Iron Man 67055 226122013 2008-07-16T22:26:32Z Sesshomaru 3753540 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/66.69.102.198|66.69.102.198]] ([[User talk:66.69.102.198|talk]]) to last version by Sesshomaru {{Otheruses4|the superhero}} {{Infobox superhero | image = [[Image:IM006.jpg|250px]] | caption = Cover of Iron Man Vol. 4, Issue #6.<br>Art by [[Adi Granov]]. | publisher = [[Marvel Comics]] | debut = ''[[Tales of Suspense]]'' #39 (March 1963) | creators = [[Stan Lee]]<br />[[Larry Lieber]]<br />[[Don Heck]]<br /> [[Jack Kirby]] | alter_ego = Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark | alliances =[[Stark Industries]]<br />[[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]]<br />[[Mighty Avengers]]<br />[[New Avengers (comics)|New Avengers]]<br />[[West Coast Avengers]]<br />[[Illuminati (Marvel Comics)|Illuminati]]<br/>[[S.H.I.E.L.D.]]<br />[[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] | aliases = Iron Knight, The Golden Avenger, Shellhead | powers =<br> [[Genius]]-level intellect<br>Extensive monetary resources<br> [[list of comic book superpowers#Technopathy|Cyberpathic]] link with [[powered exoskeleton|powerful armored suit]]: *Super-strength, flight at [[Mach number|Mach]] 2 *Missile attacks and [[energy blasts]] *[[Durability]] and regenerative [[life support]]}} '''Iron Man''' is a [[fictional character]] that appears in [[comic book]]s published by [[Marvel Comics]]. '''Anthony "Tony" Edward Stark''', after suffering a severe [[heart]] injury while being kidnapped, was forced to build a devastating weapon. He instead created a suit of [[power armor]] to save his life and help protect the world as the [[superhero]] Iron Man. He is a wealthy industrialist and genius inventor who created military weapons and whose metal suit is laden with technological devices that enable him to fight crime. The character [[First appearance|first appeared]] in ''[[Tales of Suspense]]'' #39 (March 1963), and was created by writer-editor [[Stan Lee]], scripter [[Larry Lieber]], and artists [[Don Heck]] and [[Jack Kirby]]. In the character's original incarnation, Iron Man was a vehicle for Stan Lee to explore [[Cold War]] themes, particularly the role of American technology and business in the fight against [[communism]]. Subsequent re-imaginings of Iron Man have gradually removed the Cold War themes, replacing them with more contemporary concerns such as corporate crime and terrorism. Throughout most of his comics career, Iron Man has been a member of the superhero team the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]] and has been featured in several incarnations of his own various comic book series. The character has been adapted for several animated TV shows, as well as for the 2008 live action film ''[[Iron Man (film)|Iron Man]]'' starring [[Robert Downey Jr.]] as Tony Stark. ==Premiere== [[Image:ToS39.jpg|160px|left|thumb|''Tales of Suspense'' #39 (March 1963): Iron Man debuts. Cover art by [[Jack Kirby]] and [[Don Heck]].<!--credits per Jack Kirby Museum site-->]] Iron Man's premiere was a collaboration among editor and story-plotter [[Stan Lee]], scripter [[Larry Lieber]], story-artist [[Don Heck]], and [[Jack Kirby]]. In 1963, Lee had been toying with the idea of a businessman superhero.<ref name="origins 45">{{cite book |title=Son of Origins |last= Lee|first=Stan |authorlink=Stan Lee |coauthors= |year= 1975|publisher=[[Simon and Schuster]] |location=New York |isbn=0-671-22170-1 |pages=45 }}</ref> He set out to make the new character a rich, glamorous ladies' man, but one with a secret that would plague and torment him as well.<ref name="origins 46">Lee, ''Son of Origins'', pp. 46-48</ref> Lee based this playboy's personality on [[Howard Hughes]],<ref name ="Maskarticle">{{cite journal|year= 2008|month= January|title=Mask of the Iron Man |journal= [[Game Informer]]|volume=1 |issue=177 |pages= 81|id= |url= |accessdate= |quote= }}</ref> explaining, "Howard Hughes was one of the most colorful men of our time. He was an inventor, an adventurer, a multi-billionaire, a ladies' man and finally a nutcase".<ref>[[Stan Lee|Lee, Stan]] (December 1997). "Stan's Soapbox" from ''Bullpen Bulletins'': [[Marvel Comics]].</ref> While Lee intended to write the story himself, he eventually handed the premier issue over to Lieber, who fleshed out the story.<ref name="origins 46"/> The art, meanwhile, was split between Kirby and Heck. "He designed the costume", Heck said of Kirby, "because he was doing the cover. The covers were always done first. But I created the look of the characters, like Tony Stark and his secretary [[Pepper Potts]]".<ref name=Maskarticle/><ref>{{cite book | last = Daniels | first = Les | authorlink = Les Daniels | coauthors = | year = 1999 | title = Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics | publisher = Harry N. Abrams | pages = 99| id = }}</ref> Iron Man first appeared in 13- to 18-page stories in ''Tales of Suspense'', which featured [[anthology]] [[science fiction]] and [[supernatural]] stories. The character's original costume was a bulky grey armor, which later turned golden in his second story (issue #40, April 1963), and then redesigned again as a sleeker red-and-golden armor starting in issue #48 (Dec. 1963), drawn by [[Steve Ditko]]. In his premiere, Iron Man was an [[anti-communism|anti-communist]] hero, defeating various Vietnamese agents; Lee later regretted this early focus.