Review: Iron Man #57
- Rick Moore
- 45 minutes ago
- 7 min read
Now For More Mediocrity!
"C’mon Rick. It’s time to go work on your blog."
"Don’t wanna."
"But everyone’s waiting to hear your thoughts on Iron Man #57."
"Don’t wanna do that one."
"Why not? It has the Mandarin in it. That’s Iron Man’s number one villain."
"Big deal. He’s stupid. I hate him. I wanted Controller, Moondragon and Thanos with Jim Starlin’s art."
"Rick, we don’t always get what we want in life. You have a responsibility to those three people who have signed up for this blog. And, what would Tony Stark do if he was in your place?"
"Guess he’d write the blog."
"That’s my little writer! And if you hustle up the stairs, your wonderful wife will make you a hot mocha to help you along!"
"Gee whiz, honey, you’re the best! How can I ever repay you?"
"By not mentioning anything about Iron Man, this blog or anything comic book related for the next three weeks!"
Okay, Iron Man #57 isn’t that bad. Not great. But not all that bad. It’s more that after two issues of Jim Starlin’s art and several issues of delightful stories, this series begins a descent into a quagmire of mediocrity which it would inhabit for quite some time.
We still have Steve Gerber for one more issue as the writer. So, it’s sit down and see where your loyalties lie with the “Strike!”
Credits
Writer: Steve Gerber
Pencils: George Tuska
Inks: Mike Esposito & Frank Giacioa
Colorist: Petra Goldberg
Letterer: Shelly Leferman
Editor: Roy Thomas
Cover Art: George Tuska & Frank Giacioa
Release Date: January 2, 1973
Synopsis
George Tuska announces his return to this title with a bold cover that immediately caught my eye as a 12-year-old, making it easy to cough up two dimes and hurry home to dive in. The splash didn’t quite pack the same punch with a pudgy Iron Man burning in effigy as striking workers at Stark Industries are demanding answers.
Allow me a quick time-out. I work for a labor union and my three decades experience makes the “labor relations” aspect of these next two issues pretty tough to swallow. I promise not to dive too deeply into the weeds, but I won’t be able to stop myself from pointing out some of the more inane nonsense ahead.
Starting with what appears to be an illegal strike. If the workers haven’t actually voted for this union to represent them, who’s paying their wages while they’re striking? And what’s stopping management from threatening to fire all of them over what seems a “wildcat” strike. For that matter, it’s typically wages, hours and conditions of employment that lead to strikes.
Anyway, once we turn the page, we see Tony Stark actually behaving like a CEO, grilling his subordinates over the mayhem outside. Turns out that trying to make a buck through peaceful means is viewed as treason by a new union organizer not so subtly named “Gene Kahn.”
Once our CEO has sent his lieutenants off to their appointed duties, we treated to the return of a familiar and lovely face with Pepper Hogan approaching Tony about a job. Since she’s looking stunning in a short skirt with red boots and as she is in many ways still the woman of his dreams, Tony naturally hires her back as his personal secretary. Can’t see how that could lead to any problems.
From there, it’s a change to Iron Man where the Golden Avenger wisely decides to check out “Gene Kahn” who at the time is monologuing over how the communists in his native China stole his wealth and title. Which I gotta say, does not seem a “story of self” that would motivate blue-collar worker to join a union - much less go out on strike. Was the Mandarin using his “mental influencer” ring?
Once Iron Man overhears him talking about taking over the good ol' US of A, he breaks into the union’s HQ where our hero finally learns that Kahn is really the Mandarin - something all of us have known since we first saw that cover.
Unfortunately, we're just in time to again wonder Tony Stark made it so far in the superhero business by assuming that the Mandarin’s rings are fakes because he recently got his tail end handed to him by the Inhumans a few months earlier. Hey Tony, George Tuska wouldn’t have taken the time draw that cover if those rings were powerless. Sure enough, he’s zapped into unconsciousness, allowing our main villain to change in one panel from a business suit into his godawful green and purple robes and indulge in some exceedingly long-winded story telling.
Yeah, Mandarin’s not showing his genius either. Instead of checking to see if Iron Man is really out of action, he chews up nearly four pages telling how his regained his rings after his last defeat. He also blabs on with segments of his rather silly origin where he found those rings in a long-abandoned spaceship once occupied by aliens whose reptilian appearance allegedly inspired the Chinese legend of the dragon. Another visit to said ship provides him a head band that allows something called the Power of the Yin to kick up the wattage of said rings. One saving grace is a panel that details the function of each ring.
