Issue(s): Tales of Suspense #79, Tales of Suspense #80 (Iron Man stories only)
Cover Date: Jul-Aug 66
Title: "Disaster!" / "When fall the mighty!"
Credits:
Stan Lee - Writer
Gene Colan - Penciler
Jack Abel - Inker

Review/plot:
Jack Abel is credited under his real name for issue #79 but uses his pseudonym Gary Michaels for #80.

Tony Stark has been shut out of his factory by order of the government, and there is a warrant out for his arrest. After wandering around a bit and finding that the Avengers and Pepper Potts aren't home, he gets attacked by the Atlantean Warlord Krang (shown here with pink skin along with Lady Dorma due to recent events in Tales To Astonish - they took pills that let them breath above the water), pretty much just because Krang wants to look tough in front of Dorma.

Despite being low on power, Iron Man manages to drive them off.

But then the Sub-Mariner shows up.

He's angry, and of course it was never going to be for a rational reason, but it's not even that he's mad that Iron Man put Dorma in danger. He actually considers Dorma an enemy right now. No, he's mad just because Iron Man denied Namor the chance of extracting his own vengeance from Krang.

Weak from the lack of energy and with his suit damaged by Krang, Iron Man is in no shape to fight the Sub-Mariner, so he pulls the old briar patch trick: "Please, Namor! Do anything to me but throw me in the room with my other set of armor and the thick door that will keep you out! Anything but that!"

I have absolutely no problem with Namor falling for it.

The battle is continued in Tales to Astonish #82. The end blurb says:

Special Notice: So spectacular is this epic battle, that mighty Marvel is presenting it in two different magazines! So, for the dazzling conclusion of this smashing saga, don't dare miss Astonish #82, on sale now! This is the first time such a unique dual-issue project has been attempted in any comic mag, so don't make us regret it, hear?

We've had a few soft crossovers to date. Actually there are a bunch around this time and these issues: Henry Pym and the Wasp's transfer from Astonish to Avengers, Hercules showing up in Astonish on his train trip between issues of Thor, and some other things like that. But i guess this really is the first time a story started in one series and was concluded in another. Kind of a big deal.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 5 - first cross-title story

Chronological Placement Considerations: Continues directly in Tales to Astonish #82. Early in this story, Tony considers going to the Avengers Mansion for help but sees that it is dark, with a footnote to Avengers #29. My conundrum here involves the headache known as Marvel Monsters: Monsters on the Prowl #1. That issue has to take place before Avengers #28, but also after Tales To Astonish #91 (due to dependencies on the Hulk's side of the book, but the Hulk and Namor have a crossover in Astonish #84). So i can't have Avengers #29 taking place before TTA #82. So unless i reevaluate the placement of Monsters on the Prowl (and break with the MCP), i'm stuck with ignoring the footnote and assuming that the Avengers are simply not at home for reasons unrelated to Avengers #29. Avengers #26-27 must take place after Henry Pym and the Wasp's appearance in Astonish #78 and that also kicks off the Krang/Dorma situation that we see here. So i've got these issues after Avengers #27. The start of this arc also presents a minor challenge. The previous arc began not long after Avengers #22 but ended with Iron Man arriving at his factory and finding that he'd been shut out. This arc begins soon after that, with Stark roaming the streets with nowhere to go. Due to the other dependencies, that means that Tales of Suspense #73-78 is taking place concurrently with Avengers #22-27. Or you can assume that at the end of TOS #78, Stark decided to cheer himself up with a drinking binge and has been stumbling from bar to bar until now.

References:

• It's said that the Avengers are not home due to the events of Avengers #29, but see my comments above.
  
• Warlord Krang's flagship was seen in Tales To Astonish #81.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Marvel Masterworks: The Invincible Iron Man vol. 3