When nearly all else has failed - and it certainly HAS failed, here - it's always acceptable to go back to the drawing board and bring back a few old success stories - in this case, Master Darque. I considered not wrecking it, but the comic has already successfully done that. Even though MD and XO never really had serious interaction, the character was always the most iconic of the villains - and with Jack gone, it makes sense here. Notice how I am successfully avoiding the comic and its descriptions? That's because it's dreck. You can feel the comic becoming a bad Batman episode with its over-reliance on the sound effects and silliness. Junk. Junk. Junk.
Return of the Melter.
So, Tony is quickly insecure about Pepper, eh? And off to his old philandering ways. At least the comic feels a bit more again. It isn't great yet, but it is closer than the last few issues - Tony's got an unrealistically high income, he's out with a different girl, and Melter escapes. The Melter is at best a dull villain - but he is a pain in the neck. The Cap story? Brings back the old Red Skull - of course. Was it ever any doubt? Does he have any other good villains? And wait. BUCKY'S ALIVE? Of course not. Another robot fashioned in the EXACT likeness, right? Sigh.
Getting closer.
But Tales is still better. Only not by much anymore.