Review: Iron Man #59

Iron Man's Most Overrated Villain?

Does anyone remember looking really forward to meeting someone only to have them truly disappoint you?

That was me with Firebrand in the early spring of 1973. I mean, when I rejoined this book, it seemed that his name came up every other panel. “Firebrand knocked out the FM reception in my armor” or “I now only eat my steaks well-done after facing the intense heat from Firebrand.” Our guy seemed to be going through PTSD because of this dude. I couldn’t wait to meet him!

And instead of some serious, ass-kicking world beater, I get a loud-mouthed anti-establishment radical? And he wears a silly-looking costume with that goofy fist in the center and an open mouth that’s just inviting a hard punch from any self-respecting super hero.

Oh man, Firebrand, you are going to regret that punch before this issue is over!

But while Firebrand failed to live up to expectations, I did enjoy this issue. It became the high point for this series for … let’s say longer than I wish.

Am I forgetting anything before moving on?

Oh yeah. We also meet Roxanne Gilbert. The Annoying Hippy. She’s Firebrand’s sister and someone who becomes a key cast member in the coming months. But me? I’m still gonna call her The Annoying Hippy.

Now, let’s see about “A Madness in Motown!”

No question about it. Those tele-marketers are the worst!

Credits

Writer: Mike Friedrich

Pencils: George Tuska

Inks: Mike Esposito

Colorist: Petra Goldberg

Letterer: Artie Simek

Editor: Roy Thomas

Cover Art: Rick Buckler & Joe Sinnott

Release Date: March 6, 1973

Synopsis

Kudos to Rick Buckler and Joe Sinnott for an appealing cover that immediately caught my eye while spinning the racks. Less impressive was the Tuska-Esposito splash page. After nailing issue after issue for quite some time, this one misses the mark by a Michigan Mile. Not sure why Tony Stark looks on the verge of a breakdown. He hasn’t even been told yet that his former fiance’s a complete basket case.

But once he hears that from her doctor, Tony Stark changes into his armor so that he can take out his frustrations on his desk with no damage to himself. Now I would have probably let everyone know that first caller could have that desk and just order a new one. But that’s probably a reason why I’m not a corporate CEO.

But the sound of crunching teak is enough to catch the attention of Pepper and her husband Happy outside Tony’s office. The former boxer/chauffeur’s there to let his wife know that he doesn’t want her going out of town with Tony. Happy wants his wife at home and Pepper wants to grow and find herself as a person. Essentially use the smarts that first landed her with Tony years ago. It’s an argument that was unfortunately common in the early 70’s with more women joining the work force as wages were falling behind inflation.

However, before I can chastise Happy for his short-sighted views, our attention is turned to Detroit, several months back with a cute, dark-haired woman named Roxanne coming home to find her brother waiting for her. Worse, it seems this brother’s none other than Gary Gilbert, having just had his clocked cleaned by Iron Man back in Issue #48. They argue their political philosophies a bit with her opting for a peaceful change over her brother’s “scorched earth” approach.

If nothing else, Happy Hogan should send a huge "Thank You" card to George Tuska for his total makeover from his painfully cartoonish look from his first appearances.

Months pass with the bad bro stealing money to fund repairs to his armor so that he can duke it out with Iron Man again. (I’m also assuming this is some damned rich neighborhood if local muggings provide the funds necessary to fund an exo-skeleton with heat-based energy blasts.)

Back to present has Tony and Pepper landing in Motown and riding in a taxi to meet Ms. Gilbert who apparently wants nothing to do with her inheritance of Stark Industries’ stock from her father, the late and absolutely unlamented Simon Gilbert. Of course instead of politely saying “no thanks,” The Annoying Hippy wants to bring Tony to her home so that she can lecture on his “blood money” even though his company no longer manufactures munitions.

Fortunately, instead of hearing her sermons, Firebrand destroys the cab and takes Tony, Pepper and the cabbie hostage. This earns the ire of his sister who he promptly slaps. Yep. That apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

And I just bet that Tony Stark gets stuck with the bill for that cab!

Speaking again of Simon Gilbert, it seems Firebrand wants Iron Man to meet him at dawn at his grave where they can go mano y mano. Telling him that only he can summon Iron Man, Tony Stark is released, giving him time to suit and prep his cryogenic unit that was designed to combat Firebrand’s heat.

Iron Man arrives only to be ordered into a prepared grave where his opponent immediately buries him under dirt and rubble. Smart guy that Firebrand. I mean, how will someone in an armored suit ever escape from six feet of dirt?

