MARVEL TEAM-UP #72

Cover shows strong gloss and vibrant color with sharp corners and no visible creases or tears. Spine appears tight with no stress lines visible in this view. Minor handling wear is possible but not evident at this resolution; slight softness at bottom right corner tip is noted. Interior pages and back cover were not assessed, and the book is in a protective sleeve which may obscure minor surface flaws.

Marvel Team-Up #72 (August 1978) pairs Spider-Man with Iron Man for a story written by Bill Mantlo, drawn by John Byrne on pencils and cover, inked by Bob Layton, and finished by Jim Mooney on interior art. The issue brings back Whiplash (Anton Scarlotti) as the villain and features Jean DeWolff, a recurring supporting player from the Spider-Man books who would later become the Wraith. The title itself ran for well over a hundred issues through the 1970s and 1980s as Marvel's rotating-partner showcase for Spider-Man, and #72 sits comfortably in the middle of that long run rather than at any pivotal turning point.

This is a routine Bronze Age team-up issue rather than a book built around a first appearance or landmark event, and the market treats it accordingly: it does not carry a published fair-market value in standard grading references, which reflects steady but unremarkable demand. What interest the issue does generate comes chiefly from the Byrne/Layton art team, whose Bronze Age Marvel work has a dedicated following, and from the presence of Spider-Man and Iron Man on the cover, both perennial draws regardless of the specific story.

Copies of this issue circulate mainly among Marvel Team-Up completists, Byrne art collectors assembling his output across multiple titles, and Spider-Man or Iron Man readers filling out long boxes rather than chasing a key. Raw copies trade near cover price in nearly any condition, while high-grade certified examples can command a modest premium tied to Byrne's cover, but this remains a book bought for reading and run-completion rather than speculation.