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Invincible Iron Man #30

Oct 1970

Allyn Brodsky, Don Heck

Story Name:

The Menace of the Monster-Master

Synopsis

Invincible Iron Man #30 synopsis by T Vernon

Rating:

Iron Man is in Japan demonstrating Stark’s Tractor-Pressor Beams by moving a massive piece of machinery, causing it to explode, then to reassemble itself. Professor Goro Watanabe and his assistant Toru are impressed and would like to know more but the Professor’s daughter Fujiko is hostile, opposing her country’s dependence on American technology. They approach the Avenger requesting Tony Stark's aid in investigating some unusual electro-magnetic emissions from a remote island. Stark is “unavailable” but Iron Man accompanies the voyage to the island, legendary home of the demon, Zoga. Once there, Toru goes on ahead to take readings but suddenly Zoga the demon—a gigantic dragon—appears and Iron Man does battle with it. The Avenger’s attempt to escape the monster’s clutches drain all his energy and the crew members manage to bring him safely aboard the boat, with Toru the only casualty. Zoga flies off and lands in a remote area, where it is revealed to be a mechanical monster created by the samurai-clad Monster-Master who is working with Red China to drive the Americans out of Japan so he may rule.
Meanwhile, the Professor and party have returned to Tokyo where they are unable to convince the skeptical authorities that the nation is in danger. Toru turns up alive, explaining that he was knocked unconscious by Zoga’s first attack and awakened later. When the dragon arrives on the mainland of the nation, Iron Man flies out to face it with boosted power to his Repulsor Rays. The hero lures Zoga into a trap, tricking it into firing its eye lasers at a concealed mirror which rebound on the monster, blasting it from the sky. The Monster-Maker, mortally injured in the crash of his sinister device, is unmasked as Toru.

Review / Commentaries

Invincible Iron Man #30 Review by T Vernon (March 12, 2013)

Review: Okay tale features Iron Man fighting a dragon; what more do you want? The story dates quite a bit, with Japan being so dependent on the brilliant Americans for its technology (this was still the period when “Made in Japan” was synonymous with “cheap imitation”). The story doesn’t quite wash: at first it seems like Watanabe is part of the Zoga scheme (he is in charge of Project Delta, and Project D is the Chinese code name for the monster), but he’s clearly in dark later in the tale—are D and Delta two different things? And the denouement is quite obvious and fairly insulting to the Japanese. But Iron Man fights a dragon and Don Heck makes it work!

Comments: Fun Fact: this is the ninth cover in the series where we see only the back of Iron Man’s head. Plus, the cover does not depict a scene from the story! And that cover quote is a classic: “They call him…the Monster of Death! I just hope I live long enough to find out why!!” Tony? If you don’t live long enough, you’ll know why!

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This comic is in the following collection:

Collecting IRON MAN (1968) #26-67 and DAREDEVIL (1964) #73.

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Main/1st Story Full Credits

Allyn Brodsky

Don Heck

Chic Stone

Unknown

Marie Severin (Cover Penciler)
Bill Everett (Cover Inker)
Marie Severin (Cover Colorist)

Additional Credits

Letterer: Jean Simek.
Editor: Stan Lee.

All stories. Listed in alphabetical order.

Iron Man
(Anthony Stark)

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