Four runs count for War Machine: Michelinie, Byrne and Layton on Iron Man (1979-1982) for his creation; Denny O'Neil (1983-1985) for the period when Rhodes East Iron Man; there first solo series (1994); And Greg Pak (2009), the best modern attempt. None lasts: this is the characteristic of the file.
This character never had a long run. His solo series are numbered in dozens of issues, his strong periods in handfuls of episodes, and he systematically returns to the background.
This classification therefore isolates windows rather than runs in the usual sense, and this is good news for the collector: they are short, therefore complete.
Top 1: Denny O'Neil (Iron Man, 1983-1985)
Screenwriter: Denny O'Neil
The period when James Rhodes East Iron Man, while Tony Stark is out of state. This body of work places her at the head, ahead of the one who created the character, and the reason deserves to be exposed.
It is here, and nowhere else, that the character is examined. The armor doesn't fit him-it was made for another body and another mind. He gets the job done anyway, no one knows it's not Stark under the mask, and the story takes this imposture seriously.
No later period has found this quality, including those where he finally wears armor of his own.
Numbers to aim for: Iron Man #170 (The Taking of the Armor) and subsequent issues.
Top 2: Michelinie, Byrne and Layton (Iron Man, 1979-1982)
Screenwriter: David Michelinie | Drawing : John Byrne, then Bob Layton
The period that creates the character, and one of the most esteemed in the entire series, for reasons that have nothing to do with him.
Rhodes is a discreet supporting role: pilot, employee, loyal presence. This is precisely what makes his subsequent promotion interesting, but we have to be honest about what we find in these issues: not much about him.
Aim for first appearance and general run quality, not War Machine content.
Top 3. The first solo series (1994, 25 issues)
The moment when the character finally gets a title to his name, two years after getting an identity.
This series is firstly worth editorial milestone. It belongs to the period of overproduction, which makes it very abundant and very cheap: we complete all twenty-five issues for a paltry budget.
This is, for this matter, the best way to have a complete set without effort or expense.
Top 4: Greg Pak (War Machine, 2009)
Screenwriter: Greg Pak
Twelve numbers which give the character a much harder register and an autonomy that he did not have. The best modern attempt, and the one which treats its military dimension most seriously.
Short, recent series, complete in one search.
Top 5: Iron Man 2.0 (2011)
A series that moves the character towards intelligence and state operations rather than head-on confrontation. Interesting direction, short duration.
Little researched, therefore very accessible in booklets.
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An observation that clearly distinguishes this character from most.
For an established hero, the difficulty is to cut: the series is long, most of the numbers are uninteresting, and you have to know how to select.
Here the problem is the opposite. Solo Series Are So Short You Can Own Them completely: 25 issues for 1994, 12 for 2009, a handful for 2011. The whole represents around fifty issues, all from periods of abundance and cheapness.
A collector can therefore build, for a very modest budget, a collection exhaustive solo series of this character. This is an achievable objective that few files offer, and which produces a more satisfactory result than an incomplete selection on a major hero.
For number-by-number selection, see our key numbers and our collection guide.
Track each run and identify missing numbers with our collection management application.
Collecting War Machine: landmarks and reading order
Because this character never had a long run, the right reflex is not to look for a series to follow over several years, but to spot the few windows where he matters. The good news is that these windows are short: you can complete all of them.
One character, several names to search
James Rhodes first appears under his civilian name, in Iron Man #118, a creation of David Michelinie, John Byrne and Bob Layton. He then becomes Iron Man in his own right in Iron Man #170 (1983), written by Denny O'Neil. The name War Machine only arrives much later. To miss nothing, you therefore need to search under three entries: Rhodes, Iron Man and War Machine, because the issues that matter for him are often filed under another character's series.
Recommended reading order
- Iron Man #118: his first appearance, to set the character as he is before any armor.
- The Michelinie, Byrne and Layton years (1979-1982): to read for the quality of the run, keeping in mind that Rhodes stays discreet in it.
- Iron Man #170 and the O'Neil period (1983-1985): the heart of the file, where Rhodes's imposture under the mask is taken seriously.
- The first solo series (1994, 25 issues): an editorial milestone, easy to own in full.
- Greg Pak's run (2009, 12 issues): the best modern entry point.
- Iron Man 2.0 (2011): to keep for last, as it moves the character toward intelligence work.
Points of caution
Always check the year and the volume: several series have similar titles, and the same issue number can exist in different series. For the solo series, a list of about fifty issues is enough to cover everything; keep it issue by issue to see at a glance what is missing.
Finally, do not look for rare pieces where there are none: the 1994 and 2009 series are plentiful, so most gaps are filled quickly. Focus instead on the 1980s issues, where the character's quality is decided, and on the condition of your copies, which is what separates a fine collection from a mere complete set.
A simple approach is to complete the solo series first, then work back toward the O'Neil period. You will then have a coherent set before even looking for the harder issues.
Frequently asked questions
Denny O'Neil's period on Iron Man (1983-1985), where James Rhodes is Iron Man while Tony Stark is incapacitated. It is the one where the character is truly examined, with armor designed for another body and another mind.
His solo series count in dozens of issues and his strong periods in handfuls of episodes, then he returns to the background. The ranking therefore isolates windows rather than runs in the usual sense.
The first solo series of 1994 has 25 issues. It belongs to the overproduction period, which makes it very plentiful and very cheap.
It creates the character and remains one of the most esteemed on the Iron Man series, but Rhodes is only a discreet supporting role there. Aim for the first appearance and overall quality, not for War Machine content.
Twelve issues that give the character a harder register and an autonomy he lacked. It is the best modern attempt, and the one that treats his military dimension most seriously.