Writer – Tom DeFalco
Artist – Steve Ditko
Inker – Steve Ditko
Colours – Nel Yomtov
Letters – Diana Albers

The last issue of Machine Man’s solo title comes to a close with an epic battle against Spider-foe, the Jack O’ Lantern. DeFalco and Ditko end the series with not so much of a bang, but on a good note otherwise with X-51 finally getting control of his emotions thanks to his friends fixing him up. His face never got completely fixed, but he seemed in good spirits now that his wiring and circuitry were back to normal. A shame that the book never made it to another issue as we will never know if he could have made things work with Pamela, if he could have ever made his ‘human’ life work or even just find a measure of peace with not only those around him, but with himself as well. Great to see so much action in the final book continuing the trend DeFalco had set, but in the end, a shame it could find a better foothold. A satisfying conclusion, if a little abrupt and definitely a title that deserved a much longer lifespan than the nineteen issues it had gotten.

4 out of 5