War Machine • James "Rhodey" Rhodes
War Machine (James "Rhodey" Rhodes) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Jim Rhodes first appeared in Iron Man #118 (January 1979) by David Michelinie and John Byrne. The War Machine armor, which became his signature armored battlesuit, was created by Len Kaminski and Kevin Hopgood. James "Rhodey" Rhodes, from the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps who served tours of duty in Southeast Asia. A combat pilot, he was stranded in the jungle behind enemy lines after his helicopter was shot down by Viet Cong rocket fire. He encounters Iron Man, who escaped from Wong-Chu's prison camp in his prototype suit of powered armor, for the first time. Defeating the Viet Cong soldiers that ambushed them, Rhodes and Iron Man discovered an enemy rocket base that was the origin of the rocket fire that grounded Rhodes in the first place. Destroying the base with a stolen Viet Cong helicopter, Rhodes and Iron Man flew the helicopter back to the American defense perimeter.[12] At the base hospital in Saigon, Stark arrives in person to thank Rhodes for helping Iron Man and to offer Rhodes a job as his personal pilot. After the Vietnam War was over and after taking several career paths including mercenary work, Rhodes finally took Stark's offer and became Stark's personal pilot, chief aviation engineer for Stark International, and one of Stark's closest friends.
Abilities : Experienced soldier trained in armed & unarmed combat, Aviator & aviation engineering.
Weapon(s) : Armor grants : superhuman strength, supersonic flight at Mach 3, repulsors, Variety of offensive & defensive weapons including missiles & lasers.
Team : USMC, Stark Enterprises, Avengers, WC Avengers, Iron Legion, Worldwatch Incorporated, Secret Defenders, Force Works, The Initiative, Team War Machine, Secret Avengers, United States Department of Defense
