The Classics - Tales of Suspense #78

   It's hard to believe that there was a time when neither Captain America or Iron Man had a comic book of his own.

   From their introduction (or re-introduction) in the early '60s through to the late '60s, they shared a single comic - the former monster comic re-purposed for the newly-popular genre of superheroes - Tales of Suspense.

   And I have to admit, I loved loved loved these "split comics." Part of the reason was that you got two different heroes for the price of one (even if each month's adventure was only 10 pages long).

   You were also getting some amazing talent. This issue from 1966, for example, includes the climax of Iron Man's first fight with the towering Ultimo (the pawn of the Mandarin). The climax of a tense (and seemingly hopeless) battle, it was written by Stan Lee and drawn by Gene Colan.

   The backup story has Captain America teaming up with Nick Fury in an incredible, ingenious battle to the finish with a powerful android. The creative team is Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and it's the usual brilliant battle royal, loaded with more imagination than anything in recent memory.

   Eventually both Cap and Iron Man would get their own titles, they would become best friends - and worst enemies - but this was the breeding ground, where they first thrilled fans in these bite-sized adventures.

   Wonderful stuff. And each comic only cost a mere 12 cents!

   Them was the days!

Grade: A

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