THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING IRON MAN - IRON PYRITES
(BEST YE SEA THIS LARGE MATEYS, AYE!!!)
Severely diminished in stature by an accidental dose of miniaturising Pym Particles the Incredible Shrinking Iron Man regularly overflew the water recycling tank as he patrolled the amazing microverse. So far, Tiny Tony had been able to rescue several wee beasties from deadly danger.
Heavy rains had swelled the tank to capacity and it was now, relative to the armoured techno-knight’s vertically challenged size, a mighty lake.
To Stark’s complete surprise, as he arced over the body of water he spotted a fully rigged Pyrite Ship arrogantly flaunting the dread Jolly Roger!
“Jumpin’ Jack Kirby!” the red and gold Avenger exclaimed, then rocketed down to land with an authoritative ‘CLANK!!’ on the buccaneer’s wooden deck. Game for a fight, the Pyrite crew scowled their defiance as Iron Man prepared to deliver hot repulsor justice to the scurvy sons of sea rocks; part payment for all of the sorry souls they had themselves dispatched to Davy Jones’ Locker.
For one brief, breathless moment, while the Pyrites drew their cutlasses and pistols, the sun glinted on Shellhead’s harsh exterior, Ironically reminding the scoundrels of the treasure chests that lay below decks crammed with bullion, jewels and plundered booty.
Though the cruel Pyrites did not lack for stones they nevertheless trembled in their sea boots and understood, too late, that their blood soaked riches might as well have been Fool’s Gold for all the good they would do them now.
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Old fashioned Pirates and Piracy have been over romanticised in modern pop culture. Far from the likes of the admittedly charming whimsy of Captain Jack Sparrow lurk the contemporary thuggish bands of sea-thieves in their small, fast boats, raiding from coastal and island bases to snap up passing merchant and passenger shipping. The brutal reality of modern day Piracy is a surprising and often deadly maritime hazard even in the 21st Century.
I’d just been reading about the Somali Pirates who have been preying upon passing shipping when it started to rain heavily, prompting thoughts of a watery photoshoot.
The little toy ship was quite hard to rig as the Iron Pyrites made it top heavy and indeed, a few seconds after I nailed the shot to its yardarm, it capsized, spilling one of the Pyrites overboard where it plunged straight to the bottom of the tank. End of photoshoot!
It was gusting something fierce when I was trying to get this shot in between rain showers and the small plastic sails kept rocking the boat. To stabilise the ship it was necessary to mount it on wire moorings clamped to the rim of the tank. The water was nearly invisible against the black plastic tank sides but floating dust and other particles showed up well, rendering the dark depths rather like a starfield, an effect I was happily surprised by.
Iron Man/Tony Stark is no friend of Pirates, having suffered at their hands a number of times during his career. Besides, they’re bad for business, even in his former trade as an arms dealer, since they seldom pay for their weapons.
THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING IRON MAN - IRON PYRITES
(BEST YE SEA THIS LARGE MATEYS, AYE!!!)
Severely diminished in stature by an accidental dose of miniaturising Pym Particles the Incredible Shrinking Iron Man regularly overflew the water recycling tank as he patrolled the amazing microverse. So far, Tiny Tony had been able to rescue several wee beasties from deadly danger.
Heavy rains had swelled the tank to capacity and it was now, relative to the armoured techno-knight’s vertically challenged size, a mighty lake.
To Stark’s complete surprise, as he arced over the body of water he spotted a fully rigged Pyrite Ship arrogantly flaunting the dread Jolly Roger!
“Jumpin’ Jack Kirby!” the red and gold Avenger exclaimed, then rocketed down to land with an authoritative ‘CLANK!!’ on the buccaneer’s wooden deck. Game for a fight, the Pyrite crew scowled their defiance as Iron Man prepared to deliver hot repulsor justice to the scurvy sons of sea rocks; part payment for all of the sorry souls they had themselves dispatched to Davy Jones’ Locker.
For one brief, breathless moment, while the Pyrites drew their cutlasses and pistols, the sun glinted on Shellhead’s harsh exterior, Ironically reminding the scoundrels of the treasure chests that lay below decks crammed with bullion, jewels and plundered booty.
Though the cruel Pyrites did not lack for stones they nevertheless trembled in their sea boots and understood, too late, that their blood soaked riches might as well have been Fool’s Gold for all the good they would do them now.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Old fashioned Pirates and Piracy have been over romanticised in modern pop culture. Far from the likes of the admittedly charming whimsy of Captain Jack Sparrow lurk the contemporary thuggish bands of sea-thieves in their small, fast boats, raiding from coastal and island bases to snap up passing merchant and passenger shipping. The brutal reality of modern day Piracy is a surprising and often deadly maritime hazard even in the 21st Century.
I’d just been reading about the Somali Pirates who have been preying upon passing shipping when it started to rain heavily, prompting thoughts of a watery photoshoot.
The little toy ship was quite hard to rig as the Iron Pyrites made it top heavy and indeed, a few seconds after I nailed the shot to its yardarm, it capsized, spilling one of the Pyrites overboard where it plunged straight to the bottom of the tank. End of photoshoot!
It was gusting something fierce when I was trying to get this shot in between rain showers and the small plastic sails kept rocking the boat. To stabilise the ship it was necessary to mount it on wire moorings clamped to the rim of the tank. The water was nearly invisible against the black plastic tank sides but floating dust and other particles showed up well, rendering the dark depths rather like a starfield, an effect I was happily surprised by.
Iron Man/Tony Stark is no friend of Pirates, having suffered at their hands a number of times during his career. Besides, they’re bad for business, even in his former trade as an arms dealer, since they seldom pay for their weapons.