Review: Iron Man #66

We Visit A Courtroom in 1974…

“Your Honor and members of this jury, I will show to each of you how Marvel Comics violated the copyright and licenses of my client’s character, The Green Lantern. Furthermore, it shall also be made equally clear that this was not a haphazard or careless accident, but instead a totally flagrant disregard of law as their version of the Lantern was prominent in not one or two, but four consecutive issues of Iron Man. Once I have shared with you all of the evidence, you will have no other option but to declare Marvel Comics guilty and ask them to pay a steep price for their crimes.”

“Defense? Your opening statement?”

“Your Honor, we request permission to approach the bench.”

“Granted.”

“Your Honor, may I speak with counsel for the plaintiff?”

“You may.”

Nice "Kirby" look to our guest star!

“Counsel, have you actually read the issues in question? Iron Man #63-66?”

“Uh no.”

“Then, if Your Honor is agreeable, I suggest a one-hour recess for the Plaintiff’s counsel to read those issues. If they wish to continue this case when they return, we’re prepared to do so.”

“Granted.”

One hour later…

“Counsel?”

“Your Honor, the Plaintiff hereby withdraws all charges!”

“May I ask the reason?

“How do I put this? These issues are bad enough that, frankly, we think it would do my client’s character more harm than good to bring any more attention whatsoever to these issues. Honestly, the less said about Dr. Spectrum, the better! And if I may, Counsel, let me assure you that my client, DC Comics, will never do anything to misrepresent or minimize the value of Hal Jordan as the Green Lantern.”

Silliness aside, this issue isn’t that bad. Actually, it’s about as good a wrap as you can have for as ...“challenging” a story as this one was.

If Thor's cape has any more starch, it would crack!

What do I mean? Let’s find out as we take our ringside seats for the “Battle Royal!”

Credits

Writer: Mike Friedrich

Pencils: George Tuska

Inks: Mike Esposito

Colorist: George Roussos

Letterer: Artie Simek

Editor: Roy Thomas

Cover Art: Gil Kane & Mike Esposito

Release Date: October 23, 1973

Synopsis

The fun and games commence with a rather deceptive Gil Kane cover. Deceptive in that it’s Iron Man - not Thor - who’s the crazy one in this comic. At least that’s the case until…

No sense getting ahead of myself.

The splash page reveals both combatants under a caption telling us that this is the conclusion to perhaps the greatest Iron Man saga ever told. Words that have the villains ranging from Mandarin to the Melter to Midas chortling.

But since this book’s now bi-monthly and there’s a strong likelihood that the appearance of a certain Asgardian on the cover has delivered a few more eyeballs, the next page serves as a recap to let them know that it ain’t really Iron Man behind the wheel of that armor. Instead, it’s Krimonn, a Skrull turned into a chunk of crystal who’s taken over the mind of the man wearing the armor.

Since he has the power prism attached to Iron Man’s armor, Thor’s not buying Krimonn’s sweet talk about being fellow warriors. That means they tussle - for only two pages in which the God of Thunder fails to even break a sweat before knocking Iron Man unconscious. However once our hero's mask has been removed, Thor immediately fears that he may have “slain a mortal.”

Huh? I thought the Grandmaster gave Krimonn those powers. At that's what last issue told us.

This being a comic book, that worry has to simmer for a bit as we backtrack to Pepper and Happy. Their argument is interrupted by a radio announcement that Dr. Spectrum is seriously pummeling Iron Man’s backside. Memories of Tony and Pepper’s smooch are forgotten with Happy donning a spare suit - easy to do since they’re arguing in Tony Stark’s office (the guy really needs to do a better job of locking his door!). He’s out the window but still somehow able to hear his wife tell him not to go because she loves him! Well that and that Tony’s track record indicates that he knows how to get out of jams like this. Of course Happy makes a quick decision - that he doesn’t share with any of us!

However, back to the motionless Iron Man, we see that the police have brought Dr. Spectrum close enough to the prism to reclaim it again and head for skies with Thor in pursuit! As a second Iron Man arrives on the scene, the wounded Iron Man now whispers something to Roxie Gilbert. What does he say? We’re not going to find out this issue.

That’s because it’s time for “The Final Battle!” Yep, this other Iron Man arrives to smash up Spectrum’s attempt at comparing hammer sizes with the God of Thunder. Knowing his buddies’ secret ID as Dr. Donald Blake, Iron Man tells Thor that someone needs medical help and that he’ll deal with that multi-colored troublemaker.

