Review: Iron Man #30
- Rick Moore
- Nov 14
- 7 min read
Writer: Allyn Brodsky
Pencils: Don Heck
Inks: Chic Stone
Letterer: Jean Izzo
Editor: Stan Lee
Cover Art: Marie Severin & Bill Everett
Introduction
“Are you out of your mind, starting a new blog by reviewing a 55 year old comic book that no one either remembers or likes?”
I’m reviewing Iron Man #30 because that is where my collection of his comics started.
“But you hated that issue. You told everyone at the time - and I quote - that the story was ‘super-duper lame’ with art that was 'fingernails-on-chalkboard bad.' If that’s true, then why in the world is anyone going to want to read this post?”
Although these issues may leave something to be desired, I find them fertile ground for some engaging and hopefully enjoyable commentary. Essentially, it's my hope that everyone who checks it out has as much fun reading the post as I had writing it.
“But then you went political in this first review? Are you trying to alienate half your audience right out the gate?”
Of course not. And I didn’t actually take a political side with my review. What I’m doing is offering my thoughts on what I see as a missed opportunity in the story for the writer to more adequately express his political leanings.
“I still say you're playing with fire.”
I appreciate that, but…
Oh, this is embarrassing. You weren’t meant to see that. I was arguing with myself about this first post. You see, I’ve been working on this blog for months. I’ve already prepared over 40 reviews and I'm ready to publish this first one.
But the issue in question is something of a dud. To be honest, Iron Man #30 was so awful that it brought my back issue searches to a whiplash inducing halt.
What made it such a stinker?
I’ll get into the nuts and bolts as we go on, but simply put, we have a new, inexperienced writer attempting a story with his political leanings paired with an unpopular artist ill-suited to adequately illustrate such a story.
I could say more but instead let me invite you to join me as we unveil "The Menace of the Monster-Master!!"
Synopsis
If you ever want an Iron Man themed drinking contest -which I know is kind of tasteless based on later issues - go through his first volume and have a shot of whatever for every cover where his back is to the reader. Not sure even the strongest among us would make it to the first appearance of Thanos.
Anyway, we go from a sharp-looking Marie Severin cover to...yeah, I'm not sure what our hero's doing on this splash page. Artist Don Heck has some "Kirby Krackle" paired with a curved floor and pink walls.
Let's just move on since we've an entire comic to review.
It turns out that Iron Man is essentially showing off his armor and Tony Stark’s devices to a group of Japanese businessmen and investors. Most notable in this crowd is Professor Watanabe, his cute, but notably anti-American daughter Fujiko and her loyal, likeable fiancé Toru.
Turns out that there are strange “electro-magnetic emissions” coming from an island that they convince Iron Man to investigate - partly out of fear that said emissions are from the “Red Chinese.” Y'know...Commies! Out to destroy everything we cherish and hold dear. We're still a couple years from President Nixon's trip to Peking so I'll let hold my tongue for now.
Anyway, when Iron Man and company start to investigate said island, they attacked by…Zoga The Unthinkable! A gigantic flying creature who'd apparently failed to secure a role in a Godzilla movie. I'm guessing that in addition to a less then frightening design, the name "Unthinkable" probably didn't help. What's wrong with "Vicious?" "Terrifying?" "Ginormous?"
By the way, how did emissions so quickly evolve into a monster complete with a name and adjective?
Being an Iron Man story published before 1978, it’s mandated that he gets his back end handed to him in the first battle. Which is exactly what happens, forcing everyone to hightail it off the island as Zoga destroys their ship for good measure. Unfortunately, that really nice guy, Toru, is left behind, truly upsetting his lovely fiancé.
Sadly though, when they reach Tokyo, no one believes their story, leaving Tony Stark to come up with an idea to defeat the merciless monster. (See? Another word that's better than “unthinkable.”) As all this goes down, we learn that Zoga is actually a mechanical craft piloted by an evil mastermind in what had to be an incredibly hot and chafing wannabe samurai outfit who calls himself The Monster Master. And guess what? He’s doing business with what has to be a collection of …The Red Chinese!
Fortunately, the professor and Fujiko have good ol’ American know-how on their side with Iron Man ready for a rematch. Even better, nice guy Toru shows up alive, with only a few cuts and bruises. Sure. I completely buy all of that because he’s just so friendly.
