Issue(s): Machine Man #13
Cover Date: Feb 80
Title: "Xanadu!"
Credits:
Marv Wolfman - Writer
Steve Ditko - Penciler
Steve Ditko - Inker
Mark Gruenwald - Assistant Editor
Marv Wolfman - Editor

Review/plot:
In issue #11, we were introduced to the crimelord Kublai Khan, the master of the pleasure blimp called Xanadu. We learned there that Khan was actually behind an attack on Machine Man in issue #10. Khan never said why he wanted to destroy Machine Man in issue #10 ("Days ago, I learned of Machine Man's existence and attempted to have him destroyed! Yet, the earthquake I had created failed to get rid of him, and so I moved on to concerns of greater import."). After Machine Man saved his life in issue #11, Khan decided that he wanted to capture Machine Man and force him to "serve my will". In this issue, the motivation seems to change once again and now Khan wants to take his brain out of his own "bloated, obese" body and put it into Machine Man's.

So Khan captures Machine Man...

...and attempts the mind transfer.

But it doesn't work, and both Khan and his henchman Tong are seemingly killed when the blimp explodes.

Also in this issue we get to see more of Aaron Stack's awful co-workers.

His boss, Byron Benjamin, who knows he's Machine Man, tells him that he needs to try to seem more human, so he agrees to go to a party. His awful co-workers conspire to get him drunk.

Very little going on here in terms of characterization or interesting plots or villains or anything.

Quality Rating: D+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A