Story continued from TALES TO ASTONISH #81.
The angry Sub-Mariner attacks the weakened and confused Iron Man in the Stark factory, hurling the armored hero around like a rag doll. He tricks Namor into throwing him into the armor room where he quickly seals the door and changes into his newest armor. While Subby is battering down the door, we are treated to the explanation for his mad rage: believing he has been betrayed by his beloved Lady Dorma, he pursued her and the Warlord Krang to Long Island, just in time to see Iron Man drive off the villain (last issue). This put Namor in such a rage at being denied his vengeance that he’s taking out his frustration on Iron Man. See, you knew there was a logical explanation. Anyway, Subby is losing his strength from being away from water so long while Iron Man is now fully recharged and ready for action. He exits the room only to discover Namor gone. Meanwhile, the police arrive to investigate reports of Iron Man wrecking the Stark plant. They break in, along with Happy and Pepper, and confront the hero—and do not believe his bizarre tale of a battle with the Sub-Mariner….
Story continues in TALES TO ASTONISH #82.
Story #2He Who Holds the Cosmic Cube
Writer:
Stan Lee. Penciler:
Jack Kirby. Inker:
Don Heck. Colorist:
Unknown.
Synopsis
Captain America witnesses the explosion of a high-altitude plane in the sky above the city. He watches as an escape capsule ejects from the doomed craft and plummets into the river. Cap dives in, locates the capsule marked
A.I.M. and pulls the injured pilot to shore. The injured A.I.M. scientist tells Cap about the all-powerful
Cosmic Cube created by the sinister science organization and how the Cube’s
Keeper has gone over to the
Red Skull, taking the Cube with him. It was in the effort to intercept the Keeper’s plane that this one was destroyed. In his hideout the Red Skull watches as the Keeper eludes the other pursuing A.I.M. craft and is now on his way to deliver the goods to the Red Skull. The Skull explains to his henchman
Wolfgang how he managed to drug the Keeper with a
neuro brain-tap concealed in his hand into serving the Red Skull—the same brain-tap he uses to order Wolfgang to shoot himself for his lack of deference to his master. Meanwhile, Captain America has borrowed a
SHIELD missile and uses it to drop onto the Keeper’s jet. Entering, he battles the A.I.M. defector but a gun fired close to his eyes blinds him temporarily. Cap manages to trigger the ejector seat and both he and his enemy are hurled into the air to parachute down onto the Red Skull’s island. His sight clearing, Cap engages his arch-enemy in combat, driving the villain to rage and carelessness by mocking his Nazi goals. The Red Skull responds by telling Cap that
Bucky was killed by
Zemo in service to the Skull, stunning Cap long enough for the Red Skull to spray stun gas in our hero’s face. The Red Skull takes the Cosmic Cube from his minion and tests it by dispatching the A.I.M. defector to another dimension, then by levitating boulders. Cap witnesses this and realizes his foe is now effectively invincible....