Of course, his story went long enough that Iron Man not only had time to recover but also order out for pizza. This does not go over well with the Mandarin, who sheds his robes to go full “Kung Fu” on Iron Man, striking his armor and actually damaging it! (Which makes zero sense. Unless he’s somehow using a ring, how could even the strongest bare hands actually tear any part of an armor that’s supposed to withstand bullets and other weapons?)
They quickly take their battle outside where both Iron Man and the Mandarin fully display an equal lack of imagination as our hero essentially using only his fists and his opponent using only one ring at a time and only ones that send some sort of energy beam. However kudos to Iron Man who finally using his “laser blaster,” causing the Mandarin to declare that they are too evenly-matched - sure, if you say so - and using his funky new headband to call upon his “eleventh ring,” the mighty Unicorn!
Which is as good a place as any for a cliffhanger.
(And no, I didn’t giggle when I first read the name Unicorn. But it was hard not to.)
Story
I’ve zero idea if writer Steve Gerber had originally planned this story for this issue or if it was quickly cobbled together with Jim Starlin’s exit. Either way, it was good to be back “home” at Stark Industries Long Island plant. As also mentioned before, a nod of approval for Tony Stark acting like an indignant boss over the strike. Let me extend a red carpet to welcome Pepper Hogan back to the series. Hint - she’s going to stick around for a while.
While the actual story didn’t particularly grab me - and again, the labor relations portion makes no sense - I’ve no issues with the writing itself. Kudos as well for the work that Gerber clearly put into the Mandarin’s background and how to bring him back. Not sure why someone who’s supposed to be a world-beater like the Mandarin needs a sidekick like the Unicorn, but we can read about that next time.
Best wishes for a writer who’s going on to bigger and better things. 5/10
Art
Please don’t immediately stop reading this post when I say that miss Vince Coletta’s inks on this series. Yeah. I know of his shortcuts and all that. Still, I thought he brought a “clean edge” and sharper look to George Tuska’s pencils that enhanced the overall art. Both Mike Esposito and Frank Giacoia do adequate work, but only that.
I’ll also confess that after two issues of Jim Starlin’s innovative style, George Tuska comes across as very mundane with many of the same gestures and poses that we’ve now had on this series for well over a year now.
But for better or worse, neither Tuska or Esposito aren't going anywhere anytime soon. 5/10
Wimp Factor
Iron Man, we need to talk. After two straight issues with a perfect 0/10 rating, you had to go and blow it. First off, you actually said that it’s “now or not at all” to strike back against a non-superpowered person? This after dealing with the Sub-Mariner and Thanos? Then you go and let the Mandarin - another person without superstrength - damage your armor? While I’ll give you props for using that laser blaster, I can’t overlook those two shameful incidents. 6/10
Villain Rating
Oh man. Where do we start with the Mandarin? There’s the entire “Fu Manchu” aspect of his character - that awful racist “yellow peril” nonsense from past decades. Then you have those dorky rings that seem capable of doing anything other than defeating a superhero. The only reason he’s Iron Man’s top villain is because a Rogues Gallery with the likes of the Scarecrow and Mr. Doll sets the bar awfully damned low. But I have to show some respect for his history with our hero. Sigh. 6/10
Overall Rating
From the glass half full perspective, this issue is heads and shoulders above where it was a year ago. From the half empty point of view, it’s quite a step down from the past several issues. 5/10
Additional Nuts & Bolts
For the sake of winning any trivia contests, the Mandarin first appeared in Tales of Suspense 50 and last appeared in Iron Man #11. As for what I mean about Tuska at least giving him some dignity, you can check out this hideous pic his first appearance.
While we’re on the subject of keeping score, remember that Pepper started out in Tales of Suspense #45 as Tony Stark’s secretary. Both had the hots for one another which was why Tony spent most of his time in that split book nudging her into the arms of his chauffeur, Happy Hogan. So, hiring a woman you love or loved into a role where you’ll both be in close proximity for long stretches of time would surely raise the eyebrows of most competent HR directors. It probably won’t go over well with a husband who isn’t a charming billionaire either.