Giant-Man learns Iron Man's identity

[robfj]

I am confused about the placing of Avengers Classic 3/2 and Mighty Avengers 21 (32:3-33) FB before Avengers #3 (in the chronologies for Giant-Man and Iron Man).

The MA flashback includes Giant-Man crashing into the top of a train tunnel (while fighting Hulk in A 3). The rest of the flashback then obviously follows A 3, or at least pages 1-12.

The case for AC 3/2 isn't so clear cut. But Giant-Man mentions IM being outclassed by Thor, Hulk and Namor. Including Namor in the list suggests this is after the 2nd half of A 3.

I also wonder about which order to put these 2 tales. They both concern GM knowing IM's identity. In AC 3/2 GM says he's cleverly deduced IM is Tony Stark, and IM denies it. IN MA GM accidentally sees IM unmask, while ant-size. If the MA flashback is before AC 3/2, then GM is boastfully lying when he says he's worked it out with his superior brain (which he says is second only to Reed Richards). If MA comes after AC then GM does deduce IM's identity, and then sees it confirmed.

[Paul Bourcier]

Very good points, and a good eye from chronological detail! I admit I was looking at lesser clues when placing these flashback scenes, but the clues you noticed trumps them. As to which flashback comes first, I think it's a toss-up. Pym could have learned Iron Man's ID then pretended his knowledge was due to his intellect (not unusual for Pym) or he could have suspected the secret ID and had his suspicions confirmed later.

So how does this look?

GIANT-MAN
...
AC 2/2 (2:2 - 4)
*[MA 21-FB] {move from here]
*AC 3/2 [move from here]
UTSM 3
TTA 50 (1 - 8:5)
TTA 55 (1 - 2:2)-FB
TTA 50 (8:6 - 13)
TTA 51 (1 - 13:5)
[AACAD 7-FB]
TTA 51 (13:6 - 13:7)
TOS 49
[IM 500.1 (8:5)-FB]
A 3 (1 - 12)
A:EMH 1 (17 - 18)
A 3 (13 - 25)
*A4 (2:1-2:4) [add]
*AC 3/2 [move to here]
*[MA 21-FB] [move to here]
TTA 52
...

IRON MAN
...
FURY 1 (39:3 - 41:2)-FB
*[MA 21-FB] ]move from here]
*AC 3/2 [move from here]
UTSM 3
FURY 1 (43 - 53)-FB
IM3 23-FB
TOS 49
[IM 500.1 (8:5)-FB]
A:EMH 1 (15 - 16)
A 3 (1 - 12)
A:EMH 1 (17 - 18)
A 3 (13 - 25)
A 4 (2:1 - 2:4)
*AC 3/2 [move to here]
*[MA 21-FB] [move to here]
IM:EM 1 (1 - 11)
...