Machine Man #2 [1978] – House of Nightmares

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The adventures of X-51 continue, as he’s plagued by nightmares regarding his humanity. Still on the run from the Army, he visits a gas station and buys some tires (using some newly created diamonds for currency. Meanwhile, Doctor Spalding, who had met X-51 back in #1, is dealing with a patient who is having odd delusions about being in a space-ship falling into a sun.

As the army catches up with him, MM bursts out of the gas station (which I guess explains why he grossly over-paid for the tires) with his new wheels (three tires attached to him with rods) and escapes. He then goes out and drives some motorcyclists off the road (I’m not sure if that’s still Kirby working out his resentment of the motorcyclists outside his first California home, as mentioned in one TJKC article).

Machine Man #2 [1978]

He then arrives in Central City and goes to see the doctor, who agrees to help him. Just then MM notices an interstellar transmission, which is the same thing the patient had been receiving, and translates it into a visual representation of a ship in distress. They begin to plan a rescue, which will lead to the battle with Ten-For.

Mike Royer inks the 17-page story, Frank Giacoia inks the cover and Jack Kirby writes a text page about potential machine rights.

Published 1978

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