Featuring: Iron Man
Release: September 8, 1966
Cover: December 1966
12 cents
Story: Stan Lee
Art: Gene Colan
Inking: Frank Giacoia
Lettering: Sam Rosen
12 pages
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| Tales of Suspense #83, Story B | Reading order | Tales of Suspense #84, Story B |
| Tales of Suspense #83, Story B | Tales of Suspense | Tales of Suspense #84, Story B |
SURVEY SHOWS THAT STARK AND IRON MAN NEVER SEEN AT THE SAME TIME TOGETHER
It’s been a year coming. Back in Tales of Suspense #72, Senator Harrington Byrd planned to summon Tony Stark to Washington to make him reveal Iron Man’s secrets, so the US military could use the technology. The following issue, he tried to confront Stark in his office with the summons, but found only Pepper. The next issue, he got Iron Man on the phone, and says he’ll come to New York with a subpoena unless Stark comes willingly to Washington. In the next issue, he made good on the threat and showed up with the subpoena at Stark offices, only to find Iron Man battling Happy, who had turned into the Freak. Once that resolved, he had police escort Stark to a car, to personally escort him to Washington. Only Tony Stark was transported from that car en route to DC, and found himself in Asia a prisoner of the Mandarin. Then Iron Man had to fight Mandarin and Ultimo. Only to return home and find all his factories shut down because he’d failed to answer the summons to Congress. He needed to recharge, rest, and deal with Namor. But finally he called Senator Byrd and agreed to come to Washington. And he did go to Washington. Only to be attacked by Titanium Man. With Titanium Man defeated, Stark should finally be able to appear before Congress a dozen issues after being summoned.
And here he is.
Ready to reveal the secrets of Iron Man.
Until he has a heart attack before the first question gets asked. How convenient.
Now his metal chest plate becomes public knowledge. People recall that he was wounded in Vietnam.
One person notes Stark’s money won’t help him now, apparently completely unaware of how America’s health care system works.
His secret identity hangs by a thread. Reporters are asking if he’s Iron Man. Papers are noting it’s odd they are never seen together.
So we do one of those things already common in superhero comics, some zany plot to throw people off the scent.
In fact, the very first time Superman and Batman met in 1952, Bruce had to disguise himself as Clark Kent to ease Lois’ suspicions.
So Happy arranges for Iron Man and Tony Stark to be seen together.
By putting on the armor himself.
But now Mandarin suspects Happy is Iron Man.
They literally just did this exact same plot with Daredevil. Foggy put on the Daredevil costume and made the Masked Marauder suspect he was Daredevil.
The story ends with Happy a prisoner of the Mandarin. This isn’t a clean pause point, but we will pause there anyway. There’s never really a clean pause point lately. They always like to introduce the next story arc at the end of the issue with a cliffhanger ending. So the Titanium Man/Congress story is done, and the next arc features the Mandarin. And we’ll get it it someday.
Will Tony ever testify before Congress?
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 53/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
I read this story in Iron Man Epic Collection vol. 2: By Force of Arms.
Characters:
- Tony Stark
- Senator Byrd
- Happy Hogan
- Pepper Potts
- Mandaarin
Story notes:
- Stark appears before Byrd’s Congressional Committee.
- Stark has heart attack before first question is asked.
- Some senators think he is faking the heart attack.
- Senators see Stark’s metal chest plate and recall he was wounded in Vietnam.
- Photographers take pictures of the collapsed Stark.
- Stark taken to hospital in DC.
- Happy and Pepper still in DC.
- Pepper realizes she never appreciated how injured Tony was.
- Happy realizes how much Pepper loves Tony.
- Stark well recovered when chest device repowered.
- Hospital room costs $100 per day.
- Reporters ask if he is Iron Man and he denies it.
- Headlines note Tony Stark and Iron Man never seen together.
- Happy arranges so Iron Man can be seen when Stark is in hospital.
- Mandarin now suspects Happy is Iron Man.
- Mandarin transports Happy in the Iron Man armor to him.
| Previous | #590 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Tales of Suspense #83, Story B | Reading order | Tales of Suspense #84, Story B |
| Tales of Suspense #83, Story B | Tales of Suspense | Tales of Suspense #84, Story B |
“We know people don’t really talk this way, but we wanna bring any newcomer up to date!”
Stan being self-aware of the verbose writing in these comics is funny.
Yep!