Review: Iron Man #65

A Painful Crash Back to Bi-Monthly Status

Bi-Monthly.

Don’t ask me why I looked at the fine print below the splash page of Iron Man #65, but I did and immediately saw that it was now published “bi-monthly.” My favorite hero who I’d started collecting just as he’d crawled out of that poor sales quicksand had stumbled right back into it.

Was I all that surprised as a kid?

Not really. Collecting a number of Marvel comics by that time, I grimly realized the threat of Dr. Spectrum seemed rather mundane when compared to the Avengers-Defenders War, Spider-Man post Gwen Stacy and the Thanos War in Captain Marvel.

But I really didn’t want my favorite hero to face cancellation either. Not that there was much I could do about it.

As for this issue itself, it is an improvement over the mess that was Rokk, Happy, Pepper and the Righteous Hippy in the previous one. Art-wise, it’s George Tuska and Mike Esposito for another issue - meaning you pretty much know what you’re going to get - aside from a few panels that are either inventive or icky.

With that, let's see if Iron Man can avoid, “The Cutting Edge of Death!”

Hey, Iron Man! Why not turn that Repulsor Ray on Dr. Spectrum instead? Just a thought!

Credits

Writer: Mike Friedrich

Pencils: George Tuska

Inks: Mike Esposito

Colorist: George Roussos

Letterer: Artie Simeon

Editor: Roy Thomas

Cover Art: John Romita & Mike Esposito

Release Date: August 28, 1973

Synopsis

As much as I’m a fan of John Romita’s work, Iron Man does not appear a natural fit for the talents of Marvel’s Art Director. This is another cover that holds minimal appeal to me. While I once again appreciate a cover without the framing box, Romita’s depiction of our hero comes across as too stiff for my liking.

Unfortunately, the splash page offers no relief with Dr. Spectrum borrowing poses from the Hunchback of Notre Dame along with aa dreadful depiction of Roxie Gilbert. I’m not a fan of the Righteous Hippy, but geez, fellas, she deserves better than this!

Anyway, we do pick up where we left off with a ginormous scimitar created by our primary-colored antagonist about to slice into a weakened Iron Man. Does Dr. Spectrum finish the job? Of course not. Not when there’s monologing and recapping to check off the list.

After being slapped away by a giant hand when she attempts to help, the Righteous Hippy leaves to seek further assistance. It's only a panel or two before she stumbles into Eddie March, who’s been hanging around for the past two issues. The former boxer and one-time Iron Man is determined to help his idol - despite that blood clot in his brain. And he’s holding a briefcase. Methinks our Mr. March has already determined his next course of action.

I'm not sure that telling your wife that Tony Stark is Iron Man is a good way to make him less impressive.

But before we can find out for sure, we have just enough time for Iron Man to see that blade slamming down…

…and we’re now peeking on Happy and Pepper finally having it out over their marital issues. For the man of the house, it’s simple. Quit working and “stay home where you belong.” Although surprised Pepper doesn’t contact a divorce attorney at that point, their argument quickly turns to Tony Stark - whom Happy had caught his wife kissing two issues back. Since Pepper doesn’t like Iron Man’s impersonal manner, Happy decides it’s time to spill the beans and tell his wife that Tony Stark is Iron Man.

We then leave a confused Pepper to drop in on Luke Cage of all people. The self-named Hero For Hire receives a telegram from Dr. Obatu, seeking his services as a bodyguard - same as he asked of Iron Man. Whatever could be threatening said Economic Minister? I’m guessing we’ll find out in just a few pages. As for our friend Luke, since Obatu wants him in Detroit, but didn’t offer any funding to transport him there, he ain’t goin’ nowhere. In case you’re wondering why in the world is a page devoted to this, the final caption informs us that the Hero For Hire and Iron Man’s paths cross in a “most violent way” in an upcoming issue of Cage’s series.

Safe to say this isn't the most impressive image we've seen of Iron Man punching someone.

Now that the promotional work is done, we return just in time for Iron Man to roll away from what has to be the slowest Scimitar Of Death ever. Following a quick zap of the mouthy prism, our guy blasts Spectrum with his ever-dependable “ultra-violent ray.” Then again, said ray isn’t all that dependable as this is the second time that Spectrum escapes after it’s been used - this time drilling a hole underground.

Needless to say, Iron Man follows - although I’m not sure what all exists underground in Detroit. But apparently they have sewer tunnels large enough for the Primary Color Man to tackle our hero and put the “ultra-violet ray” out of commission.

Does Dr. Spectrum now have his final revenge? Are you kidding? He's now committed to his origin as promised in the last issue.

