Machine Man #15 [1980]

This issue starts the second half of Ditko's ten issue run on the Jack Kirby created Machine Man series, with Tom DeFalco taking over the writing.  The 17-page story "Kill Me or Cure Me" includes the Thing and Human Torch from the Fantastic Four, as well as a brief cameo from the rest of the FF. Ditko's version of the Thing always seems a bit off, but I do like his Torch.

Anyway, MM is working for an insurance company and gets sent to an industrial accident at a lab exploring alternative energy.  He uses his powers to help in the rescue, including a nice sequence where he takes off his leg to use it to jack up some debris, and then encounters a scientist who has been turned into a gaseous form and seems to have gone insane from the loss of her humanity.  While MM is damaged and getting some repairs from "Gears" Garvin, an inventive mechanic he fortunately crashes in front of the battle is taken to the Baxter Building, and when MM catches up we get the usual Marvel misunderstanding and fight between heroes when they first meet.

Enjoyable little issue.  Ditko comes up with a lot of really good visuals for Machine Man's powers and designs a cool little one-shot villain for the story. 

Ditko does full art on the story and also does the cover for this issue.