Review: Iron Man #70
- Rick Moore
- 7 minutes ago
- 7 min read
Leaving My "Endangered" List!
Iron Man #70 is a clear improvement over the past several issues if for no other reason than there is a whole heck of a lot that occurs between its covers. You’ve got the Mandarin versus The Claw with a fatal outcome for the loser. Then there’s the return of Ultimo - the blue robot with serious dental issues. By the issue’s end, Sunfire exchanges “Gullible” for another word to go in front of “Jerk. Then there’s an increasing intrigue for Marty March’s story that gets the Annoying Hippy put on the back burner. Oh, the book has Pepper and Happy reaching a reconciliation.
All of which was enough back in the summer of 1974 to pull Iron Man off my “Endangered” list.
With that, let’s find out “Who Shall Stop Ultimo?”
Credits
Writer: Mike Friedrich
Pencils: George Tuska
Inks: Mike Esposito
Colorist: George Roussos
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Editor: Roy Thomas
Cover Art: Ron Wilson, John Romita & Mike Esposito
Release Date: June 25, 1974
Synopsis
We go from a distinctly so-so cover by Ron Wilson, John Romita and Mike Espositio - why is it that John Romita Sr. does such a poor job with our hero when his son would become a huge hit on this title? - to an equally blasé splash page with an unconscious Iron Man heading into orbit.
His blissful slumber ends with the nearby explosion of an anti-ballistic missile. Quickly awakening to find that he’s on the wrong end of someone’s radar, Iron Man blasts the other coming missiles and heads back to Southeast Asia.
As all of this is going on, Sunfire rejoins the fun with a heat bolt directed at Ultimo. Of course, the Gullible Jerk’s attack has no impact on a blue giant who’s drawn way too short. And once again the Mandarin demonstrates why he’s not pen pals with the likes of Dr. Doom, the Red Skull or Magneto. Instead of using his “hypno-ring” to control the Gullible Jerk and acquire another ally against the Claw, he leaves Ultimo to tackle the Japanese mutant - taking away his greatest power.
Inside the castle, the Claw decides it’s time to bring all of us up to speed on the “Super-Villain War.” He was recently approached by The Black Lama - the mystic guy with comfortable shoes from Iron Man #53 - who told him that the reason villains fail in their bids for power is due to an inner flaw that will be corrected by something called a “Golden Globe” to be awarded to the ultimate. Apparently, this MacGuffin will grant the victor with an “inner peace” that will allow them total victory. Sure, that’d make total sense to me if I were a super villain bent on world domination.
Of course, we also have a caption promising that “big things are happening all over Marvel.” No question all that promoting had the thirteen-year-old me starting to buy into the hype.
But before any of that, we’ve got other plotlines to check in on. First off, Marty March - the guy whose absence drew Iron Man into all of this excitement - shows Roxanne Gilbert a futuristic city, hidden in a cave in the Vietnamese jungles.
Next up, we finally see a reconciliation between Pepper and Happy Hogan with the latter applying for a head security position at Stark Industries. Aww. How sweet! And sure, that’ll take care of any lingering issues, such as Pepper still having to travel with Tony Stark, a guy she once loved and with whom she exchanged a rather passionate kiss seven issues back to no one has talked about yet.
Before all that saccharine punishes us with tooth decay, we move back to the action where the Mandarin’s attempt to sneak into his castle is interrupted by a dorky trio of monsters and mutations created by the Claw. The Mandarin easily dispatches them with his rings.
Unfortunately, those mechanical critters were only a distraction for a weapon of some kind that somehow renders his rings powerless. We already know better than to wonder how the Claw has the scientific know-how to neutralize rings based on the technology from an advanced alien race?
Even better, the Claw shows up to taunt the owner of the castle he's taken. But the Mandarin’s not taking this lying down. He uses his martial arts expertise to decapitate the Claw. Unfortunately, said unwanted visitor turns out to be a robot.
C’mon, Mandarin, the guy’s schtick is subterfuge and deception. Did you really think he’d show up in person?
Even more unfortuante for the Mandarin, his actions ignite a wicked bomb that takes him not only off the game board, but his life as well.
It’s then the Claw’s turn to demonstrate absolute stupidity by allowing a lackey dispose of the Mandarin’s body without a word or thought regarding his rings. Of course, this conniving buffoon quickly pockets those rings with thought balloons hinting at the rise of a new Mandarin. Say it isn’t so!
Outside the castle, Iron Man returns in time to save Sunfire. The two them then team up their powers, blasting the robot until it’s programming apparently becomes confused enough that it’s eye beams bring a mountain down upon it.
