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Iron Man Epic Collection
Iron Man Epic Collection, Vol. 1: The Golden Avenger
Collects Tales Of Suspense (1959) #39-72. The first appearances of Tony Stark, Iron Man! Launched in 1963 under Tales of Suspense, Iron Man represented another heroic ideal for Marvel comics. Tony Stark is a jet-setting, millionaire industrialist, but after a tragic accident, he dons the alluminum-alloy suit of Iron Man! The origin of one of Marvel's most beloved characters!
520 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2014
31 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
About the author
Stan Lee
7,563 books2,343 followersStan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 23, 2023
Like all early Stan Marvel books, it takes a while to get rolling. But once Happy and Pepper show up, it starts to find its stride.
Also, "Happy Pepper" is a solid name for a band. Or an intimacy aid.
Also, "Happy Pepper" is a solid name for a band. Or an intimacy aid.
July 27, 2016
The first ever Iron Man stories. originally published in 'Tales Of Suspense' 39 to 72, feature more costume changes than you can shake a stick at. Tony Stark is at his playboy best, but not quite yet the megalomaniacal drunk we all know and love. None of the villains are that memorable, other than the first appearance of The Mandarin in the story from issue 50, but that just goes to show us how much fun Iron Man was that he manages to survive comic stardom in spite of his lacklustre villains showcase. Eventually he fought some more familiar villains such as Black Widow and Hawkeye before they turned good, plus there are battles with Captain America and... Iron Man? The final few stories are where Iron Man hits his stride and I can't imagine having to wait a month for each twelve page story back in the late sixties as the story begins to concentrate on Tony Stark being faced with having to reveal his secret identity or lose his government contracts. Plus there's lots of love-triangle romance between Tony, Pepper and Happy throughout which slowly turns into a love square when Pepper turns her affections to Iron Man himself!
August 21, 2021
As always, I mark on a bit of a curve for Silver age comic books because - let's face it - the art and writing are not at the same depth of later comics. But I do mark on "was this fun?". even if the characters are a bit two dimensional did they have some depth? Were the villains interesting? Was there some cleverness in the writing? I recently read the first Daredevil comics for the first time and they were pretty sucky. this was my very first time reading Iron Man's first adventures and I have to say - he falls in the middle of Marvel comics of this time. It was a lot better than I thought it would be. Not classics like the first Spider-man or Doctor Strange or X-Men (my fav of this era) but not stinky like Thor or Hulk or Daredevil. Fantastic Four fall somewhere in the middle.
There are a lot of "key" issues in this collection. What are "key" issues? First appearances or important changes in the character that collectors drool over. They aren't necessarily the best comics but they are more valuable because they are the "first". As one example - we get the first Black Widow and the first Hawkeye. Two great characters who are nothing like the characters they would evolve into. Black Widow especially is unrecognizable in terms of look AND personality.
We also meet Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan who are introduced a few issues into this collection. They were a GREAT addition because up until then Tony Stark/Iron Man didn't have a cast of characters to have emotional drama with. Although I have to point out the letterer wrote "Kitty" when Pepper was first introduced. The drama was "Pepper loved Tony and Happy loved Pepper" eventually (in the comics) Pepper and Happy get married which (as you know) is very different on how it plays out in the movies.
Like all Marvel comics, Stan Lee was smart to have some kind of "personal drama" in the super hero's life. In Iron Man it was the burden of having to wear his iron chest all the time (to keep his injured heart beating). Because of this Tony Stark feels he can't have a personal life - a little forced but okay. A lot of moments of Tony almost dying because he uses too much energy as Iron Man or simply forgets to charge his chest plate. We even get a few issues where he can't take his Iron Man suit off and is forced to "remove Stark". Again - it doesn't make much sense but at least it creates some drama beyond just fighting the super villain. We also get a jerk Senator who hates Stark and is always trying to get rid of his defence contracts. Which is weird because Stark is obviously supplying the army with futuristic weapons nobody else can come up with. He is the J Jonah Jameson of the Iron Man world. An irrational hatred of Tony, or sometimes Iron Man.
We get the Mandarin one of the few villains of Iron Man who lives on today. Titanium Man...Crimson Dynamo (Russian or Asian versions of Iron Man). We get forgettable ones like Dr. Strange (no - not THAT Doctor Strange), Doll Man, The Unicorn, The Melter, The Black Knight (no not THAT Black Knight). All in all not a great villain gallery like the FF or Spider-man but they served their purpose.
