![](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/1/19/Iron_Man_Vol_1_281.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/300?cb=20171226032953)
Last issue, we learned Tony Stark’s armor was making him sick. In these issues, we see his competitors, Hydra, Yakuza Samurai, etc., plotting to jump into the breach.
There’s also a new gang called the Masters of Silence. They’re working for Hammer. They bust up Stark’s armor.
![](https://earthsmightiestblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/masters-of-silence.jpg)
As a result, he transitions to a new suit and becomes…
![](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/6/67/Iron_Man_Vol_1_282.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/300?cb=20171226033024)
War Machine. Except no, he’s not.
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SWcXxYPqxGI/TM0TzKo9a8I/AAAAAAAAEJA/5nB4VO71pD8/s1600/WAR-MACHINE.jpg)
He’s Iron Man.
He takes it for a test drive against some beefed up mandroids.
![](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/1/1d/Mandroid_Armor_MK_IV_from_Iron_Man_Vol_1_283_001.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20200620054639)
By #284, he’s back to his regular “Iron Man” logo. Also during this story, while Tony is sick, Jim Rhodes takes an active role and gets a job offer from Nick Fury.
![](https://berkeleyplaceblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IMG_9142.jpeg)
And so the seeds are sown for a War Machine comic starring Rhodey.