Featuring: Iron Man
Release: April 12, 1966
Cover: July 1966
12 cents
Drama-drenched script by: Stan Lee
Power-packed pencilling by: Gene Colan
Fantasy-filled inking by: Jack Abel
Twelve pages of lettering by: Artie Simek
12 pages
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| Tales to Astonish #81, Story B | Reading order | Tales of Suspense #79, Story B |
| Tales of Suspense #78, Story B | Tales of Suspense | Tales of Suspense #79, Story B |
Sometimes I feel as though this iron head shield actually has a life of its own! I find myself thinking of Iron Man as someone else– almost as if it’s a separate entity– as though we’re really two men!
This is all getting confusing (to me, at least). Hulk has just escaped from the subterranean realm where Mole Man and Tyrannus were at war. The Secret Empire have employed Boomerang to steal the Orion Missile. Phase 1 of his plan was to kidnap Betty Ross. To save Namor, Dorma agreed to marry Krang. Namor only knows half this story, and ruthlessly pursues Dorma and Krang to the surface. Nick Fury recently teamed up with Captain America against Them. Fury suspects Them is connected to the supposedly benign scientific organization called AIM. Iron Man was kidnapped by Mandarin and brought to the Orient to fight Ultimo. He thus missed his summons to Congress, and has had his contracts revoked, factories closed, finances impounded, while a warrant has been placed for his arrest. This is all thanks to the zealous Senator Byrd. Before his factories were closed, Stark Industries was able to create a special suit for Colonel John Jameson, infected by space spores.
Of course, lots of other stuff is happening around the Marvel Universe, but that’s the most relevant for the next several issues.
We find Tony on the edge of collapse, recent events being a strain on his heart.
He’s in need of a charge.
Pepper and Happy are both not home. Are they out together? Tony is jealous.
Iron Man seeks help from the Avengers, but finds them not at home. There are a lot of reasons the Avengers might be not at home, but the editor’s note points us to the events of Avengers #29.
Largely following the lead of Marvels, we pushed ahead in Avengers to have them down in South America when Galactus attacked. Except for the editor’s note, it’s reasonable to assume they just aren’t yet back from South America when Iron Man visits.
This may have been a mistake on my part, or that of Marvels. But I prefer to suggest the mistake lies with the editor’s note. Nothing about Avengers #29 explains why they are so unavailable. They are still in New York dealing with Black Widow, so wouldn’t have needed to be away from the mansion for long. Whereas issues 30-31 perfectly explain why they wouldn’t be home for Iron Man, and why they wouldn’t be around for Galactus. This has the added effect of coinciding the Galactus story with Iron Man being in China during the Galactus attack. So everything fits together except the editor’s note.
Also, Namor is about to show up, which ties this into the web of stories involving Namor, Hulk, Captain America, Nick Fury, and the Secret Empire and AIM. It’s much easier on my sanity to try to put this web after the Galactus saga rather than before or during.
So I’ve made the call to ignore the editor’s note in my notion of the timeline and in my reading order.
In determining canon, what I read on the page takes precedence over the editor’s notes, though I’d prefer to be consistent with the editor’s notes when I can.
Back to Tony’s brooding, he’s now brooding by the Waterfront when Krang attacks him. Krang attacks because… well just because.
Now Namor shows up and he and Iron Man are probably going to fight. Because.
The confrontation continues next issue, but first we’ll finish this issue with the Captain America feature.
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 53/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
I read this story in Iron Man Epic Collection vol. 2: By Force of Arms.
Characters:
- Tony Stark/Iron Man
- Krang
- Dorma
- Namor
Story notes:
- Stark notes the irony that Iron Man is hailed as a hero while he, Tony Stark, is hated.
- Stark’s money impounded by courts; factories shut down; warrant out for his arrest for failing to appear before Byrd’s congressional committee
- Stark is weak from battle with Ultimo and his finances put a strain on his heart.
- He needs to put on his Iron Man suit to protect his heart.
- Stark is ready to tell Pepper his secret identity if necessary.
- Tony had tried to make her hate him to forget her romantic interest and go out with Happy, but now he needs her.
- Temporary charger in attache case will help, but he needs access to his lab for full strength.
- Pepper isn’t home anyway; Stark deduces she is on a date and jealous. Happy also not home.
- Iron Man considers surrendering to the Committee as Iron Man; but it’s Stark they want.
- Iron Man passes Joan of Arc statue near Waterfront.
- Iron Man is brooding near where Krang and Dorma emerge to the surface. Krang thinks he can win Dorma’s love by defeating Iron Man.
- Dorma tries to stop Krang from murdering Iron Man.
- Krang’s ship fires twin-bolt alpha beam blast.
- Krang retreats.
- Enter Namor.
| Previous | #567 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Tales to Astonish #81, Story B | Reading order | Tales of Suspense #79, Story B |
| Tales of Suspense #78, Story B | Tales of Suspense | Tales of Suspense #79, Story B |
And one of the BEST Kirby action stories of ridiculously violent comics stuff, is about to begin!
11-year old Chet is about to fall out of his chair when he turns to page three of the next issue!
Guess I better make sure to include Page 3 in the post then…
Can’t help myself. Whenever I reread that story, I immediately become 11 years old again. When there was no advance notice that Gene Colan would draw, plot, and pace the story. So I was already primed to enjoy it.
…And then I turned the page and Iron Man blasted his repulsor rays right into my face! Iron Man had never looked so terrifying or dangerous!
I don’t think I started breathing again until I finished the first story and had to read it again. Kirby had made the darn thing come to life.
Sixth grade wasn’t going to be nearly as exciting as this.
Though your reference to Kirby makes me wonder if you might be mixing up Tales of Suspense #80 with Tales to Astonish #82, the third chapter in this Iron Man/Namor brawl, which Kirby filled in on.
I think this is where continuity starts to get complicated; but it’s also when it’s most satisfying to read the chronological order, because the different comics seem more connected than ever. It’s interesting considering DC didn’t have these kinds of connections back then. I like to imagine that, while Galactus is attacking the city, Tony is on the verge of collapse and without access to any of his factories to help.
That’s an interesting theory. I tend to go with in China battling Ultimo, but he could be back in America in need of a charge.