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Iron Man #47

Jun 1972
Roy Thomas, Barry Smith

Iron Man #47 cover

Story Name:

Why Must There Be an Iron Man?

Synopsis

Iron Man #47 synopsis by T Vernon
Rating: 4 stars
On a rainy day in a Long Island cemetery, Iron Man arrives late for Kevin O’Brien’s funeral. Once there, Simon Gilbert taunts him, calling him a murderer. The police arrive to take the hero in for questioning in connection with Kevin’s death (last issue) and Iron Man fires a repulsor blast. When even Marianne Rodgers, his beloved, asks why must there be an Iron Man, he jets off in despair. On his way back to Stark Industries, Tony debates revealing his identity and reviews the events that led to his donning the armor….
In Vietnam to demonstrate some new weapons for the US Military, Tony Stark stepped on a mine and was critically injured. Waking as prisoner of the enemy general Wong-Chu, Tony learns that his heart is damaged. Wong-Chu promises to grant the celebrated industrialist medical care if Tony agrees to build him a weapon. Tony knows the villain is lying and that he hasn’t long to live. With the aid of fellow prisoner Professor Yinsen, he dedicates himself to building a chestplate to keep his damaged heart beating, and a suit of armor to go around it. The suit is completed; Yinsen sacrifices himself to give Tony time to full charge the armor and escape. Shortly thereafter, when Wong-Chu attempts to conquer another village, Iron Man is there to challenge him. He beats the enemy mercilessly, broadcasts a message for the Viet Cong troops to desert their leader, and finally kills Wong-Chu in an explosion. Professor Yinsen is avenged…
Back in the present, Tony continues to ponder whether he should remain Iron Man. He concludes that he must go on in the fight against evil and injustice, now encouraged to continue in his chosen role….

 

Review / Commentaries

Iron Man #47 Review by (July 16, 2013)
Review: Or, “Iron Man Broods and Rehearses His Origin.” Roy Thomas, keeper of the continuity flame, pens a new version of Shellhead’s origin that is no different from the first one. Really, compare them: this account neither adds to nor subtracts from the original in TALES OF SUSPENSE #39. The only differences are that the story is decompressed a bit and the art is more polished, courtesy of Barry Windsor-Smith. It’s nice but why is it here? This was clearly a fill-in issue between two writers, and Rascally Roy seized the opportunity to remind us—and Tony himself—what Iron Man stands for. Thanks, Roy! Mike Friedrich (no relation to Gary of issues #45-46) takes over next issue.


> Iron Man comic book info and issue index

Elektra

This comic is in the following collection:
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Collecting IRON MAN (1968) #26-67 and DAREDEVIL (1964) #73.

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Main/1st Story Full Credits

Barry Smith
Jim Mooney
Unknown
Gil Kane (Cover Penciler)
Vince Colletta (Cover Inker)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Art Simek.
Editor: Stan Lee.

Characters

All stories. Listed in alphabetical order.

Iron Man
Iron Man
(Anthony Stark)
Plus: Marianne Rodgers, Wong-Chu, Simon Gilbert.

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