Tales of Suspense 44

Iron Man comic book reviews continued

Tales of Suspense #44

Appearances: Cleopatra; King Hatap

Summary:Tony Stark is called to an excavation site in Egypt to find the tomb of King Hatap. Explaining that Iron Man is a friend, Stark tells his archeologist associate that the super hero would be more qualified to help. Iron Man easily locates and digs to the tomb of King Hatap. The archeologist reveals that Hatap was called "The Mad Pharoah." Returning to the dig site as Stark, Tony learns that the mummy of Hatap has been stolen. Leaving to look for the stolen mummy, Paul the archeologist leaves Stark to watch the camp site. Suddenly, King Hatap reveals himself to Stark, alive and well. He explains that he had taken a serum in his own time that put him into a state of suspended animation, allowing him to survive to the present day. Threatening the men of the camp with a plague, Hatap tells Stark he must go back in time with him to defeat Cleopatra. Stark agrees, but quickly escapes the mad king after they travel back in time. After escaping, Stark changes into Iron Man. Thinking Iron Man a monster, Hatap flees.

Iron Man travels shortly in the desert and encounters a Roman army attacking an Egyptian palace. Iron Man sides with the Egyptians, who appear to be losing. Quickly dispatching the Romans with his 20th Century technology, Iron Man gains new allies in the form of the Egyptians. One of the soldiers explains that Cleopatra has just left and is in danger, too. Iron Man races to Cleopatra's aid, and for a second time, defeats the Romans. Iron Man is immediately taken by Cleopatra's beauty. The queen and Iron Man unite against King Hatap, who Iron Man informs her is quite alive and well. Iron Man confronts Hatap and retrieves the charm the madman uses to travel through time, even as he tries to use it escape. As Iron Man is disappearing to the future, Cleopatra confesses her love for him, and he reveals he will never forget her. Back in the present day, an image resembling Iron Man is seen among the hieroglyphics near the tombs. 

Review: Iron Man is becoming quite the lady killer, after Kala last issue and now Cleopatra. The "golden armored figure" in the hieroglyphics is a nice little touch. On another note, Hatap's explanation of his resurrection doesn't really work. Even if he were in "suspended animation," don't they remove organs in the mummification process? I suppose if servants loyal to Hatap were the ones to mummify him they could have gotten past that. Also, Stark will eventually have to explain his relationship with Iron Man, as they have now been linked on a few separate occasions. Also, it might have been interesting to see Tony Stark without the armor interacting with Cleopatra.

Story: 6 out of 10. Art: 7 out of 10.

Tales of Suspense 43

Continuing Iron Man comic book reviews:

Tales of Suspense #43

Appearances: Kala, Queen of the Underworld; Baxu

Summary: After Iron Man had saved some Stark employees from a malfunctioning wind tunnel (foreshadowing years of Iron Man working for Stark), Tony Stark reappears before his grateful employees. Seconds later, a scientist and security guard working for Stark vanish. Stark himself is kidnapped in a transparent diamond-shaped energy-form that sinks into the ground before the already startled employees' eyes. Stark descends until he finds himself in an underground city populated by an intelligent race of people led by the beautiful Kala. There he finds the other two missing employees who had disappeared. Kala explains that the Netherworlders are descendants of the people of Atlantis. They have decided that now is the right time to invade the surface-world and they need Stark's help. If he does not help them, Kala will kill the two Stark employees. Stark agrees to help, but uses the lab provided him to build another Iron Man suit to battle the Netherworlders. Explaining that Stark had escaped to the surface, Iron Man battles against the Netherworlders until he has a chance to capture Kala. Iron Man takes the queen to the surface where she immediately ages into an old woman. Iron Man explains the people of Netherworld would grow old and weak if they came to the surface as well. Kala and Iron Man return to Netherworld and Kala agrees to release her prisoners. After propositioning Iron Man to stay and rule beside her, Iron Man recommends that Kala marry Baxu, the faithful general of the Netherworld army, instead. Baxu reveals he had long thought an invasion of the surface world was a bad idea.

Review: This is a nice little story, reminiscent of the sci-fi elements of the Gargantus story. The explanation that Atlantis became the underground city of this story doesn't seem to jibe with the Atlantis of the Sub-Mariner's people. The source of Kala's youth is later explained to come from a fountain of youth below the surface of the Earth. Iron Man's explanation of Stark burrowing to the surface would become standard fare explaining why the two were not in the same place at the same time.

Story: 6 out of 10. Art: 8 out of 10.