Iron Man and the Evolution of Superheroes: A blog about The history of Iron man and his origin story.
This is a little project that went way too far. I was watching Iron Man 2 recently, and I wondered: How did we get from the old black-and-white Batman TV show to this slick, computer-generated blockbuster? So I started looking into the history of comic book movies. And then into the history of comic books. And then into the history of comics – in general. And before I knew it, I was writing a master’s thesis on the subject.
I have to admit that I’m not quite sure how this whole thing happened! From an early age, I’ve been interested in superheroes and comic books – but not excessively so, I didn’t think. It wasn’t until high school that my interests really intensified. Some friends and I invented a game using homemade cards and rules. We played it in our spare time, and as we grew older we even taught our younger siblings how to play it.
Then, when I went off to college, all my friends wanted me to major in computer science or engineering – since those were supposed to be very lucrative fields for job-seekers at the time (this was back in 2001
Iron Man and the Evolution of Superheroes
The history of Iron man and his origin story.
Iron Man is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, as well as its associated media. The character was created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. He made his first appearance in Tales of Suspense
Iron Man’s origin story is one of the most well-known in comics, but it was a long time coming before his first appearance as a founding member of the Avengers. The initial concept for Iron Man began with Stan Lee and Larry Lieber writing for the character in Tales of Suspense
The Iron Man suit is the common name for a high-tech, bulletproof costume worn by Tony Stark when he fights crime as Iron Man. It is made of advanced composite materials, and has a variety of weapons incorporated into it.
The Mark I version of the suit was created by Tony Stark while he was being held captive in a cave in Afghanistan. This first armor was created to escape his captors, and featured flamethrowers, machine guns and rocket launchers. After escaping captivity, Tony continued to work on the suit at Stark Industries in New York City until he perfected it as the Mark III armor.
The Mark III armor is currently stored in Stark’s mansion in Malibu, California. When needed, it can be summoned from its perch by remote control. The suit’s onboard computer system can also be controlled verbally by Tony Stark with various commands such as “suit up” or “boot up.”
Ever since he was a boy, Tony Stark has been fascinated with machines. Raised by his father, Howard Stark, a self-made industrialist who invented the Arc Reactor and founded Stark Industries, Tony would often be tinkering around with whatever he could get his hands on. When he became an adult, Tony took over the reigns of Stark Industries from his father and began to change the face of technology as we know it.
Tony is well known for being a womanizer and reckless playboy. After being kidnapped by terrorists that were using his weapons against others, Tony built the first Iron Man suit in an attempt to escape. He did escape, but afterwards realized that he had more than just himself to think about. Deciding to make some changes in his life, Tony quit making weapons and instead focused on producing clean energy with his company’s new invention: the Arc Reactor.
The Arc Reactor emits an inexhaustible source of power that would revolutionize the world if it were ever released to the public. The only problem is that it uses Palladium core which slowly poisons the user if used for too long. This is why Tony’s life-support system features a chest plate that contains another mini Arc Reactor which emits a beam of power directly
Marvel’s Iron Man, the playboy industrialist Tony Stark, has become a staple of modern nerd culture. But what is it about this character that makes him one of the most beloved superheroes of all time?
Tony Stark, like many other characters in Marvel’s expansive universe, was created in response to the times. After being drafted into the Korean War, Stan Lee and other creators at Marvel decided to create more relatable characters. Most comic book heroes at the time were perfect specimens with no flaws or weaknesses to speak of. These heroes were made to embody American ideals and were portrayed as near-perfect people who always did the right thing.
Marvel wanted to create a character who could exemplify some of their creator’s own flaws and weaknesses. They wanted a hero that could be more human than superhuman. They wanted a superhero who had his own demons and personal struggles just like anyone else.
Tony Stark was designed to be a self-absorbed playboy with an obsession for money and women. This character is not a traditional hero; he is not always motivated by pure intentions or doing good for others. He is often driven by his thirst for recognition and his ego. In fact, much like Batman, Tony Stark was originally created as a villainous character in Tales of
The Iron Man of the 1940s and 50s was a patriotic hero and a Cold War icon who fought communists and other villains. His plots were simple, his morals unambiguous. There was little room for moral ambiguity in the world of Iron Man. He was a soldier fighting in a clear-cut war on the side of right and justice.
Today, Iron Man is a billionaire industrialist who sells weapons to governments around the world, and has faced some of his most terrifying challenges when he’s been forced to confront the effects of his own past actions. The Iron Man of today is a conflicted figure whose problems derive from his own wealth and power, rather than those of any megalomaniacal villain or corrupt government. He’s complicated, and often at odds with his fellow heroes, including Captain America and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Nick Fury.
This change in characterization for Iron Man reflects the change in how superheroes are depicted in general over time – but it also reflects how our own society has changed over that time as well, with different problems arising for us to face in each decade.