<ref name="origins 45"/><ref name="Nation">{{cite book|title=Comic Book Nation|last=Wright|first=Bradford|authorlink= |year=2001|publisher=John Hopkins University Press|location=Baltimore MD|isbn=0-8018-6514-X|pages=336}}</ref> Throughout the character’s [[comic book]] series, technological advancement and [[National security|national defense]] were constant themes for Iron Man, but later issues developed Stark into a more complex and vulnerable character as they depicted his battle with [[alcoholism]] and other personal difficulties. From issue #59 (Nov. 1964) to its final issue #99 (March 1968), the anthological [[science-fiction]] backup stories in ''Tales of Suspense'' were replaced by a feature starring the superhero [[Captain America]]. After issue #99 (March 1968), the book's title was changed to ''Captain America''. Iron Man stories moved to the title ''[[Iron Man and Sub-Mariner]]'' in April 1968, before the "Golden Avenger"<ref name="iron man spotlight">{{cite web|author=Beard, Jim|date=2008-02-27|url=http://www.marvel.com/news/moviestories.424.Spotlight_on_Iron_Man|title=Spotlight on Iron Man/Tony Stark|work=[[Marvel Comics|Marvel]]|accessdate=2008-03-05}}</ref> made his solo debut with ''The Invincible Iron Man'' #1 (May 1968). Writers have updated the war in which Stark is injured. In the original 1963 story, it was [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]]. Later, in the 1990s, it was updated to be the first [[Gulf War]],<ref name="emerging pop">{{cite web|author=Lewis, A. David|authorlink=A. David Lewis|year=2008|month=January|url=http://www.americanpopularculture.com/emerging.htm|title=Graphic Responses: Comic Book Superheroes' Militarism Post 9/11|work=AmericanPopularCulture|accessdate=2008-03-06}}</ref> and then updated again to be [[Afghanistan]]. However, his time with the Asian scientist Yin Sen is consistent through nearly all incarnations of the Iron Man origin, depicting Stark and Yin Sen building the original armor together. One exception is the [[direct-to-DVD]] animated feature film ''[[The Invincible Iron Man]]'', in which the armor Stark uses to escape his captors is not the first Iron Man suit. ==Thematic origins== Like other [[Stan Lee]] creations in the early years of [[Marvel Comics]], such as ''[[The Fantastic Four]]'' and ''[[The Incredible Hulk]]'', the ''Iron Man'' story, in its original manifestations, was an exploration of [[Cold War]] themes. Where ''The Fantastic Four'' and ''The Incredible Hulk'' focused on the American domestic and government/bureaucratic responses to Cold War pressures, respectively, ''Iron Man'' looked to industry's role in the struggle against communism. Tony Stark's real-life model [[Howard Hughes]] was an archetype of American individualism as well as a significant defense contractor who helped develop new weapons technologies.<ref name="JournalofPopCulture">Robert Genter, "'With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility': Cold War Culture and the Birth of Marvel Comics", ''The Journal of Popular Culture'', vol. 40, issue 6, pp. 953-978, December 2007. pp. 965-969.</ref> Tony Stark/Iron Man's reliance on technology and intelligence, rather than the chance transformations of many other superheroes, reinforced the American faith in technological solutions to the military, political and ideological problems of the Cold War. Stark is an idealized portrait of the American inventor. By the 1960s, military weapons development was firmly in the realm of [[Big Science]], with little role for the lone inventor. Issues of autonomy and government intervention in research and questions of loyalty&mdash;which real-life American physicists and engineers were also facing, if less dramatically&mdash;are prominent themes in early ''Iron Man'' storylines.<ref name="JournalofPopCulture" /> According to historian Robert Genter, Stark is [[emasculated]] by his loss of autonomy as an inventor&mdash;a blow to his manhood symbolized by his chest wound&mdash;and "''Iron Man'' centers on Stark's inability to reconcile with this wound to his masculinity."<ref name="JournalofPopCulture" /> Stan Lee used the playboy side of Stark to restore the character's sense of masculinity. Stark conquers women&mdash;either romantically or physically, and with female supervillains frequently both&mdash;and, writes Genter, "follows the lead of other cultural and literary figures such as [[Ian Fleming]], [[Mickey Spillane]], and [[Norman Mailer]] who made unregulated sexuality a form of authenticity."<ref name="JournalofPopCulture" /> ==Fictional character biography== {{in-universe}} ===Origins=== Anthony Stark was born on [[Long Island]], the son of [[Howard Stark]], a wealthy industrialist and head of [[Stark Industries]], and Maria Stark. Tony is a boy genius, entering [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]] at the age of 15 to study [[electrical engineering]], and graduating [[Latin honors|summa cum laude]]. After his parents' accidental deaths in a car crash, he inherits his father's company. While observing the effects of his experimental technologies on the [[United States|American]] war effort, Tony Stark is injured by a booby trap and captured by the enemy, who then orders him to design weapons for them. However, Stark's injuries are dire and shrapnel in his chest threatens to pierce his heart. His