Oh - I have to mention the art by Don Heck. My experiences with Heck up till now were all negative. I hated his art. But here, earlier in his career, he was actually pretty good. I realize now - he excelled at quiet human drama art and sucked at the action super hero stuff. So the moments with Star, Happy and Pepper are amazing and the Iron Man action - not so much. Not horrible but not great. He would have been better off drawing romance comics.
Overall - this was more fun than I thought it would be. It isn't a must read but if you are a fan of comic history it is definitely worth reading.
There are a lot of "key" issues in this collection. What are "key" issues? First appearances or important changes in the character that collectors drool over. They aren't necessarily the best comics but they are more valuable because they are the "first". As one example - we get the first Black Widow and the first Hawkeye. Two great characters who are nothing like the characters they would evolve into. Black Widow especially is unrecognizable in terms of look AND personality.
We also meet Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan who are introduced a few issues into this collection. They were a GREAT addition because up until then Tony Stark/Iron Man didn't have a cast of characters to have emotional drama with. Although I have to point out the letterer wrote "Kitty" when Pepper was first introduced. The drama was "Pepper loved Tony and Happy loved Pepper" eventually (in the comics) Pepper and Happy get married which (as you know) is very different on how it plays out in the movies.
Like all Marvel comics, Stan Lee was smart to have some kind of "personal drama" in the super hero's life. In Iron Man it was the burden of having to wear his iron chest all the time (to keep his injured heart beating). Because of this Tony Stark feels he can't have a personal life - a little forced but okay. A lot of moments of Tony almost dying because he uses too much energy as Iron Man or simply forgets to charge his chest plate. We even get a few issues where he can't take his Iron Man suit off and is forced to "remove Stark". Again - it doesn't make much sense but at least it creates some drama beyond just fighting the super villain. We also get a jerk Senator who hates Stark and is always trying to get rid of his defence contracts. Which is weird because Stark is obviously supplying the army with futuristic weapons nobody else can come up with. He is the J Jonah Jameson of the Iron Man world. An irrational hatred of Tony, or sometimes Iron Man.
We get the Mandarin one of the few villains of Iron Man who lives on today. Titanium Man...Crimson Dynamo (Russian or Asian versions of Iron Man). We get forgettable ones like Dr. Strange (no - not THAT Doctor Strange), Doll Man, The Unicorn, The Melter, The Black Knight (no not THAT Black Knight). All in all not a great villain gallery like the FF or Spider-man but they served their purpose.
Oh - I have to mention the art by Don Heck. My experiences with Heck up till now were all negative. I hated his art. But here, earlier in his career, he was actually pretty good. I realize now - he excelled at quiet human drama art and sucked at the action super hero stuff. So the moments with Star, Happy and Pepper are amazing and the Iron Man action - not so much. Not horrible but not great. He would have been better off drawing romance comics.
Overall - this was more fun than I thought it would be. It isn't a must read but if you are a fan of comic history it is definitely worth reading.
October 7, 2025
Even if we manage to disregard the rampant jingoism, sexism, and racism at play in the majority of these stories; it’s impossible to look past how tepid, dull, and repetitive the narratives are here. Lee uses the exact same lines multiple times in basically every issue, and it makes reading more than one in a row a near-insufferable chore.
The one story that manages to escape this is the multi-issue arc at the very back of the book, with the Titanium Man, but even then the “new” status quo becomes quickly tired.
The one story that manages to escape this is the multi-issue arc at the very back of the book, with the Titanium Man, but even then the “new” status quo becomes quickly tired.
November 24, 2024
I like how the first Iron Man armour is a sleeker suit with a grilled mouth (like a skeleton). The suit looks like something a respected scientist and inventor would devise.
The 2nd suit is a lot chunkier, almost with the proportions of a golden tank. Maybe this was a commentary on how glamourised war has become that Stark was ignorant around. The suit even melts at one point, and Stark still chooses to wear it to battle.
Overtime the suit gains more and more "layers" before becoming the familiar red-and-gold suit
As for the man in the iron man suit, I was introduced to him in the 2008 movie. Even when he became a better person, I abhorred him. I thought he was insufferable with his pop-culture-referencing and womanising. These dissipate the more he evolves, but I didn't like how the movies became his franchise (as much as I'm sick to death of Spider-Man, let his villains be HIS villains!!) It's safe to say, I got bored and decided to check out the original comics. As you'll see, I was taken aback in a lot of areas.
