The beauty of revisiting older comics centered around timeless heroes like Iron Man is the facet of discovering hidden Easter Eggs, like the appearance of a celebrity like Steve Martin. Yes, the Steve Martin of Saturday Night Live fame is connected to Marvel's genius billionaire playboy philanthropist, via at least six degrees of separation. Specifically, via a cameo in a comic book issue from 1980.
This, of course, is not the first time that a celebrity has been featured for a cameo in a comic book, nor will it be the last. Brian Michael Bendis, David Marquez, and Sean Izaakse's Civil War II shows Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Tony Stark boxing in a couple of panels. Meanwhile, noteworthy instances like Eminem/Punisher by Fred Van Lente and Salvador Larroca, or Superman Vs. Muhammad Ali by Dennis O'Neil and Neil Adams showcases the celeb prominently as a star alongside the superhero. While these cameos might seem commonplace now, there was a time when they were genuinely mystifying.
Iron Man #137 by David Michelinie and Bob Layton sees Tony Stark visit Mt. Sinai Hospital to see Ling McPherson, who in the previous issue was admitted following a gang ambush, followed by a cardiac arrest. As he exits the hospital and retreats back to his helicopter, Iron Man is greeted by one Officer Martin, giving him a ticket for landing his vehicle in a no-parking zone. The officer in question is depicted and drawn as Emmy winner, Steve Martin. In case the physical depiction itself or the officer's surname doesn't make it obvious that it's Steve Martin, the officer gives a subtle nod to Martin's famous "Two Wild and Crazy Guys" skits, telling Stark he gave him, "the wildest and craziest stunt I've ever seen." The +40-year-old comic panel is gaining new traction online now as fans on Reddit such as dingbat046 have rediscovered this rare clipping and have since begun sharing it across social media.
As goofy as it sounds, there's actually precedent for this. Spider-Man once joined the cast of SNL, so Martin's appearance here makes sense. There's just as much of an appeal for fans to see famous names they look up to featured next to their favorite superheroes, as much it is appealing to see those same cameos take place in movies and shows. It's as exciting as it is theoretically unlikely to see. Seeing five-time Grammy winner Steve Martin positioned next to Iron Man is no different. What makes the cameo work is that it's just that, a short little cameo. Readers who are familiar with Martin will have fun with the appearance, and readers who don't probably won't think twice about it. This stands in stark contrast to something like the Punisher and Eminem crossover.
All things considered, it is easy to see why so many fans have been enamored with the unearthing of this gem of a comic book moment. This instance has not been covered as thoroughly as previously mentioned instances of cameo crossovers in this article. It's hard not to see Steve Martin share a panel with Avengers founder, Iron Man, and not be at least a little fascinated by that prospect!
Source: dingbat046