fellow prisoner, [[Ho Yinsen]], a [[physicist]] whose work Stark had greatly admired during college, constructs a [[magnetism|magnetic]] chest plate to keep the shrapnel from reaching Stark's heart, keeping him alive. Stark uses the workshop to design and construct in secret a suit of [[powered exoskeleton|powered armor]]. Stark uses the armor to escape, although Yinsen dies during the attempt. Stark takes revenge on his kidnappers, then heads back to rejoin the American forces. Along the way he meets a wounded [[United States|American]] [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] helicopter pilot, [[War Machine|James "Rhodey" Rhodes]]. Back home, Stark discovers the shrapnel lodged in his chest cannot be removed without killing him, and he is forced to wear the armor's chestplate beneath his clothes to act as a regulator for his heart. He must also recharge the chestplate every day or else risk the shrapnel killing him. The cover for Iron Man is that he is Stark's [[bodyguard]] and corporate mascot. To that end, Iron Man fights threats to his company, [[Communism|Communist]] opponents such as the [[Black Widow (Marvel Comics)|Black Widow]], the [[Crimson Dynamo]] and the [[Titanium Man]] as well as independent villains like the [[Mandarin (comics)|Mandarin]]. No one suspects Stark of being Iron Man as he cultivates an image as a rich playboy and industrialist. Two notable members of Stark's supporting cast at this point are his personal chauffeur [[Happy Hogan|Harold "Happy" Hogan]] and secretary [[Pepper Potts|Virginia "Pepper" Potts]], to both of whom he eventually reveals his dual identity. Meanwhile, Jim Rhodes would find his own niche as Stark's personal pilot of extraordinary skill and daring. The comic took an anti-Communist stance in its early years, which was softened as opposition rose to the [[Vietnam War]]<ref name="origins 45"/><ref name="Nation">{{cite book|title=Comic Book Nation|last=Wright|first=Bradford|authorlink= |year=2001|publisher=John Hopkins University Press|location=Baltimore MD|isbn=0-8018-6514-X|pages=336}}</ref>. This change evolved in a series of stories with Stark profoundly reconsidering his political opinions and the morality of manufacturing weapons for the military. Stark, however, often shows himself to be occasionally arrogant and willing to let the ends justify the means<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24317684</ref><ref>http://graphicpolicy.com/tag/iron-man/</ref>. This leads to personal conflicts with the people around him, both in his civilian and superhero identities. Stark uses his personal fortune not only to outfit his own armor but to develop weapons for [[S.H.I.E.L.D.]] and other technologies such as the [[List of vehicles in Marvel Comics#Quinjet|Quinjets]] used by the Avengers, and the image inducers used by the [[X-Men]]. Eventually, Stark's [[heart condition]] is discovered by the public and cured with an artificial [[heart transplantation|heart transplant]]. However, Stark also develops a serious dependency on [[alcoholism|alcohol]]. The first time it becomes a problem is when Stark discovers that the national security agency [[S.H.I.E.L.D.]] has been buying a controlling interest in his company in order to ensure Stark's continued weapons development for them. At the same time, Stark's business rival [[Justin Hammer]] hires several supervillains to attack Stark. At one point, the Iron Man armor is even taken over and used to murder a diplomat. Although Iron Man is not immediately under suspicion, Stark is forced to hand the armor over to the authorities. Eventually Stark and Rhodes, who is now his personal pilot and confidant, track down and defeat those responsible, although Hammer would return to bedevil Stark again. With the support of his then-girlfriend, [[Bethany Cabe]], his friends and his employees, Stark pulls through these crises and overcomes his dependency on alcohol. Some time later, a ruthless rival, [[Iron Monger|Obadiah Stane]], manipulates Stark emotionally into a serious relapse. As a result, Stark loses control of Stark International, becomes a homeless alcoholic vagrant and gives up his armored identity to Rhodes, who becomes the new Iron Man for a lengthy period of time. Eventually, Stark recovers and joins a new startup, Circuits Maximus. Stark concentrates on new technological designs, including building a new set of armor as part of his recuperative therapy. Rhodes continues to act as Iron Man but steadily grows more aggressive and paranoid, due to the armor not being calibrated properly for his use. Eventually Rhodes goes on a rampage, and Stark has to don the prototype silver centurion suit to stop him. When Circuits Maximus comes under assault from Stane, Stark uses the completed next-generation silver centurian armor to confront Stane in personal combat. Stark's skill proves superior over Stane's unpracticed use of his own variant suit (known as the [[Iron Monger]]) and Stark regains his company when Stane commits suicide rather than be captured. ===Late 1980s and 1990s=== In an attempt to stop other people from misusing his designs, Stark goes about disabling other armored heroes and villains who are using suits based on the Iron Man technology, the designs of which were stolen by his enemy [[Spymaster (comics)#Spymaster I|Spymaster]]. His quest to destroy all instances of the stolen technology