Iron Man spends most of these issues in a fight with Mandarin and his giant robot Ultimo.
Why a guy with magic rings is using robots to fight for him is beyond me, but I suppose Dr. Doom kinda does the same thing. The story is pretty chaotic, but the art is nice.
Also: early sponsorship placement:
No, of course Hertz Rent-A-Car didn’t pay for that.
In the Bullpen Bulletins for issue #78, we finally get the big reveal that Adam Austin is Gene Colan!
On the Cap side of the book, Peggy Carter’s story is developed. It’s a nice little love story that, historically, we know is going to turn into something more important. It’s told through flashbacks…
Also, Romita’s art is starting to appear more in the style we tend to associate with him.
For the main story, Cap helps Nick Fury crack down on THEM–the precursor organization to AIM.
The organization’s device has a little brain on it. Nice touch. And at the end of issue #78, Cap finally gets the recognition he’s been craving from his man-crush Nick Fury…A Shield signaling device!
Created by Stan Lee and Gene “Adam Austin” Colan (Iron Man); Lee and Jack Kirby/John Romita, Sr. (Captain America)
Grades are Iron Man: C; Captain America: B