Invincible Iron Man #178: Review

Jan 1984

Bob Harras, Luke McDonnell

Story Name:

(multiple titles)

Review & Comments

Rating:

Invincible Iron Man #178 Review by T Vernon (March 22, 2016)

This was Assistant Editors' Month for Marvel with the second-in-commands taking the opportunity to put a different spin on the titles; Mike Carlin was the editor for IRON MAN. Oddly, Iron Man does not appear (either Rhodey or Tony) in either story. IRON MAN ANNUAL #6 takes place simultaneously with this issue. The juvenile Avengers in the first story play Iron Man, Captain America, Wasp, Scarlet Witch, Hulk, Hawkeye, and Vision; “Wasp” has a copy of AVENGERS #231. The second story is the first appearance of Gretl Anders who will be in every issue until 182. Denny O'Neill wrote the 2nd story.

Review: The first story is an entertaining trifle and the second one is another deeply serious character piece. Not much else to say.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Invincible Iron Man #178 Synopsis by T Vernon

Story 1: Once an Avenger, Always an Avenger!

A group of kids dress in Avengers costumes and patrol their neighborhood to be helpful just like the real heroes. They find local punk Blackie Donovan about to spray-paint graffiti on a car and turn him over to Officer Kelly of the police; Blackie vows revenge. Reconvening at their clubhouse, the chairman, Wasp, announces that since Iron Man is no longer in the Avengers in the comics, he should be asked to leave their club. Mikey is upset but he goes, sadly throwing away his homemade Iron Man helmet.....
Soon reports come in of a kid Iron Man bullying the smaller kids and demanding their lunch money. When the kid Avengers learn that everyone is now afraid of them because of Iron Man's antics, they confront Mikey and refuse to believe him when he denies the accusations. Mikey runs home and makes himself another Iron Man helmet (out of mom's saucepan) and hunts down the impostor. When the Avengers catch the bad Iron Man literally taking candy from a baby, they confront him; just then Mikey comes along as Iron Man on skates and fights the bad Shellhead. The baddie is unmasked as Blackie Donovan and turned over to Officer Kelly. The other kids apologize to Mikey and let him back on the team. Avengers assemble!

3/5

Story 2:- Struggle!

A drunken and derelict Tony Stark is accosted by two police officers. One of the cops bets Tony fifty dollars that he can't stay sober until midnight, asking him to meet him back there at the hour. Trying to stay clean, Tony phones Rhodey but Morley Erwin tells him that Rhodey isn't home. He heads to Vic Martinelli's apartment to ask for a handout; Vic gives him a twenty. Tony is offended that Vic still works for Obadiah Stane but Vic tells Tony he drank away any loyalty his staff had for him. Tony phones Mrs Arbogast but she tells him to go to Alcoholics Anonymous. He runs into drinking buddies Ozzie Sanborn and Gretl Anders but insults them by refusing to drink with them. At midnight, the washed-out Tony meets the officer at the rendezvous and the cop pays him the fifty; Tony thanks the cop for making him realize that alcohol is his problem. The policeman reveals that his father was a drunk.

4/5

Story #2