9:25 PM
Brad
Cover Date: March 1963
Plot Overview: Millionaire playboy Tony Stark has invented a new transistor and heads to Vietnam to show it off for the military. Stark accidentally steps on a land mine and wakes up in the camp of Wong-Chu. Stark has shrapnel heading towards his heart and only has a few days to live. Wong-Chu wants Stark to build him a powerful weapon and gives him the raw materials to do it. Stark decides to double cross Wong-Chu and build a weapon to help him escape and to build something to keep him alive.
Wong-Chu throws Professor Yinsen in with Stark to assist in the building. Stark reveals the plans for the Iron Man to Yinsen. They continue working until Stark is on the verge of death. Yinsen gets him into the Iron Man armor and distracts the guards while the batteries charge. Yinsen is killed and Stark vows to avenge his death.
Iron Man confronts Wong-Chu and bests him in a battle. Wong-Chu flees after Iron Man breaks up his army. Iron Man uses the oil in his armor to blow up the camp and free the other prisoners. The issue ends with Iron Man walking off into the darkness wondering about what his future will hold.
My Take: What can you say about this issue? It's a classic that still holds up pretty well today. The technology is really outdated but that's not too big a deal. The concept of Iron Man is pretty well thought out here. They showed off some of his abilities and they gave him some personality. Tony Stark doesn't have a ton depth yet but he seems like a little more than a two dimensional character with a set of powers.
It made you want to see where they go from here. How is Tony going to fix his heart? Is he stuck in the armor forever? There are all sorts of issues and questions that these 13 pages gave you to latch onto going forward.
The art was pretty good for this issue. The armor is ugly but it makes sense considering he pieced together a bunch of junk to make it. I really enjoyed this issue. I'm really looking forward to the next issue.
After this issue I think it's the third highest book on my list right now. Spider-Man is the top book and Fantastic Four would be number two.
I'd give this ***1/2 out of *****.
Notes: This is the first appearance of Iron Man. This is also the first and only appearance of his grey armor. After this issue his armor will be gold. The Iron Man origin is pretty much what you think it was. His concept is pretty dead on to what his modern version of the character is. I always find it interesting that some concepts are well developed from the start and others seem to take some work to get right.
This is the first and only appearance of Yinsen. He is probably one of the most important characters to ever just appear in 1 issue alive. He will forever be an important part of the Iron Man mythos.
Tales of Suspense is another one of those anthology titles that their superhero line took over in the early 60s. Iron Man will be the main feature on the book for awhile but Captain America will eventually join the book as a co-feature.
Next Issue: Incredible Hulk #6
Posted in: Iron Man,Tales of Suspense
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