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Iron Man in other media

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Iron Man in other media

Created by
  
Stan Lee Larry Lieber Don Heck Jack Kirby

Original source
  
Comics published by Marvel Comics

First appearance
  
Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963)

Film(s)
  
The Invincible Iron Man (2007) Iron Man (2008) Iron Man 2 (2010) Iron Man 3 (2013)

Television show(s)
  
The Marvel Super Heroes (1966) Iron Man (1994) Iron Man: Armored Adventures (2009)

Video game(s)
  
Iron Man and X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal (1996) The Invincible Iron Man (2002) Iron Man (2008) Iron Man 2 (2010)

The Marvel Comics character Iron Man has appeared in various other media since the character's debut in Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963). Iron Man has been the focus of three animated series and a direct-to-DVD animated feature. Three live-action Iron Man feature films starring Robert Downey, Jr. in the title role have been released since 2008 with Downey also appearing as the character in The Incredible Hulk in 2008, Marvel's The Avengers in 2012, Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015, and the Captain America: Civil War in 2016 as well as upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017.

Contents

1960s

Iron Man appeared in the 1966 series The Marvel Super Heroes where he was one of the five featured superheroes and was voiced by John Vernon.

1980s

  • In 1981, Iron Man guest starred in Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends with William H. Marshall providing his voice. He made cameo appearances throughout the series, most prominently in "The Origin of the Spider-Friends", in which Tony Stark is a central character. The Beetle stole a crime-detection computer and the Power Booster invented by Tony Stark to increase his power. He was the first villain that the Spider-Friends faced together in that origin episode. In gratitude for the Spider-Friends' aid against the Beetle, Stark provided them with the crime-detection technology used by the heroes throughout the series.
  • Iron Man made a few cameo appearances with the rest of the Avengers in the 1981 solo Spider-Man show, on an in-universe cartoon in the episode "Arsenic and Aunt May", and as a costume in a costume shop in the episode "The Capture of Captain America".
  • An Iron Man TV series was one of several pitches in the 1980s and unaird pilot was produced in 1980
  • 1990s

  • In 1994, Iron Man starred in the animated series Iron Man, with Robert Hays voicing the title character. Iron Man served as part of a team consisting of Century, War Machine, the Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, and Spider-Woman. This show was part of The Marvel Action Hour, which packaged several animated versions of Marvel series, including the 1994 Fantastic Four, with two half-hour episodes from different series. Iron Man's origin was changed for this series: Instead of shrapnel near his heart, Stark has multiple slivers near his spine, threatening paralysis. Stark and Yinsen are held captive not by Wong Chu but by the Mandarin, who had been altered by his rings to have green skin and a degree of super strength. The Mandarin leads a group of villains, consisting of Dreadknight, Hypnotia, Blizzard, Blacklash, the Grey Gargoyle, Whirlwind, the Living Laser, MODOK, and Justin Hammer against Iron Man and a team based on Force Works.
  • Iron Man made a non-speaking cameo in some episodes of the 1994 Fantastic Four TV series.
  • Iron Man appeared in the two part featuring Venom and Carnage episodes of the mid-1990s and episodes of Secret Wars chapter from the 1994 Spider-Man TV series. Robert Hays voiced the character.
  • Robert Hays reprised Iron Man again in a guest appearance in the 1996 animated series The Incredible Hulk in episode 4: "Helping Hand, Iron Fist".
  • In the 1999, 13-episode series The Avengers: United They Stand, Iron Man was voiced by Francis Diakowsky. He helps the Avengers thwart the Zodiac's plan to send a radioactive satellite crashing to Earth. Like Captain America and Thor, Iron Man could not be used as a full-fledged member.
  • 2000s

  • In 2007, Iron Man appeared in the Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes episode 22: "Shell Games", voiced by David Kaye.
  • In 2009, Iron Man starred in Iron Man: Armored Adventures with Adrian Petriw voicing the titular character.
  • Beginning in 2009, Iron Man appeared in The Super Hero Squad Show voiced by Tom Kenny.
  • 2010s