severely hurts his reputation as Iron Man. After attacking and disabling a series of minor villains such as [[Stilt-Man]], he attacks and defeats the government operative known as [[Stingray (comics)|Stingray]]. The situation worsens when Stark realizes that Stingray's armor does not incorporate any of his designs. He publicly "fires" Iron Man while covertly pursuing his agenda. He uses the cover story of wanting to help disable the rogue Iron Man to infiltrate and disable the armor of the S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives known as the [[Mandroid]]s, and disabling the armor of the [[Guardsman (comics)|Guardsmen]], in the process allowing some of the villains that they guard to escape. This leads [[Federal government of the United States|the United States government]] to declare Iron Man a danger and an outlaw. Iron Man then travels to Russia where he inadvertently causes the death of the Soviet [[Titanium Man#Titanium Man II - The Gremlin|Titanium Man]] during a fight. Returning to the U.S he faces an enemy commissioned by the government named [[Firepower_(comics)|Firepower]]. Unable to defeat him head on, Stark fakes Iron Man's demise, intending to retire the suit forever. When Firepower goes rogue, Stark creates a new suit, claiming that a new person is in the armor. Stark's health continues to deteriorate, and he discovers the armor's [[cybernetics|cybernetic]] interface is causing irreversible damage to his [[nervous system]]. His condition is aggravated by a failed attempt on his life by a mentally unbalanced former lover which injures his spine, paralyzing him. Stark has a nerve chip implanted into his spine to regain his mobility. Still, Stark's nervous system continues its slide towards failure, and he constructs a "skin" made up of artificial nerve circuitry to assist it. Stark also begins to pilot a remote-controlled Iron Man armor, but when faced with the Masters of Silence, the [[telepresence]] suit proves inadequate. Stark then designs a more heavily armed version of the suit to wear, the "Variable Threat Response Battle Suit", which becomes known as the [[War Machine|War Machine armor]]. Ultimately, the damage to his nervous system becomes too extensive. Faking his death, Stark places himself in [[suspended animation]] to heal as Rhodes takes over the running of Stark Enterprises and the mantle of Iron Man using the War Machine armor. Stark ultimately makes a full recovery by using a chip to reprogram himself and reassumes the Iron Man identity. When Rhodes learns that Stark has manipulated his friends by faking his own death, he becomes enraged and the two friends part ways, Rhodes continuing as War Machine in a solo career. The story arc "The Crossing" reveals Iron Man as a traitor among the Avengers' ranks, due to years of manipulation by the time-traveling dictator [[Kang the Conqueror]]. Stark, as a sleeper agent in Kang's thrall, kills Marilla, the nanny of [[Crystal (comics)|Crystal]] and [[Quicksilver (comics)|Quicksilver's]] daughter Luna, as well as Rita DeMara, the female [[Yellowjacket (Rita DeMara)|Yellowjacket]], then an ally of the Avengers. (The miniseries ''[[Avengers Forever]]'' later [[retroactive continuity|retcon]]s these events as the work of a disguised [[Immortus]], not Kang, and that the mental control had gone back only a few months). Needing help to defeat both Stark and the ostensible Kang, the team travels back in time to recruit a teenaged Tony Stark from an alternate timeline to assist them. The young Stark steals an Iron Man suit in order to aid the Avengers against his older self. The sight of his younger self shocks the older Stark enough for him to regain momentary control of his actions, and he sacrifices his life to stop Kang. The young Stark later builds his own suit to become the new Iron Man, and, remaining in the present day, gains legal control of "his" company. During the battle with the creature called [[Onslaught (comics)|Onslaught]], the teenaged Stark dies, along with many other superheroes. However, [[Franklin Richards]] preserves these "dead" heroes in the "[[Heroes Reborn]]" pocket universe, in which Tony Stark is once again an adult hero; Franklin recreates the heroes in the pocket universe in the forms he is most familiar with rather than what they are at the present. The reborn adult Stark, upon returning to the normal Marvel Universe, merges with the original Stark, who had died during "The Crossing," but was resurrected by Franklin Richards. This new Tony Stark possesses the memories of both the original and teenage Tony Starks, and thus considers himself to be essentially both of them. With the aid of the law firm [[Daredevil (Marvel Comics)|Nelson & Murdock]], he successfully regains his fortune and, with Stark Enterprises having been sold to the Fujikawa Corporation following Stark's death, sets up a new company, Stark Solutions. He also returns from the pocket universe with a restored and healthy heart. After the Avengers reform, Stark demands a hearing be convened to look into his actions just prior to the Onslaught incident. Cleared of wrongdoing, he rejoins the Avengers. ===2000s=== At one point, Stark's armor itself becomes sentient, despite fail-safes to prevent its increasingly sophisticated computer systems from doing so. Initially, Stark welcomes this "living" armor, as it has improved tactical