His characterisation is comparatively relatable. He doesn't reference pop-culture to the extent of his MCU counterpart, for one, and his worst traits are brought up overtime. I guess that's why I like the comics; they're a slow burn. In a 2 hour feature, his worst problems have to be addressed and learnt from in that movie. The movie's paced well, but the comics take their time with these aberrations.
Happy Hogan acts more like Stark's chauffeur than his bodyguard. This is a good idea, as it shows there's other possibilities to know rich folk that don't involve beating up people. Additionally, it adds tension whenever Tony Stark is in a perilous situation that requires muscle to take down the threat. Stark has to use his intellect and knowledge to get out of the positions he finds himself in that don't involve killing people. In a reverse of the Hulk's origin, the side character saves the title character from near death, getting a job in Stark's company. He then learns of Tony Stark's being Iron Man, and sometimes wears the suit in dire circumstances.
Pepper Potts the secretary makes her debut in the same issue. She's normal. It doesn't matter how average she looks, though, as Stark is infatuated with her more than the models and high-class ladies he barely knows. She also has her own swimsuit pin-up. Maybe this was the first step in body positivity. Obviously, Hogan also falls in love with Potts, resulting in a love triangle... but it's Hogan gets the girl in the end. In a very short amount of time. Although this doesn't happen in this collection, the same writer puts it in the lore, and is something I desperately want to focus on. Hogan and Potts cement their adoration for one another by getting married and having a family together. This is a rather tragic turn for Stark, who was just getting to love Potts and her ordinary way of living. Maybe this is why he quickly latches onto every female character his age in his series. He doesn't want to fall out of love the same way he did with Potts. What makes it worse is how extraordinary and heartbreaking each woman that Stark should fall in love with is. Despite the flaws these women have, Stark still loves them in their own way. For the "playboy" he is, he really just wants to settle down and be with someone.
The villains aren't much, but there's some good aspects to them. Crimson Dynamo is just a red cosmonaut that introduced me to the word "dynamo." It isn't a copy of the Iron Man suit, which is something very refreshing as someone who watched movies.
The Mandarin is one of the most difficult characters to adapt. I have no idea why, but I have an idea why...
First of all, The Mandarin is my all-time favourite Iron Man enemy. I say this mainly because of how much he represents and misrepresents Iron Man.
* he's smart but mad
* he has a mask, but barely takes it off
*he kind of owns an empire through his countless buildings under his name, but he wants more
* he has awesome power, but it wasn't earned.
Sure, he's a bad example, but these examples are just as important as good examples. We need to learn who to be careful of, as well as those who inspire us.
Jack Frost (later Blizzard) has a brilliant desire for immortality, what with cryogenics and how he technically gets his goal: someone else becomes dons the costume and becomes the second Blizzard, continuing on the previous owner's legacy.
So, yeah. A good start to Iron Man's run, even though I talked about upcoming installments
The 2nd suit is a lot chunkier, almost with the proportions of a golden tank. Maybe this was a commentary on how glamourised war has become that Stark was ignorant around. The suit even melts at one point, and Stark still chooses to wear it to battle.
Overtime the suit gains more and more "layers" before becoming the familiar red-and-gold suit
As for the man in the iron man suit, I was introduced to him in the 2008 movie. Even when he became a better person, I abhorred him. I thought he was insufferable with his pop-culture-referencing and womanising. These dissipate the more he evolves, but I didn't like how the movies became his franchise (as much as I'm sick to death of Spider-Man, let his villains be HIS villains!!) It's safe to say, I got bored and decided to check out the original comics. As you'll see, I was taken aback in a lot of areas.
His characterisation is comparatively relatable. He doesn't reference pop-culture to the extent of his MCU counterpart, for one, and his worst traits are brought up overtime. I guess that's why I like the comics; they're a slow burn. In a 2 hour feature, his worst problems have to be addressed and learnt from in that movie. The movie's paced well, but the comics take their time with these aberrations.
Happy Hogan acts more like Stark's chauffeur than his bodyguard. This is a good idea, as it shows there's other possibilities to know rich folk that don't involve beating up people. Additionally, it adds tension whenever Tony Stark is in a perilous situation that requires muscle to take down the threat. Stark has to use his intellect and knowledge to get out of the positions he finds himself in that don't involve killing people. In a reverse of the Hulk's origin, the side character saves the title character from near death, getting a job in Stark's company. He then learns of Tony Stark's being Iron Man, and sometimes wears the suit in dire circumstances.
