Review: Iron Man #45

My First Issue of Iron Man Has Tony Stark Popping the Question!

They say that every issue is a first issue for someone. For me, it was tumbling into a rather complicated mess of a story where new writer Gary Friedrich, attempts to remove the wreckage left from the previous one.

It's a task that will require one more issue to complete.

In the meantime, the drama is amped up with protesting students, board room shenanigans, best buddy betrayals and ...

Tony Stark proposing to someone he met only nine issues back?

Yep. Less than ten issues after having met Marianne Rodgers, the stunning blonde with troubling ESP powers and who just two issues ago sought his destruction as the Demon Queen has become that special person that he just cannot live without!

Clearly, she's proof that “Beneath the Armor Beats a Heart!

Meet Simon Gilbert. When he’s not planning a hostile takeover, you’ll find him on the playground, stealing candy from small children.

Credits

Writer: Gary Friedrich

Pencils:  George Tuska

Inks:  Vince Colleta

Letterer:  Art Simek

Editor:

Cover Art:  Gil Kane, Frank Giacoia & John Romita

Release Date: November 30, 1971

Synopsis

Considering everything that happens in this issue, I’d have to call all of it "Tony Stark's Really Busy Day."  We start with him getting his armored rear end handed to him by an android version of the Night Phantom - winning 1971's award for the villain absolutely no one wanted to see again.  Adding to his misery, Tony’s beloved Marianne Rodgers won’t leave his side.  That means she gets to witness his embarrassing performance up close and personal.  Fortunately, she throws him a lifeline, professing that she knows his secret identity and doesn’t care. 

Am I the only one to notice that Marianne’s changed clothes since last issue? That cute skirt probably didn’t work as well for this scene.

That's all our guy need to hear. A flick of a switch and now his armor has more than enough power to trash the Night Phantom with a single ray blast into the gaping hole in the android’s chest.  (Kinda have to wonder just how challenging that android was with a dozen wires dangling from it’s chest?) 

Now that everything's out in the open, I’ve no idea why Tony doesn’t just lift that face plate and take Marianne into his arms and put that chest plate through it's paces.  But that would deny George and Vince a couple pages to devote to date prep with Tony taking a shower and Marianne looking rather hot in her undies.

Unfortunately, poor Tony can’t buy a break.  We learn that a chubby guy named Simon Gilbert is rallying Stark Industries’ Board of Directors to issue a “no confidence” vote against him with the idea that Gilbert would then take over the corporation.  Apparently, this is based on poor working relations with the Pentagon - which is news to all of us loyal readers.

As if all this wasn’t enough to ruffle Tony’s night, we still have Kevin O’Brien panting like a hound dog in heat after Marianne Rodgers.  Poor guy is now considering how he could use his Guardsman armor to kill Iron Man, secure in the knowledge that once that task had been accomplished, Marianne would simply leap into his awaiting arms.   

Oblivious to the Mt. Vesuvius of brewing trouble, Tony’s ready to pop the question to Ms. Rodgers only to instead receive a telegram about the “no confidence” vote.  Just as he’s processing that bit of sour tidings, Marianne comes in, leading to what has to be the very worst marriage proposal ever uttered in any comic book.  Only thing to make it worse

Amazing how they both have pictures of each other in their bathrooms.

would be if it were witnessed by the increasingly batshit-nuts Kevin O’Brien.  Which is exactly what happens.

That’s all it takes for him to don the Guardsman armor and make a beeline to Simon Gilbert and his cringing cronies.  This is also when the student protesters appear, declaring Stark Industries to be a “death factory.”

Being a lousy night and now engaged to a woman who's powers only bring bad news, Marianne tells her fiancé that he needs to go his factory. Which he does - about one minute after Kevin’s fired the repulsors from his armor on several protesters - apparently killing them.

Not sure why Kevin’s watching all of this, but if nothing else, that embarrassing proposal would rattle the strongest wills.

The guilt that immediately sweeps over Kevin is wiped away when Gilbert compliments him, letting him know that he'll be the new Iron Man once Tony Stark and his bodyguard are out of the way. 

That's the final nudge to push poor Kevin off the deep end as he attacks an Iron Man. Of course, the protesters pick that moment to return, leaving our hero no choice but to blast Kevin’s armor in an apparent weak spot, doing what he really should’ve done much earlier.  Tony’s also determined that the new armor has somehow warped Kevin’s mind - something that probably should have been considered before giving him that suit.

Unfortunately, just as a riot erupts outside, we've run out of pages.