abilities, but soon the armor's behavior begins to grow more aggressive, and it even kills. Eventually, the armor reaches the point where it wants to join with Stark and eventually replace him. Stark finds he cannot defeat the armor, but in the final confrontation on a desert island, Stark suffers another heart attack. To save its creator's life, the armor gives up part of its components to give Stark a new, artificial heart, sacrificing its own existence. The new heart solves Stark's health problems, but it does not have an internal power supply, so Stark becomes once again dependent on periodic recharging. The sentient armor incident so disturbs Stark that he goes back to using an early model version of his armor for a while, lacking the sophistication of the sentient version and thus unlikely to result in a repeat of the same problem. He also dabbles with using liquid metal circuitry known as S.K.I.N. that will form itself into a protective shell around his body, but eventually returns to more conventional hard metal armors. During this time, Stark engages in a romance with [[Rumiko Fujikawa]], (first appearance in ''Iron Man'' vol. 3, #4), a wealthy heiress and daughter of the man who had taken over his company during the "Heroes Reborn" period. An intelligent and resourceful woman, she nonetheless begins the relationship in part to rebel against her stern father, who disapproves of Stark. Her relationship with Stark endures many highs and lows, including an infidelity with Stark's rival, Tiberius Stone, in part because the fun-loving Rumiko believes that Stark is too serious and dull. Their relationship ends with Rumiko's death at the hands of an Iron Man impostor in vol. 3, #87. In ''Iron Man'' vol. 3, #55 (July 2002), Stark publicly reveals his dual identity as Iron Man, not realizing that by doing so, he has invalidated the agreements protecting his armor from government duplication (since those contracts state that the Iron Man armor would be used by an employee of Tony Stark, not by Stark himself). When he discovers that the [[Military of the United States|United States military]] is again using his technology, Stark, rather than confront them as before, accepts a [[President of the United States|Presidential]] appointment as [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]]. In this way, he hopes to monitor and direct how his designs are used. He is forced to resign after launching into a tirade against the [[Latveria|Latverian]] ambassador at the [[United Nations]], being manipulated by the mentally imbalanced [[Scarlet Witch]]. Following this, the Scarlet Witch causes the destruction of the Avengers mansion and the death of several Avengers; Stark claims publicly that he will stand down as Iron Man. The "new" Iron Man remains Stark; however, the catastrophic events that preceded this, combined with Stark's assertion, convinces the public that Iron Man and Stark are now different people. Stark leaves the wreckage of Avengers Mansion as it is, and unveils [[Stark Tower]], a state-of-the-art office building that becomes headquarters for the [[New Avengers (comics)|New Avengers]] team, of which he is a member. The miniseries ''Iron Man: The Inevitable'' reintroduces the [[Ghost (Marvel Comics)|Ghost]], the [[Living Laser]] and [[Spymaster (comics)|Spymaster]]. Presenting the change in status quo — the focus of Iron Man stories shifting from superhero-ism to political and industrial tales — as Iron Man having elevated himself to a new place in his life where he is "beyond" apprehending supervillains, the miniseries sees a resentful Spymaster conspire to drag Iron Man back to that [[plebeian]] level. ''[[Illuminati (Marvel Comics)|New Avengers: Illuminati]]'' #1 (June 2006) reveals that years before, in the wake of the [[Kree-Skrull War]], Stark initiates a meeting at the palace of the [[Black Panther (comics)|Black Panther]] in [[Wakanda (Marvel)|Wakanda]] with [[Professor X]], [[Mister Fantastic]], [[Black Bolt]], [[Doctor Strange]], and [[Namor]] to form a clandestine, unnamed group (dubbed the "Illuminati" by Marvel) to devise strategy and policy regarding overarching menaces (Black Panther rejects membership and derides the other heroes for joining). Stark's original goal is to create a governing body for all superheroes in the world to answer to. However, the different beliefs and philosophies, besides the fact that many heroes choose to conceal their real identities, makes Stark's plan impractical. Despite this, the group agrees to share vital information. Learning of the government's plans to instigate a [[Registration acts (comics)#2006 Superhuman Registration Act|Superhuman Registration Act]] that would force costumed, super-powered individuals to reveal their identities to the government and sign on as licensed agents, Iron Man at first seeks to defeat the proposal, even going to such lengths as to hire the [[Titanium Man#Titanium Man III - The Hammer|Titanium Man]] to attack the hearing on the act as he testifies in order to manipulate opinion in his favor. However, at some point, Tony Stark's opinion of the Act changes, seeing it as a new means to achieve the goal that he had sought in forming the "Illuminati", and to tie the knots of friendship between ordinary humans and superheroes. He attempts to convince the other members of the clandestine group to support the new Act, stating that