Invincible Iron Man #81: Review

Dec 1975

Mike Friedrich, Chic Stone

Story Name:

War of the Mind-Dragons!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Invincible Iron Man #81 Review by T Vernon (March 18, 2014)

Review: The issue caps off the extended Black Lama/Super-villain War story line (and Mike Friedrich’s stint on the title) by wrapping the story up hastily but in a satisfying manner. The one disappointment: the sequence of the mad antagonists going at each other in monster form was the perfect opportunity to go all Steranko on the page layout to really get us into the mood. But no, just mildly distorted faces in the usual carefully ruled panels. So sad.

Comments: Part two of a two part story. The last page features a farewell to writer Mike Friedrich and introduces the new creative team of Len Wein and Herb Trimpe. Marianne Rodgers returns in issue #103.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Invincible Iron Man #81 Synopsis by T Vernon

In an alternate USA, Iron Man is aiding the forces of King Jerald (a/k/a the Black Lama) against the rebels led by the treacherous Baron Rockler. Shellhead zips through the palace corridors, destroying weapons and knocking out soldiers, all the while having brief spells of madness. The Baron escapes the field and returns to his quarters where he is poisoned by his equally treacherous wife. The Baroness then meets up with Firebrand and they agree to join forces to capture the kingdom, each one planning to double-cross the other at the earliest opportunity, of course. As he informs his allies that he is only there to capture his foe and return safely to their world, Iron Man is hit with a fit of madness, causing him to attack the King. The spell wears off but time is now of the essence. The Baroness and her chief scientist attack in a giant metal dragon powered by Firebrand. Shellhead uses his body to plug up its flames spout and the machine explodes. Iron Man and Firebrand, both overwhelmed by madness and seeing the other as a hideous monster, try to kill each other but Tony is able to exert his will to refrain from destroying his enemy. King Jerald uses the Golden Globe to return them to their own dimension but an anomaly delays Iron Man’s transfer until Firebrand can escape. Tony ends by agonizing over the possible return of Marianne Rodgers.