Although a strain of credibility that Iron Man’s traveling less than six feet underground without any noticing the earth move or hearing anything, it does make for an appealing image when he does break the surface to nail Firebrand with a repulsor blast.

Even better, Tony starts showing his smarts. His cryno unit deals with the heat and instead of letting the lack of sunlight work against his solar-powered suit, Iron Man pulls out an image inducer. With Firebrand wasting time on the faux Shellheads, the real one has time to power up and shred a good chunk of the loud-mouthed radical’s exo-skeleton.

This is what happens when you use more than one weapon.

Despicable being that he is, Firebrand decides to take out Pepper with his remaining power. Before Iron Man can act, Roxanne steps in front of the blast. Firebrand cuts it off immediately, but his sister is still down and he now has an enraged Iron Man to face.

What follows for the next page could most politely be termed a severe pummeling with Iron Man holding nothing back. The only thing that stops him is the faint voice of Roxanne begging him to stop, that violence isn’t the answer to someone like her brother.

That indeed puts on the kibosh on the thrashing as Iron Man gently takes the critically injured woman - with absolutely no visible sign of any injury- to seek immediate medical attention.

This brings the issue to a close with only the caption that next issue we will “Cry Marader!” I had no idea what that meant at the time, But I was sorry to learn what it meant the following month.

It's not that I want to see anyone suffering, but should Roxanne have some injuries after taking a full blast from Firebrand? At least a hair out of place?

Story

Despite my disappointment with Firebrand and Marianne’s continued misfortune, I found this an engaging, straightforward story. We had a nice introduction to the only likeable member of the Gilbert clan. There was a good build up to the inevitable rematch with Firebrand. Best of all, Mike Friedrich didn’t let Iron Man backslide into some silly armor malfunctions or lack of power. He allowed his character a nice victory over an opponent who’d created considerable problems after their last battle. While Roxanne is not a favorite of mine, I credit Friedrich for fleshing her out as a character.

Less appealing was Happy’s argument with Pepper. But as I said, his words were an unfortunate reflection of what a number of men were saying at that time. It was a strain that ended a lot of marriages. I appreciate Mike Friedrich’s bringing it up - although it also told me even at that time, that Pepper and Happy were not a good couple.

And Tony's footing that bill as well? Good thing he's a corporate CEO!

My other quibble is about Marianne’s brief return. I’ve no idea why she’s in this and the previous issue unless it’s to further ease all our consciences that Tony Stark can finally move on to a new romance.

But taken all together, this is a good, well-written story. 6/10

Art

I consider the art in this issue to be good, but not anything to write home about. There are several inconsistencies that nibble at me. We have Gary Gilbert’s face changing a couple times. Roxanne’s hair seems to increase it’s length from panel to panel as well.

But I did like the battle scenes between Iron Man and Firebrand. Especially that ring of heat from the latter with the image inducer from the former.

One problem that I hate to bring up with the art is that if Roxanne took the brunt of one of her brother’s heat blasts - and remember, those blasts did immense damage to Iron Man’s armor in their last fight - why doesn’t she show it? Were the Comic Code Authority restrictions that harsh? I’m not into horrid images. But at the minimum, should her clothes and hair show some damage?

Uh, doesn't Iron Man's armor also absorb heat for it's power?

Nonetheless, “Good Tuska” works for me. 5/10

Wimp Factor

This is the first issue where Iron Man’s new solar powered armor could have let him down, but instead Tony Stark behaved like the smart guy he’s supposed to be, staying one step ahead of his opponent the entire fight. In reality, outside of the hostages, Firebrand had no advantage over Iron Man. That superiority was on full and brutal display after Firebrand injured his sister.

Both thumbs up on this one! 1/10

Villain Rating

So this is the dude that Iron Man went on and on about? Wow. Just a noisy punk with a laughable costume and some heat blasts. Glad to see my hero put him into his place. 5/10

Overall Rating

A good story that sets up a few more in the future. 6/10

Over-The-Top? Thy name is Firebrand!

Additional Nuts & Bolts

• Marianne. Marianne. I don’t know why do they do this to you? But I can tell you that everyone will now leave you alone for the next couple of years.

• Although Ms. Rodgers may be wandering off the set for a good while, we’re going to see a whole heckuva lot of Roxanne Gilbert in the coming months. Although her politics align with mine as does her approach, I confess that she is not a personal favorite. But out of respect to everyone else, I’ll be careful just how often I refer to her as The Annoying Hippy.

• Firebrand pops up again around the same time that we next encounter Marianne Rodgers - towards the end of Mike Friedrich’s run on this title.