Iron Man (TV series)

File:The Hands Of The Mandarin, Part One - Iron Man & War Machine.jpg

Iron Man and War Machine in a 1995 episode of the Iron Man animated series.

Iron Man was an animated television series based on Marvel Comics' superhero Iron Man. The series aired from 1994 to 1996 in syndication as part of The Marvel Action Hour, which packaged Iron Man with another animated series based on Marvel properties, the Fantastic Four, with one half-hour episode from each series airing back-to-back. The show was backed by a toy line that featured many armor variants.

Iron Man's origin was changed for this series: rather than shrapnel near his heart, Tony Stark, Iron Man's alter ego, instead had multiple slivers near his spine, threatening paralysis. Also, instead of Wong Chu, Stark and Yisen were held captive by The Mandarin, who had been altered by his rings to have green skin and greater physical strength. Stark's armor on the show was the Mark XI "Modular Armor", which was the armor he was wearing in the comics while the show was being produced.

Further information: Iron Man's armor

As of 2006, there are currently no plans for a DVD release of the show. This, however may change depending on the success of the planned Iron Man film, as it did with the 2005 Fantastic Four film.

First season

File:Hypnotia Grey Gargoyle Iron Man (TV series).jpg

Hypnotia and Dreadknight

The first season of Iron Man featured little more than a straightforward concept of "good against evil", with Stark at the helm of his family built business, Stark Industries and battling the minions of The Mandarin, an enemy he had made whilst held as a captive in the Himalayas in his costumed identity. The Mandarin's main goals every episode were to try and seize possession of Iron Man's armour, which he knows Stark had a hand in designing, or to lure Iron Man into elaborate traps in order to destroy him - a feat nearly accomplished in the two-part "The Origin Of Iron Man"

The Mandarin led a group of villains, consisting of Dreadknight, Hypnotia, Blizzard, Blacklash, Grey Gargoyle, Whirlwind, Living Laser, M.O.D.O.K. and Justin Hammer. Iron Man led his own team, based on Force Works, a then-current comic book team whose members had previously been affiliated with the West Coast Avengers.

The episode titles in this season paid homage to the over-the-top titles that graced the early Stan Lee Marvel comics of the 1960's straight to the early 1980's, ("The Sea Shall Give Up Its Dead", and "Rejoice, I am Ultimo, Thy Deliverer"), primary writing on all episodes were handled by Ron Friedman, the writer of Transformers: The Movie. Freidman also handled writing duties on the Fantastic Four series that followed this during the Marvel Action Hour.

This season was not a success with fans due to a range of multiple flaws; though more popular than the FF series, it suffered from numerous perceived problems - halfhearted attempts at psuedo-science, lacking character development, awkward animation, and bland acting. Other fans accused Friedman of handling too many scripts and suffering from burn-out that translated to the onscreen product.

However, some defenders of the season point to episodes that looked deeper into the characters to prove this season worthy, such as when The Mandarin seized an island hostage, alongside Modok's wife. The origin episodes for Iron Man and The Mandarin also explained in more detail the motivations and reasons for why the primary adversaries did what they did.

The first season of the series incorporated a regular armor-donning sequence for Stark. Upon opening his briefcase (which formed into his armour), Stark steps into the openings available, which shut upon entrance. After this, the screen transforms into a CGI rendering as Stark elevates his mask to his face. It is not known why this sequence was created. A non-CGI variation of this sequence was used only once. Rhodes, War Machine, did not share this sequence when he "armoured up".

Second season

In 1996, Marvel switched The Marvel Action Hour to a new animation studio, and with it came new writers and new music for each sequence, coupled with a new direction for the series. The first season's subtle keyboard theme music for Iron Man (composed by progressive rock legend Keith Emerson) was replaced by an intense electric guitar theme featuring the repeated refrain of "I am Iron Man!", while showing Tony Stark beating red-hot iron plates into shape with a blacksmith's hammer.

