Review: Iron Man #48

Onward & Upward to...Mediocrity?

Does anyone remember that scene from “Dirty Dancing” where the dorky grandson of the resort owner tells Patrick Swayze that he wants to change things for the big dance during the final evening?  Remember how Patrick Swayze’s character is bursting forth with a multitude of ideas only to have this schmuck swat them all down, instead wanting only the most insignificant of revisions to their musical number?

I bring that up because in my mind, I envision a similar conversation between incoming Editor-In-Chief Roy Thomas and new Iron Man writer Mike Friedrich.  I’m wondering if Thomas, after seeing this series nearly bite the dust, is telling the new writer that he wants to shake things up for this title.  If so, does Friedrich, coming in from several years on books like the JLA, offer exciting new ideas to take Iron Man where it’s never gone before.  And if that occurred, did Thomas assume that same demeanor as that dweeb, shooting all of it down, saying, “By the way, Mike, I want Firebrand to become Iron Man’s main enemy for the duration of your run.”

Yeah, I know.  It probably didn’t happen that way.  But I have to wonder because instead of a new beginning that takes this amazing character to new heights, allowing him to fulfill an untapped potential, we have thirty issues of … mediocrity. Nothing as bad as White Dragon or Demetrious. But a lot of "meh."

Tony Stark must have one helluva air conditioner inside that armor!

Art wise, with a few breaks, George Tuska continues drawing the pictures to go along with Mike Friedrich’s words.  That means a style akin to black licorice - which you either like or you don’t. Overall, it's competent, consistent storytelling. But nothing that ever approaches any of Marvel’s “A-Team” of pencillers.

Hence, mediocrity.  

But I’m getting way ahead of myself.  Let’s put on our protective gear as we experience “The Fury & The Inferno.”

Credits

Writer: Mike Friedrich

Pencils: George Tuska  

Inks: Vince Coletta

Letterer:  Jon Costa

Editor: Stan Lee

Cover Art: Gil Kane & Vince Coletta

Release Date: April 4, 1972

Synopsis

Bad Kane!  Bad Kane!

I do like that splash page! Take a bow, George Tuska!

Here I go singing your praises for a string of eye-grabbing covers - which this book sorely needed at the time! - and then you have our hero looking like a melted candle under the onslaught of a guy who can’t even keep himself inside your framed background.

Sure, it makes a great visual.  And I understand artistic license.  But if Firebrand’s generating enough heat to do what's shown on that cover, then Tony Stark would be so much bacon underneath that armor.  

With that off my chest, we turn our attention from the cover to an impressive splash page with our hero telling the world at large that he’s mad as hell and not going to take it anymore!  That determination has him remove the armor and pay a long overdue visit to his company's board president, Simon Gilbert.

As that walking pile of canine feces offers a distorted recap of recent issues, Tony cuts to the chase, reminding everyone that since he owns the majority of stock, he’s still the guy in charge and that he expects all their resignations ASAP.  Gotta say it’s refreshing to see Tony Stark actually behave like a corporate CEO. 

Yeah, that is a lot of dialogue, but the look on Simon Gilbert's face? Worth it!

Unfortunately, our guy blabs that he's off to check out a munitions plant in the Midwest.  This plants a bad seed in the fuming Simon Gilbert who then hires the guy on the cover to blow up said plant.

The two meet with Firebrand makes his dramatic entrance, blowing up a trash can in front of Gilbert before launching into his backstory, including tales of an abusive father and his decision that violence was the only path to change.  The villain adds that after he had his ass handed to him by Iron Man, he made upgrades to his weapons that make him the rival of the Human Torch.  Yeah, right.

As all this goes on, Marianne's worried about her fiancé who's had two more drinks than normal.  Can't disagree with that.   Worse, a tensed-up Tony has them leave the party, with him actually getting behind the wheel, scaring the bejesus out of her with his speeding!  It gets worse.  Tony is then pulled over by the cops who let him off with a warning.

Welcome to 1972.  In those days, the Comics Code of Authority made doggone certain that Tony and Marianne had separate hotel rooms in DC and only kissed on panel.  But it was a-okay for him to drive after what appeared to be several martinis.  This is before MADD and other advocacy groups put much-needed pressure on lawmakers about drunk driving. 

Definitely a troubling image for anyone who's read Iron Man after 1978.

An untimely call about Firebrand's attack prevents our hero from finally breaking down over Kevin's death as he quickly goes "heavy metal."

I’m also going to take the liberty of assuming that Tony’s at least a bit inebriated as he heads off to cross swords with Firebrand.  Although I doubt that was the writer’s intention, frankly, it’s the only explanation I have for what we see in the following pages.

Failure to perform? Hey, it happens to everyone eventually.

After testing each other out when they meet, the stakes ramp up once Firebrand fuses Iron Man's repulsors with a heat blast.

