I Cry: Vengeance!

This story continues from Iron Man #75…

Iron Man has found himself in the middle of the Black Lama’s so-called War of the Super-Villains. A prisoner of the Mad Thinker, the golden Avenger has been freed and is now looking to get revenge. The Thinker fights back, unleashing another one of his killer androids on the hero.[1] Iron Man easily destroys the android and disarms the Mad Thinker. However, the Avenger decides to spare his life, not willing to cross the line for someone like him.

While in China, the Yellow Claw has defeated MODOK and an Iron Man android.[2] Furious that this wasn’t the real hero, he wonders who was responsible for tricking him. That’s when the Black Lama appears before him and reveals that the Mad Thinker was responsible and that in order to win the Golden Globe of Power, the Claw must destroy him. The Lama, who has been plagued by nightmarish visions, hopes that this contest will end soon so he can finally claim his champion.

Back state-side, Firebrand has been drawn to the Mad Thinker’s hideout by a mysterious blonde woman who has appeared in his mind. There he finds Iron Man dismantling the Thinker’s inventions when suddenly, the Black Lama and Yellow Claw teleport into the facility as well. The Claw quickly fires a weapon that traps Iron Man in hardening gel.[3] When the hero breaks free, Yellow Claw puts on a suit of armor and tries to fight the Avenger directly. However, Iron Man is the superior fighter and seeing that he might lose, Yellow Claw flees the scene. That’s when Firebrand takes the momentary distraction to attack Iron Man, seeking to avenge the death of his father, Simon Gilber, whose demise Firebrand blames on Iron Man.[4] His strength depleted from the constant fighting, Iron Man is easily knocked out by Firebrand.

That’s when the Black Lama announces that Firebrand is the victor of his contest and won the right to the Golden Globe of Power. Since someone has to willingly accept the Globe, the Lama tells Firebrand a version of his past that will hopefully convince him to accept the Golden Globe. The Lama explains that he is the ruler of an alternate universe who soon grew bored in his homeland and sought excitement elsewhere. He decided to travel to this universe and find someone worthy of the Golden Globe of Power. First he tried training disciples, but one of them — the man named Raga — proved this was a dead end.[5] He then changed tactics and started the Super-Villain War to find one worthy of the Globe. This lead to clashes involving the Mandarin, Yellow Claw, MODOK, and the Mad thinker.[6]

The Black Lama concludes his tale by saying that Firebrand won the competition. Intoxicated by the promised power of the Golden Globe, Firebrand accepts the gift without a second thought. Suddenly, as the Black Lama planned, the pair are then teleported back to the Lama’s home dimension. Iron Man, having listened to all of this suspects that some part of the Lama’s story doesn’t add up and as the portal begins to close he leaps in after them.

… This story is continued in Iron Man #80.

Recurring Characters

Iron Man, Black Lama, Mad Thinker, Yellow Claw, Firebrand, Monster Android

Continuity Notes

1. Here readers are reminded that this is the same model of android used in Fantastic Four #70-71.

2. It is stated here that MODOK was destroyed. This apparently happened in Iron Man #75. That’s not the case. Chronologically, the villain next appears in a flashback in Avengers (vol. 3) #17.

3. Iron Man mentions how this super-villain war already claimed the life of the Mandarin. Although the villain was physically killed in Iron Man #70, his mind lives on in his ten power rings. He will take possession of a new body and return in Iron Man #98-100.

4. In reality, Simon Gilbert blew himself up trying to destroy Stark Industries back in Iron Man #48.

5. Raga’s rise to power and his defeat at the hands of Iron Man were chronicled in Iron Man #52-53.

6. These battles have going on as far back as Iron Man #68 to this issue.