Iron Man (1968) 105

Iron Man (1968) 105
Dec 1977

Every Hand Against Him!
by Bill Mantlo, George Tuska, Mike Esposito

The issue opens with a dream sequence. Tony sees himself lying on the ground in his armor but helpless. A young version of himself tries to help. It is clear that this is Tony's dream but it isn't so clear which version of himself he thinks he is. Midas shows up in the dream and promises to look after young Tony. When he wakes up Tony is safe in his mansion with Madame Masque.

Jasper Sitwell gathers a group of people who have had some connection to Shell Head in the past. He wants them to help him locate and talk some sense into Iron Man who as far as Sitwell is concerned is not fulfilling his obligations to his employer, Tony Stark. The group includes the Jack of Hearts who is lured to the meeting by a phantom projection of Iron Man generated by the Wraith, who was last seen in a series of stories in Marvel Team-Up 48-51.

Among the faces familiar to me at the gathering are Captain Jean DeWolff of the NYPD. She is better known for appearing in Spider-Man stories which up to this point has been in issues of Marvel Team-Up. Detective Sergeant Michael O'Brien (aka the Guardsman II) is also present and in costume, but doesn't seem to have any qualms about revealing his true identity to others whom Agent Sitwell has assembled. Nick Fury also shows up but doesn't join Sitwell's group.

Unfamiliar to me are the Wraith who doesn't remove his mask but provides his real name, Brian DeWolff (brother of Captain DeWolff), and Eddie March. March describes himself in his one panel intro as an ex-prizefighter who once substituted for Iron Man (in Iron Man 21-22).

The Wraith has one more appearance in this era in Marvel Team-Up 72 (along with his sister) in which Spider-Man teams up with Iron Man to fight Whiplash. He has only shown up a handful of times since the late 1970s.

Eddie March had more appearances before this story than since. This is his ninth appearance (all in issues of Iron Man) overall. His only other appearances following this run in Iron Man is a few appearances in Iron Man in 1993-94.

Sitwell thinks that Madame Masque must be blackmailing Iron Man. That's the story he sells to the team. He withholds the fact that he knows who Madame Masque really is, his own connection to her, and his rivalry with Iron Man for her heart.

The group comes after Iron Man. They lure him. Away from Madame Masque and try confronting him.

I love the addition of all these characters. Most of them probably won't be around very long but it is fun to see Mantlo pull out some faces from the past even if I am unfamiliar with some of them.