Key Collector Comics
War Machine
View Key Issues

Creation & Design

War Machine was created to serve as a supporting character for Iron Man, showcasing the potential of advanced technology in warfare.

Early Years

James Rhodes first appeared as a friend and ally to Tony Stark, eventually donning the War Machine armor to fight alongside Iron Man.

Character Development

Over the years, War Machine has evolved from a sidekick to a prominent hero in his own right, often grappling with the moral implications of using advanced weaponry.

Cultural Reception

War Machine has been well-received as a character who represents the complexities of military technology in superhero narratives.

Character Details

Real Name:
James Rupert Rhodes
First Appearance:
Iron Man #118
Aliases:
Iron Patriot, War Machine
Species:
Human
Gender:
Male
Affiliations:
Avengers, Iron Man, S.H.I.E.L.D.
Abilities:
Expert pilot, Skilled hand-to-hand combatant, Advanced technology user
Equipment:
War Machine armor, Various weaponry
Weight:
250lbs
Height:
6' 0"
Eye Color:
brown
Hair Color:
black

Clicking on the eBay link and making a purchase may result in this site earning a commission from the eBay Partner Network.

Iron Man #118
Marvel ⋅ 1979
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Iron Man #118
 
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$55

Key Facts

1st appearance of James "Rhodey" Rhodes, later becomes War Machine

Iron Man #125
Marvel ⋅ 1979
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Iron Man #125
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$20

Key Facts

1st cover appearance of James Rhodes

3rd appearance of Ant-Man in costume

"Demon in a Bottle" part 6

Iron Man #170
Marvel ⋅ 1983
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Iron Man #170
 
Low
$1
Mid
$3
High
$12

Key Facts

1st appearance of James Rhodes as Iron Man

West Coast Avengers #1
Marvel ⋅ 1984
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
West Coast Avengers #1
 
Low
$1
Mid
$5
High
$15

Key Facts

1st team appearance and origin of the West Coast Avengers: Hawkeye, Iron Man (Rhodes), Wonder Man, Mockingbird and Tigra

[June 2022 - a Wonder Man series could lead to a West Coast Avengers team]

Iron Man #281
Marvel ⋅ 1992
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Iron Man #281
 
Low
$1
Mid
$3
High
$12

Key Facts

Debut of Tony Stark’s ‘War Machine’ armor, a heavy artillery suit

⚠️ Debatable Firsts: Tony dons the armor but continues to refer to himself as Iron Man. James Rhodes does not appear in this armor until Iron Man #284 and later assumes the codename War Machine in West Coast Avengers #94

Iron Man #282
Marvel ⋅ 1992
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Iron Man #282
 
Low
$10
Mid
$30
High
$100

Key Facts

1st cover appearance of the War Machine armor, worn by Tony Stark

⚠ Misconception: cited by many as the first appearance of War Machine. "War Machine" is splashed across the IRON MAN title in reference to the armor’s incredible armaments but the name is not official. The armor, (piloted by Tony Stark in this issue, not James Rhodes) actually debuts in the previous issue, Iron Man #281. In Iron Man #284, James Rhodes suits up in the War Machine armor but does so as Iron Man and does not officially assume the War Machine codename until West Coast Avengers #94, though he is referred to as War Machine in X-Force #21 but as Iron Man in X-Force #20

Iron Man #283
Marvel ⋅ 1992
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Iron Man #283
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$10

Key Facts

3rd appearance of Tony Stark in the War Machine armor

Iron Man #284
Marvel ⋅ 1992
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Iron Man #284
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$5

Key Facts

1st appearance of Rhodey Rhodes in the War Machine armor but he still refers to himself as Iron Man

It isn't until West Coast Avengers #94 until the codename ‘War Machine’ is used

[December 2020 - Don Cheadle will reprise his role as War Machine in an Armor Wars series on Disney+ / November 2022 - an inside source passed along an unconfirmed rumor that Armor Wars has been removed from Disney's production slate]

West Coast Avengers #94
Marvel ⋅ 1993
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
West Coast Avengers #94
 
Low
$5
Mid
$15
High
$50

Key Facts

Rhodey assumes the codename War Machine

Prior to this this issue, War Machine was the name of the armor

Rhodes first wears the armor in Iron Man #284 but refers to himself as Iron Man. Prior to #284, Stark wore the War Machine armor

[February 2021 - Don Cheadle will reprise his role as War Machine in Armor Wars]

War Machine #1
Marvel ⋅ 1994
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
War Machine #1
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$5

Key Facts

First solo series featuring War Machine

Secret Avengers #1
Marvel ⋅ 2010
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (5)
Secret Avengers #1
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$8

Key Facts

1st team appearance of the Secret Avengers: Captain America, War Machine, Black Widow, Valkyrie, Beast, Nova and Moon Knight

1st team appearance of the Shadow Council

Beginning of the 'Heroic Age' according to Marvel

Secret Avengers #5
1:75 ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2010
View Details
Secret Avengers #5
 
Low
$3
Mid
$9
High
$35

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Mike Deodato featuring War Machine

Iron Man #510
1:50 ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2012
View Details
Iron Man #510
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$25

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Mike Choi

Cover art inspired by Captain America Annual #8 (1986)

Secret Avengers #21
1:50 ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2012
View Details
Secret Avengers #21
 
Low
$10
Mid
$40
High
$125

Key Facts

Variant Venomized cover art by Khoi Pham

Iron Man #517
Marvel ⋅ 2012
View Details
Iron Man #517
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$4

Key Facts

Debut of Iron Man/War Machine armor 'Model 39'

Gambit #13
Marvel ⋅ 2013
View Details
Gambit #13
 
Low
$1
Mid
$3
High
$12

Key Facts

James Rhodes pilots the Iron Patriot armor

Tony Stark: Iron Man #6
Non-Key
Variant ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2018
View Details
Tony Stark: Iron Man #6
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$4

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Sujin Jo featuring War Machine

Force Works 2020 #1
Non-Key
Marvel ⋅ 2020
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (3)
Force Works 2020 #1
 
Low
$1
Mid
$2
High
$4

Key Facts

1st team appearance of Force Works 2020: War Machine, Quake, Mockingbird, U.S. Agent, Solo, Gauntlet

Force Works 2020 #1
1:50 ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2020
View Details
Force Works 2020 #1
 
Low
$2
Mid
$8
High
$25

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Mike McKone

Captain Marvel #26
Non-Key
1:25 ⋅ Marvel ⋅ 2021
View Details
Captain Marvel #26
 
Low
$1
Mid
$5
High
$18

Key Facts

Variant cover art by Mahmud Asrar

Adjust Your Filters To See More Comics!

By default Key Collector searches for Standard Cover Key Issues.

Adjust the "Variants" and/or "Non-Key Issues" search filters above for additional content:

  • Variant Covers ([[totalVariants]])
  • Non-Key Issues ([[totalNonKeys]])

At Key Collector, our primary focus is on unearthing those rare Standard Cover Key Issues for you. However, the world of comic collectibles is vast and varied. We want to make sure you have the tools to explore it all!