Pepper Potts the secretary makes her debut in the same issue. She's normal. It doesn't matter how average she looks, though, as Stark is infatuated with her more than the models and high-class ladies he barely knows. She also has her own swimsuit pin-up. Maybe this was the first step in body positivity. Obviously, Hogan also falls in love with Potts, resulting in a love triangle... but it's Hogan gets the girl in the end. In a very short amount of time. Although this doesn't happen in this collection, the same writer puts it in the lore, and is something I desperately want to focus on. Hogan and Potts cement their adoration for one another by getting married and having a family together. This is a rather tragic turn for Stark, who was just getting to love Potts and her ordinary way of living. Maybe this is why he quickly latches onto every female character his age in his series. He doesn't want to fall out of love the same way he did with Potts. What makes it worse is how extraordinary and heartbreaking each woman that Stark should fall in love with is. Despite the flaws these women have, Stark still loves them in their own way. For the "playboy" he is, he really just wants to settle down and be with someone.
The villains aren't much, but there's some good aspects to them. Crimson Dynamo is just a red cosmonaut that introduced me to the word "dynamo." It isn't a copy of the Iron Man suit, which is something very refreshing as someone who watched movies.
The Mandarin is one of the most difficult characters to adapt. I have no idea why, but I have an idea why...
First of all, The Mandarin is my all-time favourite Iron Man enemy. I say this mainly because of how much he represents and misrepresents Iron Man.
* he's smart but mad
* he has a mask, but barely takes it off
*he kind of owns an empire through his countless buildings under his name, but he wants more
* he has awesome power, but it wasn't earned.
Sure, he's a bad example, but these examples are just as important as good examples. We need to learn who to be careful of, as well as those who inspire us.
Jack Frost (later Blizzard) has a brilliant desire for immortality, what with cryogenics and how he technically gets his goal: someone else becomes dons the costume and becomes the second Blizzard, continuing on the previous owner's legacy.
So, yeah. A good start to Iron Man's run, even though I talked about upcoming installments
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2020
This is a culmination of the first issues of Iron Man that premiered in 1963. Iron Man came to life in the ongoing series of “Tales of Suspense” where he was featured fighting off villains on his own. He also became part of the Avengers and was featured with all of them as well in a separate magazine.The Iron Man magazine eventually became a double issue with re-appearance of Captan America who also was part of the Avengers team. This is a must for any Marvel fan. The Epic Collection is a perfect collector’s item for anyone who did not have the privilege of reading the original Marvel comics. Collect them all!!
July 12, 2023
Though this collection of the first issues of Iron Man's appearance in printed media, the importance is more in the historic significance over the actual quality of the storylines. The fact these comics came from a different time cannot be overlooked. It does serve as a firm reminder in the argument about when political elements appear in comics such as the use of terms like "commies" to describe Iron Man's enemies. Politics have been in comics since the beginning, accept it and move on.
July 15, 2024
At first, I didn't really care for this at all but I think it gets notably better as it goes on. I don't think it ever reaches the heights of some of the other stories from other characters in this era but it is still a solid collection.
September 15, 2018
Nothing like 1964 superhero trash talking!
March 30, 2019
The Thinker is a horrible villian.
Tony treated Pepper like crap in these issues. I know he has to keep his identity a secret but really. No wonder she turned to Happy.
Tony treated Pepper like crap in these issues. I know he has to keep his identity a secret but really. No wonder she turned to Happy.
November 29, 2024
These were fine comics, but after reading so many other Silver Age Marvel comics this year it's gotten rather tedious to encounter the same Jingoistic American propaganda and misogyny.
January 28, 2016
Excellent reprint volume, the first in the Epic Collection for the Golden Avenger. This reprints the first thirty or so adventures of Iron Man from the pages of Tales of Suspense, featuring artwork by Don Heck, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko - Marvel's Artistic Triumverate of the Early Sixties. The stories also introduce such villains as Blizzard (Jack Frost), the Unicorn, Crimson Dynamo, Titanium Man, Mr. Doll, and of course the Mandarin.
Good solid comic book stories. What more do you need?
Good solid comic book stories. What more do you need?
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews