He would then form a team of superheroes called "The Crew." The team consisted of The White Tiger, Junta, and Josiah X, the son of the 1940’s super-soldier Isaiah Bradley, the black Captain America. While investigating the death of his sister Jeanette, he learned the company was corrupt, using their resources to fuel gangs and drugs. Rhodes had heavily invested in Grace & Tumbalt due to their stated purpose of improving urban ethnic neighborhoods. He would take a break from heroics for a while, Rhodes founded his own marine salvage company, but an extravagant lifestyle and an unscrupulous accountant left him bankrupt. Upon Stark and the other heroes' return from Counter-Earth, the two renewed their friendship, also dealing with the new War Machine, Parnell Jacobs. Rhodes gave up his superhero career and started his own salvage company. To prevent Stark's armor technology from being misused, he used the abilities of the Eidolon Warwear armor to erase all trace of Stark's designs from the Fujikawa systems, but the armor was destroyed in the process. When Stark died during a battle with Kang The Conqueror, Rhodes rejoined Stark Enterprises to protect his old friend's legacy. The black, orange and green battlesuit was an organic partner that sensed Rhodey's heroic nature and drew him near so that it could organically bond with him. The Eidolon Warwear System was a gift from unknown aliens who apparently wished to give the world a defender for Earth's coming battle with Kang The Conqueror. It was during a fishing trip, trying to relax, that an alien race came to Rhodey and bonded him with the symbiotic alien suit, known as the Eidolon Warwear. Rhodes killed Grinz to prevent Raedar from being born the resulting paradox shunted Rhodes and Joseph back to their own time, It was then that James Rhodes lost the War Machine Armor and was forced to retire from the superhero business. Rhodes learned that Grinz was supplied by his own son, Raeder. Time Wars Rhodey as War Machineĭuring the Time Wars, James Rhodes traveled back to World War II with Sheva Josephs to stop Grinz, a Nazi officer who was receiving advanced technology from the future. The team itself disbanded a short while later. Things took a bad turn after Mockingbird's death, and War Machine ended up resigning from the Avengers in anger due to his then-ongoing feud with Tony Stark. As an Avenger, he combated such foes as Doctor Demonicus and the Pacific Overlords, and took part in the fateful battle against Satannish and the Lethal Legion. Years later, Rhodes returned to the team as War Machine. He left the group after Stark reclaimed the Iron Man identity, but briefly returned to assist the team when Quicksilver framed both groups of Avengers for treason.
Major Story Arcs West Coast Avengers War Machine as an AvengerĪs Iron Man, Rhodes helped found the Avengers West Coast, and was present during the group's battle with Graviton. James Rhodes first became War Machine in Iron Man Vol.1 issue 284. The War Machine armor first appeared in a cameo in Iron Man Vol.1 issue 281 and fully in Iron Man Vol. James Rhodes was created by Bob Layton and David Michelinie and first appeared in Iron Man Vol.1 issue 118 (1979). James Rhodes took up the mantle of Iron Man for some time, and would return to using this suit.
When Tony relapsed into his alcoholism, James Rhodes took over the Variable Threat Response Battle Suit (War Machine). As a result, he had numerous adventures with his employer where his daring and skills were valuable assets.
James Rhodes becoming Iron manĪfter the end of the Vietnam War, Stark, who had secretly become the superhero named Iron Man, offered Rhodes a job as his personal pilot, and Rhodes soon became one of Stark's closest associates and confidants as well as Stark Industries' chief aviation officer. Together, Rhodes and Stark made their way to a nearby enemy base where they stole another helicopter, flying it back to the American lines. At that moment the Viet Cong attacked, and Stark, in his suit, helped to drive them off. Rhodes' helicopter had been shot down by Viet Cong rocket fire, and while trying to get the aircraft airborne again, he encountered Stark in a bulky prototype suit of powered armor. He first met Tony Stark while flying combat missions in Vietnam. James Rupert Rhodes was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.