Iron Man’slatest adventure has taken a dark turn, as Tony Stark has taken up the name of one of his worst villains. Tony is trying to live up to an ideal that often feels impossible to achieve, and if he can’t, then perhaps this new villainous moniker will be more than appropriate for him.
Iron Man#3 – written by Spencer Ackerman, with art by Jethro Morales and Julius Ohta –features a pivotal moment in which Tony Stark is labeled the Iron Monger, giving a new meaning to the title held by several of his greatest villains.
The issue revolves around Tonyfighting off the acquisition of Stark Techby Roxxon,led by Justine Hammer. Justine used Tony’s suit of anti-magic metal Mysterium to become the new Iron Monger. However, when Tony takes back Stark Tech, Justine christens Tony the new Iron Monger, warning him that it’s harder than it looks to stay away from arms trading.
Marvel Has Labeled Tony Stark The New “Iron Monger,” And Given Him An Ominious Warning
Iron Man#3 – Written By Spencer Ackerman; Art By Jethro Morales & Julius Ohta; Color By Alex Sinclair; Lettering By Joe Caramagna
Iron Monger is a title with a long history. The code name was first used by Obadiah Stane, one of the first major corporate rivals to Tony Stark, who, like Roxxon, tried to take over Tony’s company witha combo of corporate warfareand supervillain might. After Obadiah’s death, the title passed to his son Ezekial Stane, and has since been used by numerous other villains, though mostly in one-off appearances as lackeys of other larger threats. Arguably then,Justine is the most serious villain to use the title in a long while.
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Roxxon’s latest ploy was only made possible thanks to Stark’s own corporate turbulence of late. In writer Gerry Duggan’s and artist Juan Frigeri’sInvincible Iron Man (2022), Tony’s company was snatched away by anti-mutant industrialist Feilong, who brought it back into the weapons business and reshaped the board in his own image. Tony is only partway through disentangling himself from the military industrial complex when Roxxon swoops in, and by labeling him Iron Monger, Justine is arguing that Tony won’t ever be able to break those ties, even though he’s back in control.
Marvel Continues To Slowly Engage With The Question Of Whether Iron Man Cab Really Be An Ethical Billionaire
Justine’s declaration to Tony is the perfect illustration of one of this series’ core themes thus far: the struggle to be both an uber-rich CEO and ethical at the same time. Tony can signal his support of renewable technologies and union membership for his employees all he wants, but the very nature of running a global business will likely cut his feet out from under him again and again. If the first arc ofIron Mantaught Tony anything, it’s that nearly everyone in his company would be willing to put aside all morals for more power and money.
Iron Man’s greatest skill has always been his adaptability, and Tony’s going to have to change like never before if he really wants to stay a hero.
InIron Man#2,Tony criticized his fellow board member Melinda May for trying, and failing to fix the problem from the inside during Feilong’s takeover, but that’s exactly what Tony is still trying to do day by day. If Tony can’t find a new way to be Iron Man, then he’s going to make the same mistakes as Melinda, just in a less overt way.Iron Man’sgreatest skill has always been his adaptability, and Tony’s going to have to change like never before if he really wants to stay a hero.
Iron Man#3is available now from Marvel Comics.
Iron Man
Anthony “Tony” Edward Stark, AKA Iron Man, is a Marvel Comics superhero who has enjoyed several years of the spotlight and has become a mainstay in several Marvel media franchises. After suffering a critical injury, Tony creates a specialized armored suit powered by an arc reactor, which keeps him alive. Egotistical but good-hearted, Tony utilizes his super intellect and inventions to fight to protect humanity from various threats, eventually becoming a founding member of the Avengers. In 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was kicked off with the film Iron Man, which starred Robert Downey Jr. as the superhero.
