250's for America's 250 · Day 18: Iron Man #250

Publishing: Sunday, June 28, 2026 · Marvel Comics · Cover date: December 1989

Cover art by Bob Layton

See full issue details on the Grand Comics Database →

An anniversary issue that revisits one of Iron Man's best-loved stories — armor versus armor across time.

The issue

"Recurring Knightmare" is a sequel to the classic "Doomquest." A mystical artifact hurls Iron Man and Doctor Doom forward to the year 2093, where they meet the wizard Merlin and a young King Arthur. With Arthur too young to face a deadly menace striking from space, Merlin compels the two armored rivals to fight for him. Iron Man discovers an orbiting neutron cannon guarded by Andros Stark — a far more powerful future Iron Man — while Doom, refusing to serve, builds a time platform home only to find Merlin's spell traps him until the mission is done.

Who's in it

• Iron Man (Tony Stark) — flung across centuries and forced into an uneasy alliance with his oldest armored rival.
• Doctor Doom — Iron Man's frequent foil in time-displacement stories, magically compelled to cooperate against his will.
• Merlin and King Arthur — legendary Camelot figures reimagined in a distant future setting.
• Andros Stark — making his first appearance: a far-future descendant of Tony Stark wielding a vastly more powerful suit of armor.

Behind the book (creators)

• Writers: David Michelinie & Bob Layton
• Pencils & Inks: Bob Layton (who also drew the cover)
• Colors: Paul Becton · Letters: Janice Chiang
• Editor: Howard Mackie

Meet the creators

David Michelinie co-wrote some of the most acclaimed Iron Man stories ever published, including the landmark "Demon in a Bottle" arc that tackled Tony Stark's alcoholism, and later co-created Venom during his long run on Amazing Spider-Man. His partnership with Bob Layton on Iron Man across the late '70s and '80s is still considered a high-water mark for the character.

Bob Layton worked as writer, penciller, inker, and sometimes all three at once across his long Iron Man collaboration with Michelinie, giving the title a consistent visual identity through some of its most celebrated storylines, including the original "Doomquest" this issue directly follows up on. He later moved into creator-owned work, including a well-regarded run reviving Marvel's Hercules.

What it's worth

A common copper-age issue. Raw NM copies generally run $5–$15; CGC 9.8 copies typically land $50–$90 (estimate — confirm a recent sale). The appeal is the anniversary framing, the "Doomquest" sequel, and first Andros Stark.

Where to read it (collected edition)

Reprinted in Iron Man: Doomquest (which collects #149–150 and #249–250) and in the Iron Man vs. Doctor Doom TPB. (Note: Legacy of Doom is a separate later mini-series, not a reprint.)

Part of "250's for America's 250" — counting 24 milestone #250 comics down to the U.S. 250th on July 4, 2026.