War Machine Collecting Guide: The Complete Method

This file is one of the simplest in this corpus provided to resolve an ambiguity at the outset. Otherwise we buy issues which belong to three different collections without constituting any of them.

This guide therefore addresses the question of definition first, then the two technical pitfalls of the file — the 1992 cameo and the overproduction of the 1990s.

First decide: the man or the identity?

Three collections are possible, and you have to choose before spending.

The “James Rhodes” collection. It begins in 1979 and covers everything: the pilot, the acting under the Iron Man armor, the own identity, the solo series. It is the most complete, the most expensive, and the only one that covers the route.

The “War Machine” collection. It begins in 1992. None of the above is part of it, since the name and armor did not exist. Much less expensive, and perfectly defensible if it’s the identity that interests you.

The “solo series” collection. Only titles bearing his name: 1994, 2009, 2011. About fifty issues, all abundant, all inexpensive. It's the only one of the three that can be brought together completely.

This guide recommends the third for those who are just starting out, and the first for those who want to understand the character. The second is coherent but leaves out what is most interesting about the file.

The cameo trap: how to check

This is the most important technical point of this file, and it is costly when we ignore it.

The War Machine armor appears in two-stroke: partially in one issue, completely in the next. Two separate booklets for a single event.

Three checks to do systematically:

1. Read the dimming label. Organizations generally mention the distinction between partial onset and full onset. This is the most reliable information available.

2. Check the content, not the description. An ad that says “first appearance” without specifying which one is incomplete, intentionally or not.

3. Compare the two numbers before choosing. Depending on the era and the guides, the market favors one or the other. This arbitration is changing, and it is better to know what you are buying than to follow a reputation.

This precaution applies well beyond this character: it applies to any identity that appears in two stages, a frequent situation in comic book publishing.

The 1990s: what overproduction actually means

Most of this file dates from 1992-1994, in the midst of overproduction. We need to understand what this changes, because the consequences are counterintuitive.

The print runs of this period are considerable, and — this is the decisive point — buyers were already storing them carefully. Many bought several copies of the same number in the hope of added value.

Result: the supply in excellent condition is abundant, thirty years later, on numbers that we imagine to be rare.

Three rules follow for this segment:

Only buy almost new. An average example from the 1990s is worth next to nothing and will not appreciate in value. The additional cost towards the high grade is low and it is the only one that counts.

The gradation is justified on the keys, not elsewhere. In a market saturated with fine examples, it is the only way to distinguish an issue - but only where there is a demand to distinguish.

Do not confuse seniority with rarity. An issue from 1992 is thirty years old and is nevertheless not rare. This is the most common error during this period.

The exhaustive collection: an achievable goal

Here is the recommendation that this guide puts forward, because it is feasible and few files allow it.

The solo series of this character are short: twenty-five issues in 1994, twelve in 2009, a handful in 2011. Approximately fifty booklets in total.

All belong to abundant periods. We can therefore bring together the entirety series in the name of this character for a very modest budget, and in a few searches.

This corpus emphasizes the value of this objective. A complete collection—even without expensive pieces—provides something that an incomplete selection on a major hero never provides: you can read it from cover to cover, and you can say that it is finished.

The adaptation factor, and its limit

The character has been present on screen since 2008, in a franchise with a very large audience. This is the main driver of demand on its key numbers.

A reservation is necessary, however, drawn from other files in this corpus: this is not the presence which permanently shifts the odds, it is the centrality. A character seen by hundreds of millions of spectators in a supporting role does not produce the demand for a title role.

Consequence for this file: the potential is not consumed. It depends on what's coming, not what's already aired — which makes the 1992 issues more interesting as a gamble than as a sure thing.

Why this file rewards patience

This is the most useful recommendation in this guide, and it stems directly from the nature of the character.

War Machine is a character derivative: its demand depends neither on the quality of its stories nor on the rarity of its issues, but on the exposure of the franchise from which it comes.

This dependence has an advantage that few folders offer: it makes movements predictable.

When a production is announced, demand rises in anticipation, often well beyond what the event warrants. When the exposure period falls, prices follow — and sellers who had bought in anticipation end up giving in.

The practical consequence is simple to state and difficult to apply:do not buy during an ad. On this issue, patience is mechanically rewarded, because the cycle is readable in advance.

This corpus adds an honest nuance: this requires not being in a hurry, and giving up having a number when you want it most. It's a discipline, not a trick.

Curate a three-identity collection

A practical problem that this file poses and that the guides ignore: this character carries three names depending on the period — James Rhodes, Iron Man, War Machine.

A collection classified by character therefore becomes illegible: the same issues belong to three different entries depending on the criterion used.

This guide recommends a classification chronological rather than by identity. It has three advantages on this specific file:

It makes the trajectory visible. The interest of the character lies precisely in the transition from one status to another; classification by identity erases this movement.

It avoids duplicate searches. The issues of Iron Man from the years 1983-1985 concern Rhodes without bearing his name: classified chronologically, they are in their place; classified by identity, we search for them indefinitely.

It makes it easier to track missing items. A chronological collection shows the gaps as periods, which is much more operational than a list of titles.

This is a case where the method of storage actually changes the collecting experience, not just the aesthetic of the shelf.

Three strategies depending on the budget

Tight budget — the exhaustive collection of solos. The three series in the name of the character, complete. Around fifty issues, a paltry budget, and a truly finished set.

Intermediate budget — add moments. Iron Man #170 (act) and the 1992 issues (identity), identifying precisely which one contains the full appearance.

Comfortable budget — go back to the beginning. Iron Man #118 (1979), with attention to cut coupons, staples and yellowing.

The only segment where rarity really plays a role

A final point of method, because it concentrates all the risk of this file.

Of the six periods covered by this collection, only one relates to a real rarity: that of 1979.

The Bronze Age paper ages poorly, the staples rust, and especially the interior pages of the period contained coupons to cut. Many copies have been cut out, and information is almost always missing from online descriptions.

Three checks are therefore necessary on this number, and on it alone:

Ask for photos of the interior pages. Not just coverage. A serious seller provides them without difficulty; a refusal is in itself a response.

Examine the staples closely. The characteristic brown halo of rust is not visible in a photo taken from the front, and it weighs heavily on the gradation.

Use an ultraviolet light if the purchase is made in person. Color retouching and edge reinforcements appear immediately.

On the rest of the file - 1983, 1992, 1994, 2009, 2016 - these precautions are superfluous: the supply is abundant, and a disappointing copy can be replaced for almost nothing.

Concentrating one's vigilance where it is needed, and saving it elsewhere, is probably the most profitable advice one can give about this character.

Summary: the minimum list

• Iron Man #170(1983) — acting in someone else's armor: the best material for the character.
• The two issues from 1992— own identity, cameo then complete appearance.
• War Machine #1 to #25(1994) — the first solo, complete series.
• War Machine (2009)— twelve issues, the best modern version.
• Iron Man 2.0(2011) — to complete the solos.
• Civil War II #1(2016) — his death, the driving force behind a major event.
• Iron Man #118(1979) — the first appearance of man.

Around sixty numbers, only one of which is really expensive.

As always, condition and gradation determine value; relying on actual recent sales is strongly recommended before each purchase.

To learn more, see ourtier list of key issues, ourbest bowsand thecharacter universe.