Drax the Destroyer. DRAX THE DESTROYER. At that moment it was no longer August, 1985 but February 1973. American POWs were released by the Viet Cong, the US and Red China established diplomatic liaison offices, and in domestic matters I was continuing my never ending role as sparring partner for DeWayne Bell, Buddy Green, Eric Anderssen, and Michael Colobussi.

Looking back on it now, I still can’t figure out why I bought that particular issue of Iron Man. It sure as hell wasn’t the cover. But from the moment I saw the first page I was hooked.

Iron Man was not a big draw for me as far as comic buying habits went. I seem to remember him most from reading a reprint story from Strange Tales when he kicked the crap out of the Crimson Dynamo (the Commie imitation, who, naturally, was no match for Yankee know-how and ingenuity). In an act of mercy, Shell-head let CD escape. After failing his mission, he returned to his rendezvous point with a Soviet sub and they let him drown, stating that failure could not be tolerated. For a kid, that was pretty heavy stuff so maybe that’s why I picked up #55, plus it had a green guy a la The Hulk on the cover.

To cut to the chase, our heroes win, but there was a new cool bad guy with a cool backstory.

Thanos.

(In the interest of full disclosure, I used Iron Man’s line – in modified form – to a politician who has now attained national prominence. Be happy to tell you about it).

And then I chucked Iron Man #55 into my giant box of comics to be re-read over and over again. So many classics in that box that found its way to the dump. I’m sorry, I can’t talk about it. Like talking about Domino.

But this is about the LIFE of Captain Marvel, right?

Once again a cover sold a comic:

The Hulk! Namor! Another Green Guy! How could I go wrong?

And if the splash page doesn’t make you want to tune in for the next installment, ESADMF.