The new storylines spanned multiple episodes and were no longer "open and shut" cases. They formed a linking narrative, featuring themes of duplicity, consequence, and phobias. Also, the stories were no longer centered on the Mandarin, whose rings had been scattered and whose power had been depleted. While the Mandarin did appear in these episodes, his appearances were reduced to cameos in the cliffhangers at the end of the story, as he tried to retrieve each ring.

Another change was that Force Works was mostly written out of the series, parting ways with Stark after he deceives them in order to work in secret against the Mandarin. This split would be revisited with Stark's ensuing conflicts with Hawkeye over the course of several episodes. Also, War Machine develops a phobia of being trapped inside his armour (also based on a then-current comic storyline), but this is resolved before the final episode.

In the finale, the Mandarin, having regained all of his rings, unleashes a mist using the heart of darkness to render everything technological useless. Iron Man reunites with Force Works in order to stop him. The Mandarin unmasks Iron Man before their final showdown ends in his apparent death. After disappointing ratings, the series was cancelled. Template:Endspoiler A new Iron Man series is in production in France for airing in 2006 alongside a new Fantastic Four series, in effect reviving The Marvel Action Hour, though it remains to be seen if they will be aired together or not. In September 2006, the Fantastic Four series aired on Toonami at 8:00 pm every Saturday, whilst the Iron Man series did not.

Cast

• Robert Hays .... Iron Man/Anthony 'Tony' Stark/Living Laser (voice)
• Dorian Harewood .... War Machine/James R. 'Rhodey' Rhodes (III) (1995-1996)/Stilt-Man/Whirlwind/Blacklash/Grey Gargoyle (I) (voice)
• John Reilly .... Hawkeye/Clint Barton/Jessik/Beetle (voice)
• Jennifer Darling .... Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff (voice)
• Jennifer Hale .... Spider-Woman/Julia Carpenter (II) (1995-1996)/Hypnotia (II) (voice)
• James Avery .... War Machine/James R. 'Rhodey' Rhodes (I) (1994-1995) (voice)
• Jim Cummings .... War Machine/James R. 'Rhodey' Rhodes (II) (1995)/MODOK/President Bill Clinton (7 episodes) (voice)
• Casey Defranco .... Spider-Woman/Julia Carpenter (I) (1994-1995) (voice)
• Tom Kane .... H.O.M.E.R. (1994-1996)/Century (II) (1995-1996)/Stingray (voice)
• James Warwick .... Century (I) (1994-1995)/Sam Jaggers (T.V. reporter)/General Hirsch (voice)
• Linda Holdahl .... Hypnotia (I) (13 episodes)/Elevator Voice/Helicopter Voice
• Ed Gilbert .... The Mandarin (I) (10 episodes)/Ultimo
• Chuck McCann .... Blizzard
• Neil Dickson .... Dreadknight
• Mark Hamill .... Maximus/Triton
• Charles Howerton .... Klaw
• Philip Abbott .... Col. Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. (4 episodes)
• Robert Ito .... The Mandarin (II) (4 episodes)
• Tony Steedman .... Justin Hammer (I) (voice)
• William Morgan Sheppard .... Dum-Dum Dugan of S.H.I.E.L.D. (voice)
• David Warner .... Arthur Dearborn (voice)
• Richard McGonagle .... Grey Gargoyle (II)/Walter Stark (II) (voice)
• Neil Ross .... Yinsen/Fin Fang Foom/Walter Stark (I) (voice)
• Dimitra Aryls .... Mrs. Walter Stark (voice)
• Jeannie Elias .... Veronica Benning (voice)
• Marla Rubinoff .... Ilona/Computer Voice
• Neal McDonough .... Firebrand (I) (voice)
• Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. .... Justin Hammer (II)/Firebrand (II) (voice)
• Lisa Zane .... Madame Masque (voice)
• Todd Louiso .... The Hacker (voice)
• Gerard Maguire .... Titanium Man (voice)
• Scott Valentine .... Dark Aegis (voice)
• Jamie Horton .... The Controller (voice)
• Stu Rosen .... Crimson Dynamo (voice)
• Lou Ferrigno .... Hulk (voice) (uncredited)
• Matt Frewer .... The Leader (voice)
• Ron Perlman .... Hulk/Robert Bruce Banner (voice)
• Julia Kato .... Dr. Su-Yin (voice)
• Mary Kay Bergman .... Princess Annelle
• Beau Weaver .... T'Chaka
• Dan Gilvezan .... Warlord Morrat