their input could prevent the Act from becoming too restrictive of superhuman activities, but all except Mr. Fantastic and Black Bolt reject the idea of registration. Stark becomes the figurehead of the Registration Act in the following ''[[Civil War (comic book)|Civil War]]'' storyline; Iron Man's forces and resistance led by Captain America clash in a climatic battle until Captain America, dismayed with the collateral damage and realizing his actions weren't bringing the end to the act any closer, stands down. Stark is then appointed the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marvel.com/news/comicstories.848?utm_campaign=front+page+tracking&utm_source=main+graphic&utm_medium=small+graphic+link&utm_content=/news/comicstories.848|Previews:|title=The Initiative - Marvel.com news|accessdate=2007-05-24}}</ref> He also revives the [[Mighty Avengers|Avengers]]. Shortly after the events of ''Civil War'', Captain America is killed on the steps of the courthouse for his trial. Despite his fervent belief in the registration act, Tony Stark looks down on the body of [[Captain America]] stating that most of what he had done in the name of the law "wasn't worth it" stating later at Captain America's funeral that "it wasn't supposed to be this way". After Tony Stark survives an encounter with [[Ultron]] taking over his body, he is confronted in the hospital by [[Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)|Spider-Woman]], holding the corpse of a [[Skrull]] posing as [[Elektra (comics)|Elektra]]. Becoming keenly aware of the upcoming invasion of the Skrulls, Tony gathers the Illuminati and reveals the corpse to them, declaring they're at war. After [[Black Bolt]] reveals himself as a Skrull and is killed by [[Namor]], a squadron of Skrulls attack, forcing Tony to evacuate the other Illuminati members and destroy the area, killing all the Skrulls. Realizing they're incapable of trusting each other, the members all separate to form individual plans for the oncoming invasion. Soon after, a "[[Venom (comics)|Venom]] virus" hits New York, causing New York citizens and superheroes to be covered in symbiotes. After the battle, Iron Man learns the virus came from [[Latveria]] and launches a full-scale assault on its monarch, [[Doctor Doom]]. During the battle, Doom, Iron Man, and the [[Sentry (Robert Reynolds)|Sentry]] are transported through time via Doom's broken time platform. Doom and Stark form an alliance in an attempt to return to the proper time without being seen or causing any actions that could alter their future and try to find a way to get a hold of the time platform at the [[Fantastic Four]]'s headquarters. Thanks to the Sentry's memory spell, which erased knowledge of his existence from the minds of the public, they are able to return to the present and later on capture Doom and send him to the Negative Zone prison. Soon after, all of Stark's technology was compromised by the [[Skrull]] empire as a part of their [[Secret Invasion|invasion]] causing Stark to rebuild his armor from scratch to fight back. Stark must also deal with the murderous yet genius [[Ezekiel Stane]], son of Obadiah Stane. While in the Savage Land with the Mighty Avengers, Iron Man's armor is compromised and he goes to the Mutate's base to build himself a new set of armor. While he is there, Spider-Woman shows up, praising Stark for his efforts and informing him that he is a Skrull sleeper agent named Kr'Ali. <ref>''Secret Invasion'' #3</ref> ==Powers and abilities== ===Armor=== {{See also|Iron Man's armor}} Iron Man possesses [[powered exoskeleton|powered armor]] that gives him superhuman strength and durability, flight, and an array of weapons. The armor is invented and (with occasional short-term exceptions,) worn by Stark. Other people who have assumed the Iron Man identity include Stark's long-time partner and best friend [[War Machine|James Rhodes]]; close associates [[Happy Hogan|Harold "Happy" Hogan]]; Eddie March; and, (briefly) [[Guardsman (comics)#Guardsman (Michael O'Brien)|Michael O'Brien]]. The weapons systems of the suit have changed over the years, but Iron Man's standard offensive weapons have always been the [[repulsor rays]] that are fired from the palms of his [[gauntlet]]s. Other weapons built into various incarnations of the armor include: the [[uni-beam projector]] in its chest; pulse bolts (that pick up only [[kinetic energy]] along the way; so, the farther they travel, the harder they hit); an [[electromagnetic pulse]] generator; and, a defensive energy shield that can be extended up to 360 degrees. Other capabilities include: generating ultra-[[freon]] (i.e., a freeze-beam); creating and manipulating [[magnetic field]]s; emitting sonic blasts; and, projecting 3-dimensional [[hologram]]s (to create decoys). In addition to the general-purpose model he wears, Stark has developed several specialized [[space suit|suits]] for [[spaceflight|space travel]], [[atmospheric diving suit|deep-sea diving]], [[stealth technology|stealth]], and other situations. Stark has modified suits, like the [[Iron_Man%27s_armor#Hulkbuster_Armor.2C_Mk_I|Hulkbuster]] heavy armor. The Hulkbuster armor is composed of add-ons to his so-called modular armor, designed to enhance its strength and durability enough to rival that of [[The Incredible Hulk]]. A later model, designed for use against [[Thor_(Marvel_Comics)|Thor]], is