Iron Man #1

Marvel's 1996 relaunch of Iron Man kicks off with this striking first issue, featuring a cover by Whilce Portacio and Scott Williams that immediately signals a bold new direction. The armor here is something to behold — Iron Man looms large in a heavily mechanical, almost organic-looking red-and-gold suit bristling with exposed wiring, tubes, and bundled cables that trail dramatically across the foreground, suggesting a suit in a state of raw, dangerous reconstruction. With Lobdell and Jim Lee steering the story and Portacio bringing his intricate linework to both cover and interiors, "Heart of the Matter" arrives as a genuinely fresh take on Tony Stark's world.