Iron Man #104
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeIron Man #104, titled 'Triad,' is the second chapter of Bill Mantlo's sprawling Bronze Age Midas arc, in which the villain Mordecai Midas has seized control of Stark International and renamed it Midas International — a bold, corporation-as-battlefield premise that pushed Iron Man storytelling into more grounded, economically charged territory than the series had previously explored. The issue consolidates Jack of Hearts' role as a supporting player in the Iron Man cast, deepening the partnership that Mantlo had been building since #102 and that would carry the character through a lengthy run before his own solo miniseries. Jasper Sitwell's emotionally charged confrontation with Iron Man over Madame Masque adds a layer of interpersonal tension — spy versus armored hero — that is characteristic of Mantlo's ensemble-driven approach to the title during this period. Taken together with the subplot of Marianne Rodgers' escalating telepathic breakdown, the issue illustrates how mid-to-late Bronze Age Marvel used serialized stress on supporting characters to sustain long-form reader investment.
In "Triad!", Iron Man faces a trio of threats that test his resolve and ingenuity, all while grappling with the weight of his choices. Written by Bill Mantlo and illustrated by George Tuska, with inks by Mike Esposito, colors by George Roussos, and letters by Bruce Patterson, this 1977 issue delivers a tense, character-driven clash. The cover, by Dave Cockrum and Frank Giacoia, captures the intensity of the moment.
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The issue was written by Bill Mantlo and pencilled by George Tuska, with inks by Mike Esposito, colors by George Roussos, and lettering by Bruce Patterson, under editor-in-chief Archie Goodwin. The cover was drawn by Dave Cockrum and inked by Frank Giacoia. It carried a November 1977 cover date and was released on August 24, 1977, as part of a tightly plotted five-part storyline centered on Midas' corporate takeover of Stark International. Mantlo was also the original creator of Jack of Hearts — having introduced the character in the black-and-white magazine Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #22 (March 1976) alongside artist Keith Giffen — giving the writer particular creative investment in folding Jack into the Iron Man book during his tenure on the series.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published November 1977 (cover date); released August 24, 1977. Written by Bill Mantlo, pencilled by George Tuska, inked by Mike Esposito, colored by George Roussos, lettered by Bruce Patterson, edited by Archie Goodwin.
- Cover art by Dave Cockrum (pencils) and Frank Giacoia (inks).
- Story title: 'Triad.' The issue is the second installment of the multi-part Midas arc (running through approximately Iron Man #102–107), in which villain Mordecai Midas has taken over Stark International, fired all employees, and converted it into a fully automated factory.
- Jack of Hearts (Jonathan Hart) appears as a supporting character, pondering how to aid Iron Man against Midas. Jack of Hearts was created by Bill Mantlo and Keith Giffen, debuting in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #22 (March 1976) and making his first color-comic appearance in Incredible Hulk #214 (August 1977); Iron Man #104 is part of his extended run in this title beginning with #102.
- Jasper Sitwell holds Madame Masque (Giuletta Nefaria / Whitney Frost) at gunpoint in a tense confrontation at Stark House, a scene that underscores the complicated loyalties running through Mantlo's supporting cast.
- Michael O'Brien, in his role as Detective (and connected to the Guardsman identity), discovers the corpse of Harry Key, advancing the murder mystery subplot of the arc.
- Marianne Rodgers' deteriorating mental state — her telepathic powers rendering a bystander catatonic as she travels to find Tony Stark — is a continuing subplot that adds psychological urgency to the arc.
- Maria Stark (Tony's mother) and Howard Stark appear only in portrait form as background set dressing at Stark House; they are not featured characters in the story's action.
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Reprints
↩ Reprints [Marvel Hostess Ads] #20 (1977)
Reprinted in Strange #106 (1978), L'Uomo Ragno [Collana Super-Eroi] #251 (1979), L'Uomo Ragno [Collana Super-Eroi] #252 (1980), Atlantic special #4/1981 (1981), Atlantic Spesial [Atlantic Special] #4/1981 (1981), Marvel Masterworks: The Invincible Iron Man #12 (2019), Iron Man Epic Collection #7 (2025), The Invincible Iron Man Omnibus #4 (2026), L'Invincible Iron Man #57/58
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