List of episodes

Season 1

#	Title	Writer(s)	Original Airdate(s)
1	"And the Sea Shall Give Up Its Dead"	Ron Friedman	September 24, 1994
Using hypnosis to plant a strange device in a Russian submarine, the Mandarin creates an army of invincible Zombies with which he plans to infiltrate and take over Tony Stark's armory. His plan: to use Iron Man's armor to conquer the world. Iron Man battles to thwart this scheme in outer space and in the ocean's depths, with the help of War Machine, Spider-Woman, Century, Hawkeye, and the Scarlet Witch -- only to face Modok and the Mandarin's minions: Dreadknight, Whirlwind, Blizzard, and the Grey Gargoyle.
2	"Rejoice! I am Ultimo, Thy Deliverer"	Ted Pederson & Francis Moss (Teleplay: Ron Friedman)	October 1, 1994
The Mandarin and Modok find and bring to life a gigantic alien robot, Ultimo, which has an unknown agenda of its own to fulfil. The Mandarin sets Ultimo off to destroy one of Stark's secret factories, but Ultimo breaks free and Iron Man must bring him down and also prevent the Mandarin from regaining control of the huge robot.
3	"Data In, Chaos Out"	Written by Doug Booth (Teleplay: Ron Friedman & Stan Lee)	October 8, 1994
The Mandarin steals and reprograms Tony Stark's designed military and communication satellites, thus creating a world-wide military and financial panic for which Stark is blamed. Stark and his forces must fight not only to recapture and reprogram the stolen satellites in deep space, but also to clear Stark's name before his business, Stark Enterprises, is destroyed.
4	"Silence My Companion, Death My Destination"	Written by Steve Hayes (Teleplay: Ron Friedman)	October 15, 1994
Julia Carpenter's daughter is kidnapped and Iron Man must save her. Will he be successful? Of course he will.
5	"The Grim Reaper Wears a Teflon Coat"	Written by Doug Booth (Teleplay: Ron Friedman & Stan Lee)	October 22, 1994
When Tony is about to deliver the Grim Repear, a super fighter bomber jet, which is completely indestructible and undetectable, to the American Government, the Mandarin's forces steal it for the Mandarin. Iron Man and his team must find the Grim Reaper before the Mandarin can deploy it for his evil ends -- and also deliver it to the Pentagon, per Tony's government contract or lose Stark's industrial credibility.
6	"Enemy Without, Enemy Within"	Ron Friedman	October 29, 1994
The Mandarin's lackeys kidnap a model and Force Works must save her. But why is Modok so interested in her safety? (She's his wife).
7	"Origin of the Mandarin"	Ron Friedman	November 5, 1994
The Mandarin's origin is explained through a video diary explaining how he got his deadly rings of power. Or is it a real video?
8	"The Defection of Hawkeye"	Ron Friedman	November 12, 1994
Hawkeye is accused of being a traitor to the Mandarin by the Force Works. He claims that he's innocent, but if he is, how do you explain the pictures of him with Justin Hammer?
9	"Iron Man to the Second Power, Part 1"	Yale Rudoff	November 19, 1994
An Iron Man double is created by Modok and it steals the only antidote to Dark Water Fever after the virus is reactivated. With the real Iron Man missing, it's up to Force Works to save the day.
10	"Iron Man to the Second Power, Part 2"	Ron Friedman & Yale Rudoff	November 26, 1994
The true Iron Man is found and battles his evil double. But, will he be able to defeat the combined might of the Living Laser and the Grey Gargoyle? Yes.
11	"Origin of Iron Man, Part 1"	Ron Friedman	December 3, 1994
The Mandarin and Fing Fang Foom trap Iron Man in the Chinese arctic, and Iron Man goes down in the snow. With no power, Stark accesses his memories to keep warm. They explain how he created his invincible armor, with quite a few changes from Tales of Suspense #39.
12	"Origin of Iron Man, Part 2"	Ron Friedman	December 10, 1994
More of Iron Man's past is revealed on the glacier as he waits for his suit to recharge. Will Force Works be able to rescue him before Mandarin's goons do? Yes.
13	"The Wedding of Iron Man"	Ron Friedman	December 17, 1994
Using their technology, Mandarin and Justin Hammer have reviewed their recent confrontations with Iron Man. And as a result, they've finally figured out that Tony Stark is Iron Man! Or have they?