Everything you didn't want to know about Dr. Spectrum's origin!

But Rick, I hear you saying. we already know his origin. He was created by the Grandmaster to be a Marvel facsimile of DC’s Green Lantern.

Not so fast! Because we’re in the world of comics, we need to know much more than that to have a full-fledged Origin Story.

Deep breath. Turns out that the prism is a Skrull named Krimonn who was turned into crystal as punishment for some apparent misdeeds before being sent into space in a rocket. The Grandmaster then sent the crystal to an African nation with that rather obnoxious and thoroughly ruthless Economic Minister named Dr. Obatu. Once he touches that prism, Obatu's mind bonds with Krimonn’s. Grandmaster then imbues the prism with the ability to create whatever giant props either party wishes. With that settled, they become Dr. Spectrum and enlist in the Squadron Sinister where Iron Man hands them their collective backsides in Avengers #70.

Of course the prism can’t help making a dig at Obatu, blaming him for that defeat. The prism goes on to say that he’s been hassling the minister with his own creations, such as Rokk and the masked attackers two issues back. That sorta explains why Obatu sought Iron Man and Luke Cage as bodyguards. But if so, why seek revenge against our hero?

I do have to thank the Prism for making some sense of these past two issues.

But since logic left this train station long ago and Iron Man decides to do likewise by jetting out of that tunnel.

Spectrum follows him to find Iron Man next to a visibly worried Roxie Gilbert who’s warning him not to fight them. Not that he heeds the Righteous Hippy’s warning, offering a limp punch before Krimonn takes over his body.

Once Obatu is cast aside, the Green Guy decides to test our his power on pretty much everything - and everyone - in sight! At the same time, we see Jarvis from the Avengers Mansion being made aware of some “frightful menace” and that “only one man can reach there fast enough!”

Two panels later, a hammer slams into Iron Man! Yep, we then see a full-page shot of Thor ready to rumble against our hero!

My favorite superhero against the God of Thunder? Eeek! And now I have to wait two months?

Hello, Met Life? I'd like to take out a $10 million dollar policy on Iron Man. Why? No reason.

Story

If I take an objective approach to this issue and overall story, I believe this is a case of Mike Friedrich trying too hard. Which isn’t the worst crime. And to his credit, this issue does move the story forward. But someone should have picked up on the gaffe of referring to the Grandmaster as the Gamester.

As for the big reveal to Pepper, I’d like to think that someone as intelligent as Ms. Hogan would realize that Tony needed that impersonal edge to keep people from guessing his secret identity. But then I’m disappointed with her for even remaining in the room after Happy’s comment about being home “where you belong.”

With that now off my chest, I’m calling this an improvement over last issue. 5/10

Art

Outside of a poorly rendered splash page, Iron Man #65 appears to be another day at the factory of Tuska and Esposito. It’s decent art if you like George Tuska and it’s decidedly not great art if you don’t. Overall, I consider it competent if not imaginative storytelling. 5/10

Sure glad that Green Lantern doesn't have problems like this with his Power Ring!

Wimp Factor

Man, that had to be one cloudy day in Detroit for Iron Man’s armor to remain low on energy for all the time it took that goofy Scimitar of Death to actually drop. Still, I’ve got to give the guy props for chasing his multi-colored opponent into what was clearly a trap. It’s also about damn time to amp up that “ultra-violet ray.” And now he’s gotta face Thor? Like I said before - eek! 5/10

Villain Rating

I hate to say this, but the more I see of Dr. Spectrum, the less impressed I become. Who’s in charge? Obatu? The Skrull? Who cares? 4/10

Overall Rating

A nod to note the improvement as the story both advances and begins to make a shred of sense. I’m definitely looking forward to a certain Odinson in the next issue. 5/10

Not sure that telegraph warrants punching a wall. But I'm not one to ever argue with Luke Cage!

Additional Nuts & Bolts

• Luke Cage's appearance in this issue - along with his guest shot in a recent Spider-Man - was all it took for me to check out his seventeenth issue. He did indeed cross swords with Iron Man - actually smashing his chest plate - before deciding to call himself “Power Man” instead of “Hero For Hire.” The name change had been made to improve the book’s sales - although I don’t see how the horribly mismatched art team of George Tuska and Billy Graham helped with any of that.

• If there’s anyone unaware of the Grandmaster, he’s the Jeff Goldblum character in “Thor: Ragnarok." In Marvel, he’s one of several “Elders of the Universe.” They’re godlike beings with each having one obsession. In this guy’s case, he’s all about games. The Grandmaster’s next appearance takes place in the Defenders Annual #3.