If there's a popular character in the Marvel Universe, it's Iron Man. Interestingly, in the comics he was always a "second tier" superhero, not nearly as important as Spiderman or Captain America. However, the success of the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have catapulted him to popularity and the foreground. that's why today We tell you everything you've always wanted to know about Iron Man.
If the armor is removed, Iron Man is still a genius, millionaire, philanthropist and playboy. There is no doubt that someone like that has enough charisma to put the success of Marvel on his back.
Therefore, here you have all about the character Iron Man and it is best to start at the beginning.
Who is he and what is his name Iron Man
Tony Stark is a billionaire inventor who dons his high-tech armor to become the superhero Iron Man. Heir to Stark Industries after the death of his parents when he was very young, he kept his identity a secret for a long time.
The main alibi is that Iron Man was Tony Stark's bodyguard and inside the armor is a good friend. At number 55 of ironman volume 3, published in 2002, Tony Stark reveals his identity to the world.
Founder of The Avengers It is a key player in these, with the support in means and intelligence that it provides.
The origin of the superhero
Although, as with many superheroes, his relationship with his parents is tragic, Iron Man's origin has nothing to do directly with them.
The company that Tony Stark inherited had always been dedicated to manufacturing weapons. During a demonstration, Stark activates a booby trap that kills his escort and put shrapnel in his chest, a fundamental event that will mark him for a long time.
The terrorist Wong-Chu takes the opportunity to kidnap him and promises to operate to save his life, in exchange for him creating a weapon for him. Tony knows he is lying, but says yes so he can access equipment and tools. With them, Design an armor with offensive capabilities, powered by energy and with a pacemaker that allows you to continue living.
With it, he manages to escape and that is when he meets one of his great friends and allies, James Rhodes, a shot down pilot who will end up becoming the superhero War Machine.
Stark realizes that his invention is too powerful to put in the hands of the public or the government. In fact, that said government and other actors want to steal and use his technology is a recurring argument in his stories.
During a tennis match, some terrorists threaten to kill everyone, but Stark intervenes dressed in his armor, saves everyone and, since then, finds his purpose to become a hero..
Over time, their companies will move away from weapons and focus on other high-tech fields.
Superpowers
Iron Man does not possess superhuman abilities, he is a person, but, like Batman, he has the greatest of possible superpowers: el dinero.
Thanks to the benefits of Stark Industries and its superior intellect, you can create your armor, advanced devices and weapons of all kinds to help you in battle.
That superior intellect manifests itself in the fact that it is a master engineer, business and combat, both melee and with the weapons that he himself designs.
Iron Man's weakness
Iron Man is an innovative character in Marvel comics because he was one of the first to introduce a weakness important in character.
Tony Stark is alcoholic. It happens for the first time in Iron Man number 128, titled The devil in the bottle. Curiously, until then this problem had not arisen, but later arguments introduce it as something that had always been there.
Although has stopped drinking, being drunk on more than one occasion has caused him problems.
Similarly, due to the shrapnel in his body, for a long time, he had to have his suit always loaded. However, upon the removal of said shrapnel, Iron Man no longer has that weakness.
iron man armor
The powers of Iron Man come from his armor. It undergoes constant evolution through increasingly modern models, in addition to having various specialized armor for specific situations.
In general, the Iron Man armor can do practically everything, but mainly, it provides him with:
- Una protección almost completely, obviously.
- Super strength and agility.
- The capacity of fly.
- energy beams and projectiles all types. They stand out, yes, their repulsor rays, which have always been Iron Man's main weapon.
Iron Man's suit has evolved from the initial heavy armor to a lightweight and malleable matrix of metals and magnetic fields, allowing for superior protection and versatility.
Iron Man Enemies
Iron Man has many enemies, alcohol being perhaps the worst of all. In addition to the classics that The Avengers have faced, he also has his own dose of adversaries.
