Iron Man (character)
Iron Man is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe, created by Stan Lee and first introduced in 1963 as Anthony "Tony" Stark, a billionaire inventor and CEO of Stark Industries. Stark is depicted as a brilliant engineer who builds a powerful suit of armor, granting him superhuman abilities, including enhanced strength and flight. The armor is equipped with advanced technology, including an artificial intelligence system named J.A.R.V.I.S., which assists him in various situations.
Throughout his storyline, Iron Man faces a range of adversaries that reflect societal concerns, such as communism and terrorism, and he is known for being a cofounder of the Avengers, a team of superheroes. The character has evolved with numerous revamps and adaptations over the decades, including struggles with personal issues like addiction and complex relationships with allies like Pepper Potts and James "Rhodey" Rhodes, who later dons a suit as War Machine.
Iron Man's popularity surged with the advent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, leading to successful film adaptations that explore his journey from a weapons manufacturer to a key figure in a global defense effort. The character's legacy continues to influence both comic and film narratives, showcasing themes of redemption, responsibility, and the balance between personal and public life.
Iron Man (character)
Iron Man is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe created by Stan Lee. Iron Man's alter ego is Anthony "Tony" Stark, an American billionaire playboy who heads the technology corporation Stark Industries. Stark is a genius and a highly gifted engineer, a skill that allows him to build an advanced suit of armor that he uses to protect the world. The Iron Man suit gives Stark superhuman strength and the ability to fly. It also harbors bullets and missiles and has an artificially intelligent operating system named J.A.R.V.I.S. that assists Stark at times.
Iron Man's storyline has undergone several revamps and relaunches since the character was first introduced in 1963. Iron Man's foes usually represent whatever threat is relative to a particular point in time. His enemies have included the Soviet Union, communists, corporate criminals, and terrorists. Iron Man is a cofounder of the Avengers, the Marvel superhero team led by Captain America. Iron Man has appeared in several highly successful film adaptations of both the Iron Man and Avengers comics.
Origins
Iron Man/Tony Stark first appeared in issue 39 of Marvel's Tales of Suspense in 1963. Stan Lee came up with the idea while writer Larry Lieber further developed Stark's storyline. Artists Jack Kirby and Don Heck worked together to create the original design for Iron Man's costume and characters. In his first appearance, Stark presents as the charming and brilliant leader of Stark Industries, which provides defense technology to the U.S. Army. While attending a military test of his products, Stark is attacked and kidnapped by Vietnamese communists. During the attack, a land mine explodes and shrapnel becomes lodged in Stark's chest.
Stark's kidnappers demand that he develop deadly weapons for them with the help of another scientist, Professor Ho Yinsen. Knowing that the shrapnel could kill Stark, Stark and Yinsen instead use their resources to build a battle suit. Stark magnetizes the center of the suit to keep the shrapnel from reaching his heart. With the suit, the two overpower their captors. Yinsen is killed before they escape, however. Stark eventually returns to the United States with the help of a marine, James "Rhodey" Rhodes, and redesigns his daunting gray suit into a sleeker, more appealing red and gold suit.
The Avengers
Upon returning home, Stark struggles to cope with his injury and his friend's death. He becomes depressed and devotes all of his time to perfecting the Iron Man suit, which he relies on to survive. He then helps form the Avengers as both a sponsor and a member, though he keeps Iron Man's identity a secret for some time. He becomes good friends with fellow Avenger Captain America and eventually decides to share his secret with the team. Stark then helps form the spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D. (Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division), a secret organization that works with superheroes to fight terrorism. Stark eventually receives a heart transplant, which allows him to operate without the Iron Man suit's chest plate.
Iron Man and the Avengers battle a number of foes in Tales of Suspense, such as Titanium Man, the Maggia crime cartel, and the Mandarin. Apart from his superhero duties, Stark develops deep relationships with his executive assistant Pepper Potts, his chauffeur Happy Hogan, and his marine friend Rhodes, who later becomes superhero War Machine.
Iron Man eventually earned a standalone series, The Invincible Iron Man (copyrighted as Iron Man), in 1968.
Invincible Iron Man
Iron Man's storyline expanded greatly throughout the 1970s following the publication of The Invincible Iron Man. The Iron Man suit undergoes several improvements to include advanced weaponry and a lightweight design. Stark Industries ceases military weapons production in favor of electronics and computer engineering. Stark's dual life as businessman and superhero takes its toll, however, and he succumbs to alcoholism for a time. During his struggle, his enemies and rivals prey on his weakness, driving him into bankruptcy and homelessness. While Stark recovers, Rhodes briefly takes over as Iron Man, but the suit proves too powerful for his nervous system. Stark eventually overcomes his addiction, defeats his foes, and regains his wealth. He renames his company Stark Enterprises.
Modern Era and Film Tie-Ins
Since the 1980s, Iron Man has appeared in multiple Marvel universe storylines. Stark often finds himself at odds with friends and the U.S. government over doing what he believes is right. He builds a separate suit of armor, which his friend Rhodes eventually dons full time as the hero War Machine. Stark also appears to die several times, first staging his death to let his body heal from nervous system damage and then sacrificing himself to protect his time-traveling younger self. Through each trial, Stark grows closer to his Avengers teammates, who help him tackle public and personal threats. The Avengers defeat a number of foes throughout the 1980s and 1990s including Firepower, Titanium Man, Onslaught, and Immortus.
In the Iron Man storylines of the 2000s and 2010s, the Avengers face internal discord. The U.S. government attempts to pass the federal Superhuman Registration Act, which requires superheroes to reveal their identities to the government and adhere to specific standards. Though Stark supports it, Captain America refuses to submit, and he and Iron Man end up in a fierce battle. Captain America eventually surrenders, and Stark becomes the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D. When Captain America is assassinated in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody, Stark feels incredibly guilty.
In 2008, Marvel launched a new Invincible Iron Man series in conjunction with the release of the film adaptation of Iron Man. Two more Iron Man films followed in 2010 and 2013. All three films focus on events leading to the formation of the Avengers and serve as tie-ins to the Avengers film franchise. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe brought the Iron Man storylines to life, the comics continued developing Stark's adventures. Later events include Iron Man defending Earth from an alien invasion, failing to stop the dismantling of S.H.I.E.L.D., and falling into a coma after attempting to protect the Superhuman Registration Act's database by downloading it into his brain.
Bibliography
"Iron Man (Anthony Stark)." Marvel Universe Database. Marvel. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. http://marvel.com/universe/Iron‗Man‗(Anthony‗Stark)
"Iron Man." Comic Vine. CBS Interactive Inc. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. http://comicvine.gamespot.com/iron-man/4005-1455/
Lee, Mike. "Little-Known Sci-Fi Fact: Stan Lee Thought Marvel’s Readers Would Hate Iron Man (At First)." Blastr. SyFy Channel. 30 Apr. 2013. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. http://www.blastr.com/2013-4-30/little-known-sci-fi-fact-stan-lee-thought-marvel%E2%80%99s-readers-would-hate-iron-man-first
Manning, Matthew K., Peter Sanderson, Tom Brevoort, and Tom DeFalco. Marvel Chronicle. London: DK Publishing, 2008. 91–92. Print. http://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Chronicle-Tom-DeFalco/dp/0756641233\
"Spotlight on Iron Man/Tony Stark." Marvel. Marvel. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. http://marvel.com/news/movies/424/spotlight‗on‗iron‗mantony‗stark