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Marvel Novel Series #6
Iron Man: And Call My Killer...MODOK!
Mechanised Mayhem!
When millionaire industrialist Tony Stark first created the solar-charged steel-mesh armor he wears to become Iron Man, it was designed to support his damaged heart and save his very life!
But now, a helpless victim of the international crime cartel called A.I.M., Stark is forced to create a suit of armour even mightier than his own... a suit of armour expressly designed to destroy the Invincible IRON MAN
And Call My Killer... MODOK!
A sinister, deadly game of chess between the powers of good and evil, where all the rules keep changing... and nothing is ever as it appears!
When millionaire industrialist Tony Stark first created the solar-charged steel-mesh armor he wears to become Iron Man, it was designed to support his damaged heart and save his very life!
But now, a helpless victim of the international crime cartel called A.I.M., Stark is forced to create a suit of armour even mightier than his own... a suit of armour expressly designed to destroy the Invincible IRON MAN
And Call My Killer... MODOK!
A sinister, deadly game of chess between the powers of good and evil, where all the rules keep changing... and nothing is ever as it appears!
189 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1979
1 person is currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
William Rotsler
80 books8 followersWilliam "Bill" Rotsler was an American cartoonist and graphic artist; author of several science fiction novels and short stories, and television and film novelizations, and non-fiction works on a variety of topics, ranging from Star Trek to pornography; a prominent member of science fiction fandom; and a sculptor, primarily in metal, who contributed to the art at the entrance to the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters.
Pseudonyms:
Victor W. II Appleton, William Arrow, Andrew Garth, John Ryder Hall, Cord Heller, Latham Hilliard, Linda Holland, Harmony Holt, Lothar Korda, Honey Malcom, Hord Markham, Clay McCord, Howard Scott Miles, Clint Randall, Beverly Sorenson, Beth Waring, Fletcher Westflag.
Pseudonyms:
Victor W. II Appleton, William Arrow, Andrew Garth, John Ryder Hall, Cord Heller, Latham Hilliard, Linda Holland, Harmony Holt, Lothar Korda, Honey Malcom, Hord Markham, Clay McCord, Howard Scott Miles, Clint Randall, Beverly Sorenson, Beth Waring, Fletcher Westflag.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 27, 2020
This has got to be the only novel with a title that not only incorporates an ellipsis and ends with an exclamation point and starts with "and." It's an ebullient and exaggerated and enthusiastic piece that hasn't aged well, but I still have a fondness for it. Tony comes across as brash and arrogant and opinionated and somewhat misguided, but also as deeply caring and concerned. It's a complex comics plot with interesting armor iterations... there's enough background provided that non-comics readers can jump right in and follow it, but there are some sly little Easter eggy references included for detail-oriented fans. It's not Rotsler's best work and not for everyone, but still, after all these years, full of fun.
July 8, 2019
An original Marvel prose novel from 1979. Unfortunately very dated on the racism and sexism fronts, but if you enjoy the characterization of Tony from this era of comics, you'll probably enjoy this if you can find a copy of it. My favorite part of it is definitely the speech Tony makes addressing a roomful of college students about what he views as his goals and SI's goals and how he sees the future; it's just... A+ Tony Stark characterization. And in terms of the plot, it definitely feels like picking up a brand-new late-70s Iron Man comic, which is kind of fun.
May 10, 2015
A belly-dancing automobile mechanic who wishes to make it as an actress! I think that will stay with me for a long time.
This was a fun book to read. I had come across a copy of it thirty years ago at a thrift store, but lost it during a move [or loaned it out and never got it back] before I had a chance to read it myself. So I was happy to come across another copy of this book the other day. It is billed as being the first novelization of Iron Man in an original story.
I felt the book was well-written. It is somewhat funny reading it now, especially now with six movies with Iron Man having been released. It had an easy flow to it; it was not insulting to the reader. It had a good pace to it; the flow kept me interested through the entire book.
It has the requisite backstory describing how Tony Stark became Iron Man. It also has the backstory as to how Happy Hogan met Tony Stark for the first time, how through that meeting Tony hired Happy. Personally, I did not feel as if the back stories slowed the narrative down at all; I felt they added to the depth of the story, myself. The plot was a good plot; it harkened back to the time when a select group of individuals knew that Tony Stark and Iron Man were one and the same. It was interesting in light of the movies, where Tony revealed his identity to the world. In the book, he wonders how people would react if they knew who he really was, how he would treated once his secret was out.
The concept of being forced to build a suit of armor for AIM that actually worked quite interesting; I do not know if there has ever been a comic storyline in which this has happened. The resolution of this part of the storyline was rather abrupt; I could not help but wonder if the second Iron Man movie borrowed some of the ideas in this book to form the narrative of that movie.
