Ironjaw #2
Published and © by Atlas (Seaboard), March 1975
Title: “Ironjaw the King!”
Synopsis: Ironjaw saves a wench, becomes a sword for hire, threatens to rape his own sister, then becomes king. Whew.
Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Pablos Marcos
Review: Much like the series’s debut (see review), the misogyny in this issue of Ironjaw is a bit overwhelming – particularly by today’s standards. To be fair, the barbarians of the Bronze Age were not a woke lot, but Ironjaw might be the worst of his brethren. We start with a “wench” chained, covered in honey and offered to bears as sport; move on to attempted sister rape; then end with a groveling harem. Ick. The art by Peruvian artist Pablos Marcos is interesting, though, as he is clearly influenced by illustrative styles from both North and South American comics.
Grade: C+
Cool factor: Pablos Marcos art shows potential.
Not-so-cool factor: Ironjaw does not.
Character quotable: “A king cannot fight, or hunt, or steal or chase wenches! To be a king is to be like a toothless old woman.” – Ironjaw, discovering the burdens of leadership
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on April 14, 2020.