Gotta give Tuska and Esposito props on this shot!

Which Iron Man does over the course of the next seven pages. A giant hand attempts to slap him? No problem. The shockwave hurts Spectrum even more. Electrical wires? Not much good against insulated armor. A huge red robot? Well, it earns a full-page spread of Iron Man demolishing it. White-hot flames? Not a problem when his thermocouple turns into more power.

And when Dr. Spectrum decides to get the heck away, Iron Man shatters his escape vehicle. Falling to the ground, Spectrum offers no further resistance as our guy knocks the prism to the ground, setting up a sequence where he smashes the prism into a zillion tiny pieces before unmasking Dr. Obatu.

Returning to injured Iron Man, we learn that it’s Eddie March who had been carrying an attaché case with the armor from his previous adventure in the suit. Tony Stark’s thoughts then fill in the rest. He’d called Jarvis at the Avenger’s Mansion to send someone for help after escaping Spectrum in the previous issue. That bought him time for quick repairs before returning to beat the stuffing out of said doctor.

With a few panels remaining, Dr. Don Blake tells iron Man that’s there’s a slim chance to save Eddie’s life - setting up the next issue!

Watch those fingers, Dr. Spectrum!

Story

On the plus side, kudos to writer Mike Friedrich for finally putting all the pieces together and for having Iron Man do what he really should have done four issues earlier by completely outwitting and outdoing Dr. Spectrum.

Despite pouring out an immense amount of hyperbole (“greatest menaces our world has known”, “Final Battle” and “Concluding Perhaps the Greatest Iron Man Saga Ever Told”), the first polite word that comes to mind with this story is “underwhelming.” Whether biting off more than he could chew or just trying too hard, the past four issues were a meandering, confusing mess with holes deep enough to require warning signs.

Just how many suits does Tony have lying around for anyone to put on?

For starters, why did Obatu attack Iron Man if he wanted to hire him as a bodyguard? For that matter, why didn’t he just get rid of the prism if he couldn’t bargain some arrangement? Why not drop into the ocean? Or a volcano? And what was his ultimate plan? Likewise, with all the powers at his disposal, why did Krimonn want Iron Man?

I could also point out some tired and cliched prose on the captions, but I’d rather end this on a positive note. It was refreshing to have Iron Man truly cut loose with his thrashing of Dr. Spectrum. That ups my rate by a notch! 5/10

Art

I have to be honest. While I do like George Tuska’s art, he and Esposito are starting to wear a bit thin. With the exception of a few standout panels or pages, there seems a “sameness” to the art permeating this comic. Poses and gestures we’ve seen since Tuska returned to the book on Issue #38. Part of the problem for me is that it seems Mike Esposito’s inks tend to muddy Tuska’s pencils. At any case, we’ve six more issues until a new artist takes over Iron Man. 5/10

This was the guy who was going to top the Mandarin as Iron Man's top villain? (And yuck on that art!)

Wimp Factor

Geez, Iron Man. Think you could’ve led with that kick-ass display against Dr. Spectrum? I thoroughly enjoyed you whumping his backside without that nonsensical “ultra-violet ray.” It thrilled my heart to have you also find an answer for whatever devious device Spectrum dished out. Hey, you didn’t even need Thor’s help! Or maybe having him around had you bring your “A” game. Either way, it’s a 0/10 for me!

Villain Rating

Nope. Not going to do it. I will not separate Dr. Obatu and Krimonn the evil-Skrull-turned-into-a-prism for this rating. You clowns started this together and you’re going to have to finish it together! It’s 4/10 and don’t let the door hit either of you on the way out!

Hmm. Electrified cables may not be the most potent weapon against someone in an insulated suit.

Overall Rating

Let’s see, we’re finally done with an overlong storyline with a bland villain. That’s a plus. Add to that our hero did indeed look mighty sharp taking down said rotten egg. I also enjoyed Thor’s visit to this title. 5/10

Additional Nuts & Bolts

• To my surprise, Dr. Spectrum turned up just a few months later with the rest of his Squadron Sinister cohorts in Defenders #14 - minus Krimonn’s essence in the prism. They popped up again about a year later in Giant-Sized Defenders #4. Another Dr. Spectrum from a parallel dimension helped put the Avengers through their paces a little later. But just to keep this confusing, I guess that wasn’t really Dr. Obatu in those Defenders stories as he was later caught up in some wild storyline in Marvel Two-In-One #47-49. Let’s just be relieved that Obatu and Krimonn never hook up again!