modeled on the [[Destroyer (Thor)|Destroyer]] and uses a mystical powersource. Stark also develops an electronics pack during the Armor Wars that, when attached to armors that use Stark technologies, will burn-out those components -- rendering the suit useless. This pack is ineffective on later models, however. ===Powers=== For a time, due to an artificial nervous system installed after he suffered extensive damage to his nervous system, Stark had superhumanly acute sensory perceptions as well as extraordinary awareness of the physical processes within his own body. This is no longer a part of the character's powers. After being critically injured during a battle with the Extremis-enhanced Mallen, Stark injects his nervous system with a modified techno-organic virus (the Extremis process) that not only saves his life, it gives him the ability to store the inner layers of the Iron Man armor in the hollows of his bones as well as control it through direct brain impulses. Stark can control the layer of the armor underneath his skin and make it emerge from numerous exit points around his limbs as a gold-colored neural interface under-sheath. While in this form, Stark has technopathic control of the armor and can suit up at any time, calling the larger components to him. Furthermore, the Extremis process has increased his body's recuperative and healing abilities. He is also able to connect remotely to external communications systems such as satellites, cellular phones, and computers throughout the world. Because the armor's operating system is now directly connected to Stark's nervous system, its response time has been significantly improved. ===Skills=== Tony Stark is an inventive genius who graduated with advanced degrees in physics and engineering at 21<ref>Iron Man: The Legend, 1996</ref> and further developed his knowledge ranging from [[A.I.|Artificial Intelligence]] to [[Quantum Mechanics|Quantum Mechanics]] as time progressed. In addition, Stark possesses great business and political acumen. On multiple occasions he reacquired control of his companies after losing them, and leading corporate takeovers.<ref>''Iron Man'' Vol.1 Issue 210</ref> Stark received hand to hand combat training from [[Happy Hogan]] (a professional [[Boxing|Boxer]]), [[War Machine|James Rhodes]] (a [[Marines|Marine]]) and [[Captain America]] himself. == Enemies == {{main|List of Iron Man enemies}} ==Other versions== {{main|Alternate versions of Iron Man}} In addition to his mainstream incarnation, Iron Man has been depicted in other [[fictional universes]]. ==In other media== {{main|Iron Man in other media}} Apart from comic books, Iron Man and War Machine both appear in Capcom's "Marvel vs." video games including ''[[Marvel Super Heroes (arcade game)| Marvel Super Heroes]]'', ''[[Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter]]'', ''[[Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes]]'', and ''[[Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes]]''. Most of their move sets include abilities originally shown in the comic book. Iron Man is a playable character in the 1991 arcade game ''[[Captain America and the Avengers]]'', ''[[Iron Man (video game)|Iron Man]]'', ''[[Marvel: Ultimate Alliance]]'', and ''[[Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects]]'', as well as being featured as an unlockable character in ''[[X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse]]'' and ''[[Tony Hawk's Underground]]''. <ref>{{cite news | author=Jim Cordeira | url=http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2006/11/6-10 | title=Sega and Marvel hook up for Iron Man | publisher=Gaming Age | date=[[2006-11-06]] | accessdate=2006-11-06 }}</ref> In 2008, a movie adaptation titled ''[[Iron Man (film)]]'' was released starring [[Robert Downey Jr.]] as Tony Stark. ==Cultural impact== The [[rapping|rapper]] [[Ghostface Killah]], a member of [[Wu-Tang Clan]], titled his 1996 debut solo album ''[[Ironman (album)|Ironman]]'', and has since continued to use lyrics related to the Iron Man comics and [[sampling (music)|samples]] from the animated TV shows on his records. He has also adopted the nickname Tony Starks as one of his numerous alter-egos. [[Paul McCartney]]'s song "Magneto and Titanium Man" was inspired by the [[X-Men]]'s arch-nemesis and the original version of the Iron Man villain. Another Iron Man villain, the Crimson Dynamo, is mentioned in the lyrics to this song. The British band [[Razorlight]] mentions Tony Stark in a verse of their song, "Hang By, Hang By". "[[Iron Man (song)|Iron Man]]" is a song by the heavy metal band [[Black Sabbath]]. It was later [[retroactive continuity|retconned]] into the source of Iron Man's name, as it was a young Tony Stark's favorite song. {{issue}}An abridged version of the Sabbath song is played over the closing credits of the 2008 movie<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/09/11/rock-reality-show-recap-sureshot-to-be-man-band-4-eva/|title=Rolling-Stone.com|accessdate=2007-09-13}}</ref>, as well as several of its previews. Also, the rapper known as [[Sir-Mix-A-Lot]] wrote a song called "Iron-Man" with the background music from [[Black Sabbath]]'s version of the song. The character of [[Nathan Stark]] on the television show ''[[Eureka (TV series)|Eureka]]'' is inspired by Tony Stark.