Issue(s): Iron Man #206
Cover Date: May 86
Title: " Prisons"
Credits:
Denny O'Neil - Writer
M.D. Bright - Penciler
Ian Akin & Brian Garvey - Inker
Howard Mackie - Assistant Editor
Mark Gruenwald - Editor

Review/plot:
For a little while when the West Coast Avengers were between series, Hawkeye and Mockingbird were almost part of Iron Man's supporting cast. And one of those stories featured Goliath as the villain, and here we all are again.

This issue starts us off with a reminder that in addition to being able to grow, Goliath is in the top tier of super-strength characters as well.

Not that Henry Pym and Bill Foster weren't strong as Giant-Man, but when Josten was Power Man he was a product of the same technology that made Wonder Man, and when Dr. Malus gave him growing powers he also restored his ionic strength and invulnerability.

That said, he's held by the Avengers in an adamantium cage. To make life miserable for his captors, he's been demanding that he be fed at his super-human size, even though in truth he doesn't need to eat at all.

The Avengers keeping Goliath prisoner is legally questionable, and a lawyer looking to make a name for himself presses that point and gets him released to be transferred to a regular prison. Goliath of course immediately escapes and returns to torment the West Coast Avengers, and at this point only Hawkeye and Mockingbird are home. And they are not best equipped to fight Goliath.

Luckily Iron Man arrives.

But AIM is still after Tony Stark, and they've rigged his new space shuttle to fail once it's in the air. James Rhodes has decided that he's not going to be an Iron Man anymore now that Stark is back in the new armor...

...but he's agreed to be the pilot for Stark's shuttle. So when the shuttle malfunctions, Iron Man has to leave the battle with Goliath. To keep Hawkeye and Mockingbird protected, he puts them in the adamantium cage.

And when he returns, he finds that Goliath, unable to get inside the cage to get at the non-powered Avengers, has simply tossed it into the ocean.

Iron Man is able to rescue them and knock out Goliath.

And this time, they decide to deliver Goliath to the police in the cage.

After a long while dealing with alcoholism and then tension between Stark and Rhodey, recent issues of Iron Man have been much more straightforward super-hero stuff, and it's been fun. Especially on these last two issues, O'Neil has managed to find some fresh scenarios to keep things interesting. It's also nice seeing the West Coast Avengers handled by a good creative team, even if Hawkeye and Mockingbird are deliberately kept from having a good showing for the purposes of the story.

Quality Rating: B

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: The MCP has this between West Coast Avengers #9-10.

References:

• As Goliath, Erik Josten's crimes include tearing up Los Angeles in Iron Man annual #7 and joining the Lethal Legion in West Coast Avengers #1 and West Coast Avengers #2.
  
• James Rhodes was "badly shaken" in the explosion in Iron Man #199 but he's back to top health now.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

If Goliath doesn't need to eat but does so anyway, wouldn't that produce a mountain of dung? And I'm not sure if that cage has a toilet...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's refreshing to remember at this point Goliath was portrayed as a significant threat by himself. Someone who could go one on one with any of the strongest Avengers. And his heritage as an important villain as Power Man created a good amount of back story for him. Stern would use him to great effect very soon, but after that he was neglected and eventually mishandled as part of the Thunderbolts.

What was wrong with Atlas in Thunderbolts?
I actually cared about the character Atlas, whereas I Never found Goliath to be interesting.

One problem I heard people complain about Atlas was that he was too nice- his behavior was inconsistent with his previous appearances. Busiek planned to explain that as a side effect of his ionic powers but never got the chance.