Series Name: The Invincible Iron Man (Vol. 1)
Issue #: 281
Year: 1992
Story Title: "The Masters of Silence"

Details:

• 1st cameo appearance of the War Machine armor (worn by Tony Stark on final page; first full appearance is Iron Man #282)

• 1st appearance of the Masters of Silence (Inazuma, Kaze, and Kaminari), a deadly trio of Japanese assassins with armor designed to defeat Iron Man's standard weapons

• Direct edition

Credits:

• Writer: Len Kaminski

• Penciler: Kevin Hopgood

• Inker: Bob Wiacek

• Cover Artist: Kevin Hopgood, Bob Wiacek

• Publisher: Marvel Comics

• Pages: 32

• Color: Color

• Cover Price: $1.25

OVERVIEW

A landmark early-1990s issue that delivers the first cameo of the iconic War Machine armor — built by Tony Stark to counter a lethal new threat — alongside the debut of the Masters of Silence, one of Iron Man's most formidable villain groups. Len Kaminski's sharp writing and Kevin Hopgood's energetic artwork defined this era of the series, and this issue sits at the heart of a key collecting run. Essential for War Machine fans and Copper Age Iron Man collectors.