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Tales of Suspense #85

Jan 1967
Stan Lee, Gene Colan

Story Name:

Into the Jaws of Death


Synopsis

Tales of Suspense #85 synopsis by T Vernon
Rating: 4 stars
Image from Tales of Suspense #85

In a remote fortress in China, the Mandarin is unleashing blasts from his power rings at Iron Man, who is really Happy Hogan. Tony Stark’s faithful sidekick had donned the armor last issue to deflect suspicions that Tony is Iron Man and now he has been teleported away by the hero’s arch-enemy. Back in Washington, Tony leaves the hospital and heads to his Long Island facility; there he forges his most advanced armor yet. Iron Man then rushes to his missile development center and takes a flight to the China Sea, where he splashes down in secrecy. As poor Happy is being interrogated in the evil overlord’s dungeon, Iron Man makes his way to the fortress, fighting his way past guards and evading traps…

[Meanwhile, in Washington, Senator Byrd is advised to drop his investigation of Tony Stark and Iron Man who are now regarded as heroes—but Byrd believes it would be a betrayal of his ideals so he insists on continuing the hearing when Stark recovers from his illness….]

…finally reaching the dungeon, where he confronts a surprised Mandarin….



Story #2

The Blitzkrieg of Batroc!

Writer: Stan Lee. Penciler: Jack Kirby. Inker: Frank Giacoia. Colorist: ?.

Synopsis

By Peter Silvestro
Rating: 4 stars
In response to a cryptic message, Captain America arrives at a convalescent hospital in search of the female SHIELD agent whose life may be in danger. He suspects a trap and he is right: Hydra agents are waiting in the wings as a floor opens and drops him into a basement. There he is attacked by Batroc, seeking revenge for his earlier defeat. As they battle, the Hydra killers tell the captive SHIELD agent that there is no way she or Captain America will survive. The contest between the two antagonist moves back and forth until the impatient Hydra agents open fire. An enraged Batroc leaps at the killers and Cap hurls his shield to protect his former foe. The two team up to rescue the SHIELD agent and Batroc, having paid his debt to Cap, escapes through a window.

 

Review / Commentaries


Tales of Suspense #85 Review by (June 25, 2012)
Review (Iron Man): Mandy again? We just saw this guy in issues #76-78 and he’s back already? Couldn’t Stan find someone else to harass Iron Man for a while? Aside from seeing a villain again too soon, the rest of the issue is flawed: for one, the bulk of the story is devoted to creation of new armor. While this is interesting and Gene Colan’s art makes it very dramatic, we’re still doing nothing more than padding out the issue with scenes of a guy working in a metal shop. And finally the pace is thrown so far off that, as with issue #77, we cut away at a crucial moment on the final page to see Senator Byrd fussing about Tony Stark once again! Eventually Stan and Gene will get the hang of working together so that a twelve-page story actually fits in twelve pages but for now….

Comments (Iron Man): First issue in which Happy appears without Pepper. Tony was in a hospital in Washington in the last issue (note the Jefferson Memorial in the background on page 8) yet here a fifteen-minute taxi ride takes him to his Long Island facility; that must be some cab.


> Tales of Suspense comic book info and issue index

Elektra

This comic is in the following collection:
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Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #100-113 and material from TALES OF SUSPENSE (1959) #59-99 and NOT BRAND ECHH #3.

Excelsioring your collection:
DIAMOND SELECT TOYS Marvel Premier Collection: Avengers Endgame Captain America Statue, Multicolor
Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Gene Colan
Frank Giacoia
?
Gene Colan (Cover Penciler)
Frank Giacoia (Cover Inker)
Stan Goldberg (Cover Colorist)


Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Batroc the Leaper
Batroc the Leaper

(Georges Batroc)
Captain America
Captain America

(Steven Rogers)
Iron Man
Iron Man

(Anthony Stark)

Plus: Hordes of HYDRA, Senator Byrd.