I enjoyed reading about how Pepper has set Tony up for a surprise. It was a fun section of the book.
I also thought it was funny how dated the book truly is. It is not as bad as, say, the Avengers' story, but it is still dated. I think what dates this book is more the 'social references' as opposed to the technological references [which is what dates the Avengers story].
Overall, I felt it was a well-written book. I enjoyed it. I felt as if it could have been a bit longer [maybe another chapter or two] as the ending did feel a bit rushed. Still, though, it was a fun read.
This was a fun book to read. I had come across a copy of it thirty years ago at a thrift store, but lost it during a move [or loaned it out and never got it back] before I had a chance to read it myself. So I was happy to come across another copy of this book the other day. It is billed as being the first novelization of Iron Man in an original story.
I felt the book was well-written. It is somewhat funny reading it now, especially now with six movies with Iron Man having been released. It had an easy flow to it; it was not insulting to the reader. It had a good pace to it; the flow kept me interested through the entire book.
It has the requisite backstory describing how Tony Stark became Iron Man. It also has the backstory as to how Happy Hogan met Tony Stark for the first time, how through that meeting Tony hired Happy. Personally, I did not feel as if the back stories slowed the narrative down at all; I felt they added to the depth of the story, myself. The plot was a good plot; it harkened back to the time when a select group of individuals knew that Tony Stark and Iron Man were one and the same. It was interesting in light of the movies, where Tony revealed his identity to the world. In the book, he wonders how people would react if they knew who he really was, how he would treated once his secret was out.
The concept of being forced to build a suit of armor for AIM that actually worked quite interesting; I do not know if there has ever been a comic storyline in which this has happened. The resolution of this part of the storyline was rather abrupt; I could not help but wonder if the second Iron Man movie borrowed some of the ideas in this book to form the narrative of that movie.
I enjoyed reading about how Pepper has set Tony up for a surprise. It was a fun section of the book.
I also thought it was funny how dated the book truly is. It is not as bad as, say, the Avengers' story, but it is still dated. I think what dates this book is more the 'social references' as opposed to the technological references [which is what dates the Avengers story].
Overall, I felt it was a well-written book. I enjoyed it. I felt as if it could have been a bit longer [maybe another chapter or two] as the ending did feel a bit rushed. Still, though, it was a fun read.
May 3, 2020
Bought this one on eBay years ago because I had to hold on to a piece of my childhood. In 1979, when this book was published, something must have made me pick it up from the spinner rack and buy it with my paper route money. (Unless I bought it used a few years later?) At that time, I was 11 years old, and reading comic books, but not Marvel Super-heroes, and I'm still at a loss about why. I was reading tie-ins and spin-offs, merchandising and licensed works: Rom, Star Wars, Shogun Warriors, Godzilla, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Micronauts, etcetera. But nothing from the Marvel Universe until I dove into it a few years later, circa 1981 or so, age 13. A school friend showed me what was going on, and I jumped into it head first, started collecting like a maniac, including Iron Man.
Meanwhile, yeah, I bought and read an Iron Man novel to the derision of my school yard chums. I can't forget that. "You're reading an Iron Man novel?" I don't remember if I said, "yeah, and where's your Dostoevsky, pal?", but I wanted to, and years after I was mocked the man who plays the Crimson Avenger is the highest paid actor in Hollywood and everyone went to see those movies, so, HA!
But about the books. It's a fun little read. Gives you the origin of ol' Shell Head, the lowdown on Happy Hogan, SHIELD, Stark Industries, Pepper Potts et al, before getting into the threat from M.O.D.O.K. Not "Modok" as he is called throughout the book. It stands for Mental Organism Devoted Only to Killing, and you get his origin, too, of course, and he is one of my favorite Marvel villains, and one of the weirdest characters to pour out of Jack Kirby's pencil. Nothing in this novel comes close to describing how gruesome he is, though Rotsler tries, in his way.
Unfortunately, the writing suffers from the casual racism of the era, which doesn't include I.M.'s problematic main villain The Mandarin, but a few characters who are simply called "an Oriental." Hispanics get it just as bad. Women aren't represented well, either, but...sigh...
Also, though the cover does sort of depict a scene from the story, I take off points for not showing M.O.D.O.K. Would have made a much better cover.
Meanwhile, yeah, I bought and read an Iron Man novel to the derision of my school yard chums. I can't forget that. "You're reading an Iron Man novel?" I don't remember if I said, "yeah, and where's your Dostoevsky, pal?", but I wanted to, and years after I was mocked the man who plays the Crimson Avenger is the highest paid actor in Hollywood and everyone went to see those movies, so, HA!
