Iron Man Versus, Part 66

Welcome back for yet another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where Old Shell-Head lampoons loonies!  Today's very special segment comes from Iron Man v1 #217 (1987).  It's a little something I like to call Iron Man vs. Clark W. Griswold!





Yeah, I'm pretty proud of this find.

Iron Man Versus, Part 65: Comic-Con Edition!

Welcome back for another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where Old Shell-Head does a dangerous dance of death with dorks!  Today we have a very special edition in anticipation of Baltimore Comic-Con this weekend, as our spotlight Avenger goes up against an entirely new and different threat!

I hope you enjoy, from Iron Man v1 #72 (1975), a little adventure I like to call Iron Man vs. the 1974 San Diego ComicCon!

 
As a special bonus, this story takes place during the time that Iron Man had a nose!   


 
 
Clearly, this story is a hilarious comedy of errors.  Like all (bad) comedy of errors, it ends with the protagonist triumphant!


Noticeably absent from the above panel: Iron Man.


Look, I've read the whole comic and it really doesn't make any more sense than the parts I'm showing you.  Just be glad I cut out the parts with the supervillains. 

Iron Man Versus, Part 64

Welcome to yet another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where I show you how Old Shell-Head, and his alter ego Tony Stark, engage the enemy emotions! Today we have a soap opera moment from Iron Man v1 #153 (1981) staring the always stunning Bethany Cabe.

For your consideration, Iron Man vs. Loneliness!




To be honest with you, I really like this sequence. It comes from a run of Iron Man that I love for the quality of the character writing and art. Well worth a read.

Until next time!

Iron Man Versus, Part 63

Welcome back to yet another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where I show you how Old Shell-Head fences with the foe of fame! Today we have, care of Iron Man v1 #103 (1977),

Iron Man vs. Admiring Airline Passengers!


Until next time, keep those tray tables up!

Iron Man Versus, Part 62

Welcome back to another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where I show you how old Shell-Head, and his alter ego Tony Stark, torment the temptress of time. Today's match is one that Tony Stark has fought countless times in his playboy life.

Witness, from Iron Man v1 #160 (1982), Iron Man vs. Last Call!


See you next time!

Iron Man Versus, Part 61

Welcome back for another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where I show you how old Shell-Head punitively punishes pieces of propulsion!

Today's match-up comes from Iron Man v1 #218 (1987), and is a little something I like to call Iron Man vs. a Lincoln Town Car!



See you next time!

Iron Lantern Versus, Part 60

Welcome back for another installment of "Iron Lantern Versus", where I show you how old Emerald Shell-Head battles biting baddies!

Today's special match-up comes from the singular Iron Lantern v1 #1 (1997). Strap yourself in for Iron Lantern vs. Great White!


See you next time!

Iron Man Versus, Part 59

Welcome back for yet another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where I show you how old Shell-Head levels legislative lunatics! Today's fight comes from Iron Man v1 #208 (1986).

It's something I like to call Iron Man vs. The State Department!



Now, I could leave it there. This is in fact how Iron Man leaves this particular battle. However, further developments occur in the issue and several pages later Shell-Head finds himself right back where he started.


This argument is actually very interesting, looking at it these days. I think George W. Bush would have got along just fine with 1986 Iron Man.

Iron Man Versus, Part 58

Welcome to another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where I show you how old Shell-Head battles Stoogesque foes!

Today's installment comes courtesy of Iron Man v1 #155 (1982). It's a sucker punch I like to call Iron Man vs. the Tank Turret!


See you next time!

Iron Man Versus, Part 57

Welcome to another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where I show you how old Shell-Head deals with such varied foes as green-eyed monsters!

Today's installment comes from Iron Man v1 #152 (1981). It's a gut twisting match I like to call Iron Man vs. Jealousy!


I love these two panels. If you look at Iron Man's face and stance in the first panel, you get the impression he wants to strangle the guy, but is holding himself back. In the second panel, he has decided to do the right thing and not strangle Beth's husband to death, but the resignation seems to make his shoulders sag more than the other two character's. That last bit might just be my imagination, but it's how I see the panel. Kudos to John Romita, Jr. for the art duties on this one!

