Issue(s): Iron Man #140, Iron Man #141
Cover Date: Nov-Dec 80
Title:
Credits:
David Michelinie & Bob Layton - Writer
Bob Layton / John Romita Jr.- Penciler
Bob Layton - Inker

Review/plot:
Iron Man takes Ling to his private island in the Carribean so she can recover from the beating she recently took. Yes, Stark owns his own island. He brings Rhodey, Bethany, and Ling's doctor John Ehrmann, the head of Stark's Health Services.

Unfortunately there's some pirates in the Carribean, stealing yachts. They're lead by one-time Sub-Mariner villain Force.

Force in turn is working for Justin Hammer, who's got a giant undersea facility.

Hammer is using the stolen yachts to distribute drugs. Iron Man puts a stop to it, after a fight with a souped-up Force. But he's forced to let Hammer go.

Meanwhile, the entire town of Allantown, Iowa drops dead, Andromeda Strain style. SHIELD investigates.

Romita Jr returns to the book on art with issue #141, not that Layton was doing a bad job at all.

Hijacking plot aside, these issues really capture what i think of as the Magnum PI aspect of the show. Basically a bunch of wealthy people living a luxurious life and also fighting crime.

It's not entirely an accurate comparison, but both wore too-short shorts and pulled their socks up to their knees, so i'm sticking with it.

Quality Rating: B

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Lindsay was injured in Iron Man #137.
  
• Force previously appeared in Sub-Mariner #68.
  
• Hammer previously appeared in Iron Man #120-127.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Iron Man #46 (Vol. 3 Nov 01)

A writer's strike caused the debut of Magnum, P.I. to be pushed to December, 1980, so most of these issues we associate with that cursory similarity in the first Micheleinie - Layton run actually preceded the show. I had never checked!