Tales of Suspense #70

Jan 29

Jan 29 Tales of Suspense #70

Fight On! For a World is Watching!

21 21 01 27 %h 24 19 rib08.png — Credits

Iron Man has accepted a challenge by the Titanium Man to a battle in the nation of Alberia. On the scene of battle, Iron Man discovers that his foe has boobytrapped the place when he accidentally steps on a landmine. Titanium Man then launches a fresh attack, taking advantage of the fact that Iron Man is disorientated. As spectators watch the battle all over the world, the Titanium Man hopes to win a victory for his nation.

Iron Man tries to get some distance between himself and his foe, but one of his jet boots was damaged in the mine explosion. Titanium Man counters this by trapping his enemy in his “Radar Rings”, metallic rings that constrict around their target. As Iron Man struggles to get free, spectators watch from the sidelines. This includes Countess Stephanie de la Spiroza, a jilted lover who seeks to get back at Tony Stark, as well as Tony’s employees Happy Hogan and Pepper Potts. Either Happy nor Pepper know where their boss is and so the Countess storms off to find some other way to get back at Tony.

Back on the battlefield, the Titanium Man then uses a power-sapping weapon to drain Iron Man’s armor. Luckily, Iron Man manages to break free from the Radar Rings and then starts spraying Titanium Man with a chemical sprayer. Meanwhile, the Countess breaks into Tony Stark’s hotel room and finds his new reverser device. She decides to steal it to make him come to her. Set on fire, the Titanium Man begins rolling on the ground to put out the flames. When this appears to take longer than it should, Iron Man fears that he seriously hurt his opponent and approaches to give him aid. However, this was all a ruse by the Titanium Man who grabs his enemy and begins pummelling him. From the sidelines, US Senator Harrington Byrd fears that Iron Man might lose, thus embarrassing the United States. Byrd vows that if this happens he will personally blame Tony Stark for this failure.

Eventually, Iron Man breaks free from Titanium Man’s grasp and, with his batteries running low, he begins stalling for time as the first round of battle is about to run out. He hopes he will be able to get his reverser device from his hotel room between rounds. When the bell is sounded, Iron Man races back to Tony Stark’s hotel room, not answering anyone’s questions asking for the whereabouts of Tony Stark. There he discovers his reverser has been stolen and a handkerchief left behind reveals that the Countess is responsible. Replacing his damaged jet boot, Iron Man heads back to the battlefield, stopping long enough to get Happy to go find the Countess and get back his stolen weapon.

Happy obliges Iron Man and manages to intercept the Countess before she can leave town and forces her to come back with him. By this time, the battle has already started again. Happy then race onto the battlefield, ignoring Pepper’s warnings not to, so he can hand off the reverser to Iron Man. Hearing how concerned Pepper is for his well being, Happy realizes that she does care about him. While on the battlefield, Iron Man tries blasting Titanium Man with a proton gun. The weapon can only fire one shot, and only causes superficial damage. Happy arrives on the scene just as the Titanium Man unleashes a blast from his molecular scrambler. Iron Man dodges the blast but is ricochets and strikes Happy. Iron Man rushes to Hogan’s side. Happy hands over the reverser and — calling Iron Man “boss” — says this was worth it because he now knows how Pepper really feels about him. Seeing this from the sidelines causes Pepper to faint.

When Happy blacks out, Iron Man realizes that Happy has deduced his true identity, hence why he called Iron Man his boss. Thinking that Happy is dead, Iron Man installs the reverser device and vows to avenge him by ending this battle.

Recurring Characters

Iron Man, Titanium Man, Happy Hogan, Pepper Potts, Harrington Byrd, Stephanie de la Spiroza

Topical References

The crowd is depicted watching the battle on a bank of black-and-white televisions.
This story uses a lot of dated Cold War references such as “Iron Curtain”, “Red”, and “Commie”.
The secret technology of Iron Man’s reverser ray is transistors. This should be topical since transistors are now very common in all electronics.

If This Be Treason!

Learning that Bucky has been taken prisoner by the Nazis, Captain America has commandeered an enemy plane so he can travel from occupied France to Greymore Castle in England. Meanwhile, Professor Cedric Rawlings and Major Uberhart prepare to use Bucky for a trap when Captain America arrives. This is protected by Cedric’s sister, Celia, who begs her brother not to betray his country. Removing his glove to show off his metal prosthetic hand, Cedric reminds his sister that she caused this disability and orders her to follow his wishes. He has been convinced that the Nazis respect his brilliance and he will be considered a hero when they win the war. Having learned that Captain America is on his way, Major Uberhart contacts him via the radio and tells him the exact co-ordinates for Greymore Castle.

Meanwhile, Captain America brazes British cannons and night fighters in order to get there. Landing his plane outside Greymore Castle, Captain America climbs the castle walls to get inside. In one of the rooms he finds Bucky strapped to a table. Coming to his partner’s aid, Captain America is warned by Celia Rawlings that he is walking into a trap. Suddenly, Captain America is attacked by Nazi soldiers who were hiding in suits of armor. When gunmen begin opening fire, Captain America uses his shield to protect himself and Bucky. While the star-spangled hero is distracted, Major Uberhart has the room flooded with knock out gas. At that same moment, in occupied France, Sargent Mike Duffy’s unit of Rangers is ambushed by Nazi forces. They have been taken by surprise and as they scramble to respond Duffy notices that Steve Rogers is among the missing and wonders if the bumbling private is a deserter.

Little does he know that Steve Rogers is actually Captain America and at that moment, he is a prisoner of Major Uberhart, who has decided that Cap, Bucky, and Celia Rawlings are all going to suffer the same fate. Cedric is against his sister being punished, but Major Uberhart doesn’t care. Now that he has gotten what he wanted from the British scientist, he is of no use to him any longer and is now showing his true stripes. Uberhart then prepares to place the three prisoners in a V-2 rocket which he intends to fire at 10 Downing Street, the home of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.