“Anthony Stark is a man who leads
three lives!” intones the narrator at the start of this second
adventure. The first Tony Stark is the engineering genius recognized
world-wide by scientists and the military (for whom he is building
rocket-powered roller skates!). The second Tony Stark is the
millionaire playboy who must decline an invitation to go swimming in
the Riviera with society friends because he secretly wears an iron
chest plate that keeps his injured heart beating, and must be
recharged periodically. The third and secret Tony Stark is the
armored hero Iron Man who battles gangsters and overcomes mad
scientists in his efforts to fight evil. One night at the circus, the
big cats escape from their cage and run wild; the audience panics.
Tony sees his date Marion to safety, then runs off, supposedly to
call the police but actually to change into his Iron Man armor which
is collapsible and fits into his briefcase. The gray and
ominous-looking hero nearly causes a panic himself when he appears on
the scene. He subdues the jungle cats and locks them up; later when
Tony learns that Marion also finds Iron Man frightening, he asks what
she thinks he should do. She suggests the metal hero paint his armor
gold to show he has a heart of gold underneath the iron. While Marion
is away in Granville, Tony takes the opportunity to coat his armor
with gold paint.
When Marion fails to return from her
trip to Granville, Tony learns that a huge wall has been built around
that city and all outsiders have been barred from entering. As Iron
Man he goes to investigate. The police are helpless as no laws have
been broken, so Iron Man tunnels under the wall to enter the city.
There he finds the townspeople worshipping the statue of a massive
Neanderthal man called Gargantus, and they pelt the hero with stones
and garbage to drive him away. From a rooftop, Iron Man broadcasts a
challenge to Gargantus to meet him in combat—and Gargantus
complies. He is a giant savage with hypnotic eyes to keep the
townspeople in his thrall. The hero easily evades the monster’s
crushing blows and he tosses powerful magnets into the air which
cause Gargantus to fly apart, revealing it to be a huge robot. A
large cloud over the city that does not move in the wind attracts his
attention. He discovers it is concealing a spaceship from an alien
race bent on conquering Earth, unaware that the Earthpeople have
changed since their last visit 80,000 years ago. They flee to their
home planet and the townspeople, including Marion, snap out of the
hypnotic trance. Tony and Marion are reunited the next day.
“Wrong Number”
Writer: Unknown.
Artist: Unknown.
Synopsis: A
miserable working stiff keeps getting phone calls and deliveries for Sir
Archibald Agincourt, whom he has never heard of. Eventually, he turns into Sir
Archibald Agincourt!
“Work of Art!”
Writer: Larry
Lieber. Plot: Stan Lee. Pencils: Larry Lieber. Inks: Sol Brodsky. Colors: Stan
Goldberg. Letters: Vivian Berg.
Synopsis: A dishonest artist forces a famous painter to
show him how his paintings are so lifelike; the painter is also a sorcerer who
paints the villain’s picture—and the man is literally transferred to the
canvas!
“Prophet of Doom!”
Writer: Stan Lee. Art:
Steve Ditko. Colors: Stan Goldberg. Letters: Artie Simek.
Synopsis: A man
from the future, lusting for power, goes to the United Nations and demands a
hundred million dollars or else he will start wars all over the world. The UN
leader reveals he is also an agent from the future, one of many sent to trap
villains from the future like this guy!