20 Essential Comic Issues You Must Read Before You Die

10. Iron Man #128

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Marvel Comics

Demon in a Bottle is one of the quintessential Iron Man stories, showing a very human side to the character as he struggles with alcoholism.

While the story is spread over several issues, #128 is the one that really showcases Tony Stark's descent to rock bottom. SHIELD's attempts at a hostile takeover of Stark International push Tony further and further into the bottle until his drunken behaviour as Iron Man almost causes a disaster.

He then seeks help from his lover Bethany Cabe (who had lost her husband to drugs) to fight through his addiction and try to pick up the pieces of his life again.

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I was just a mild-mannered NCTJ accredited journalist until one day I found out the truth... that I could share my nerdy ramblings with people on the internet! It's just like mumbling to myself on the train, but without all the strange looks.