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Iron Man #4

Aug 1968

Archie Goodwin, Johnny Craig

Story Name:

Unconquered Is the Unicorn

Synopsis

Iron Man #4 synopsis by T Vernon

Rating:

Tony Stark straps the unconscious Freak (captured last issue) into his Enervation Intensifier, preparing to change him back into Happy Hogan. Meanwhile, he is trying to conceal his concern so as not to frighten Happy’s wife Pepper Potts; unfortunately, Pepper misreads his calm demeanor as a lack of concern for his friend’s fate. Tony throws a switch and Happy is restored to normal….
….Meanwhile behind the Iron Curtain, a similar action is taking place: the Unicorn is being bombarded with radiation from the dangerous Hyper-Activator and it builds the brainwashed former traitor into a more powerful man—at the cost of a shortened life expectancy—ready to resume his role as a high-powered Soviet killer. The villain is given a new streamlined and improved costume and once he is assured it works, he turns on the scientists, the treatment having eroded the effects of his brainwashing, and he sets forth to find how to extend his life while retaining the enhanced strength.
While Tony Stark broods over the trouble being Iron Man has caused his friends, he heads to the Congress of Scientific Achievement, a conclave held in an unspecified European country. But the Unicorn has heard of this conference as well and sees it as his main chance to find an expert who can save his life. At the opening meeting, as Tony is debating whether to give Iron Man’s secrets to the world, the television cameras are suddenly drawn by a magnetic force to aim at the ceiling where Unicorn makes his explosive entrance. He seals the doors with a ray blast from his horn and subdues the guards then destroys most of the room as a preface to his remarks to the watching world. Tony, saved from serious injury by his chestplate, spies the attaché case with the Iron Man armor lying nearly at the villain’s feet. He creeps forward hoping to recover it but Unicorn spots him and, thinking Tony is trying to attack him, blasts him across the room. As Tony tries again and again, and the villain keeps blasting him with low-level burst, the Unicorn finally discovers Tony is after his briefcase, and allows him to take it—before unleashing a final, deadly blast…. Tony, protected from harm by his chestplate, crawls behind some wreckage and changes into his armor, emerging to confront his enemy as Iron Man! The hero crashes into Unicorn smashing him through the wall of the building (and allowing the hostages to escape). The battle is more violent than Iron Man expected due to his foe’s increased strength and agility plus his deadly horn. Unicorn hits Iron Man with a maximum intensity blast and presses him down on the edge of a cliff as he continues to focus his beam on the hero’s helmet. The intense heat activates the thermo-couple (installed last issue) which increases his power. Iron Man then rips off Unicorn’s belt, containing his controls and hurls it off the cliff. The villain, now completely unhinged, leaps after it into the icy waters below. Iron Man searches for him but finds no trace….

Review / Commentaries

Iron Man #4 Review by T Vernon (September 12, 2012)

Review: I always liked the Unicorn as a villain, and this is one of his greatest adventures. He looks cool, he is at the peak of his powers, and he is slowly cracking up. And the story makes great use of him, with the climactic battle being very well done. Plus, Johnny Craig is at the top of his Marvel game here, with art much improved over the previous two issues. Sadly, this is his last regular penciling effort for the title; longtime artist George Tuska takes over with the next issue.

Comments: Tony crawls behind wreckage and emerges as Iron Man…while television cameras are pointed his way; you’d think someone watching would spot this.

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This comic is in the following collection:

Collecting IRON MAN (1968) #1-25, and material from TALES OF SUSPENSE (1959) #84-99 and IRON MAN AND THE SUB-MARINER #1.

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Main/1st Story Full Credits

Archie Goodwin

Johnny Craig

Unknown

Johnny Craig (Cover Penciler)
Johnny Craig (Cover Inker)

Additional Credits

Letterer: Sam Rosen.
Editor: Stan Lee.

All stories. Listed in alphabetical order.

Happy Hogan

Iron Man
(Anthony Stark)

Pepper Potts
(Pepper Hogan)

Unicorn

Plus: Freak (Happy Hogan).

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