Iron Man Comic Book Prices
Estimated Worth of Iron Man Titles
If you came here searching for Iron Man comic book prices, you’re either a serious collector, a longtime reader of the series, or a new fan drawn in by the hit movies starring Robert Downey, Jr. No matter which category you fall into, you’ll find the estimated worth for a number of Iron Man titles, as well as background information on some of the most popular characters from the comics.
I was never a regular reader of the Iron Man series, but I have picked up a number of issues over the years. I was also a fan of The Avengers (East and West coast), so that provided another avenue for getting my shellhead fix. As a child, I recall thrilling to his battles against Doctor Doom and the Mandarin, and my group of geeky pals all had the Armor Wars storyline when we were in high school. Regardless of the decade, I’ve found myself crossing paths with Tony Stark and his assorted suits of power armor.
Iron Man Background Information
You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for Iron Man background information. Whether you’re a longtime reader or a newbie who’s captivated by the feature films, you’re bound to find something of interest.
The character of Iron Man was created in 1963 thanks to a collaboration between Marvel Comics employees Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby, and Don Heck. Lee set out to challenge himself by taking a capitalist who profited from war and making him appealing to a young audience who were otherwise disgusted by the prevailing Cold War attitudes of the time.
Iron Man first appeared in Tales of Suspense #39 as an anti-communist hero. Originally set during the Vietnam War, the origin of Iron Man involves alter-ego Tony Stark suffering a serious chest wound that requires him to use his technological genius to keep himself alive. It’s this same mastery of technology that allows him to construct a suit of power armor and fight the forces of evil. While the armor gives him a great amount of protection against damage, it also allows him to fly at incredible speeds, posses superhuman strength, and fire off devastating weaponry such as missiles and repulsor rays.
Iron Man’s armor would undergo a number of modifications in the pages of Tales of Suspense, until the classic red and gold color scheme appeared in issue #48. Tony Stark’s transformation into Iron Man would also undergo a metamorphosis over the decades, with the Vietnam War being replaced by the Gulf War and later Afghanistan.
A charter member of The Avengers, Iron Man has remained one of the most popular characters in the Marvel Universe since his creation. And while some heroes have a famous superhero identity and positively boring alter-ego, Tony Stark is one of the few characters to buck that trend. Stark has romanced ladies all over the world (and beyond), battled a crippling addiction to alcohol, led The Avengers on numerous occasions, and even served as the head of S.H.I.E.L.D.
While Stark is the protagonist in almost every title, those of you searching for Iron Man comic books should also be familiar with some of these recurring characters:
James “Rhodey” Rhodes – A former soldier, Rhodey originally served as Tony Stark’s personal pilot and the chief aviation engineer for Stark International. When Stark was battling his alcoholism, Rhodey donned the Iron Man armor and filled in through events like Secret Wars. He would later get his own armor, known as the War Machine, and continue his career as a hero.
Mandarin – Wielding ten alien rings of great power, this Chinese conqueror is Iron Man’s greatest enemy throughout the series. He’s also a master of technology and the martial arts, with the latter great enough to allow him to penetrate Iron Man’s armor with repeated blows.
Harold “Happy” Hogan – A former boxer who worked as Tony Stark’s chauffeur and served as a romantic rival for the affections of Pepper Potts. Hogan would eventually marry Potts, but their marriage would end in divorce. After an encounter with the Spymaster, Hogan was left in a vegetative state from which he never recovered.
Virginia “Pepper” Potts – The secretary and love interest of Tony Stark, the red-haired Potts made her debut in Tales of Suspense #45. She eventually married Happy Hogan, but the couple later divorced. She now has her own suit of power armor under the hero name of Rescue.
Obadiah Stane – A sinister weapons manufacturer who set his sights on bringing down Tony Stark and his company. He developed the Iron Monger armor and engaged Iron Man in singles combat (after a number of henchmen failed to do the job). After he was defeated, Stane decided to deprive Stark of the satisfaction of bringing him to justice by committing suicide. He has since made several appearances as a resident of the Underworld.
Justin Hammer – A ruthless businessman who first appeared in Iron Man #120, he is responsible for selling high-tech armor and devices to many of the supervillains in the Marvel Universe. He’s believed to be dead as of this writing, but comic book villains have a nasty habit of returning from the grave.
Iron Man Comic Book Values
If you’re looking for Iron Man comic book values, you may want to start with the titles listed below. You’ll have to break open the piggy bank to afford them, but you’ll have plenty to talk about with fellow geeks the next time you make the pilgrimage to Comic-Con.
Iron Man made his debut in Tales of Suspense #39, and a near mint copy of that book currently lists for $24,000 over at ComicsPriceGuide.com. However, a copy graded at 7.0 sold for $147,500 in 2008. This price differential just goes to show that the true value of any comic book is how much someone is willing to pay for it.
Pepper Potts would turn up in issue #45 of Tales of Suspense, and that title is listed at $1,040. The issue with Iron Man’s new armor (#48) sells for $1,000, while the debut of the Mandarin (#50) should fetch at least $600.
After Tales of Suspense morphed into the monthly Captain America title, Iron Man received his own book in 1968. While the official title was The Invincible Iron Man, most refer to it by the name of the hero. The first issue is the most valuable, with #1 valued at $1,000 in near mint condition. In 2008, a copy graded at 9.4 sold for $1,500. The price drops rapidly from there, and by issue #20 the titles are selling for as little as $30.
Certain issues along the way do have a higher price, though. These include the first appearance of Thanos (Iron Man #240) valued at $240, a 35-cent variant of issue #100 valued at $80, and the conclusion of the alcoholism storyline popularly known as “Demon in a Bottle.”
The first volume of Iron Man would conclude in 1996, and it would be replaced by the second volume. The most valuable issue of this run was a gold signature first edition that lists for $12.
Volume three would run from 1998 until 2004, but none of these are valued over $10 in near mint condition. The same is true of the fourth volume, with the only exception being a Hitch variant cover of issue #7 valued at $15.
One of my favorite Iron Man stories took place in issues #149 and #150 of the first volume. Now known as “Doomquest,” it features Iron Man and Doctor Doom getting thrown through time to the court of King Arthur. The John Romita, Jr. artwork is great, and it’s just a damn entertaining yarn from beginning to end. The two issues were collected together in 2008 and sold as Iron Man: Doomquest, and a near mint copy of this is valued at $17.
Besides the regular issues of the Iron Man series, there are numerous one-shots, limited series, and crossovers to buy.