IRON MAN #128

Cover shows strong gloss and vibrant color with sharp corners overall, but there is visible white stress lines/creasing near the spine (top left area) and a small crease line across the upper left corner box. Slight edge wear is visible along the top and right edges, and there appears to be minor surface rubbing near the bottom right corner. Interior and back cover were not assessed, so grade reflects front cover only.

Iron Man #128 (November 1979) is the concluding chapter of the celebrated "Demon in a Bottle" storyline, written by David Michelinie and Bob Layton with pencils by John Romita Jr. and a cover by Bob Layton. The issue is remembered less for any first appearance than for its subject matter: Tony Stark's public unraveling into alcoholism, rendered with unusual candor for mainstream superhero comics of the era. The storyline is frequently cited in comics history and journalism as one of the medium's earliest sustained treatments of substance abuse in a corporate-owned superhero title, and the arc's climax in this issue – Stark hitting bottom – has made it a touchstone Bronze Age Marvel comic independent of any character debut.

Market data shows a comic with steady, broad collector demand rather than speculative spikes. Sales volume is healthy across the grade spectrum, with a clear premium curve rising sharply above 9.0 and a substantial jump to the 9.8 tier, where twenty-two recorded sales and a strong one-year average confirm active high-grade demand. Mid-grade copies trade modestly, reflecting the issue's status as a widely-printed newsstand book from a period of high print runs, while the gap between near-mint and gem-mint pricing underscores how condition-sensitive collectors treat the storyline's signature issue.

The book appeals primarily to Iron Man completists, Bronze Age storyline collectors, and readers drawn to comics history's treatment of social issues, rather than key-issue speculators chasing first appearances. Raw copies in low and mid grades move steadily as reading/run-filling copies at modest prices, while CGC 9.8 examples command a clear premium and represent the primary investment-grade tier for this issue. Expect continued stable demand rather than dramatic appreciation, with the 9.8 population remaining the focal point for higher-end trading.