Machine Man: The Living Robot #15

[angelophile]

Skipping another issue or two to get to the introduction of Machine Man's new buddy Gears Garvin, who will play a pivotal part in future issues.

Script and art by incoming writer Tom DeFalco and Steve Ditko, and a warning that the 1950s style sexism goes hard in this issue. Sigh. Tom DeFalco, you make me sad.






The Fantastic Four cameos this issue are mostly just gratuitous cameos, so I'll concentrate on the main plot.

Namely Dr. Voletta Todd's experiments. What could possibly go wrong?



That dialogue. Ughhhhhhh.

Anyway, the lab catches fire and Aaron happens to be in the area, so mounts a rescue. After scanning the building for survivors he encounters the good Doctor. Or what remains of her...











It's nice to see Aaron with some repurposed body parts again, but sad they had to introduce a new character to spice up his abilities after nerfing them hard in the reboot issue.

Dr. Todd heads to the Fantastic Four for help, but Ben isn't in a particularly helpful mood as she interrupts bath time. Have some beefcake.



Aaron follows and interrupts after Ben and Johnny, the only members of the team who are home, have attacked Dr. Todd for invading their home without and invite. (And stealing Ben's rubber duck or something.) Confusion follows as Todd buries The Thing under a pile of equipment and escapes, followed by Aaron.



Yes, that aside was entirely pointless beyond giving Ben a chance to shout his catchphrase.

Anyway, unicycle Machine Man tracks down Dr. Todd at the meat market, where she continues to act murderous, for reasons inadequately explained. Then Aaron makes pop culture references so you know this issue was written in the late 70s and not twenty years earlier as you might have assumed from the way women are written in it.





As Aaron muses on how they're both outsiders because he is a machine and she is an ambitious intelligent woman unlike the rest of femalekind, and therefore must be put in a box and locked up forever, we move on.

I can only apologise for making you read this, but misery loves company.