32 Years Ago, Iron Man’s Best Supporting Character Finally Got His Own Comic Series

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Iron Man’s popularity, boosted by the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has also helped elevate other characters. One of these is James Rhodes, also known as War Machine, who actually has a long history with Iron Man in the Marvel comics that many movie fans aren’t aware of. Originally Tony Stark’s pilot during a celebrated era of Iron Man comics, Rhodes eventually stepped into the Iron Man armor himself. He proved to be a fantastic Iron Man, and in 1992, he debuted his own unique armor and became War Machine in Iron Man #281.

Iron Man is famous for his advanced, futuristic technology, but the War Machine armor was built with a different purpose. Designed by Tony Stark for his friend Rhodey, a trained soldier, it focused on heavy firepower. Alongside the standard Iron Man features like flight and super strength, the War Machine armor was equipped with powerful weapons like gatling guns and missiles. It was the 1990s, and for young comic book fans, bigger weapons meant cooler heroes. Those fans got their first look at War Machine #1 on February 8th, 1994, launching the character’s long history of comic book series.

War Machine #1 Is Everything ’90s In One Comic, but It Led to Greater Places

The 1990s were a wild time for Marvel Comics. Huge hits like Spider-Man #1, X-Force #1, and the new X-Men series led the company to focus heavily on flashy artwork and dramatic visuals over strong storytelling. This ultimately contributed to the creation of Image Comics. A competitive trend emerged, with publishers racing to attract teenage male readers. What proved particularly popular at the time – with a generation raised on action heroes like Arnold Schwarzenegger – was comics featuring muscular characters and lots of guns.

By 1994, the comic book boom was fading, but Marvel was still managing to stay afloat thanks to quick sales boosts from brightly covered issues that appealed to kids. The first issue of War Machine, with its striking silver foil cover on a black background, likely sold well because it was eye-catching and many believed first issues would increase in value. The comic itself, created by Scott Benson, Len Kaminski, and Gabriel Gecko, is a perfect example of over-the-top ’90s storytelling, featuring characters like Cable, Deathlok, and Nick Fury, plus a bizarre dream sequence with a huge cast. It’s not a bad comic, but it’s not particularly good – it’s just typical ’90s Marvel. If you experienced that era, you’ll understand exactly what it’s like.

War Machine was created as Marvel’s effort to appeal to fans of Image Comics, specifically those drawn to the Avengers universe. He was designed with a powerful physique, heavy weaponry, and frequently battled popular villains. The comic featured dramatic artwork, intense expressions, and explosive action sequences. While he briefly joined the teams Avengers West Coast and Force Works, he eventually returned to being a minor character. Following the ‘Heroes Return’ event, he didn’t play a significant role in the Avengers as the decade came to a close.

Despite fading in popularity, the character experienced a resurgence in the 2000s thanks to writer and artist Chuck Austen. Though known for some poorly received work on titles like the X-Men, Avengers, and Superman, Austen created U.S. War Machine, a reimagining that resonated with fans. The 12-issue series delivered the high-octane action readers craved, effectively reviving the character. Still, many fans continue to cherish the original series from the 1990s.

That First Volume of War Machine Laid the Groundwork for the Character’s Success

Don Cheadle’s popular character, War Machine, started with the 1990s comic book series of the same name. While it wasn’t a hidden masterpiece, War Machine #1 introduced a new generation to Rhodey’s story. This helped build excitement for his appearance in the 2008 Iron Man movie, where fans loved seeing him come to life. It was simply a fun, over-the-top comic!

It’s easy to take for granted how much fun a character like War Machine is – a heavily armored hero with powerful weapons. He was fantastic as Iron Man back in the ’80s, and then filled a unique role in the Marvel Universe during the ’90s that was really needed. Since then, he’s become a beloved character and a key contributor to the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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2026-02-09 00:11