tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8419605150672201683.post5343533379972741286..comments2024-03-01T14:01:34.480-08:00Comments on Marvel in the Silver Age: Iron Man: The Golden YearsAirPiratePresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13136561512898563240noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8419605150672201683.post-84993717443715683192018-07-02T11:54:57.591-07:002018-07-02T11:54:57.591-07:00You're right about Newtonian Physics, but we&#...You're right about Newtonian Physics, but we're talking about a genius who can build a suit of armour in a Viet Nam jungle, and build another one with all types of concealed weapons overnight in the Netherworld. I'm sure he would have built in some kind of compensator to 'anchor' the magnets in place so that they wouldn't fly towards an object. Obviously it's patented, so I can't give details of precisely what principle he used, but you can bet your bippy it works, 'cos we can see it working in the stories themselves. What more proof does anyone need? I must confess that the Pharaoh and Kala tales are two of my favourites despite the goofiness, but I was only 8 when I first read them.<br /><br />Roll on the next post. Kidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07224781868125924337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8419605150672201683.post-13061763786273370952018-07-02T11:01:23.088-07:002018-07-02T11:01:23.088-07:00You're right about the Amazing Disappearing Hy...You're right about the Amazing Disappearing Hyphen in Spider-Man, but I just put this down to everyone's unfamiliarity with the character. As you yourself have pointed out before, Dr Octupus referred to him as Superman in issue 3.<br /><br />You're welcome to the No-Prize, Mr R, but Newtonian Physics works partly on the concept that for every action (or force) there's an equal and opposite reaction. That's why when you step out of a boat onto a jetty, the boat scoots away from the jetty (cue much cartoon comedy). So for the magnets to rip the safe apart, they'd have to be anchored to something solid or they'd just fly towards the safe.<br /><br />The Bernstein scripts are pretty goofy, but not in the same FUN goofy way that his DC stories were. I think he was trying for something more serious and just wasn't getting there. But I do have a special affection for his Super-family stories, especially that Mon-El one I mentioned in the text.<br /><br />At least I can move on to the Lee-scripted Red-and-Yellow armour period in the next post ...AirPiratePresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13136561512898563240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8419605150672201683.post-37440423475300078332018-07-01T15:07:53.161-07:002018-07-01T15:07:53.161-07:00And no, I'm not quite sure why I included an a...And no, I'm not quite sure why I included an apostrophe in the word "oversights". I'd never have done that if I'd hand-lettered my comment. Just put it down to me typing in an agony of haste.Kidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07224781868125924337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8419605150672201683.post-4243658960802717872018-07-01T15:04:26.514-07:002018-07-01T15:04:26.514-07:00On the matter of why Stan didn't have Iron man...On the matter of why Stan didn't have Iron man's armour coloured silver, we need only look at the Silver Surfer for the answer. Ol' Norrin never really looked silver, more white, to such an extent that Stan had people refer to him as 'Whitey', so that's probably why Iron Man was grey to begin with. Silver wasn't really convincing.<br /><br />Jack always drew Iron Man's helmet like a bullet (Or cannon shell), it was Don Heck who changed it to having a chin when he inked, in keeping with his initial rendition in the origin tale. In fact, if you look at the first panel in the example you show, the smaller IM figure has no chin because Don obviously didn't think it mattered in such a small panel, though he changed it in the next-but-one.<br /><br />Note that although Stan added a hyphen to the word 'Spiderman', in Amazing Fantasy #15 and ASM #1, logo aside, the name appears as one word throughout the tales (though it was 'corrected' for later reprints. Maybe that was the letterer's fault though (loath as I am to entertain the possibility).<br /><br />Back to Iron Man; when I first read 'The Actor' tale in Fantastic back in the late '60s, I immediately noticed that the baddie talks to IM as thought he knows it's Stark, and I'm surprised that the error was never corrected in reprints. It's an absolutely terrible lettering job anyway, and one day I'm going to sit down and re-letter it and make that correction.<br /><br />And now I'm going for a no-prize, Al. (You worked for Marvel so you're authorised.) When it comes to the magnets, they were a combination of negative and positive. The negative aspect was just enough to prevent the magnets flying towards the object (and also hold the object in place), while the slightly stronger positive aspect pulled the object apart. At that point, the negative aspect turned itself off, and the magnets were also magnetised to their position to prevent them from being pulled in the direction of whatever object they were trying to dismantle. Okay, it's not perfect, but it's still worth a no-prize.<br /><br />I have to say, full of holes as they were, I've got a fondness for the Bernstein-scripted tales, as they represent part of my youth. It may be that Stan consulted with Jack on the plot, who then fleshed things out, before the art was given to Bernstein to script. Some of those silly things you point out are pretty typical of plot oversight's in other Kirby tales that he's credited with. Stan should have spotted them though.<br /><br />Looking forward to the next part already, Al. Have it ready for me to read by tomorrow. What's that? I'll have to wait a month? Sadist! Kidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07224781868125924337noreply@blogger.com