Issue(s): Iron Man #93, Iron Man #94
Cover Date: Dec 76 - Jan 77
Title: "Kraken kills!" / "Frenzy at fifty fathoms!"
Credits:
Gerry Conway - Script
Herb Trimpe - Plot
Herb Trimpe - Penciler
Jack Abel - Inker

Review/plot:
Herb Trimpe plots a two-issue story featuring the Kraken.

Iron Man is out in space, hooking up the Stark One satellite and getting home with a space-rescue device that, last issue, he was accused of having stolen the designs for.

Unfortunately, things don't go well for him during re-entry, and he winds up crashing into the Atlantic, where he's rescued by a British freighter. That freighter is then boarded by the Kraken.

Kraken has undergone a complete rehaul since his last appearance. Totally different look, and some tech upgrades.

He's also said to have gone mad.

I almost suspect that Trimpe was trying to just introduce some new character and someone else decided it would be best to use an existing one. If so, i agree we didn't need any more pirate-themed bad guys.

Abraham Klein and "Krissy Longfellow" go looking for Iron Man, but they wind up getting captured by the Kraken as well.

The other big news is that the Kraken has figured out Iron Man's secret identity...

...and he really wants Tony Stark to create weapons for him. You might think that means that the Kraken has to die during this story, and he seems to...

...but it turns out he's still alive in the end.

I imagine he stays at that inn, manically wishing his guests a good night, until he's called to the Bar With No Name to be killed by the Scourge in Captain America #319-320.

A couple times during this story, Iron Man has a dizzy spell, but we're told we won't learn about that until the next arc.

Iron Man attributes it to his armor being damaged thanks to the crash from space.

Not necessarily a great story, but sometimes you have to indulge your Herb Trimpe and let him draw a high tech pirate story if he wants to.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: The MCP places this after Avengers #155-156. This story is referenced in Werewolf By Night #42-43 (Iron Man starts those issues feeling like he's been "put through the wringer sideways" with a footnote saying it's because of these issues) but we have to ignore that reference due to a more specific reference in Iron Man #92. See the Considerations in that issue for more.

References:

• The Kraken previously appeared in Sub-Mariner #27 and Cat #3.
  
• When the Kraken shows up, Iron Man says that his luck has been bad ever since he stepped on a land-mine in Vietnam in Tales of Suspense #39.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

I imagine Ed, his helper with the remote-control electrocuter, rescued Kraken from his watery trap. Did he ever show up again I wonder?

I do love all comics including this one but it is not the Kraken I'm looking for.