Season 2

#	Title	Writer(s)	Original Airdate(s)
14	"The Beast Within"	Greg Johnson	September 23, 1995
The mystery thickens as attempts on Tony Stark's life reveal a ploy to lure Iron Man into a trap so the Mandarin could steal his armor. Add to this four missing industrialists -- led to Central Asia by Mandarin's evil dragon, Fin Fang Foom -- and then the apparent death of Tony Stark at the hands of the Mandarin's operatives, and the puzzle seems unsolvable. However, Tony has faked his death and reemerges in a new Iron Man armor to stop the Mandarin's horrific plot. The Mandarin, though, suffers under Fin Fang Foom's double cross and must join forces with Iron Man to end it all. The resulting climatic explosion seemingly destroys the Mandarin, scattering the powerful rings across the world. The Force Works team disbands, discontent with Tony's unwillingness to share the truth of his plan with them. Only Rhodes and Julia remain with him.
15	"Fire and Rain"	Len Wein	September 30, 1995
During a city-wide power blackout, Jim Rhodes as War Machine has a near-death experience when he almost drowns in a local river, trapped in the suddenly powerless War Machine armor. Iron Man discovers the cause of the blackout: Firebrand, whom they learn is the crazed son of a disgruntled -- and long dead -- former Stark board member. When Iron Man confronts him, Firebrand destroys a huge hydroelectric dam, endangering the city and forcing War Machine back into the water.
16	"Cell of Iron"	Jan Strnad	October 7, 1995
After A.I.M. takes credit for a terrorist satellite attack upon a school in China, Iron Man goes into space to investigate. but instead of A.I.M., he discovers a mysterious space station called the Star Well, guarded by the fierce Sunturion and inhabited by the peaceful Arthur Dearborn. Iron Man must try to convince Dearborn to give up the Star Well before A.I.M. -- who are attacking in warships -- steals it from him and endangers the world. Meanwhile, the truth behind Dearborn's relationship to both the Star Well and Sunturion is revealed, and Iron Man has to stop the mile-long satellite from crashing into New York City.
17	"Not Far From the Tree"	Francis Moss	October 14, 1995
Tony Stark intercepts an A.I.M. signal -- a plea for help from Walter Stark, Tony's father who was long thought dead. After rescuing him, Tony must come to terms with old wounds left open at the time his father supposedly died. He must also come to terms with an apparent S.H.I.E.L.D. cover-up, which shows that Nick Fury traded Walter to A.I.M. in exchange for release of a captive agent.
18	"Beauty Knows No Pain"	Brooks Wachtel	October 21, 1995
A horrific cave-in collapses the under-construction subway tunnels in Cairo, Egypt, burying Julia Carpenter and other Stark employees. Tony discovers that the workers have been kidnapped by Stark's former flame, Madame Masque. Obsessed with her own facial disfigurement, Madame Masque has dedicated her life to unearthing the Golden Sepulcher of Isis, an ancient Egyptian goddess whose spirit is believed capable of bestowing eternal life and beauty. Madame Masque discovers the Sepulcher and becomes inhabited with the spirit of Isis, a raging out-of-control energy that overpowers her. Iron Man must battle this force without destroying the host body of Madame Masque
19	"Iron Man, On the Inside"	Steve Cuden	November 4, 1995
After Hawkeye is wounded in a battle with Ultimo, Iron Man shrinks down to molecular size in order to implant a life-saving chip in Hawkeye's spine. But what Iron Man doesn't know is that Ultimo -- and now H.O.M.E.R. -- are being controlled by a powerful, unseen villain known only as the Hacker. Complicating Iron Man's fantastic voyage through Hawkeye's body are a ticking clock, misinformation from H.O.M.E.R., inner-body dangers and the startling appearance of a molecular-sized Ultimo.
20	"Distant Boundaries"	Greg Johnson	November 11, 1995
When Iron Man assists in the landing of an unidentified, unmanned space ship, he learns that it was sent by the distant planet, Elysian, with a distress message -- pleading for Iron Man's help in their fight against a madman called Dark Aegis {pronounced Dark Uh-geez}. Iron Man feels responsible because he inadvertently set Dark Aegis adrift in space long ago. James Rhodes, who is determined to beat his claustrophobia, dons his War Machine armor and joins Iron Man on the mission. But as the ship is launched, they find a dangerous stowaway, the Titanium Man. In the shipboard battle, Iron Man and War Machine are set adrift, braving the atmosphere of Elysian to land on its surface. They find out they're too late; the planet has been destroyed and the air so toxic they must keep armor on. While War Machine is engaged in battle by Titanium Man (who is in the employ of Dark Aegis), Iron Man confronts Dark Aegis, who has possession of the mightiest of weapons -- the Oracle.
21	"The Armor Wars, Part 1"	Len Uhley	November 18, 1995
