Ahead Of Disney’s Wonder Man, The First Time Madame Masque Wore A Mask

Madame Masque is a Marvel supervillain but also occasional love interest of Iron Man. As Whitney Frost, the daughter of Count Nefaria, and leader of the Mafia-style organised crime family the Maggia, she gets her names from the golden mask she wore to cover up her disfigured face and kept wearing after her face was healed. A 1940s version of Whitney Frost appears in the Agent Carter TV series, played by Wynn Everett in a fashion that was inspired by Hedy Lamarr and Lauren Bacall, before being affected by Zero Matter. The character also became a major Wonder Man villain, and it is likely, with a Wonder Man TV project coming from Disney+ with Ben Kingsley returning as Trevor Slattery, that she will return in such a form in the near future,m which may be driving prices of her early appearances.

The character, as Whitney Frost first appeared in Tales of Suspense #98 in 1968, created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan, but first appeared as Madame Masque in Iron Man #17 in 1969, by Stan Lee, George Tuska and Johhny Craid.

With Tony Stark on the run at the end of the issue, she swoops down and captures the man, her identity at that moment unrevealed. And it is that comic book which is up for auction from Heritage Auction today, in a CGC 8.4 slab and currently has bids totalling $264.

Iron Man #17 (Marvel, 1969) CGC NM 9.4 White pages. Madame Masque appearance. George Tuska cover and art. Johnny Craig art. Overstreet 2022 NM- 9.2 value = $200. CGC census 9/22: 30 in 9.4, 19 higher. CGC Grader Notes: very light spine stress lines to cover, very light wear all corners of cover

The Wonder Man TV show, as a Hollywood satire, is in the works from producer Destin Daniel Cretton and writer Andrew Guest, and planned to film next year. How it will affect the comic book market is yet to be seen.

Affiliates of Bleeding Cool buy from and/or consign to Heritage Auctions.