Wait a minute. There are only four pages left in this comic book. Time to get things going! We have a couple pages of scared civilians and fighter planes being zapped by Zoga before Iron Man borrows a strategy from an old Johnny Quest cartoon by having a conveniently placed mirror turn the metal monstrosity’s own lasers against it! Yep. Instead of any of Iron Man’s myriad weapons, all it takes is a good shot of his own eye beams to send Zoga crashing to the ground and defeat. But there’s still half a page of comic book remaining! Time enough for the Monster Master to crawl out from the wreckage and reveal himself to be … Toru!
With what may be his final words, this really nice guy talks about how he was meant to rule and cleansing Japan of invaders. How silly! Can anyone imagine someone actually achieving political power with rhetoric referencing foreign invaders who... Never mind. Let's just move on.
Ratings
Story
Oh man. Where to start?
According to Marvel Masterworks Iron Man Volume 7, Marvel staffer Allyn Brodsky wanted to tell stories with a more "conservative" point of view. Nothing wrong with that as we do live in a world with many shades of grey that can lend themselves to intriguing stories about Japanese nationalism as well as the dynamics of China. This would have also been a potential opportunity to introduce an opponent who could have strengthened a less than striking Rogue's Gallery for Iron Man. Instead, we're presented with Japan being threatened by another silly monster and the true villain being an ally of the "Red" Chinese no less. At the risk of piling on, did no one in editorial have anything to say about wording like “unworthy life” and “honorable ancestors”?
I also can't help wondering just where Toru obtained the resources and hardware to create Zoga without Professor Wanabe, Fujiko or pretty much anyone being aware of it. For that matter, if he was truly talented enough to develop a flying machine capable of putting Iron Man through his paces, why attack his nation and create collateral damage? Toru could have established that very power base he sought through the sales of those weapons.
Again, so many directions to pursue with this story only to have Brodsky opt for what would have been a truly horrendous B-movie. 2/10
Art
I know that Don Heck has his fans and I fully respect his contributions to Marvel. That said, even as a kid starting to read comics, his artwork never appealed to me. He could tell a story, moving it from one panel to the next. He could draw attractive women and handsome heroes. But his sketchy, cartoony style seemed dated in an industry where art grew more sophisticated with each year. At the end of the day, instead of his images adding appeal to a story - even elevating a bad one - they worked against it.
His approach always seemed to me to a throwback to a Western or Romance comic strip you'd find in a newspaper. Anything but superheroes. It's also my understanding that he'd originally gotten into comics to draw Westerns but found a profession forever changed with the advent of the Silver Age.
Just to point out a good example of his shortcomings, check out the final two pages and 14 panels that I've included. Gimmicky resolution to Zoga or not, the impact of that laser and subsequent fall of the gigantic robot should have at least provided some artistic pyrotechnics. Either Buscema brother or Kirby (or most any other artist) would have eaten up a good portion of that page with the impact of said explosion. Instead, we have one tiny panel followed by a few flames on the next one.
Chic Stone’s bold lines did what they could. But this wasn’t exactly inking Jack Kirby’s pencils on early issues of the Fantastic Four either. 3/10
Wimp Factor
Although Iron Man starts the issue with a formidable display of power, this ranking quickly tumbles when his mighty repulsor rays fails to even scratch the paint on a mechanical dragon. If for whatever reason, the repulsors were a dud, then why didn’t Iron Man use any of his other weapons? I’d think that anything outside of his roller skates would have been at least worth a shot. Bottom line - this was definitely not a good look for our Golden Avenger. 7/10
Villain Rating
Have to say that the Monster Master looked at least somewhat imposing on the Severin-Everett cover, even though a scimitar should not really be considered a threat to someone in armor. But that was it. The guy only faced Iron Man with his dying breath. No fisticuffs and nary a strong debate. Ignoring that hideously dreadful costume, this guy doesn’t even merit a footnote in the Hall of Iron Man’s Lamest Villains. Only reason I’m even giving him a point on my scale is that his creation managed to keep Iron Man busy for a couple pages. 1/10
Overall Rating
Easily one of the worst issues of Iron Man. Ever. 2/10
Nuts & Bolts
Believe it or not, Professor Wanabe and Fujiko return from obscurity to appear in Iron Man #98. Not sure why writer Bill Mantlo brought them back as they didn’t seem to add much to that story. But at least I know I wasn’t the only one who actually read this monstrosity.
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