ow/white pages
Origin & 1st app of Iron Man (Tony Stark); Jack Kirby cover; Steve Ditko art
Realizing the growing Marvel audience was composed primarily of hip, and largely left-leaning, young men, Stan Lee challenged himself to create a hero who would be the embodiment of everything the counterculture was railing against, and still elicit sympathy from readers. As a result, Tony Stark was envisioned as an older, hard-drinking, playboy millionaire, and Iron Man quickly became a cult favorite whose popularity has only grown over the years.

The origin story of Iron Man is one deeply rooted in the Vietnam War era. Tony Stark, a weapons designer, is brought in to help the U.S. government in their efforts to combat the Vietcong. Stark is mortally wounded by a booby trap and taken captive. During his imprisonment, the ingenious Stark constructs a suit of armor that contains an array of gadgets and firepower and also slows the approach of a piece of shrapnel that is inching toward his heart. Stark is reborn and ready to do battle with the forces of Communism and other evils around the globe in his new role as the iconic Iron Man.

Long considered one of the toughest Marvel first appearances to track down, this copy should be just the thing for key fans looking to complete their runs of first appearances, it is an essential book for anyone serious about Marvel collecting in general. With its sharp, clean cover, bright reds, rich grays, and rock-solid construction, you would be hard-pressed to find a nicer copy at grade. With the value of this key going up and up, there is no copy of this book that is not a recommended investment. While Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark will not be returning to the MCU, it is pretty apparent that all forms of Stark tech will remain in the franchise, and that always leaves the door open for a new Iron Man to appear and drive the value of this comic up once again.

Overstreet Guide 2022 VF (8.0) value = $22,400.

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