Iron Man Versus, Part 56

Welcome to another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where I show you how HOLY SHIT IS THAT BRUCE LEE?!

Iron Man Versus, Part 55

Welcome to another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where I show you how old Shell-Head mangles metaphorical menaces.

Today's bit is taken from Iron Man v1 #201 (1985). It's a match-up I like to call Iron Man vs. The Idiom!


"Safe as houses"? As in a "safe house"? Seriously?

See you next time.

Iron Man Versus, Part 54

Welcome to yet another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where I show you how the Golden Avenger, and his recovering alcoholic alter ego, Tony Stark, deals with some of his more circuitous problems.

Man, it sure has been a while since I've done one of these! Sorry about that! What do you say we get back into the swing of things with one of my favorite Iron Man scenes ever? This delightful segment comes courtesy of Iron Man v1 #188 (1984), which is part of the fantastic Obadiah Stane arc which ran from Iron Man v1 #163-200.

I hope you enjoy this piece I like to call Iron Man vs. Circuit Design!



One of the reasons I love this bit is that it is a very simple way of conveying just how brilliant Tony Stark is. The idea that he could do in two minutes, on the back of a napkin, what their company was given a month to do is an obviously practical demonstration of his intelligence that goes beyond typical comic book examples of intellect (like technobabble).

Iron Man Versus, Part 53

Welcome to yet another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where I show you how the Golden Avenger, and his billionaire industrialist alter ego, Tony Stark, deals with some of his more socially irresponsible foes!

So without further delay, I present to you, from Iron Man v1 #149 (1981), the highly topical Iron Man vs. Greedy Executives.

Iron Man Versus, Part 52

Welcome to yet another installment of "Iron Man Versus", where I show you how the Golden Avenger battles hardened criminals! Today we have an unusual match-up from Iron Man v1 #159 (1982).

I humbly present to you, Iron Man vs. a Sidewalk!


I bet when you saw "sidewalk" you thought it'd be lame. See you next time.

Hulk Month Bonus!

I found one last goodie for Hulk Month. It's one fan's hope for the future, and I think it would be pretty awesome.

Enjoy!

Iron Man Versus, Part 51; Hulk Month, Day 31

Welcome back for Day 31 and the conclusion of Hulk Month, a special Iron Man Versus sub-series. Fifty-one Iron Man Versus segments, thirty-one days of Hulk Month and it all ends here. Enjoy the final battle from World War Hulk #5 (2007)!



So what have we learned this month? I think that all thirty-one days of Hulk Month can be summed up in one word*: Frenemy. Iron Man and Hulk have been friends from time to time, but it seems that more often than not they have been enemies. Although it also appears that most of the time when they fight it is Iron Man that is actually the aggressor, but then again Tony Stark is a dick.

Thanks for tuning your interweb scanners to my frequency all month, I appreciate the company here in my corner of cyberspace!



*"Awesome"? Anybody agree with me? No? Okay, fine. Sorry.

Iron Man Versus, Part 50; Hulk Month, Day 30

Welcome back for Day 30 of Hulk Month, a special Iron Man Versus sub-series. Well, you knew it was coming. How else could I end this month but with World War Hulk? Here we go with an extended (edited) fight from issue #1 (2007)!





See you tomorrow for the conclusion of Hulk Month!

Iron Man Versus, Part 49; Hulk Month, Day 29

Welcome back for Day 29 of Hulk Month, a special Iron Man Versus sub-series. Home stretch, folks. This is one of my favorites from Iron Man v1 #132 (1980). Enjoy!



BWOM!!!

Nice.

Iron Man Versus, Part 48; Hulk Month, Day 28

Welcome back for Day 28 of Hulk Month, a special Iron Man Versus sub-series. As we wind down, I couldn't neglect to add another segment from one of my favorite Ultimate Universe comics: Ultimate Human #2 (2008).