Featuring: Iron Man
Release: April 9, 1964
Cover: July 1964
12 cents
Written by: Friendly Stan Lee
Illustrated by: Faithful Don Heck
Lettered by: Fearless Art Simek
13 pages
For the second issue in a row, a comic I own in original form, because it was too hard to find the Watcher story in the back any other way.
The title is, “No one escapes the Mandarin!” Iron Man is currently a prisoner. Willing to bet money someone will escape the Mandarin by issue’s end. (In fact, someone will escape the Mandarin by page 3.)
I need everybody to agree on a couple points. Iron Man is a captive. He is tied up just like he was at the end of last issue. That’s the first point. The second is that he is wearing a different helmet than he was a moment ago. There is a clear lack of bolts down the face. Somebody explain.
Let’s talk about secret identities and how to keep them. Iron Man’s plan last issue was to come to the mansion as Tony Stark, hoping Mandarin would just let him in, then secretly change to Iron Man, hoping Mandarin didn’t notice Tony Stark had disappeared. Now, Iron Man hopes to take advantage of this, by reminding Mandarin Tony Stark is also in his castle.
Mandarin cannot find Stark anywhere and finds this not in the least bit suspicious.
We get one of those confusing page layouts with a vertical panel on the right. If you need to add arrows to direct the reader how to read your story, you’ve probably done something wrong. That said, as these things go, I think I’d have been fine without the arrow. My eyes naturally read the word balloons in the correct order.
We are officially on to April 1964 (that is, we’ve read all the March comics). Let’s take a quick peek at what the Distinguished Competition is offering this month. World’s Finest Comics #142 introduces the Composite Superman. Part Superman, part Batman, and with all the powers of the entire Legion of Superheroes!
Rating: ★★☆☆☆, 35/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
You can find the story in the Iron Man Epic Collection vol. 1 or Marvel Masterworks: The Invincible Iron Man vol. 2.
Characters:
- Mandarin
- Iron Man/Tony Stark
- Pepper Potts
- Foggy Nelson
Story notes:
- One ring seems to control the castle mechanisms that control the cables holding Iron Man.
- Recap of last issue.
- Mandarin had ray that pulled missiles down to him.
- Mandarin repeats the issue title.
- Happy filling in as executive. Happy designed howitzer.
- Tony notes how gorgeous Pepper looks.
#200 story in reading order <– That’s exciting
Next: Tales of Suspense #55, Story B
Previous: Tales of Suspense #54, Story C