But about the books. It's a fun little read. Gives you the origin of ol' Shell Head, the lowdown on Happy Hogan, SHIELD, Stark Industries, Pepper Potts et al, before getting into the threat from M.O.D.O.K. Not "Modok" as he is called throughout the book. It stands for Mental Organism Devoted Only to Killing, and you get his origin, too, of course, and he is one of my favorite Marvel villains, and one of the weirdest characters to pour out of Jack Kirby's pencil. Nothing in this novel comes close to describing how gruesome he is, though Rotsler tries, in his way.
Unfortunately, the writing suffers from the casual racism of the era, which doesn't include I.M.'s problematic main villain The Mandarin, but a few characters who are simply called "an Oriental." Hispanics get it just as bad. Women aren't represented well, either, but...sigh...
Also, though the cover does sort of depict a scene from the story, I take off points for not showing M.O.D.O.K. Would have made a much better cover.
January 27, 2022
39 - 2022
Iron Man klasik, dengan samaran sebagai bodyguardnya Tony Stark.
Membaca cerita Iron Man Earth 616 dengan latar belakang tahun 70-an, terasa sedikit jetlag ya.
Paling suka kalau POV-nya dari sisi minion AIM. Kasihan saja sih, sudah pakai seragam kuning yang tidak seksi, dimarah-marahin melulu sama Modok, dihajar Iron Man... lengkap sudah nasibnya sebagai karakter figuran pelengkap penderita.
Iron Man klasik, dengan samaran sebagai bodyguardnya Tony Stark.
Membaca cerita Iron Man Earth 616 dengan latar belakang tahun 70-an, terasa sedikit jetlag ya.
Paling suka kalau POV-nya dari sisi minion AIM. Kasihan saja sih, sudah pakai seragam kuning yang tidak seksi, dimarah-marahin melulu sama Modok, dihajar Iron Man... lengkap sudah nasibnya sebagai karakter figuran pelengkap penderita.
December 20, 2021
This book is surprisingly violent at times (I'm way too used to Disney handling the Marvel heroes...). The story lingers on past events (how Tony Stark became Iron Man, and how he met Happy), which takes time from the current plot.
The story isn't bad, but it isn't great, either. A nice read for an Iron Man fan, but doesn't leave a lasting impression.
The story isn't bad, but it isn't great, either. A nice read for an Iron Man fan, but doesn't leave a lasting impression.
November 16, 2018
Overall, not bad. Pretty enjoyable. It moves quickly and i could easily see this as a comic book arc or an episode of a TV show. My only complaint is that some beats move too quickly, but otherwise it was an enjoyable read.
April 27, 2025
The novel involves attempts by A.I.M, the organization of evil scientists, to steal the Iron Man armor. The armored Avenger manages to foil a couple of attempts at this, then sets a trap for the bad guys. This plan sort of works, but it results in Tony Stark being held prisoner at a remote A.I.M. facility while being forced to build a suit of armor for them.
The main villain is, of course, MODOK. If you aren't familiar with him, he’s basically a giant head with an atrophied body and vast mental powers who rides around in a high-tech weaponized hover chair.
The plot is very well-constructed and Rotsler does a great job with the action scenes. The most notable fight scenes are at the finale, with Tony forced to fight first an evil Iron Man and then MODOK himself.
Tony’s best friend and chauffeur Happy Hogan gets a sequence in which he holds off a horde of A.I.M agents with a submachine gun. Nick Fury, nerdy SHIELD agent Jasper Sitwell and the SHIELD helicarrier all get some action as well. And Call My Killer… MODOK! is an exuberant read from start to finish
The main villain is, of course, MODOK. If you aren't familiar with him, he’s basically a giant head with an atrophied body and vast mental powers who rides around in a high-tech weaponized hover chair.
The plot is very well-constructed and Rotsler does a great job with the action scenes. The most notable fight scenes are at the finale, with Tony forced to fight first an evil Iron Man and then MODOK himself.
Tony’s best friend and chauffeur Happy Hogan gets a sequence in which he holds off a horde of A.I.M agents with a submachine gun. Nick Fury, nerdy SHIELD agent Jasper Sitwell and the SHIELD helicarrier all get some action as well. And Call My Killer… MODOK! is an exuberant read from start to finish
August 30, 2009
Read in anticipation of seeing the Iron Man movie, this novel was more enjoyable that expected. It has the dumb super hero battle ending with Iron Man battling another Iron Man--get some imagination, but the handling of this cliche was competent.
June 8, 2015
"And Call My Killer...MODOK" is the first superhero novel that I ever read.
An excellent novel and a must read and must have for any Iron Man fan.
An excellent novel and a must read and must have for any Iron Man fan.
March 12, 2012
A solid and dare I say classic Iron Man vs Modok story. Full of action and provides a nice look at the history between Tony Stark and Happy Hogan.
February 10, 2016
Very good novel adaptation of the comics. if you are a comic super hero fan these are Very recommended.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews