Iron Man (comic book)

The character made his first appearance in Tales of Suspense #39 (cover dated March 1963). After issue #99 (March 1968), the Tales of Suspense series was renamed Captain America. An Iron Man story appeared in the one-shot comic Iron Man and Sub-Mariner (April 1968), before the "Golden Avenger"[1] made his solo debut with Iron Man #1 (May 1968).[2] The series' indicia gives its copyright title Iron Man, while the trademarked cover logo of most issues is The Invincible Iron Man. Artist George Tuska began a decade long association with the character with Iron Man #5 (Sept. 1968).[3] Writer Mike Friedrich and artist Jim Starlin's brief collaboration on the Iron Man series introduced Mentor, Starfox, and Thanos in issue #55 (Feb. 1973).[4] Friedrich scripted a metafictional story in which Iron Man visited the San Diego Comic Convention and met several Marvel Comics writers and artists.[5] He then wrote the multi-issue "War of the Super-Villains" storyline which ran through 1975.[6][7][8][9][10]

Writer David Michelinie,[11] co-plotter/inker Bob Layton, and penciler John Romita Jr. became the creative team on the series with Iron Man #116 (Nov. 1978). Micheline and Layton established Tony Stark's alcoholism with the story "Demon in a Bottle", and introduced several supporting characters, including Stark's bodyguard girlfriend Bethany Cabe;[12] Stark's personal pilot and confidant James Rhodes, who later became the superhero War Machine;[13] and rival industrialist Justin Hammer,[14] who was revealed to be the employer of numerous high-tech armed enemies Iron Man fought over the years. The duo also introduced the concept of Stark's specialized armors[15][16][17] as he acquired a dangerous vendetta with Doctor Doom in the "Doomquest" storyline.[18][19] The team worked together through #154 (Jan. 1982), with Michelinie writing three issues without Layton.[11]

Following Michelinie and Layton's departures, Dennis O'Neil became the new writer of the series and had Stark relapse into alcoholism. Much of O'Neil's work on this plot thread was based on experiences with alcoholics he knew personally.[20] Jim Rhodes replaced Stark as Iron Man in issue #169 (April 1983) and wore the armor for the next two years of stories.[21] O'Neil returned Tony Stark to the Iron Man role in issue #200 (Nov. 1985).[22] Michelinie and Layton became the creative team once again in issue #215 (Feb. 1987).[11] They crafted the "Armor Wars" storyline beginning in #225 (Dec. 1987)[23] through #231 (June 1988). John Byrne and John Romita Jr. produced a sequel titled "Armor Wars II" in issues #258 (July 1990) to #266 (March 1991). The series had a crossover with the other Avengers related titles as part of the "Operation: Galactic Storm" storyline.[24][25]

This initial series ended with issue #332 (Sept. 1996). Jim Lee, Scott Lobdell, and Jeph Loeb authored a second volume of the series as part of Heroes Reborn, which was drawn primarily by Whilce Portacio and Ryan Benjamin. This volume took place in a parallel universe[26] and ran 13 issues (Nov. 1996 - Nov. 1997).[27]

Volume 3, whose first 25 issues were written by Kurt Busiek[28] and then by Busiek and Roger Stern, ran 89 issues (Feb. 1998 - Dec. 2004). Later writers included Joe Quesada, Frank Tieri, Mike Grell, and John Jackson Miller. Issue #41 (June 2001) was additionally numbered #386, reflecting the start of dual numbering starting from the premiere issue of volume one in 1968. The final issue was dual-numbered as #434.[29]

The next Iron Man series, Iron Man vol. 4, debuted in early 2005 with the Warren Ellis-written storyline "Extremis", with artist Adi Granov.[30][31] It ran 35 issues (Jan. 2005 - Jan. 2009), with the cover logo simply Iron Man beginning with issue #13, and Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., beginning with issue #15. On the final three issues, the cover logo was overwritten by "War Machine, Weapon of S.H.I.E.L.D.",[32] which led to the launch of a War Machine ongoing series.[33]

The Invincible Iron Man vol. 1, by writer Matt Fraction and artist Salvador Larroca, began with a premiere issue cover-dated July 2008.[34] For a seven-month overlap, Marvel published both volume four and volume five simultaneously.[35] This Invincible volume jumped its numbering of issues from #33 to #500, cover dated March 2011, to reflect the start from the premiere issue of volume one in 1968.

After the conclusion of The Invincible Iron Man a new Iron Man series was started as a part of Marvel Now!. Written by Kieron Gillen and illustrated by Greg Land, it began with issue #1 in November 2012.[36] The series revealed Tony was adopted, and that he had a disabled half-brother named Arno.