Raiders (comics)

The Raiders first feature in the title Iron Man,[1] when they suddenly appear during a technology trade show and cause property damage until the arrival of the hero Iron Man. The trio skirmish with Iron Man for a moment, with one of the Raiders using acid to damage the hero's armor. During a second battle at a live boxing match, Iron Man defeats all three Raiders. The trio are revealed to be the employees of Edwin Cord, a corporate rival of Tony Stark (Iron Man's alter ego). Cord knew that Iron Man, as Stark's bodyguard, would follow him to the trade show, and used this opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of the Raider suits for covert organisation S.H.I.E.L.D. The character, however, is arrested by S.H.I.E.L.D agents for his irresponsible actions.

The Raiders reappear, with upgraded suits, during the Armor Wars storyline in the title Iron Man. Tony Stark discovers his armor designs have been stolen and decides to retrieve or neutralize the technology, leading to a brief confrontation with the Raiders, in which their suits are rendered defunct.[2]

The Raiders were later part of an army of armor-wearing mercenaries hired to attack Stark Enterprises.[3]

The characters reappear in the second volume of The Invincible Iron Man and confront Iron Man once again.[4]

Each of the Raider suits provide the wearer with greater durability and flight, and offer varying weapons systems. "Raider 1" is equipped with wristbands that can generate bullets; acid and lasers; "Raider 2" is equipped with a net capable of syphoning energy and a protective shield that absorbs energy attacks and "Raider 3" has two wrist weapons that project and amplify sonic waves in concentrated form.