Iron Man tries to stop a coup in Russia involving Crimson Dynamo, but many people are hurt and Iron Man is made a scapegoat. Tony also discovers, to his horror, that Crimson Dynamo had some secret Stark technology in his armor that contributed to the tragedy. Feeling responsible, Tony designs "negators" and sets out to take on every armored warrior in the world. Rhodey and Julia beg him to stop. Nick Fury warns him not to do it. But Iron Man proceeds, nailing the Controller, Stilt Man, Beetle, Backlash and Whirlwind, in what looks like vigilantism gone amok. Justin Hammer, who stole the technology in the first place, is thrilled with the furor over Iron Man's actions. Iron Man's quest takes him to a federal prison for super villains when he takes on the Guardsmen, led by his buddy Hawkeye!
22	"The Armor Wars, Part 2"	Len Uhley	November 25, 1995
Iron Man defeats Hawkeye and negates the Guardsmen. War Machine arrives and confronts Iron Man, but, although torn, Iron Man attacks War Machine and negates him, too. Hammer offers to stop the "renegade" Iron Man with a massive armored warrior named Firepower. A titanic battle with Firepower leaves Iron Man apparently blown up, but an injured Stark had sent in his empty armor and has crawled to safety. As a disheartened Tony retreats into his locked lab for weeks, Firepower begins a secret reign of terror on Stark Enterprise facilities. Finally, Tony emerges from his lab with a special Exo-Armor to confront Firepower.
23	"Empowered"	Greg Johnson	February 3, 1996
This episode is mainly a clip show, although there is some plot. Modok locates one of the Mandarin's missing power rings, then is terrified upon using it to view images of how seven other rings have already been found -- by the Mandarin himself. At that point, the Mandarin arrives to claim the eighth ring from Modok. Iron Man users HOMER to guide him toward Modok's hideout in the mountains. Mandarin is waiting for him, using the power of the seven rings to view images of Iron Man's activities over the last few months. But Mandarin decides to wait until he possesses the remaining missing rings before striking out at Iron Man.
24	"Hulk Buster"	Francis Moss, Ted Pederson, & Greg Johnson	February 10, 1996
One of the Mandarin's missing rings is in the desert, where it adversely reacts to solar energy, creating rifts in time, one of which snares Julia, who disappears. Iron Man recovers the ring with Dr. Bruce Banner, but they are attacked by robots who steal the ring and deliver it to The Leader. The Leader now has two rings and wants to use them to go back in time to murder the young Bruce Banner and take his place when the Gamma bomb detonates, giving him the Hulk's strength. But Iron Man, Rhodes and Banner have located The Leader's hideaway. In the struggle for one of the rings, Iron Man and Hulk disappear in a time rift. While the Hulk and Iron Man fight, Rhodes and HOMER force the Leader to bring them back. Instead, the Leader leaps through a portal with the other ring and attempts to complete his plan.
25	"Hands of the Mandarin, Part 1"	Douglas Booth	February 17, 1996
The Mandarin, now reunited with his 10 rings, proclaims to the world that he is taking over. But the United Nations doesn't take him seriously, he shuts down New York City. Iron Man tries to stop him, but is immobilized by the Mandarin's anti-technology field and has to be rescued by alienated former comrade, Hawkeye. In order to stop Mandarin -- who's out to return Earth to an era of pre-technology, with himself as ruler -- Tony recruits his Force Works teammates. Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Woman and Century will be helpful since their powers are non-technology based. Mandarin has returned to China where he's got his old crew -- including Blizzard, Whirlwind, Hypnotia and Modok -- out wreaking havoc. Force Works and Iron Man travel to China, where they find Mandarin's minions. Mandarin cackles, because he has brought them into his plan and they will soon discover the secret of his power, the ancient intergalactic crystal known as the Heart of Darkness.
26	"Hands of the Mandarin, Part 2"	Douglas Booth	February 24, 1996
Using information from a captured Mandarin minion, Iron Man shows up at his citadel, where he falls victim to the anti-technology field. He is toyed with by the Mandarin and unmasked. Tony wonders why Mandarin is waiting to take over the world -- unless he doesn't have the power yet to do so. The rest of Force Works storm the citadel, but ultimately are taken captive. Mandarin plans on using the energies of them to power his Heart of Darkness. Meanwhile, Tony escapes and reaches Stark Industries in Hong Kong, where his old ally Su-Yin and Rhodey help him to work on an experimental DNA-based micro-processor that will be impervious to Mandarin's anti-technology. Iron Man and War Machine, wearing non-technology based armor, show up for a climatic battle with Mandarin.

