War Machine
James Rhodes grew up in Philadelphia, he was holding the city down long before Cassidy. James grew up a good kid, so there isn't much there. War Machine is kind of a dull bad ass. James went on to join the military and serve as a top pilot in Vietnam. That's where he met Tony Stark. James helicopter had been shot down, why was he flying solo? While repairing the helicopter he ran into Tony Stark who was wearing a bulky prototype suit. James said "I'll ride with it" together they infiltrated a Viet Cong base, cleared it out and stole a helicopter to return to base. Gangster.
After the war when Tony became Ironman he offered James a job as his personal pilot. James is good friend because this lead to so much trouble for a boring man. They became best friends and James was placed in charge of Stark's Aviation sector. He helped design a lot of the aircraft they were producing, showing that he was a soldier first but was no slacker on the science. When Tony started hitting the bottle James took over as Ironman using an alternate suit with more power the Variable Threat Response Battle Suit, James called it The War Machine.
James actually went back in time to World War II during the time wars. James killed the Nazi Grinz to prevent his son from being born. His son had been sending weapons back in time to help the Nazis win the war. James couldn't have that. He was doing Captain America's job and Ironman's job too, he should have got a raise. But nope, Tony took the War Machine Suit when he recovered from being a drunk, however it wouldn't be the last time James played hero.
James took a fishing trip trying to relax, but he met some aliens. The Eidolon aliens gave him the Eidolon
Warwear suit. Honestly he should have kept it forever it was bad ass.
It could do everything the War Machine suit could but it could also
shapeshit to form new weapons and he didn't have to put it on it was
implanted in his spine, he could use it whenever he wanted. But it was
ugly. Look to your right for original sketches. After Tony died in a battle with Kang the Conqueror James walked in and took over Stark Enterprises and nobody questioned him about how, or why. James suit was destroyed in battle and all of traces of Tony's armor designs were gone from existence upon his death. James had saved the world twice now with Tony gone. James was forced to retire from being a superhero again with no suit. Although Rhodes was able to design some bad ass aircraft he didn't have the ability to design a new War Machine suit. So James started a worldwide salvage company because he doesn't need Tony's money anymore because he's a strong independent black
During this time a new War Machine was on the loose causing trouble. It was piloted by Pharnell Jacobs. Jacobs had found an old War Machine Armor and had it rebuilt. One of James friends growing up, but Pharnell was a racist and didn't like James spending time with Tony. However when Tony returned because he wasn't really dead. James told Tony and they put a stop to this.
James and Tony's bromance came to an end after this. James didn't like the way Tony lied about being dead. On his way out of Stark Enterprises he was ambushed by Pharnell Jacobs. Tony didn't come out to help? Before James could finish off Jacobs Nick Furry and S.H.I.E.L.D. arrived. Furry took them both into custody.
Furry wanted James to lead a team of War Machines. James was dying to get back into the hero game so he agreed. James learned that Jacobs had fallen on hard times but was too proud to ask for help. When Jacobs found the old War Machine suit he sold it to Hydra to take care of his wife. But they kidnapped her and demanded more. That's why he attacked James to get more information.
This never happened because Nick Furry is a failure, Nick Furry that guy never got anything done Ultimate Nick Furry is a super soldier and never fails, damn man. Anyway James took a break but he went broke. He got scammed. He had invested his money in a company called Grace and Tumbalt who promised to reinvest profit in ethnic neighborhoods. Yes the comic actually said ethnic neighborhoods, damn we couldn't even get an urban.
James had been looking into the death of his sister and found out the company was actually funding gangs and drug dealers, because that's how they invest in the community. He started a team of heroes called "The Crew" with White Tiger, Junta and Josiah X because they didn't want this in the going on in the community. This a good message they actually did something. Too many times we as black people complain about poverty business like liquor stores in our neighborhoods and then we go give them our business. Why? Anyway back to our story.
James put on a prototype War Machine armor he had worked on and The Crew showed that they were the baddest gang. The 66 bridges is the gang that was being funded, they were the 66 bridges because the were in 66 cities. Somehow they all disappeared, then Grace and Tumbalt disappeared. James also took his money back from the dealers and gangs, because you can't take the hood out him.
After
the House of M event James took a job as head of Sentinel Squad O*N*E.
He would guard the mutants with the new War Machine suit they built for
him. Everyone didn't like the fact that he was protecting mutants but he
didn't give a flying War Machine.When the initiative went into affect James was back in the War Machine suit for the first time in four long years. James trained recruits at Camp Hammond.
Sadly James was in Dubai piloting a test plane and the base was bombed by a terrorist group. James lost all of his limbs and was bleeding to death. But Tony had secretly been watching his only real friend the whole time they were separated. He managed to fly around the world and save James life with a blood transfusion and some cybernetic limbs.
After Secret Invasion War Machine came out of retirement in a new suit. He swore on his life that he would end Osborn's reign of evil at any cost because the world needs a War Machine. James assembled a crew once again to assist him. This time the crew consisted of Dr Glenda Sandoval, Parnell Jacobs[now with less racism and now Glenda's Ex-Husband] and Bethany Cabe.
James infiltrated Aqiria and defeated the entire personal army of Eaglestar. Yes War Machine beat an entire army. When he finished he was confronted by Davis Harmon, Eaglestar's CEO and The God of War Ares. War Machine defeated a so called God. Harmon said that he couldn't be convicted for war crimes so Glenda put a bullet in him, acting as judge, juror and executioner. Ares released the Ultimo virus that had been contoling Harmon and Glenda's rage allowed her to be infected.
James is later forced to team with Osborne to take on Ultimo. When it was over Osborn admitted that he only wanted to control Ultimo for himself. While injured War Machine battled against Osborn's team and eventually won. War Machine flew Ultimo into space to reprogram it. When they finished James smiled and let Osborn know he was toying with him to buy time for his team.
Osborn is an envious little asshole. He sent James to Hague to be tried for war crimes against humanity and event though he knew James wouldn't be convicted he payed to have the trial drag on as long as possible to keep James out of his hair. However Rhodes is a man and sends his lawyers away. He says what he has to say and waits in his cell to be sentenced instead of being strung along. His mother came to talk him out of this but he told her he was a man and was willing to face whatever fate awaited him. Did I mention his team had built a clone body for him to transfer his mind into so he didn't need the cybernetic limbs anymore but Osborn put a stop to this.
James
was attacked by all of the guards in the prison. Ares appeared claiming
that James was a "Champion" and fought next to him. Where was Tony?
Osborn was attempting to control the clone of James but when the real
James died saving a child from a car his memory transferred to the
clones body. James punched Osborn right in the mouth. The team had
another body for him that was way better and untainted by Osborn, which
he was transferred to. Team War Machine is pretty good, great team you've assembled. In the next few issues James will become Iron Man 2.0 after Tony dies or something crazy.
Abilities and Equipment
- War Machine Suit
- Anything Ironman can do with more guns.
- James is pilot
- Combat training with weapons and fist
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