Issue(s): Iron Man #56
Cover Date: Mar 73
Title: "Rasputin's revenge!"
Credits:
Steve Gerber - Writer
Jim Starlin - Penciler
Mike Esposito - Inker

Review/plot:
Steve Gerber takes over for a few issues of Iron Man, and Jim Starlin is still on pencils for this issue, so we get an... unusual plot.

It's basically Iron Man fighting a statue that gets possessed by a demon, Fangor, but a lot of the story focuses on a low level wizard called Rasputin (no relation to any other Rasputins you may be thinking of).

And it's definitely played for goofs.

Rasputin is responsible for the arrival of this demon.

It has a cute ending, with a cameo by Dr. Strange.

Man, Steve Gerber was really into occult stuff, huh?

Some focus on Iron Man's technology, too. We start off with the roller skates.

And there's mention of how Iron Man has now added a laser to his chestplate, after the events of last issue.

During the fight with the demon, he uses his "unstable-freon mini-bomb".

A goofy, light hearted story. A Gerber/Starlin collaboration is a nice little treat.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: This begins with Iron Man returning to the Avengers Mansion after his fight with the Blood Brothers in the desert. I have some personal complications around that thanks to a lot of books being collected in my Captain Marvel trade, so i'm placing it in the approximately right place (technically, Iron Man's appearance in CM #27-30 and his rematch with the Blood Brothers in Marvel Feature #12 takes place after this story).

References:

• The freon bomb was last seen in Tales of Suspense #82.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A