Review: Iron Man #40
- Rick Moore
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
George Tuska to the Rescue!
... is not a sentence I ever expected myself to write. To be completely honest, Issue #40 is not one of his better efforts. Inker Jim Mooney dumps about two gallons of ink beyond what’s really needed. That said, after the debacle of poor Herb Trimpe’s uber-rush job in the previous issue, this might as well be John Byrne and Terry Austin firing on all cylinders.
Unfortunately, this leaves writer Gerry Conway absolutely nowhere to hide as we can now divert much more of our attention to this absolute disaster of a story. The guy’d set himself up for some serious work to put this derailed train back on its tracks.
We had the White Dragon - a villain on a mission to restore honor by having Tony Stark build a weapon that would blow up the UN. The accomplishment of this feat would prove to both the father of Shara-Le, the cute Asian woman at his side, as well as some mysterious council that he wasn’t a coward. We ended the last issue with said evildoer learning that Tony Stark is Iron Man! Along with that startling revelation, we’re promised answers to why the White Dragon is called the White Dragon and just who is this mysterious council?
Do we find out?
You’ll have that answer at the end of our "Night Walk".
Credits
Writer: Gerry Conway
Pencils: George Tuska
Inks: Jim Mooney
Letterer: Artie Simek
Cover Art: George Tuska
Release Date: May 4, 1971
Synopsis
Following a less than assertive Iron Man on the cover, we open with a somber Kevin O’Brien staring at a wild-eyed Tony Stark who's babbling about dreams, splitting eggshells and a speaking dragon. As Kevin drags his boss to his private office - somehow avoiding detection that would spoil the beans on his secret identity, we check in on Marianne Rodgers.
Returning after taking the last two issues off, the lovely blonde awakens with a premonition that Tony Stark is in deep doo-doo. Although she’s apparently sworn to never see him again, Marianne just has to call to see if he’s all right.
Her timing is good as Kevin’s just reached Stark’s office when the phone rings. Visibly annoyed, he tells Marianne that Tony Stark is at a some drinking party, referring to her as a crazy woman when he hangs up. This is the second time he’s been dismissive of Ms. Rodgers. Something he’s gonna regret down the road. Just sayin’.
Once Tony Stark works his way out of his delirium, he asks Kevin to get Nick Fury on the phone.
As this connection is made, we then see the White Dragon and the lovely but clearly working with her own less than angelic agenda Shara-Lee, viewing an image of Tony Stark’s video communication with Nick Fury. We know this is the SHIELD Director only because of the eyepatch. He looks nothing like Fury we’re used to seeing - no gray whatsoever. Blame it on Rogaine, the Infinity Formula or a careless colorist. Anyway, he ain’t none too happy to learn that Tony Stark’s backing out of a planned speech to the United Nations.
Not the largest concern on Tony’s mind as he’s starting to add two plus two, realizing that the last thing he clearly remembers is driving towards the East River. That means it’s back into the armor so that George Tuska can draw a cool shot of Iron Man “swooshing” into the night sky!
Our attention is then turned to Davina and Kreol. I haven’t mentioned them before, but they’re sorta kinda the top two flunkies for the White Dragon who stand out only through their continual heated bickering. You'd think that someone would notice all their hostility and either schedule a mediation to resolve the issues or just reassign one of them. It has to be awkward to be in the same room with them once they get going.
Anyway, in between snide comments and death threats, they prepare a nuclear bomb that is to go off when the UN convenes for Tony Stark’s big speech. Which is cause for celebration aboard the ginormous sub that no one notices in the East River. That is until another flunky informs White Dragon that the meeting has been cancelled.
Whoa. Time out!. Wasn’t White Dragon eavesdropping on Fury and Stark’s little chat? If so, didn’t he hear Tony tell Nick that he couldn’t make it? And if that video was only a visual feed, then how did this flunky learn that the meeting was cancelled? And what about…never mind.
White Dragon and his deceptive honey are monologuing, letting us know that they took control of Tony Stark’s mind so that he’d design a weapon that would fail and/or blow up at this UN meeting. But if they can get Iron Man closer to their monster sub, they can again take over his mind and have him plant that nuclear bomb to blow up the United Nations! Time to send out more flunkies to bring Iron Man within range! Yeah, that’s gonna work.
