10 Iron Man Graphic Novels You Must Read Before You Die
8. Demon In A Bottle
"Demon in a Bottle" is what many consider the quintessential Iron Man story. It is arguably one of the best known and certainly one of the best written of his many tales. The nine-issue story arc consisting of Iron Man #120-128 was written by David Micheline and Bob Layton with illustrations by John Romita, Jr., Layton, and Carmine Infantino.
The storyline was published back in 1979 when the Comics Code of Authority had many things to say about depicting alcohol consumption in comics. Because of the stigma, the story drew a lot of controversy, but went a long way in proving the medium could take on serious topics related to drug and alcohol abuse.
This was the story that essentially proved Iron Man to be a realistic character who was relatable. The writing and artwork were perfectly paired to deliver a tale that outlined the character of Tony Stark for years to come.
"Demon in a Bottle" would go on to have long-lasting significance to not only Tony Stark's development as a character, but to comics as a whole. It has long been praised for its excellent writing and the way it took a superhero and made him less of an iconic character and more of a human... just like the rest of us. This story often tops lists as the best Iron Man tale ever told.