From 1968, Iron Man became the hero of his own comic book.
Iron Man’s first missions were to fight communism in the middle of the Cold War. The historical context gradually disappeared in favour of more science fiction adventures.
Since its creation, the Iron Man comic book has never stopped being published. However, its history had to be modified to rejuvenate it. If Tony Stark had lived through the Cold War, he would have been too old to take on the role of Iron Man in the 2000s.
He faces many enemies on his own, but he forms strong bonds with the other members of the Avengers, especially Thor, the Hulk, the Wasp and Giant-Man.
In details :
Tony Stark, or Iron Man, was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in March 1963.
The character became extremely popular as he represented everything that young readers hated when he first appeared, in the context of the Cold War. Indeed, Stark sells arms, is rich and supplies the American army…
Anthony Stark is an American industrialist. He is the head of the company his father left him: he makes and sells weapons to the government.
Anthony Stark is an American industrialist. He is the head of the company his father left him: he manufactures and sells weapons to the government.
It is during an expedition to Vietnam, during which he wishes to demonstrate the power of his new weapon, that he jumps on a mine, which seriously injures him. Captured by the Vietnamese army, he is forced to make weapons, helped by another scientist, Professor Yinsen.
It is at this time that the two men also develop an armor whose primary purpose is to save Stark’s life, which is threatened by the presence of metal shards lodged near his heart as a result of the mine explosion.
Stark, equipped with his armour, and Professor Yinsen escape. While the scientist dies from a bullet wound, Stark manages to escape.
He learns to master his armour and his reputation as a superhero grows.
He is an active and founding member of the Avengers and even uses his personal fortune to support the group.
Tony Stark is a genius inventor. He is brilliant and excels particularly in mathematics, physics, chemistry and computers.
Apart from his incredible intellectual faculties, he has no superpowers. His armour takes over this field! The armour’s equipment consists of:
a repulsor beam to repel enemies from the palms of the hands;
a scanning light beam on the chest;
a holographic projector that allows the armour to be concealed or to generate and project images;
and an individual force field to protect it.
The armour’s jet boots can propel it through the air and its built-in computer has a cybernetic interface that allows it to control all functions remotely.
Made from a gold and titanium alloy that makes it light but ultra-strong, it can even withstand the blows of Thor’s famous Mjölnir!
Iron Man is very close to the other members of the Avengers as well as his assistant, Pepper Potts, with whom he even has an intimate relationship.
Iron Man in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
In the MCU, Robert Downey Junior plays the character of Iron Man.
A billionaire and playboy, Tony Stark is also a genius inventor with an extraordinary intelligence.
Self-centred, he remains loyal to his friends.
Kidnapped in Afghanistan, his captors force him to build a formidable weapon. He secretly builds a revolutionary high-tech armour which he uses to escape. Understanding the power of this armour, he decides to improve it and use it to bring justice and protect the innocent.
With J.A.R.V.I.S. gone, Tony designs F.R.I.D.A.Y – Female Replacement Intelligent Digital Assistant Youth – which is a natural language user interface designed to work with his armour.
The Avengers Tower
Located in Manhattan, ten stories high and originally dedicated to the research and development of the Stark company, formerly known as Stark Tower, the Avengers Tower is a skyscraper complex in New York. Designed by Tony Stark, the tower was powered by an ARC reactor capable of running it on its own for over a year.
Following the dissolution of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division), Stark made the Tower the headquarters of the Avengers. However, after Ultron’s offensive, Stark refurbished a former Stark Industries warehouse in the New Avengers complex to serve as their main base. The Avengers tower was then dedicated to the use of Stark Industries. After the Avengers conflict, Stark sold it. He had the valuables in it repatriated.
Tony Stark and cars
Iron Man also spends a lot of time in vehicles, each more powerful than the last, in keeping with his daring side. The Audi brand remains the one he loves the most. He excels at driving some of the most fabulous models.
He drives an Audi R8 in the first film, an Audi R8 V10 Spyder in the second. We will also see him at the wheel of a prototype: the Audi E-Tron G, a model that sticks to his skin!