Invincible Iron Man #74: Review

Jan 2004

John Jackson Miller, Jorge Lucas

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Invincible Iron Man #74 Review by T Vernon (March 19, 2021)

Comments: “Stu Conrad,” President George W. Bush’s Chief of Staff is a fictitious character; Bush’s CoS at the time was Andrew Card, who served from 2001-2006. White House Press Secretary Artemus Pithins is also fictitious; Bush had four Press Secretaries in his two terms; Pithins was Stark’s publicity man for several issues in the 1970s-80s, starting with IRON MAN #124. John Tower, President George H.W. Bush’s rejected nominee for Secretary of Defense, was a real person (1925-1991) and his confirmation battle is accurately described. The claim that no President’s Cabinet pick has ever been rejected by the Senate is not accurate: Tower was the ninth nominee to be rejected in US history. The New Republic is a political commentary publication (since 1914), leaning to the liberal side of the spectrum; Robert Novak (1931-2009) was a political columnist. Tony’s assistant Friday appears as a stereotypical secretary.

Review: Tony Stark shows he is a patriot: he chooses to do what is best for the nation and not for himself. This means taking a high-level position in the government viz. Secretary of Defense so he can control what weapons are used in war and how. It’s nice that Marvel had this debate over the first forty years of Shellhead’s comic book history so that it can all be stuffed into a single movie in 2008. And as I guessed, all of the conflicts in the tale are political, even, in a way, Tony’s trouble with Rumiko. They do get to sneak in an explosion, though, to wake up any readers who don’t appreciate the significance of the political controversies. There’s more to come with Tony’s audacious claim that there can be war without fatalities.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Invincible Iron Man #74 Synopsis by Julio Molina-Muscara

Conrad Stu cannot believe it when he learns from the U.S. President George W. Bush himself that Tony Stark is the new nominee for Secretary of Defense. But it is the only way for Tony to be on top of things after Sonny Burch released his secret invention patents to defense contractors. Tony makes several important changes in his life to get the job, including retiring from Stark Enterprises. And after a very convincing speech to the Senate, stating that none need to die in war again, Stark awaits for his nomination.

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