- The Mandarin. Iron Man's nemesis with his Ten Power Rings, each granting him a different ability, from elemental blasts of fire, ice, and electricity, to mind control or altering states of matter.
- Obadiah Stane. Stark's rival who has always wanted his company. He will plunge you into his alcoholism and make you lose Stark Industries.
- Justin hammer. Another rival businessman, who will steal Stark technology and cause the armor war, one of the most outstanding events in the life of the superhero.
In addition, he has faced Norman Osborn (yes, the one from Spider-Man), Madame Masque (with whom he will end up involved), Spymaster, Ezekiel Stane, son of Obadiah and many more.
Partners
Iron Man's main allies are undoubtedly The Avengers, of which he is a founding member. However, some of his closest collaborators do not belong to them.
- James Rhodes. Alias, War machine, an elite pilot who will fight by his side many times inside another Iron Man armor.
- Harold "Happy" Hogan. Former boxer, driver and bodyguard of Tony Stark, who will become his best friend.
- Virginia "Pepper" Potts. Stark's secretary, eventually one of his lovers, and also an armored superhero.
In fact, Potts is the perfect excuse to go over the lovers of the playboy millionaire.
Who have been the partners of Iron Man
His lifestyle has made Iron Man a romantically coveted man with many partners. Among them, and in addition to Pepper Potts, we highlight:
- The Wasp, Janet Van Dyne. After Hank Pym's divorce, she began a relationship with Iron Man.
- She-Hulk, with which he has had several troubles now yes, now no.
- Bethany Cabe, a member of your security team who will help you put down the drink.
- Joanna Nivena. The one he was promised to when he first stepped in as Iron Man and which urges him to wear the armor for good and become a hero.
The list would be too long, but you know that it has also had more than words with Black Widow, Rumiko Fujikawa, Madame Masque and many more.
The highlights of his life
It is impossible to review the adventures of Iron Man without filling an encyclopedia. There have been many battles and events, but here are some of the most important.
Besides The Avengers, Stark is founder of the Illuminati. Away from conspiracy, it is about a group of geniuses and heroes who exchange information and support about big threats. It is made up of Professor X, Mister Fantastic, Black Bolt, Doctor Strange and Namor.
When Obadiah Stane takes the company away from him, he gets drunk and his armor is guarded by his friend James Rhodes, eventually giving rise to the superhero War Machine.
Thanks to Mentallo's mind control device, Stark makes people forget that he is Iron Man (something that gets him into a lot of trouble) and only reveals his identity to a few.
After the dissolution of The Avengers due to the uncontrolled powers of Scarlet Witch, will form the new avengers at the behest of Captain America. In addition to the two of them, they will be: Spider-Man, Daredevil, Luke Cage and Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman).
In the Civil War event, Iron Man will be the leader of the superhero faction that chooses to keep track of who they are. The leader of the opposing group will be Captain America. Stark will urge Spider-Man to reveal his secret identity of Peter Parker and finally, events will lead to the death of Captain America.
After the Civil War, Tony Stark to direct SHIELD He will leave his position after the Skrull invasion, in which the organization is dissolved.
Iron Man will lead a second Civil War, in this case, against another group of superheroes led by Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel).
For a time, she will meld into her armor on a molecular level, believing herself to be an artificial intelligence. In the end, he regains his identity and resigns from his position on the board of Stark Industries, initiating a stage of rediscovery.
Some curiosities about Iron Man that you probably don't know
If you think you know everything about him playboy Marvel's favorite billionaire, watch out for these details, because it may not be so.
- Iron Man owns Area 51. He buys it from the government and, instead of aliens, hides the Infinity Gauntlet's Reality Stone.
- In addition to being the director of SHIELD, he was also, briefly, the United States Secretary of Defense.
- Stan Lee acknowledged that Tony Stark is based on a real character, eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes.
As you can see, the Iron Man character goes a long way. He started as a minor in the comics, but over time, and especially the MCU movies, Iron Man has become a key part of the Marvel empire and its stories.