Further demonstrating a lack of mental acuity, Firebrand blasts the flooring beneath our hero, sending him down and providing him time to fix said weaponry.  As for our guy, I’m going to blame the booze for making him forget that he actually any number of other weapons that should put away said troublemaker with minimal fuss.  And wouldn’t you know, Iron Man’s repulsors come back to life in time to zap Firebrand.  

Watching all of this, Simon Gilbert decides to take matters into his own hands by planting a bomb that will accomplish his desired goal.  Why he didn’t just do that to start with, you’re wondering?  Join the club.  Anyway, after setting the timer for said explosive device, Tony Stark’s worst Board of Director hire ever is buried under debris.

As our hero is about to learn, no good deed goes unpunished.

This does not go unnoticed by Firebrand who now wants to rescue Gilbert.  But Iron Man - somehow knowing that the detonator’s about to go “boom” - won't have it, instead taking his sparring partner with him just before a huge explosion.

In lieu of a heartfelt “Gee thanks!” we have Firebrand falling into a rage, pouring everything into his blasters and yes, causing our hero’s armor to start melting. 

I'm blaming the booze for Iron Man pushing forward into the heat to eventually deck his opponent and rip his blasters from his costume, instead of simply flying away so that he could use any number of devices to conclude this conflict.

How does Firebrand even have any teeth left after that punch?

As for the reason for Firebrand's rage, we learn that Simon Gilbert is Firebrand’s father!  Huh? 

And with that, so begins the Mike Friedrich era!

Story

I consider “The Fury & The Inferno” something of a mixed bag.  While clearly a sizeable step above the goofy villains and painful prose inflicted on us by the previous writers, I can’t get past two sizeable strains to credibility this issue requires us to swallow.  I’ve already vented my spleen - or it liver? - about Tony’s drinking.  So the other (non-pink) elephant in the room is the big reveal of Simon Gilbert being Firebrand’s father.  

No question this is a cool idea that truly personalizes the conflict between Iron Man and Firebrand, raising the stakes for their inevitable rematch.  But are we really supposed to believe that Simon Gilbert cannot recognize his own son in that face-forming costume?  That hearing Firebrand’s origin doesn’t ring any bells?  That his own voice and mannerisms aren’t obvious to a father?  Even when his son tells him to look at him?

I hope that Tony did have an opportunity to eventually let it out over Kevin O'Brien's death.

But then Lois Lane has been fooled by a pair of glasses since the Great Depression so what do I know?

Aside from that, I see this issue as a definite step in the right direction with Tony Stark back firmly in charge of his company.  Consider this a good story with a couple of serious flaws which gives us a score of 5/10.

Art 

You can call this issue “Classic Tuska-Coletta.”  That means clean, sharp lines that allow Tuska’s better shots to stand out coupled with panels where it’s glaringly clear that the inker has taken the easy way out by erasing some of the details. 

And of course there’s the panels of melting armor.  I’ve beaten this metal horse enough already.  But if I have to live with it, I’m docking the art by a point as well.  5/10

Wow! Is Tony blind or crazy to walk past his fiancé in that outfit!

Wimp Factor

Frankly, I’ve no idea how Tony even got into that armor if he had several martini’s swirling in his bloodstream.  On the other hand, we heard absolutely “nada” about this ailing heart which puts a big smile on my face.  While I still can’t believe that he couldn’t think of another weapon once his repulsors went on the fritz, Iron Man showed true grit fighting through a furnace to decidedly take down his opponent.  4/10

Villain Rating

I find Firebrand an interesting villain.  In my mind, he’s several notches below Iron Man in terms of power.  Forget his boasts about rivaling the Human Torch.  The guy’s basically a “one-trick pony” with the heat blasts.  But damn if he doesn’t give it his all.  Firebrand’s also a villain that manages to get into Tony Stark’s head - as we’ll see in future issues.  Clearly dated rhetoric, but with an “A” for effort, let’s award him 6/10.

"Look closely--don't you see your face in my features!" How does Simon Gilbert still not recognize his own son?

Overall Rating

The new era falls into the decidedly “decent but shoulda been better" start for a 5/10.

Additional Nuts & Bolts

• Where are my manners?  We’ve gone an entire without properly introducing one of my favorite writers as a kid, Mike Friedrich.  Coming from California, Friedrich started at DC in 1969, writing for everything from JLA to Challengers of the Unknown.  With Iron Man being one of his first assignments for Marvel , Friedrich stuck around for the next several years, never breaking beyond the second tier of titles. He left Marvel in the later 70’s to launch the independent comic Star*Reach.  BTW, he’s no relation to Gary Friedrich who wrote Iron Man #45-46.

• Simon Gilbert may be gone, but his legacy will linger with his dangerous son as well as additional family member who we’ll meet within the next year.