Featuring: Iron Man
Release: March 11, 1965
Cover: June 1965
12 cents
Written in the Marvel tradition of greatness by Stan Lee
Illustrated in the Marvel tradition of grandeur by Don Heck
Inked in the Marvel tradition of drama by Mickey Demeo
Lettered in the coziest corner of the room by Sam Rosen
12 pages
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| Sgt. Fury #18 | Reading order | Tales of Suspense #66, Story B |
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Stark is never around when you want him!
Due to circumstance, I lost the write-up for this particular story I had completed. I’m not a big fan of the Iron Man stories, and I was just unenthusiastic about writing this entry again. Please excuse me if I do a poorer job than usual. I just kind of want to get through this one.
In particular, I feel like I’d previously worked out where Attuma ranks in a particular metric, and I’m not sure I care to recompute it; I’ll just go off the top of my head and let somebody correct me if I’m wrong. Iron Man is the third distinct hero Attuma has fought, after facing the Fantastic Four and Giant-Man and the Wasp. I think that might be a record?
We have to define ‘distinct’ a bit carefully. I think fighting a hero and the team that hero is on should only count as one: Sandman fought both the solo Human Torch and the Fantastic Four; Loki fought both Thor and the Avengers.
With that caveat, Attuma is only the second villain to fight three distinct heroes. The first being Chameleon, who has faced Spider-Man, Iron Man (along with the Avengers), and Hulk.
Senator Byrd has never liked Stark, and always wants to see him fail. He’s here to observe a test of a new one-man submarine. Happy, always jealous of Pepper’s affection for Tony, thinks he can impress her by piloting it. When he is refused, he resigns.
While Stark seems cold to dismiss Happy, his thoughts reveal he was just afraid for his friend’s life on this experimental test.
They also reveal he pretends to be a playboy for his secret identity, much like Batman. In the first two issues, he really had been a playboy. He’s changed his ways, for the less interesting.
Attuma has a plan to conquer the surface world by moistening the air to make it suitable for Atlanteans but not humans.
Iron Man can only stop it by crashing his new sub into the gun. All Senator Byrd knows is the test was a failure.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆, 38/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
I read this story in The Invincible Iron Man Omnibus vol. 1.
Characters:
- Attuma
- Iron Man/Tony Stark
- Senator Byrd
- Pepper Potts
- Happy Hogan
Story notes:
- Senator Byrd wants to put Stark out of business.
- Byrd to observe tests of transistorized one-man submarine.
- Happy quits.
- Mini-sub maneuverable enough to out-run and out-flank torpedos; compact size gives it strength per cubc inch to withstand pressure; will be an invaluable scouting aid to the Navy.
- Armor oxygen supply lasts half hour under water.
- Attuma described as renegade from Atlantis
- Giant nautilum gun pointed at surface. Will moisten surface air enough for Atlanteans to breathe on surface, and humans will require oxygen masks.
| Previous | #354 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Sgt. Fury #18 | Reading order | Tales of Suspense #66, Story B |
| Tales of Suspense #65, Story B | Tales of Suspense | Tales of Suspense #66, Story B |
