Friday, January 12, 2007

Now's no time for sarcasm, Tony.'Ow.  If only there was something easier than fighting villains.  But what?'
You ever try and think of something, and all you can remember is a sarcastic answer that doesn't help at all? I was trying to remember all ten of the Mandarin's rings yesterday--which I freely admit isn't the most productive use of my day, but let that go--and I lost two. Why was I trying to remember? Well, partially to try to stave off my impending senility, but mostly because we'll be looking at the old Mandarin, and Iron Man a little more later.

In the above panel, Iron Man's lost a pint and change worth of blood, while the new, Mandarin Jr. (Oh, boy, if he was a DC character they totally would've made him 'Mandarin Jr.' Undeniably.) is minty fresh and sporting chi powers like...I don't know, Akuma on Street Fighter. I think this was the last appearance to date of Temugin, the Mandarin's monastery-raised and trained illegitimate kid. I'm not sure Iron Man ever beat Temugin either; instead, he usually had to use the new Mandarin's sense of honor against him.

From Iron Man vol. 3, #69, "Manhunt, part five" Written by Robin Laws, pencilled by Michael Ryan, inked by Sean Parsons and Rich Perrotta; with an assist from outgoing writer Mike Grell.

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