A panel or two later finds Iron Man finds attacked by several dudes in dark armor, all giving him far more trouble than they really should. Fortunately, before another superhero can see Iron Man embarrassing himself, a flying craft knocks him into the river.
From there, Iron Man turns his undivided attention to the gargantuan underwater vessel, blasting it just as Shara-Le’s ready to detonate the nuclear device. Talk about perfect timing!
Our hero makes his way inside just in time for our resident Bad Girl to rant about how this was all her diabolical scheme and that the poor White Dragon was just a pawn. But wait! One of their viewscreens, shows Stark Industries engulfed in huge explosion! Shara-Le gloats as a clearly distressed Iron Man immediately departs the sub! Good thing too. White Dragon has hit his daily quota of humiliation, deciding the key to self-respect is the self-destruct button - thereby removing himself, his now ex and any remaining flunkies from the stage.
Before Iron Man reaches the factory, we peek in one final time on Marianne Rodgers, who somehow knows that somehow, Tony is safe and wondering why she keeps thinking of him. I'm tempted to say that its because he's handsome, charming and filthy, stinking rich. It's either that or Gerry Conway has plans for her in future issues.
As for that horrific explosion, we learn that Kevin O'Brien faked it! (I guess we can add special effects expertise to his resume.) With that, Iron Man puts an arm on Kevin’s shoulder so that they can stride off into the sunset.
As for the big questions we were told that would be answered in this story? Not a word. But while we're asking, what about that Transcriber lodged in Tony Stark’s brain? Was it ever removed? And, not that it really matters, but what about that nuclear bomb? Is that something you’d want to leave on the floor of the East River?
Ratings
Story
That consistency was not a solid trait of Gerry Conway at this early stage of his career is put on full display with this issue. We can start with the myriad of unanswered questions about the White Dragon's origins, Shara-Le's daddy and that mysterious council. But that's only part of it.
Along with the unanswered questions lingering throughout this comic, we also have Marianne Rodgers. She starts out as a pretty rebound for Tony’s wounded ego in #36. Then she’s the captive of the alien bad guy in the next issue. Then nothing until this issue with her going from calling out despairingly for Tony to saying she never wants to see him again. Now Marianne has premonitions? Perfect example of making it up as you go.
In terms of actual writing, that was some painful purple prose with Tony Stark’s delusions. Then there’s the stereotypical and demeaning terms used by the White Dragon’s staff. That wasn’t cool even in 1971. Nor can I say I was overly impressed with his nearly cartoony depiction of Shara-Le. If the White Dragon couldn’t see through her shallow deceptions, then I’d skip calling him a coward and instead focus on “imbecile”.
I still don’t really know why Conway didn’t just use The Mandarin for this story. He’s a clearly established Asian powermonger with a ring that controls minds. He’s also much more of a credible threat to Iron Man than the occupants of this oversized clown car. Best guess on my part is that the Mandarin made it clear to all involved that he would employ his disintegration ring on anyone who attempted to tie him into any of this two-issue monstrosity.
But hey, at least we were spared any references to Tony’s bad heart! 2/10
Art
I don’t consider “Night Walk” one of Tuska’s more inspired efforts. Too many badly rendered panels with too many of his tendencies work against the overall art. Nor do I believe that Jim Mooney is the best inker for his pencils.
But, in my opinion, this is only the third issue in a year’s time where the art does not distract us from the story. 4/10
Wimp Factor
A mixed bag as a handful of goons makes life difficult for our hero. On the other hand, he does blow up a mini sub as well as disable the Monster Sub. All with what had to be a nasty migraine headache. 6/10.
Villain Rating
Not much of a chance that anyone on the wrong side of the law in this issue is going to wind up in any MCU project now or ever. No superpowers on the part of the White Dragon or his lovely, but unfaithful partner. The dudes in armor did put our hero through his paces. But they really shouldn’t have. As for Devina and Kreol, I’m beginning to understand why Iron Man blew up their sub. 2/10
Overall Rating
A truly weak story with competent art. Call it 3/10.
Additional Nuts & Bolts
Please tell me that no one's surprised or disappointed that we never again hear so much as a whisper about either Shara-Le or the White Dragon. That’s what you get for learning Tony’s secret identity in your first appearance!
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