But we are promised more about the riot, Marianne and the Guardsman in our next issue!

That brick really shouldn’t have any impact on Iron Man. But we’re only a few issues from a snake giving him a hard time

Story

I would be interested to know just how much leeway Gary Friedrich had with Iron Man.  Most of his work at Marvel tended to fall under the radar - although Friedrich is one of the creators of the Ghost Rider.  I’m wondering if he was told that he’d only write this issue and the next?  Or did he believe he was here to stay?  I ask that because without giving anything away, he does bring closure to one storyline but certainly opens up another with Tony’s proposal to Marianne.

I don’t believe Iron Man’s armor at maximum power could approach the speed Tony and Marianne’s romance has taken.  Just four issues ago, Marianne wasn’t sure she even liked the guy.  Frankly, until this issue, I don’t believe we’ve even seen them kiss.  

Regardless, my biased mind views his work as a step up over the previous writers.  Sure, the everything is overly dramatic, but that was essentially the case for Marvel comics of that era.  Student protesters and backroom hijinks also fit nicely into Tony Stark’s world.  Although not clearing the highest of bars, this is the best written issue since I started my reviews with #30.    5/10  

Just a suggestion, but maybe next time you don't select someone who's a but unstable to wear one of your suits of armor.

Art 

A number of panels I've included from this issue remain etched in my mind from decades ago.  At the same time, it didn’t take long for me to also pick up a certain “sterility” to the art, where it seemed some edges has been eliminated, making the overall art a little too “clean.”  Years later, I learned this was inker Vince Coletta's doing so that he could turn in more pages, making more money.

That’s an issue, but not a major one as I still believe Coletta’s inks are a much better fit for George Tuska than any of the inkers on previous issues we’ve reviewed.  Another solid job on the art.  6/10 

Wimp Factor

Is this the third or fourth issue in a row where Iron Man’s had to “flip a switch” for more power.  What happens when a decent villain comes along who doesn't allow him a “time out”?  Then there’s the nonsense with his heart.  Telling the woman you love that you could “go at any time” is not exactly a way to seal the deal.  Factor into all of this that it took too many panels for Iron Man to knock out an inexperienced opponent when he already knew exactly what he needed to do and the Wimp Factor is going to rank pretty high.  9/10

Villain Rating

Once Iron Man hit the “reset” button, the poor android Night Phantom lasted barely a page - six panels.  Not a feat that will land him in the Hall of Fame for Iron Man Villains. 3/10.  That leaves us with poor, “gone-around-the-bend” Kevin.  His Guardsman armor qualifies him as an opponent.  But with what’s clearly an inferior design, that threat level is minimal at best.  4/10

Give Marianne a panel for drama and she'll gobble up the entire page!

Overall Rating

A busy issue with lots of moving parts as well as a sentimental favorite from my youth.  That moves it up the ladder to 5/10.

Additional Nuts & Bolts

• Without spilling too many beans, Simon Gilbert’s time in Iron Man is limited, but let’s just say he has connections that will continue into this series for the next several years.

• The “Kent State” reference really caught my attention as a kid when I read this.  That was a riot that occurred on May 4, 1970 when the National Guard opened fire on students protesting the Viet Nam War, killing four and wounding nine others.  

• This issue had two characters calling out for God’s immediate intervention.  First it was Marianne’s actions when she thought her lover had been killed.  Then, a few pages later, Kevin drops to his knees, begging that the Almighty drive his lustful and vengeful thoughts from his mind. Did the writer have some serious penance to address? 

Bye bye, Mr. Kline! You won’t be missed. (Daredevil #84 Art: Gene Colan)

• Another facet of Iron Man #45 is that it serves as the final appearance of the infamous Mr. Kline.  Short version - he was an android sent from the future to change history to prevent certain events from occurring.  For reasons not fully explained, this would be accomplished by messing with Daredevil and Iron Man.  Writer Gerry Conway confesses that “I don’t recall what I intended when I introduced him.”  I appreciate his honesty.  Despite good intentions, it seems this falls under the category of a young writer “Making It Up” as he went along, going from real villains to androids with conflicting orders and expectations.  For a much more comprehensive and thoroughly enjoyable review of this chain-smoking baddie, I invite you to check out this post on "Attack of the 50 Year Old Comic Books."  Don’t hesitate to check out other posts on this excellent blog as well!

In today’s comics, this conversation would’ve taken place in a bed. But under the Comics Code of Authority, it’s fully clothed cuddling on the couch.