Iron Man's Armory in the MC2: Model 3

 

I’m going back to the workshop for another entry in the occasional series of posts detailing the various armours of Tony Stark, focusing on those that appear in the MC2. Today’s entry is Iron Man’s Armory in the MC2: Model 3.

 

 For consistency, I’ll be using the designations for the various Iron Man armours provided by to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe team’s most recent version of the All-New Iron Manual, updated and corrected as part of the Iron Manual trade paperback.

 

There is some debate as to when exactly Iron Man’s Model 3 armour debuted, with some tweaks to the Model 2 helmet seeing a rivet design and a smoother face plate starting in Tales of Suspense #54.

 

In the pages of Tales of Suspense #56, Iron Man first gains his hip-mounted pods which would soon become standard. Finally, in Tales of Suspense #66 the rivets disappeared from the face plate. Whichever issue you’d prefer to attribute this armour incarnation to, the Iron Manual TPB states Tales of Suspense #56 was the first appearance of the Model 3. Perhaps we can assume some of these modifications weren’t enough to constitute a whole new ‘model’ to Tony, being instead, for example, ‘Model 2 Mark II’ etc as some have proposed.

 

In the MC2, we get a very brief glimpse of the Model 3 during a flashback in the pages of Fantastic Five (vol. 1) #1 to the wedding of Reed Richards and Susan Storm from Fantastic Four Annual #3.

 

It’s possible we also see a photograph of the Model 3 armour in the pages of American Dream #2 but it’s difficult to tell from just a headshot. This nebulous identification of Iron Man Armor Models will be a continuing issue as we’ll see next time, too.

Anyway, that’s all for today folks! The next instalment in this series will prove more substantial.

Until I can positively identify every nut, bolt and transistor to determine which Model armour Iron Man is wearing in any given comic panel, I remain

 

frogoat

Galactus in the MC2

 

Eons ago, we were all hotly anticipating the release of Marvel Studios Fantastic Four: First Steps. Mere millennia ago, the movie debuted on Disney+ and now, just centuries late, I would like to finally deliver this post about everyone’s favourite planet-devouring, eternally hungry space giant. This is Galactus in the MC2.

 

The prerequisite backstory: Galactus made his debut in Fantastic Four #48 after being preceded by his herald Silver Surfer, a figure of fear among the shape-shifting Skrulls which causes even Uatu the Watcher to break his vow of non-interference by attempting to hide the entirety of planet Earth from Galactus and warning the Fantastic Four of the space titan’s threat. Fantastic Four #48-#50 form a trilogy of issues known colloquially as ‘The Galactus Trilogy’.

 

Galactus’ origin would be first detailed in the pages of Thor #168 and #169. This story would be largely reprinted in Super-Villain Classics #1, reworked and combined with material from other prior appearances, albeit with altered and additional panels which changed the original context to harmonise and update elements of the story. This version of the tale is the one consistently referenced in future retellings, establishing Galactus (formerly a scientist Galan) was a survivor from a universe before the current Marvel Universe came into existence before becoming a universal threat with insatiable hunger.

 

It's possible that Galactus’ last MC2niverse-relevant appearance in the Main Marvel Universe (prior to the two universes branching into divergent realities) is 1996’s Fantastic Four #414, wherein Galactus clashes with powerful foe Hyperstorm, leaving the two trapped in a dimensional void. Alternatively, Silver Surfer (vol.3) #144 which was published in 1998 depicts the space-god Galactus’ return from this void.

 

Now let’s look at the Galactus of Universe-982 aka the MC2. During the events of the Last Planet Standing mini-series, Galactus is poised to destroy the entire universe in an attempt to rid himself of his never-ending hunger, having stockpiled the energy from planets across various galaxies. A gathering of the Great Powers of the Universe took place to discuss the threat posed to reality. The cosmic forces in attendance included Master Order, Lord Chaos, The In-Betweener, The Shaper of Worlds, The Stranger, The Gardener, The Collector and of course The Living Tribunal (Last Planet Standing #2).

 

The Great Powers of the Universe’s attempt to reason with the World-Eater one last time fails. Ultimately deciding they must destroy Galactus using a combined destructive bolt strong enough to wipe out the Earth and the entire Milky Way Galaxy, the Great Powers are halted in their attempt when Reed Richards is forced to use his Transdimensional Cannon's single shot on the cosmic beings (Last Planet Standing #3).

 

With Galactus enacting his final solution on Earth, the combined forces of the superhero community work to penetrate his force field and combat his doomsday weapon’s launch. When Spider-Girl, Stinger and American Dream manage to reverse the polarity of the device’s flow, the resulting backlash causes Galactus to be overloaded with enough energy to kill him and destroy the entire galaxy. As his end approaches, Galactus perceives the presence of Death coming to embrace him.

 

However, at the last moment, Galactus’ former Herald, the Silver Surfer encases them both within an indestructible ethereal force cocoon.  Soon after the assembled heroes of Earth witness the birth of a new gestalt entity composed of the Silver Surfer and Galactus which could harness a new form of energy known as The Power Essential (Last Planet Standing #5).

 

Fortunately, the newly birthed gestalt being composed of Silver Surfer and Galactus harnesses The Power Essential to reassemble The Vision, resurrect others killed during the battle and repair the mass destruction before departing the Earth with a new mission of restoration (Last Planet Standing #5).

I think it is important to mention at this point that the concept of reforging Galactus into a kind of cosmic ‘life bringer’ first appeared in the Last Planet Standing series written by Tom Defalco, pre-dating by nearly a decade a similar storyline in the Main Marvel Universe in the pages of Ultimates (vol. 2) series by writer Al Ewing. Just another example of the MC2 being ahead of the Main Marvel Universe!

 

I’d love to read suggestions for new names for the new being birthed in Last Planet Standing #5, and here’s hoping we see the silver celestial sentinel again some day.

 

Until I satiate my own endless hunger, I remain

 

frogoat

  

 

 

 

 

Spider-Symmetry: Spider-Girl 31 and Spider-Girl 45

 

For today’s post we have a brief entry in the occasional series where I endeavour to highlight the visual or narrative symmetry between the Spider-Man and Spider-Girl comics. For this entry of Spider-Symmetry, we are taking a look at just the MC2 comics. For this installment, we must credit the amazing penciller Pat Olliffe and as you’ll note soon enough, MC2 co-creator, artist extraordinaire and friendly fella, Ron Frenz.

 

Spider-Girl #31 gives us this delightful cover from Pat Olliffe, first published in February 2001, of May ‘Mayday’ Parker as Spider-Girl surrounded by floating heads of guilt.

 

Now, here is Pat Olliffe’s gorgeous cover to Spider-Girl #45 which was first published in March 2002. In a direct reference to his earlier cover, we now have May ‘Mayday’ Parker in her civilian attire surrounded by Spider-Girl costume design concepts from the in-universe clothing store, the Spider-Shoppe.

 

And with the Spider-Shoppe connection, lets segue to the cover of Spider-Girl #91 by the rambunctious rascal Ron Frenz, which was first published in October 2005. This cover continues the Spider-Girl costume designs concept from the cover of Spider-Girl #45 by continuing the theme. There are even some repeated designs both here and within the story itself.

 

Okay, that is a wrap for this entry!

 

Until I find myself surrounded by cosplay costume variations or floating heads of guilt, I remain

 

frogoat