Crossovers

• Iron Man, War Machine, and H.O.M.E.R. also guest-starred on the Season 1 episode of The Incredible Hulk, entitled Helping Hand, Iron Fist. In the episode, Bruce Banner traveled to the Stark Labs in Los Angeles to seek a cure for his deadly transformation. However, General Thunderbolt Ross was right on his tail. Iron Man appeared in the Hulkbuster armor in this episode.
• Although he never spoke, Iron Man had a few cameos in a few of the Fantastic Four episodes, including the Season 2 episodes To Battle the Living Planet and Doomsday.
• Iron Man and War Machine both appeared on Spider-Man, but Iron Man appeared in more than one storyline. They both appeared in the two part Season 3 episodes that brought back Venom and introduced Carnage. While Robert Hays voiced Iron Man (as he did on The Incredible Hulk), War Machine was voiced by James Avery, who provided War Machine's voice in Season 1 of Iron Man. Avery voiced War Machine presumably because Dorian Harewood had already done Spider-Man as the villain Tombstone. Iron Man also appeared on the Season 5 three parter, entitled The Secret Wars.

External links

• Iron Man at IMDb
• DRG4's Iron Man: The Animated Series page
• Marvel Animation Age - Iron Man
• International Catalogue of Superheroes
• Iron Man - Pazsaz Entertainment Network
• Virtual Toy Chest
• Avengers In Animation - A Look Back
• 1994 Animated Theme
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• 1996 Animated Theme
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