Iron Man #82
Iron Man #82 marks the comics debut of Michael O'Brien, a New York City police sergeant who blames Tony Stark for the death of his brother Kevin — the original Guardsman — and whose introduction plants the seed for one of the series' most emotionally grounded supporting characters. The issue also sets up a multi-year arc exploring guilt, legacy, and the cost of Stark's double life: O'Brien would go on to become the second Guardsman, a key Avengers security figure, and the reason the Vault's armored prison guards later adopted the Guardsman identity. Its cover premise — Iron Man apparently rescuing Tony Stark, the two seeming to be separate people — is a neat encapsulation of the era's running identity-secret soap opera, with Happy Hogan impersonating Shell-Head at a charity gala while the real Stark is kidnapped by the Red Ghost and his Super-Apes. For a mid-series issue from a transitional creative period, it punches above its weight in long-term continuity impact.
In "Plunder of the Apes!", Tony Stark finds himself caught in a mystery that blurs the line between hero and imposter—because someone else is wearing the Iron Man armor, and they’re not who they claim to be. Written by Len Wein and brought to life by Herb Trimpe’s dynamic art, with inks by Marie Severin and Jack Abel, this 1976 classic delivers a twist that redefines the man behind the mask. The cover by Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia captures the tension perfectly, making this a must-read for any fan of the armored Avenger’s early adventures.
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The issue was written by Len Wein, who at this point had recently stepped down as Marvel's Editor-in-Chief (a role he had briefly held after Roy Thomas in 1974) and was writing across multiple franchise titles simultaneously — including Amazing Spider-Man and the newly relaunched X-Men. Pencils were handled by Herb Trimpe, who had just come off his landmark eight-year Incredible Hulk run and was rotating through several Marvel series; Trimpe is credited on Iron Man issues #82–85 and #93–94 during this period. Marie Severin received an inking credit but the Grand Comics Database notes she contributed only to four background figures on the splash page, with the main inking done by Jack Abel. Glynis Oliver — Len Wein's wife — colored the issue, a common pairing on Wein-scripted Marvel books of the era.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Michael O'Brien (Earth-616), a New York City police sergeant who suspects Tony Stark covered up the death of his brother Kevin O'Brien, the original Guardsman.
- Story titled 'Plunder of the Apes!' — released on newsstands October 28, 1975, with a cover date of January 1976.
- Written by Len Wein; penciled by Herb Trimpe; inked by Jack Abel (with Marie Severin inking only four background figures on page 1); colored by Glynis Oliver; lettered by John Costanza.
- The Red Ghost (Ivan Kragoff) and his Super-Apes serve as the main villains; Happy Hogan impersonates Iron Man at a Stark Foundation charity event, is defeated by the apes, and Tony Stark is kidnapped.
- Cover penciled by Gil Kane and inked by Frank Giacoia — a different art team from the interior story.
- The issue contains a Series 'B' Marvel Value Stamp featuring Dracula, a common mid-1970s Marvel insert program.
- Reprinted in the French anthology Strange #84 (Editions Lug, December 5, 1976) and the Italian L'Uomo Ragno [Collana Super-Eroi] #180 (Editoriale Corno, March 23, 1977).
- Later collected in Iron Man Epic Collection Vol. 6 — 'The War of the Super-Villains' (Marvel, 2023).
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↩ Reprints [Marvel Hostess Ads] #4 (1976)
Reprinted in Strange #84 (1976), L'Uomo Ragno [Collana Super-Eroi] #180 (1977), Essential Iron Man #5 (2013), Marvel Masterworks: The Invincible Iron Man #11 (2018), Iron Man Epic Collection #6 (2023), The Invincible Iron Man Omnibus #4 (2026), L'Invincible Iron Man #37
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