned to ask for some ice cream from one of the waiters, a loud voice was heard, evidently coming from a loudspeaker.

"Everyone, drop your valuables and stay where you are! This is the Barracuda, scourge of the east coast!"

Tony let his ice cream plop to the floor and ran below deck before the pirates saw him. These pirates were led, as said, by the Barracuda, a man in a black sweater and a black jacket, armed with a sword and a machine gun. He wore an eye patch and there were spikes on his large boots. His crew was well-armed and piloted several boats which easily blended in with their surroundings.

The pirates jumped on board, grouping together the people on the boat. Three despicable raiders rushed below deck, ready with their machine guns. Tony Stark hid in a closet, charging up his Iron Man suit. Soon he was ready for action. When one of the three pirates opened the closet door, he fired a low-intensity repulsor blast, knocking out the man. The two behind him fired at the armored superhero, but their bullets bounced off.

"Let's get out of here, Jasper!" yelled one as he emptied his cartridge. Iron Man lunged forward and grabbed him, easily throwing him into his partner. Iron Man's transistorized armor gave him at least ten times the strength of a normal man. He fired up his jet-boots and flew up out of the boat, blasting back a quartet of the Barracuda's men. Their leader seemed frustrated.

"It's that new armored superhero, Iron Man! Distract him, men, while I get that gun from the black market!"

One short minion snapped a grenade off his belt, activated it, and threw it at the red-and-gold avenger, actually hitting him, but only sending him flying back a few feet.

"Uh-uh! I don't think your weapons are really going to help you right now. You'd be much better off in prison."

Iron Man fired a repulsor blast out of each hand, blasting back more sea-raiders. "Now to look for your boss."

He flew towards one of the pirate boats and saw the Barracuda with a long-barreled and strange-looking device, which resembled a rocket launcher.

"AIM's been giving me some pretty damn good toys lately, like this high-intensity laser-launcher thingie. Eat your own medicine, iron s-t!"

Iron Man was knocked back into the Manhattan water as a large red laser hit him. He easily flew out of the water, but his stomach was smarting from the blast. A smaller pirate-boat with a large machine gun came into view, chattering away at him with its deadly ammunition. The golden knight flew toward the boat, dodging the gun blasts. He rammed through the boat, sending it occupants splashing into the New York waters. Iron Man returned to his boat, where more men appeared with guns, but he used his magnetic abilities to twist up their barrels. "What's happening to our guns?" one yelped. "I don't care! Run!" exclaimed another. The jumped off the ship and started swimming away.

The Barracuda looked on in immense anger, cursing out his men and calling them cowards. "You'll pay for the damage you're causing me, you trash can!' He fired his weapon again, but this time Iron Man swerved out of the path of the laser, delivering his own destructive blast. The Barracuda went flying into a refreshment table on the boat. Most men would have been knocked out, but this raider was endurable and he pointed his gun at a man, grabbing him.

"Let my men go with their loot, or this person gets it!"

Iron Man gasped under his expressionless helmet. It was Edwin Jarvis. He watched helplessly as the pirates got away with Jarvis. They were going to keep him as a hostage until they were far away. Then they would probably do something terrible to him, if the reports of the Barracuda's ruthlessness were true. Iron Man stood on the deck of the boat, secretly charging up his repulsor blasts. If he hit the right spots, the Barracuda would be sent falling onto the deck of his pirate-boat and Jarvis would be saved from a bullet wound or worse.

3...2...1...NOW!

Red repulsor blasts hit the boat, causing the man with the eye patch to fall on his knees. Jarvis quickly knocked over a big, brutish raider by him with a hard right and soon the pirate gang was in the hands of Iron Man.

One hour later the sea raiders were on their way to jail, many of them having been plucked out of the harbor.

The Office

Tony Stark slept on his chair. It had been a short, but wild fight against the Barracuda and his pirate gang. He was now having a good rest. In his sub-consciousness he wondered what George Shapanka would say if he knew that the millionaire, who was greatly envied, was in constant danger of death thanks to sharp fragments in his body.

It seemed that Tony Stark would be destined to live as an endangered man for the rest of his life.

Next: The Cold Wrath of Blizzard!

Note 1: These comics take place after Tales of Suspense #39 (with the origin updated of course)

Note 2: In the original Marvel timeline, Iron Man's first foe was Gargantuas, a giant machine disguised as a Neanderthal.

Note 3: The Barracuda appeared in the adventures of the Human Torch in Strange Tales as a throw-a-way ofe of the month. He later reappeared with super powers and a mutated body.