Iron Man #138

Bob Layton's cover for Iron Man #138 (September 1980) sets an immediately tense scene: a man in a business suit recoils in alarm at a desk, a briefcase open before him, while the massive, menacing form of the Dreadnought looms out of the darkness behind him. The stark contrast between the hulking robot and the vulnerable civilian makes for a gripping image that perfectly captures the tagline — "In the Darkness Dwells the Dreadnought!" Inside, David Michelinie and Bob Layton continue "Facades and Ruses," with Tom Palmer on inks and art, promising the kind of sharp Marvel storytelling this creative team was known for in 1980.