Tales of Suspense #80
When Fall the Mighty!
Returning to Stark Industries after his battle with Warlord Krang, Iron Man was hoping to repair his armor when he is suddenly ambushed by the Sub-Mariner. Iron Man doesn’t understand why Namor is attacking him and he gets no answers because the Atlantean ruler is consumed with rage. Although his armor is protecting him from the force of the blows, Iron Man’s power supply is running and it is starting to affect his heart.
Deciding to use Namor’s rage to his advantage, Iron Man pleads with the Sub-Mariner not to throw him in a nearby valt. When Namor does just that, Tony shuts the door, knowing that the Atlantean will not be able to pound his way through. Inside the vault, Tony is able to use the supplies to make repairs to his damaged armor. On the other side, the Sub-Mariner continues to hammer the door. His mind drifts back to why he came after Iron Man in the first place: He was chasing Warlord Krang and Lady Dorma. When he finally caught up with the pair he witnessed as Iron Man drove them away. Furious at being denied his revenge, Namor then followed Iron Man to take his frustrations out of the Avenger.[1] Soon, Namor starts feeling weak and realizes that he has been out of the water too long and decides to leave and replenish his strength. Inside the vault, Tony has just finished repairing and recharging his armor. At his full strength, Iron Man kicks down the vault door but is surprised to see that the Sub-Mariner has already left.
Meanwhile, news of the battle at Stark Industries has reached the authorities and they are racing to the scene. Tipped off by the chief of police, Pepper Potts calls Happy Hogan and asks him to come and get her so they can go there as well. When the police force themselves inside Stark Industries, both Pepper and Happy follow them inside. They only find Iron Man, who tells them that the Sub-Mariner has escaped. He orders the officers out of his way so he can continue to hunt the Atlantean monarch.
By this time, Namor has dived back into Long Island Sound and the waters restore his full strength. Returning to shore moments later, the Sub-Mariner heads back toward Stark Industries, determined to defeat Iron Man once and for all.
… This story is continued in Tales to Astonish #82.
Recurring Characters
Iron Man, Sub-Mariner, Happy Hogan, Pepper Potts
Continuity Notes
Lady Dorma promised to marry Warlord Krang if he promised to spare Namor’s life. Unaware of this deal, the Sub-Mariner thought she had betrayed him and chased after them in Tales to Astonish #81. Iron Man’s battle with Krang happened last issue.
He Who Holds the Cosmic Cube!
Captain America witnesses a plane explode in the sky over the city. Luckily, the pilot has managed to survive in an escape pod but it crashes into the river. Captain America dives into the water to save the passenger before they drown. It turns out to be a scientist from Advanced Idea Mechanics. Pulled ashore, the AIM scientist warns Captain America that the Red Skull has betrayed AIM and seeks to claim the Cosmic Cube, a powerful device that can alter reality to the whims of whoever possess it.
At that moment, the Keeper of the Cosmic Cube heads toward the Red Skull’s hideout, taking his pursuers along the way. Monitoring this flight is Wolfgang, the Red Skull’s assistant.[1] As the Red Skull explains how he used a mind control device to make the Keeper bring the Cosmic Cube to him, he plants one on Wolfgang. As his assistant has lived out his usefulness, the Red Skull then orders Wolfgang to take his gun and shoot himself in the head. Unable to resis, Wolfgang does exactly as he is told.
Meanwhile, Captain America has used his credentials to commandeer an experimental manned rocket created by SHIELD to catch up with the AIM plane carrying the Cosmic Cube. Ejecting from the rocket, Cap goes onboard the AIM jet. However, the Keeper of the Cosmic Cube attacks the Star-Spangled Avenger per his programming. In the struggle, Captain America is temporarily blinded by the muzzle flash from the AIM operative’s gun. He continues to fight blind until the AIM agent ejects from the jet over the Red Skull’s island. Captain America grabs onto the ejector seat and continues to fight as his vision begins to clear.
Landing on the beach, Captain America attempts to catch the AIM agent, but is confronted by his old foe, the Red Skull. As they fight, the Skull reveals that it was his orders to Baron Zemo that led to the death of Cap’s wartime partner, Bucky.[2] This enrages Captain America into attacking the Red Skull directly. The Skull was prepared for this and blasts his foe with knock out gas from a device hidden under his shirt. With Captain America down, the Red Skull finally claims the Cosmic Cube. Now weilding ultimate power, the Red Skull first uses the Cube to banish the Keeper to another dimension.
Recovering from the effects of the gas, Captain America is horrified to see that the Red Skull has succeeded. Despite this, Cap prepares to continue fighting even though it appears that his enemy is now invincible.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Red Skull, Wolfgang Brenner
Continuity Notes
Wolfgang’s last name is not mentioned in this story. It is revealed to be Brenner in the Germany entry of Marvel Atlas #1.
At the time of this story, everyone believes that Bucky had died in 1945 trying to disarm a bomb on a drone plane, per Avengers #4. However, years later, Cap will learn that Bucky survived and was brainwashed into becoming a Russina assassin called the Winter Soldier. See Captain America (vol. 5) #8.
