collectors suddenly want this issue again? And what’s driving those who want to sell comic books to pull out long-stashed copies to sell them?
The Iron Man comic series
The Iron Man comic series began in 1968, following his debut in Tales of Suspense a few years earlier. It was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, artist Don Heck, and character designer Jack Kirby. Iron Man was Marvel’s gamble — a wealthy industrialist whose heart condition forced him into armor, not just for power but for survival. This made him stand out. Issue #1 showed Tony Stark with his double life while also introducing villains like the Crimson Dynamo.
The book gained popularity in the 70s with darker story arcs like Demon in a Bottle (late ’70s), telling us about Tony’s battle with alcoholism which was a pretty bold move for superhero comics at the time. Later stories like Armor Wars in the 80s told about Iron Man’s paranoia and ethical dilemmas about stolen technology.
Iron Man 55
Iron Man 55 was published in February 1973. Written by Jim Starlin (who also drew it) with Mike Friedrich co-writing, it’s famous for introducing Thanos – the Mad (Purple) Titan who’d later become a HUGE part of MCU. But that’s not all. The invincible iron man #55also introduced Drax the Destroyer and the Blood Brothers.
What was the story about? Tony Stark gets dragged in a plot about the alien Blood Brothers, who serve Thanos. It was a space mythology with cosmic entities kind of story mixed into a Cold War-like comic series.
Collectors love the invincible iron man #55 because it’s literally the birth of Marvel’s cosmic saga. High-grade copies are pretty valuable today, often selling for thousands. Back then, it was just another issue in the run – nobody realized the villain on those pages would become the face of Marvel’s biggest movie saga.
How much is the Invincible Iron Man #55
By 2025, iron man #55 prices vary widely depending on condition, pretty much like with all collectible comics. To give you a quick picture, here’s how the invincible iron man 55 values look based on condition:
- GD 2.0 – about $225
- VG 4.0 – about $400
- FN 6.0 – about $550
- VF 8.0 – about $875
- NM 9.4 – about $2,025
- Record sale – $19,200
