Okay, I'll try to make my chapters a little longer. In this issue I'll try to have more stuff with 'Happy" Hogan and "Pepper" Potts. The super-villain won't do much till the end, which means this is going to be a two-parter.

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! #7: Man of Titanium

"Happy" Hogan was driving Tony Stark towards the tower where the board of directors was waiting. "Hey, boss, do ya think Pepper is ever going to agree on a date with me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, every time I ask her to go to a park r to a movie, she says no. But when you ask chicks to go out with you they always say yes."

"That's because I'm rich."

"Exactly, I'd like you to give some free money so that she'll go out with me."

"I think it'll take more than money to win her, Happy. There's also the fact that you never seem to smile."

"What do you mean? I smile a lot!"

Tony looked at Happy with a confused face and then just stared ahead. Actually, he himself had wanted to date Pepper, but he didn't actually want to get involved with someone he actually liked, mainly because he has shrapnel getting near his heart and he didn't want to be involved with anyone if he was going to die and leave them.

Storage House: 2 A.M.

Two dark figures opened a box, looking at a large suit of armor.

"So this is the battle suit from Horgan's company?"

"Yeah, looks neat, don't ya think?"

"Sure does. I'll take it."

"Hey, I want my money first."

"Oh, I forgot."

One of the men pulled out a pistol and shot down the other. He was very large and strong and he managed to push the box into the back of a truck. A security guard came and started shooting at him, but he got away, smashing through a small fence and driving fast. The security guard grabbed a telephone.

"A man in a truck just escaped from me after stealing something in the storage house! I think it's the battlesuit!"

The Stark Plant: 11 A.M.

The workers looked on in awe as Iron man lifted a large piece of machinery. This superhero was making their jobs a lot easier. "Okay, boys, that's al the help I can give you. I've got to do something right now!"

The shrapnel was nearing his heart again, curse it. In ten minutes it would be serious. The transistorized superhero went into a building and plugged his armor in, feeling his energy coming back. When he put his mask back on a woman suddenly popped out of nowhere. She looked very familiar with her reddish-brown hair and dark suit.

"The Black Widow!"

"Do not worry, Iron Man! I have come to warn you of something?'

"Why would you warn me? We're enemies, remember?"

"That was then. Now I have been hired to stop a certain man. He's wearing a large, green battlesuit. I want you to help, since you are one of the most powerful superheroes."

"I guess I will, but I won't be ready for a few hours."

"I can wait. Meet me on the roof of the Daily Bugle building. And be careful around our target. He is very powerful."

At a Weapons Test Center: 11: 30 A. M.

Tony brushed some dust off a machine with his hand, studying its detail. The miniaturization ray was finally complete. "Good work, men," he congratulated several scientists.

"We were only too glad to do it," answered one of them.

As the workers left, Stark turned to Pepper, who had been by him the whole time. "So, Mrs. Potts, how about a date to the new amusement park?"

Pepper Potts seemed to get very excited. "W-why of course. I'd love to!"

"Good, you and Happy will have a great time there."

"What? With that frowning idiot?"

"Of course, he's actually a pretty good guy. Now I have some more business to attend to."

Tony went into a room and locked the door behind him. He opened a panel in the wall and pulled out a new Iron man suit. This one had more armor, but was just as light as the original. Attached to the left arm was a mini-missile shooter, perfect for taking out big opponents or getaway cars. In his new suit, Iron man went off to the Daily Bugle Building with confidence.

The Daily Bugle: 1 P.M.

Iron Man must have arrived early. The Black Widow was nowhere to be seen. The superhero sat on the roof, holding his head in his hands in a bored fashion. Suddenly a lithe figure jumped onto the roof and startled him.

"Oh, hi…"

"There's no time for greetings," said the Black Widow hurriedly. "Here, take this phone and press the red button when you spot the man. He should be easy to find."

Before Iron Man could ask a question the woman swung off. The armored avenger flew through the streets, ignoring the admiration of the civilians below. He stopped on another roof, surveying a certain street. That's when he heard glass shattering and brick crumbling. There seemed to be a stomping sound, like some two-footed elephant.

Iron Man headed in the direction of the sounds, flying low. When he turned a corner a large, armored fist, rammed into him, sending him flying into a truck. The transistorized crimefighter felt himself being lifted up and looked at the face of his attacker. There wasn't a face, but a head covered by a helmet with glowing, yellow eyes. Now he knew why the Black Widow needed help. The super-villain was a large powerhouse, his body protected by green armor. Money he had just stolen lay on the ground.

Before he could be tossed away like a rag doll, Iron Man lifted his hands and fired his repulsor rays, causing his large opponent to drop him, but only in surprise. "So, are you a big galoot, or some tiny guy who's hiding in a big shell of armor?"

"I'm not any of 'em, hero!" The green giant fired several missiles from his arms, almost hitting his foe with each one. Iron Man flew feet-first into the man that was made of… What was he made of? The large criminal was hardly affected by his assault and he delivered his own. The superhero was punched and sent spinning through the air, hitting a brick wall and smashing through it.

"This is one tough egg!" Iron man said to himself.

The super-villain's armor was made of titanium, which was superior to iron. Iron Man looked down at him, being a little scared. The man made of titanium prepared to kick away the foundations of the building that the superhero had fallen through. Iron Man flew out of the hole in the wall and remembered the special phone that the Black Widow gave him.

He pressed the red button just before he was grabbed by the leg and slammed into the pavement below him. The enormous super-villain grabbed him again and held him so that they were face-to-face.

"Okay, Iron Man. Before I go ahead and kill you, I'll tell you my name? It's Titanium Man."

"How amazing," said the iron avenger sarcastically as he fired his missile from his left arm. Titanium Man actually yelped as the missile hit him at extremely close range, his massive physique falling back onto the street. Iron Man tried to follow up on his advantage, but was immediately kicked out of the air.

At the Amusement Park: 1:30 P.M.

Happy and Pepper were sitting in their seats on a new rollercoaster: The Flash, based on a DC Comics superhero whose power was abnormal speed. "So how come you've been avoiding me all this time, Pepper?" asked Happy.

"Because you look ridiculous with that frown, Mr. Hogan. You never smile!"

'What do you mean? I'm smiling right now!"

Before Pepper could insult her date, the rollercoaster started and it went very fast. Throughout the rather scary ride, Pepper thought I'll bet Tony is going out with one of those annoying rich girls right now, with that big handsome smile on his face!

The Battle: 1: 45 P.M.

Titanium Man swung at Iron Man, but the superhero ducked, delivering his own punch. The super-villain laughed as the blow glanced harmlessly off him. He grabbed his opponent by the throat and threw him onto a car, smashing the vehicle.

"You're going to pay for all the property damage you've been causing, Titanium Man!"

"Oh, yeah? I sure don't see you getting any closer to beating me, shrimp."

"Who's a shrimp?" replied Iron Man as he put his two hands together. "You're the one who stomps around like an elephant." He fired two repulsor blasts mixed with each other. Titanium Man charged, roaring with anger. The blasts combined to form a heavy-hitting ray which hit the gargantuan super-villain and knocked him onto his back.

"How did you manage to do that?"

"I'd like to explain but I have a job of stopping super-villains like you."

Titanium Man got back onto his feet and charged at his opponent once again. However, the transistorized hero jet-booted over him, causing the villain to run into a wall. The building which had been hit by the rampage of the armored giant fell onto the criminal, burying him. He swiftly got out of the rubble.

"You think you're so hard to catch because you can fly. Well, my suit enables me to make large jumps like this!"

Titanium Man jumped into the air and knocked Iron Man to the ground. Tony considered calling the Avengers, but he learned that his Avengers Alert button on his belt had been smashed in the battle. When was the Black Widow going to come and help? He had pressed the red button.

Justin Hammer's Mansion

Justin Hammer hadn't been this happy in a long while. He was buying out what once was Horgan's company. With new resources, his business could soar ahead of Stark. And with Boris, one of his hired men, using Horgan's titanium battlesuit, the crushing of Iron Man was assured.

The Battle Goes On

Titanium Man grabbed Iron Man and threw him into the side of a truck. He plopped onto the ground, beaten very severely. But he wouldn't quit. "If I put enough power into my fist, I should be able to do…" Iron Man flew towards his enemy and gave him a hard punch. "…THIS!"

Titanium Man laughed as the blow took no effect. He fired a missile, which nicked Iron Man and caused him to fall. Before he could escape, the crimefighter was grabbed by the neck and thrust against a building. The man in front of him made a large fist with his right hand and got ready for the last strike.

"You've been lucky up to now, Iron Man. Now I'm going to punch you so hard that your brains will be splattered all over the place."

Titanium Man let loose with his punch and it seemed that the fate of Iron Man was sealed.

Next, will Iron Man survive in: Showdown on Broadway!

Note: The Titanium Man first appeared in Tales of Suspense #69.