Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
| 1988-09-01 00:09:30 |
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Iron Man #234
Issue(s): Iron Man #234
Cover Date: Sep 88
Title: "Fallout!"
Credits:
David Michelinie - Script
David Michelinie & Bob Layton - Plot
Butch Guice - Breakdowns
Bob Layton - Finishes
Howard Mackie - Editor
Review/plot:
With Stark having convinced everyone that the old vigilante Iron Man has been replaced, a company called Pendyne agrees to an acquisition by Stark. Their facilities will become his East Coast headquarters.
Peter Parker, or at least a living Ken doll claiming to be him, is covering the tech expo where these events are occurring.
Jim Rhodes is also at the expo, doing well at video games but striking out with the ladies.
He has interesting ideas about fidelity.
Tony Stark freaks out a bit when he sees a Stane International exhibit at the expo. He'd freak out even more if he knew that the Radioactive Man was the guy presenting.
Radioactive Man's "biorganic radiation" sense goes off, and so does Spider-Man's spider-sense.
You may remember that Vic Martinelli was the security officer at Stark before Stane took over, and unlike most of Stark's employees, Vic stayed on because his criminal background makes it hard for him to get a job. But when he and Tony exchange greetings, Vic passes him a note.
But Stark doesn't even read it because he's distracted by the polo groupie from last issue.
After the expo is over, Peter Parker returns as Spider-Man to investigate the funny feeling he had. And he encounters the Radioactive Man.
Radioactive Man triggers an Iron Man hologram display that Tony Stark was using earlier, which distracts Spider-Man, and even worse, his radioactive powers cause Spider-Man to weaken easily.
Vic Martinelli observes the fight but does nothing.
Tony wakes up the next day and finally reads Martinelli's note. He kicks out Kathleen Dare and goes to meet Martinelli. Martinelli tells Tony that the satellite crash from last issue wasn't an accident; it was an attempt by the Radioactive Man to study the effect of radiation on humans by exposing them to the radioactive elements in the satellite. Martinelli actually doesn't know that Dr. Chen Lu and Radioactive Man are the same person.
Tony gets Martinelli to agree to let Iron Man into Stane to look around. Iron Man finds Spider-Man demasked and on Radioactive Man's dissection table.
Iron Man is able to use his shield gauntlet to protect Spider-Man from Radioactive Man's radiation draining power.
And that gives Spider-Man time to put on a radiation suit.
They are fighting in a lead-line room designed by Lu, and Iron Man ends the fight by melting the lead onto him.
Spider-Man faced the Radioactive Man before, in Untold Tales of Spider-Man #16 and we didn't see any signs of this radiation draining business. Of course, that story hadn't been written yet. I guess we can write it off to Radioactive Man being upset and his powers getting out of control in that issue.
Fun issue. I like the Radioactive Man, and i like a good team-up, and it's fun seeing Spider-Man and Iron Man contrasted with each other.
Although now that he's married to supermodel Mary Jane, i don't think he's got any grounds for complaining about Tony's wealth.
Quality Rating: B
Historical Significance Rating: 1
Chronological Placement Considerations: The satellite malfunction was "a few days ago". The MCP has Spider-Man here during Amazing Spider-Man #304.
References: N/A
Crossover: N/A
Continuity Insert? N
My Reprint: N/A
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Comments
Can we have Mark Bright back please?
I prefer MD Bright's pencils as well for IM, but I liked Jackson Guice as an artist and think he does a good job on the title.
Radioactive Man was supposed to be one of the greater threats in the Marvel Universe in the early Silver Age, and I'm disappointed he's not used more. He would have made a good addition to Iron Man's rogues gallery. The nature of his powers and intelligence would be a good match for IM's new suit.
What on earth is Kathy Dare wearing while walking her bulldog?
Iactually don't mind Guice's artwork on this book.It sort of apes Bright's style, IMO.
FNORD, I totally agree with you about Peter being jealous of Iron Man. Poor Peter, no money yet he "only" gets to come home to a gorgeous wife every day :(
Maybe Pete is one of those guys that like to feel "Manly" (whatever that means) and feels he needs to be earning as much as his wife, if not more. I don't agree with it because if MJ doesn't feel like he's less of a man then he should feel comfortable. I just think it all plays into the Peter Parker has problems ethos.
Another excellent issue for this series. I didn't mind the switch from Bright to Guice since Layton overpowers any penciller he works with anyway. And I've always loved all three artists.
Nice to have Vic Martinelli back and Radio always makes for an awesome bad guy.
I wouldn't blame Rhodey for womanizing. All those years alongside Tony Stark had to rub off sooner or later. It's as inevitable as taking up the armor gig.
"I've always found science fascinating." You gotta love those "thoughts" that are clearly designed to inform the reader than any kind of depiction of what the character would actually be thinking.
I kinda like the idea that Spidey is specially suseptable to radiation. It gives spidey a "weakness" considering he doesnt have many. I've always thought certain villains should present tougher challenges to certain heroes. eg. Electro should be Iron Man's worst nightmare, Screaming Mimi should be Daredevil's, etc.