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://entertainment1.sympatico.msn.ca/TV_Guide/Interviews/Insider/Articles/070425_ed_quinn_eureka_MH |title= Sci-fi made sexy on 'Eureka' |author=Melissa Hank |site=Sympatico/MSN Entertainment |date=[[2007-04-25]] |accessdate=2007-08-16}}</ref> ''[[Forbes]]'' has ranked Iron Man among the wealthiest fictional characters on their annual ranking.<ref>{{cite web | last = Noer | first = Michael | authorlink =Joseph Pisani | title = The Forbes Fictional 15 | publisher = [[Forbes]] | date = 2007-12-11 | url = http://www.forbes.com/2007/12/11/richest-fictional-characters-oped-books-fict1507-cx_mn_de_1211fictional15_land.html | accessdate = 2008-03-15}}</ref> ''[[BusinessWeek]]'' has also ranked Iron Man as one of the top ten most intelligent fictional characters in American comics.<ref>{{cite web | last = Pisani | first = Joseph | authorlink =Joseph Pisani | title = The Smartest Superheroes | publisher = [[BusinessWeek]] | date = 2006-06-01 | url = http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/05/smart_heroes/index_01.htm | accessdate = 2007-11-25}}</ref> ==Bibliography== ===List of Iron Man titles=== *''Tales of Suspense'' #39-99 (March 1963 - March 1968) *''Iron Man and the Sub-Mariner'' (April 1968) *''Iron Man'' Vol. 1, #1-332 (May 1968 - Sept. 1996) *''Iron Man Annual'' #1-15 (1970-1994) *''Iron Man Annual '98-2001'' *''Giant-Size Iron Man'' (1975) *''Iron Man: Crash'' (1988) *''Iron Manual'' (1993) *''[[Iron Man 2020]]'' (Aug. 1994) *''Age of Innocence: The Rebirth of Iron Man'' (Feb. 1996) *''Iron Man'' Vol. 2, #1-13 (Nov. 1996 - Nov. 1997) *''Iron Man'' Vol. 3, #1-89 (Feb. 1998 - Dec. 2004) *''Iron Man: The Iron Age'' #1-2 (Aug.- Sept. 1998) *''Iron Man: Bad Blood'' #1-4 (Sept.- Dec. 2000) *''Iron Man'' Vol. 4, #1 - &nbsp;(Jan. 2005 - Present) (this series was officially titled as ''The Invincible Iron Man'' for issues #17-28 in the comic's legal indicia; Retitled ''[[Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.]]'' from issue 15 onwards on covers only; the comic book would not officially be retitled until issue 29 (July 2008) in the comic's legal indicia).<ref name="directorofshield">[http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?id=7167 Marvel Catalog: Iron Man Director of Shield]</ref> *''Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Annual #1 (Jan. 2008)'' *''Invincible Iron Man'' #1 - (July 2008 - Present) *''Ultimate Iron Man Vol. 1: #1-5'' (Mar. 2005 - Dec. 2005) *''Ultimate Iron Man Vol. 2: #1-5'' (Dec. 2007 - Apr. 2008) *''Iron Man: The Inevitable'' #1-6 (Feb. 2006 - July 2006) *''Iron Man: Hypervelocity'' #1-6 (March 2007 - Aug. 2007) *''Marvel Adventures: Iron Man'' #1-&nbsp;(May 2007- Present *''Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin'' #1-6 (Sep. 2007 - March 2008) *''Iron Man: Viva Las Vegas'' #1 - (May 2008 - Present) *''Iron Man: Legacy Of Doom #1 - (April 2008 - Present) ==Footnotes== {{Reflist|2}} ==References== * Defalco, Tom ([[October 31]], [[2005]]). ''Avengers: The Ultimate Guide''. DK CHILDREN. ISBN 0-756-61461-9. * [http://www.marvel.com/universe/Iron_Man_(Anthony_Stark) Marvel.com: Anthony Stark] * [http://www.maelmill-insi.de/UHBMCC/ The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators] * [http://www.comics.org/ The Grand Comic-Book Database] * [http://marvel.toonzone.net/ironman/ Marvel Animation Age: ''Iron Man: The Animated Series'' (1994-1995)] * [http://www.toymania.com/archives/ironman/series1.html Toymania: Iron Man Figure Archive] * [http://www.ironmanarmory.com/ The Iron Man Armory] (fan site) * [http://www.advancediron.org/ Advanced Iron] (fanzine) ==External links== * [http://www.comicbookdb.com/character.php?ID=203 Iron Man's Comic Appearances at ComicBookDB.com] * [http://www.superherostuff.com/iron_man_movie.html Iron Man Movie to Comic Armor comparison] * [http://www.comic-covers.com/Marvel/MarvelF-J/IronMan/index.html Comic-Covers.com: Iron Man] * [http://www.iron-manblog.com Iron Man Blog] * [http://www.newkadia.com/?Covers=1939 All covers from the 1st series of Iron Man comics] * [http://ironman.vh1.mtv.com/= Official Become Tony Stark for a Weekend Contest Page] * [http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=32928752= Fabulous Life of Tony Stark Webisode] * [http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=32928212= MADE:Tony Stark Webisode] {{Iron Man}} {{Avengers}} {{S.H.I.E.L.D.}} [[Category:American comics characters]] [[Category:Fictional businesspeople]] [[Category:Fictional characters from New York]] [[Category:Fictional characters with powered armor]] [[Category:Fictional cyborgs]] [[Category:Fictional engineers]] [[Category:Fictional inventors]] [[Category:Fictional scientists]] [[Category:Fictional socialites]] [[Category:Fictional technopaths]] [[Category:Iron Man]] [[Category:Marvel Comics characters who can fly]] [[Category:Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength]] [[Category:Marvel Comics martial artists]] [[Category:Marvel Comics superheroes]] [[Category:Marvel Comics titles]] [[ar:الرجل الحديدي]] [[da:Iron Man]] [[de:Iron Man]] [[es:Iron Man]] [[fr:Iron Man (comics)]] [[it:Iron Man]] [[he:איירון מן]] [[lt:Geležinis žmogus]] [[hu:Vasember]] [[ms:Iron Man]] [[nl:Iron Man (stripfiguur)]] [[ja:アイアンマン]] [[pl:Iron Man]] [[pt:Homem de Ferro]] [[ru:Железный человек]] [[simple:Iron Man]] [[fi:Rautamies]] [[sv:Iron Man (seriefigur)]] [[uk:Залізна Людина]] [[zh:鐵甲人]]