Tales of Suspense #92

Jan 29

Jan 29 Tales of Suspense #92

Within the Vastness of Viet Nam!

Iron Man has arrived in Vietnam to help test out new tracer shells that Stark Industries have developed for the military. The bullets, which can independently lock onto a follow a target work with great success. When Iron Man meets with the Colonel in charge, he is asked to help deal with a local scientist that is working for enemy forces. The man is known only as Half-Face and he is a scientific genius comparable to Tony Stark himself.[1] Iron Man agrees to take on the mission and soon he hops on a helicopter that will take him to the castle of Half-Face.

After evading anti-aircraft fire, Iron Man is dropped just outside of his destination. There he deals with enemy snipers with ease and decides to head the rest of the way on foot so as not to tip off his approach.

However, Half-Face’s sophisticated sensors have already picked up Iron Man’s approach. The scientist looks forward to testing his scientific skill against the American. In preparation, he begins charging his latest creation in the event that Iron Man should make it past his defenses. When the Golden Avenger gets close enough to the castle, Half-Face deploys troops and artillery cannons to try and destroy the hero. However, Iron Man makes short work of these defenses and forces his way into the castle. There, Half-Face distracts Iron Man a moment longer by sending his mechanical dogs to attack him. By the time the Avenger has destroyed these robots, Half-Face’s secret weapon has fully recharged. Covered with a sheet on a lab table, this weapon slowly begins to rise. Half-Face then opens the secret passage to this lab to lure Iron Man into a battle.

Recurring Characters

Iron Man, Half-Face, Titanium Man (unidentified)

Continuity Notes

Half-Face’s real name is not identified in this story. He is later identified as Trung Tuan in Iron Manual Mark 3 #1. While this story states that Trung is working for the Viet Cong, per History of the Marvel Universe #2 this has since changed to the Sin-Cong army. (see below)

Topical Reference

This story is framed as taking place during the Vietnam War and featured a lot of dated references to that conflict. The enemy army is called the Viet Cong, Reds, and other Cold War terms. Per the Sliding Timescale, all Modern Age references to the Vietnam War made in the present tense have been changed to the Sin-Cong Conflict. See this for more information.

Before My Eyes, Nick Fury Died!

Steve Rogers has returned to New York after going on a mission with SHIELD. Stopping in the airport lounge, Steve checks in with his teammates in the Avengers to see how they are doing since he was on assignment. Hawkeye and Goliath report that everything is fine and they have been doing well since he last helped the team against Diablo.[1] At the end of the call, Goliath and the Scarlet Witch are concerned at Captain America’s cheery disposition as they know he usually puts on a brave face when he is depressed. Hercules dismisses this, wondering why humans always have to psychoanalyze each other’s behavior.[2]

Meanwhile, at the submarine headquarters of AIM, SHIELD’s Agent 13 appears to have betrayed the spy agency for one of their greatest enemies.[3][4] To prove her loyalty to AIM, she presents a recording that reveals that Nick Fury will be going to a barbershop at a specific time. One of the AIM scientists disintegrates the recording, saying that they don’t need the proof as they will destroy her if their planned assassination goes wrong. They then deploy their Mechano-Assassin to take out Fury.

By this time, Steve Rogers is walking through Manhattan once again feeling like a man out of time.[5] He longs for a normal life that he can spend with a loved one. This gets him thinking about how he lost the love of his life during World War II, and how the SHIELD agent he has fallen in love with so strongly resembles that woman.[6] As he climbs into a cab, he spots the Mechano Assassin be deployed out of the back of a dump truck. Suspecting trouble, Steve quickly changes into Captain America. However, he is too late to stop the android from seemingly assassinating Nick Fury, who is sitting in a barbershop chair.

Captain America ambushes the android and pummels it into submission. When the battle is over, the real Nick Fury emerges from the shadows and reveals that the Mechano Assassin only “killed” a Life Model Decoy. Since it failed its mission, the android suddenly dissolves to dust. Fury tells Captain America that he just interfered in Agent 13’s mission to infiltrate AIM and that her life is now in danger. Now that Agent 13 needs to be rescued, Fury rhetorically asks Cap if he wants to be the one to save her.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, AIM, Nick Fury, Sharon Carter (unidentified), Avengers (Goliath, Wasp, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch), Hercules

Continuity Notes

Captain America came to the Avengers rescue when they were battling Diablo circa Avengers #41-42.
It should be noted that although Hercules is depicted here with the Avengers he’s not an official member of the team at the time. He started hanging out with the Avengers in Avengers #38, he won’t be given official membership in the group until issue #45.
The narrative here reminds readers that AIM was seemingly destroyed previously in Strange Tales #148-149.
The love of Captain America’s life is finally given a name of sorts here. This marks the first time she is called Agent 13. Her real name is Sharon Carter as we’ll learn in Captain America #103.
At the time of this story, Captain America is still getting accustomed to life in the Modern Age after being revived from suspended animation in Avengers #4.
The woman from the War is revealed to be Peggy Carter in Captain America #162. The reason why Peggy and Sharon look alike is that they are blood relatives. The nature of their familial relationship is subject to the Sliding Timescale. I get into it in more detail here.