That leaves our two heroes shaking hands with Sunfire becoming an Ungrateful Jerk for refusing to help Iron Man take on The Claw. This is after our hero has saved his sorry hide twice in the past two issues. Just don’t let the door hit you on the way out, Sunfire!
With the promise of our hero taking on The Claw in sixty days, this issue comes to a close.
Story
The reason I consider this issue an improvement is not only due to a great deal taking place, but that what occurs moves everything forward in a more intriguing direction.
No question the Mandarin’s death amped up the stakes in the “Super-Villain War.” The return of the Black Lama added to all of this as I’d liked his initial appearance a couple years earlier. His mysterious origins and powers certainly captured my interest.
My disappointment extends as well to the misuse of Ultimo. I mean this guy took on the entire Avengers a few years earlier.
Nonetheless, enough happens with the “big picture” to bump this one to 5/10.
Art
Could I be correct in my speculation that George Tuska wasn’t a fan of the Nose? I say that because for the second straight issue, it seems that some of the gears on the Tuska-Esposito assembly line are out of whack. There are simply more what I would call poorly rendered panels or just sloppy artwork throughout this issue. Added to this is the clear fact that I simply cannot stand the image of Iron Man’s nose with the more expressive eye and mouth slits. No matter what else is going on with that panel or story, just the appearance of those dreadful images distracts me in a way that hasn’t occurred previously with George Tuska. Bottom line: the art’s going downhill. But we’re also just two issues away before Tuska takes a good break from the book. 4/10
Wimp Factor
The star of the book didn’t really have all that much to do this issue. What little action he saw included blowing up some of our tax dollars when he took down some missiles. Then there’s teaming up with the Ungrateful Jerk to defeat Mini-Me Ultimo. That Iron Man never mentions his heart also moves this rating in a positive way. 2/10
Villain Rating
I needed a scorecard to keep track of everyone in this issue. Let’s start with our ringbearer, The Mandarin. I still can’t buy that he actually lost his life to the Claw. Clearly, he was the victim of a fatal combination of his own overconfidence, idiocy and comic book contrivances. 5/10 Then we have the walking disappointment that is otherwise known as Ultimo who went down way too easy. 5/10 Lastly, there’s the overrated Claw. Truly can’t stand him, but eliminating The Mandarin has to count for something. 5/10
Overall Rating
Call this one a step in the right direction, hindered primarily by bad artwork. 5/10
Additional Nuts & Bolts
Does Sunfire actually have any friends? I can’t imagine it, given his behavior here and in previous appearances. But being a mutant does open doors as his next appearance will be in a somewhat significant book called Giant-Sized X-Men #1. Of course, the Gullible & Ungrateful Jerk will be out the door by the next issue, in X-Men #94. As for this book, we’ll have to put up with him again in #97.
Just in case you’re wondering about Loc Do’s upcoming reign as the New Mandarin, don’t hold your breath. Without giving too much away, the “old” Mandarin is back in time for Iron Man’s 100th anniversary issue. He also appears as a “rerun” in an upcoming issue that falls to the “Dreaded Deadline Doom.”
Bear with me, but I do like to have some fun with these posts. What follows was in my initial draft of this review.
At the office of Dee D. Dee, agent to Marvel characters - sometime in early 1974…
“Please send in Ultimo.”
“Good morning, Dee. What do you have for me?”
“I’ve got you signed up for three issues of Iron Man. You’ll be working with the Mandarin again.”
“Oh.”
“What’s the matter, Ultimo? You sound disappointed.”
“Well, Dee, I am. This is my first appearance in a while, and it sounds like I’m once again doing my “big menacing giant” schtick. I feel like I’m being stereotyped.”
“But, Ultimo, you are a 25-foot-tall blue giant with a rather unique mouth.”
"I know, Dee. But darn it, I’m so much more! I have a voice that could make Freddy Mercury green with envy! Along with dance moves that Gene Kelly would die to have! And acting! Did you ever read the reviews for my performance of Big Daddy in ‘Cat on A Hot Tin Roof in the Catskills? This ‘monster’ stuff is so, so limiting! I just can’t do it anymore!”
“You know I love you, Ulty. But this is what we’ve got to work with. Can I tell Marvel you’ll take the job?”
“Not this time, Dee. Doggone it! It’s time I stood up for my principles and for all other 25-foot-tall blue giants. You tell Marvel they can take this job and stick it right up their keisters! I’m leaving now!”
Five minutes later…
“Welcome back, Ulty!”
“Thanks, Dee. When do I report for the Iron Man job?"
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