Issue(s): Marvel Super Heroes #15 (Iron Man story only)
Cover Date: Oct 93 / Fall 93
Title: "The heart of power"
Credits:
Len Kaminski - Script
David Anthony Kraft & Keith Pollard - Plot
Keith Pollard - Penciler
Ian Akin & Brian Garvey - Inker
Paula Foye - Assistant Editor
Rob Tokar - Editor

Review/plot:
It seems like someone was pretty confident that this story was going to be published before 1993, because it's referenced to in Iron Man annual #10. Keith Pollard, who co-plots and pencils this issue, also drew the relevant panel in that annual, but an editor would have had to approve its inclusion as well. In any event, if you read that annual and were feeling unfulfilled because you didn't know about this story, here it is, resurrected thanks to the Marvel Super Heroes book. It's, uh, not very exciting.

The story is about a guy that doesn't like Iron Man very much.

His name's Indoshiro Kondo, and he's got a ton of powers.

But right now he's just fighting a robot.

He gets his powers (which is really just one power, i guess, the ability to change into several different forms) from an Element Z.

Coincidentally, Tony Stark is forced to cancel a satellite project being run by a scientist named Ed Deal, since they need Element Z.

Ed Deal travels to India where he tries to bribe someone at the facility that mines Element Z into giving him some. And it turns out that the mining company is owned by Kondo, so Deal is kidnapped.

A good portion of this issue is just dedicated to showing Tony living the high life. Making out with women on the beach, gambling in Monaco, skiing in Switzerland, etc., all while making high powered business decisions. I mean a seriously good portion of the story; i'd estimate about a third at least. It's not unwelcome - Stark being a wealthy playboy CEO is what differentiates him from other Marvel heroes - but it's an interesting choice for what was probably meant as a fill-in issue.

Eventually Stark is baited into going to Kondo's estate to fight him.

Iron Man eventually grabs the box with Element Z, and that causes Kondo to lose his powers and collapse.

And then we suddenly veer off in an unexpected direction. A woman bursts out of the flames of a nearby brazier, negotiates the return of the box to Kondo, and even offers Tony Stark Kondo's powers (which Iron Man declines).

I thought this was about an element that was being mined. Where is this Dark Lady coming from?

Ed Deal never gets the Element for his satellite project. We never find out why Kondo hated Stark, unless it's that he thought that Stark was trying to get his Element Z. Also, don't expect any clarification from Inoshiro Kondo's next (and final) appearance in Iron Man annual #10, where the character is written like a cheap thug.

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: Iron Man is wearing his red and silver armor, and this definitely takes place before Iron Man annual #10, where this issue is referenced. The MCP places it between Iron Man #222-223. This issue also has a Volstagg story, which is covered in a separate entry.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? Y (inventory story)

My Reprint: N/A

It's obvious that Kaminski had no clue what the original plotters planned and the art wasn't self-explanatory- this is like the anti-Gambit-Champions.

Oddly, IM annual 10 makes it look like the pre-Silver Centurion armor was the one IM was wearing when he rescued Deal. The use of a robotic version of the classic armor here is all the more curious--and isnt a David A Kraft-plotted story likely to date from before the silver armor's 1985 debut? I cant think of any Marvel work he was doing that late.

Yeah, the last thing i have from DAK is some Marvel Two-In-Ones from 1983. This really does seem to be a Frankenstein of a story.

The villain's name seems to be taken from Godzilla director Inoshiro Honda.