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Cover: Gil Kane

Iron Man #54

Name: Iron Man #54
Brand: Marvel
Availability: InStock

Jan 1973 · Marvel · 0.20 USD

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“Sub-Mariner: Target For Death!”

About this Issue

Iron Man #54 (January 1973) is the debut of Heather Douglas, introduced here under the alias Madame MacEvil — the character who would evolve into Moondragon, one of Marvel's most complex and enduring cosmic figures. Her appearance in this issue served as a quiet prologue to the entire 'Thanos War' saga that Jim Starlin would soon ignite next door in Iron Man #55 and carry through Captain Marvel; without this issue planting the seed, the first chapter of that multi-title cosmic epic has no connective tissue. The character's journey from campy super-scientist villain to telepathic, Titan-raised priestess — fully reconceived and renamed in Daredevil #105 — stands as a textbook example of Bronze Age Marvel's willingness to rapidly, radically retool a new character when a more ambitious creative vision emerged. Moondragon went on to serve as a member of the Avengers, Defenders, Infinity Watch, and Guardians of the Galaxy, making this issue the origin point for one of the publisher's most morally layered characters.

writer, inker Bill Everett · writer Mike Friedrich · artist George Tuska · inker Vince Colletta · letterer Artie Simek · cover Gil Kane

ComicBooks.com Value

Our Model is In Beta

Raw (Fine) $66

CGC 9.8 · 20 in census $2,861

CGC 9.6 · 55 in census $1,152*

CGC 9.4 · 79 in census $613

CGC 9.2 · 69 in census $329

CGC 9.0 · 104 in census $329

CGC 8.5 · 131 in census $230

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CGC 8.0 · 103 in census $122

CGC 7.5 · 103 in census $122

CGC 7.0 · 72 in census $91*

CGC 6.5 · 58 in census $91

CGC 6.0 · 43 in census $91

CGC 5.5 · 32 in census $85

CGC 5.0 · 32 in census $74

CGC 4.5 · 18 in census $74

CGC 4.0 · 21 in census $74

CGC 3.5 · 5 in census $72*

CGC 3.0 · 5 in census $64*

CGC 2.5 · 2 in census $48*

CGC 2.0 · 2 in census $42*

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

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CGC 9.8 $11,550 1 listing

CGC 9.6 ▾ $1,500–$1,632 3 listings

CGC 9.6 $1499.99 CGC 9.6 $1576.35 CGC 9.6 $1632.15

CGC 9.4 ▾ $649–$695 2 listings

CGC 9.4 $649 CGC 9.4 $695

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CGC 5.5 $69.99 CGC 5.5 $158.08

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Raw — VF+ ▾ $144–$166 2 listings

VF+ $144 VF+ $166.16

Raw — VERY FINE ▾ $65–$125 2 listings

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Raw / ungraded ▾ $9.31–$350 26 listings

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FN $5 VF+ $24.99 GOOD $26.99 VG $52 FINE $64.95 VG $92.99 CGC 9 $289

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History

The issue was scripted by Mike Friedrich and plotted with a story idea from veteran creator Bill Everett — who, as the original co-creator of Namor the Sub-Mariner, had a natural interest in featuring the character; Everett passed away later in 1973, making this one of his final contributions to Marvel. Interior art was pencilled by George Tuska and inked by Vince Colletta, while Gil Kane supplied the cover; Roy Thomas served as editor-in-chief. The character Madame MacEvil debuted here with her origin left deliberately vague, and when Jim Starlin briefly took over the title on the very next issue, he apparently intended to develop her further, but was fired from Iron Man by Stan Lee after a single arc. Starlin's already-completed origin pages for the character were subsequently redirected to Steve Gerber's Daredevil #105, where the Moondragon name and Titan backstory were formally established — according to a note on the Captain Marvel #29 letters page, those pages were drawn approximately a year before they were published.

Trivia · 7 facts

First appearance of Heather Douglas, debuting as the villain Madame MacEvil — later renamed and reinvented as Moondragon.
Story title: 'Sub-Mariner: Target for Death!' — Madame MacEvil remotely seizes control of Iron Man's armor and forces him to battle Namor the Sub-Mariner as an experiment.
Credits: Script by Mike Friedrich, plot idea by Bill Everett, pencils by George Tuska, inks by Vince Colletta, cover by Gil Kane, editor Roy Thomas.
Madame MacEvil is established in this issue as the daughter of Drax the Destroyer, connecting the character to the Thanos mythology introduced one issue later in Iron Man #55.
The character's origin is intentionally withheld here; it was formally revealed in Daredevil #105 (November 1973) using pages drawn by Jim Starlin that had originally been prepared for an Iron Man issue — confirmed by a contemporary letters page note in Captain Marvel #29.
Madame MacEvil formally takes the name Moondragon in Daredevil #105, where her Titan-monastery backstory and telepathic powers are established for the first time.
Iron Man #54 is collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Invincible Iron Man Vol. 9 (2015, ISBN 978-0785191902), which covers issues #54–67.