Invincible Iron Man #204: Review

Mar 1986

Dennis O'Neil, M. D. Bright

Story Name:

Crossing

Review & Comments

Rating:

Invincible Iron Man #204 Review by T Vernon (October 12, 2016)

Comments: Part three of three parts. Final appearance of Dr. Theron Atlanta. The silly joke Bethany uses to prove her identity is “Why did the elephant cross the road? Because he was stapled to the back of the chicken.” Told you it was silly.

Review: No, don't panic, it's not THE Crossing; that comes later and stinks up the Marvel offices. This issue wraps up the Bethany/Madame Masque mind switch plot—which could actually have gone on much longer to create more suspense for a few issues—by mostly focusing on the Iron Man vs. A.I.M. conflict. It's always satisfying to see a hero bust up enemy machinery, even if totally unnecessary to the plot—they don't really need Dr. Atlanta at all as it turns out. And A.I.M. is back next issue for some more drubbing. Life (or at least this comic) is good.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Invincible Iron Man #204 Synopsis by T Vernon

Tony Stark, totally confused by Madam Masque's shooting of Bethany Cabe, scoffs at the former's explanation of mind transfer and can't think of a way to confirm it. He calls Rhodey to come over and guard the women while he, as Iron Man, sets out to track down the mad scientist responsible, Dr. Theron Atlanta. Shellhead locates an A.I.M. aircraft shot down over the ocean in issue #201 and recovers the black box that can lead him to the villains' undersea lair....

Iron Man finds the A.I.M. base and battles seacraft firing gobs of tar, remote controlled balls trapping him in a tightening force field, and blasts from a plasma cannon. He recovers and bashes the seabase into junk before carrying it to the nearest beach. Shellhead invades the craft as the A.I.M. traitor Yorgon Tykkio hides (breaking his artificial face in the process) leaving Dr Atlanta to be captured by the hero.

Back ashore, Atlanta refuses to talk. Clytemnestra Erwin suggests they can figure out how to work the mind transfer device themselves. The heroes find it at Stane labs and strap the two women into it. At the throw of a switch, everything goes back to normal, with Bethany proving her identity to Tony by repeating a silly joke he once told her.