  • Beginning in 2010, Iron Man appears in the The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, voiced by Eric Loomis and Keiji Fujiwara in the Japanese dub. As in the comics, he is one of the founding members of the team and provides them with the Avengers Mansion as well as all the team's technology, including special ID cards and Quinjets. This Iron Man includes the elements from the comics canon and some elements from the recent Iron Man film series, including the Arc Reactor in his chest as well as his armor being run by the JARVIS A.I., as opposed to the HOMER system in the comics. He serves as team leader, and is seen in the opening credits monitoring the team's activities on various view screens.
  • As part of a four-series collaboration between the Japanese Madhouse animation house and Marvel, Iron Man starred in a 12 episode anime series that premiered in Japan on Animax in October 2010 and is shown on G4 in the United States. It concluded on Animax after running the full dozen episodes on December 17, 2010. He is voiced by Keiji Fujiwara in Japanese and Adrian Pasdar in English. He additionally appears in a non-speaking cameo in the final episode of Marvel Anime: X-Men.
  • He appears in the Spider-Man animated TV series, Ultimate Spider-Man, with Pasdar reprising his role. In the episode "Great Power", he is shown trying to master his suit. He has a major role in "Flight of the Iron Spider", where he and the team combat the Living Laser. The episode makes several references to his playboy persona. His background seems identical to the canon, with the first suit being built to escape captivity. An alternate version of him is briefly shown in the end, when the Living Laser ends up in the Super Hero Squad reality.
  • Iron Man appears in Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Maximum Overload, once again voiced by Adrian Pasdar.
  • He appears in Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., once again voiced by Pasdar.
  • Iron Man appears in the summer 2013 animated special Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel, with Pasdar reprising his role.
  • Iron Man appears in the animated series Avengers Assemble, voiced once again by Pasdar. Mick Wingert was supposed to take over the role in Season 3, but instead Pasdar maintained it.
  • The Marvel Cinematic Universe version of Iron Man briefly appears via stock footage in the pilot episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as Skye outlines public knowledge of superhumans.
  • The president of Disney Channel Worldwide Gary Marsh announced a new Iron Man series is in development.
  • Iron Man appears in the anime series Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers.
  • Iron Man appears in the television special Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Avengers Reassembled, voiced by Mick Wingert.
  • Marvel Studios

  • Robert Downey, Jr. portrays Tony Stark in Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), The Avengers (2012) Iron Man 3 (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), and Captain America: Civil War (2016), as well as having a cameo in The Incredible Hulk (2008) and shown via archive footage in the Marvel One-Shot, The Consultant (2011).
  • Downey, Jr. is slated to reprise the role in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), as well as Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and its untitled sequel (2019).
  • Iron Man 3 director Shane Black stated in March 2013 that "There has been a lot of discussion about it: 'Is this the last Iron Man for Robert [Downey, Jr.]?' Something tells me that it will not be the case, and [he] will be seen in a fourth, or fifth." Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has said that the character of Stark will continue to be featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe regardless of Downey's involvement. Also in March, Downey said he was open to extending his contract, stating he feels "there's a couple other things we've gotta do" with the character. In June 2013, when Downey Jr. signed on to return as Iron Man in Avengers: Age of Ultron, he also signed on for a third Avengers film. In a July 2014 interview during the filming of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Downey expressed his interest in continuing to play Iron Man. "It's down to Kevin [Feige] and Ike [Perlmutter, CEO of Marvel Entertainment] and Disney to come to us with what the proposal is, and that’s on us to agree or disagree," Downey said. "When things are going great, there's a lot of agreement." He added, "It's that thing of: Why give up the belt when it feels like you can barely get jabbed?" In April 2016, Downey expressed openness to appearing in a potential fourth Iron Man film, saying "I could do one more."
  • Animation

  • Iron Man was featured in Ultimate Avengers, an animated direct-to-video adaptation of the Ultimates produced by Marvel Entertainment and Lions Gate Films, voiced by Marc Worden. Although based on Ultimate Iron Man, the animated version's identity is not a matter of public record, and, as in main Marvel Universe continuity, he is afflicted with a heart condition rather than a brain tumor. In the first film he is reluctant to join the Avengers, but later becomes a full-time member. Marvel/Lions Gate released Ultimate Avengers 2 on August 8, 2006. In the second film Iron Man's old armor is ruined, so he uses the War Machine armor.
  • Marc Worden reprises his role of Iron Man in The Invincible Iron Man. The film has a slightly changed origin where Stark is taken to China. There he meets Li Mei, and with Rhodey builds a suit of armor. As Iron Man he takes down four elementals attempting to resurrect his arch enemy, the Mandarin, who in this incarnation is a Kahgan who has been deceased for many centuries.
  • An elderly Iron Man appears in the alternate universe Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow voiced by Tom Kane. He takes the children of the Avengers to a safe place where Ultron will not find them.
  • Stark. voiced again by Marc Worden, makes a brief appearance in the Planet Hulk animated movie.
  • Iron Man: Rise of Technovore is a direct-to-video feature which, like the Marvel Anime adaptation, is produced by Madhouse in collaboration with Marvel. The feature is written by Brandon Auman and directed by Hiroshi Hamasaki. Matthew Mercer and Norman Reedus voiced Stark and the Punisher respectively. The feature revolves around Iron Man as he fights against Ezekiel Stane who has developed a new bio-technology. The film was released in North America on Blu-ray and DVD April 16, 2013.
  • Iron Man appears as a central character in Iron Man and Hulk: Heroes United which was released in 2014. Adrian Pasdar reprised his role as Stark from Ultimate Spider-Man and the Iron Man Anime. Iron Man will be teaming with Captain America in Iron Man and Captain America: Heroes United which was released in 2014.
  • Iron Man appears in the anime film Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher with Mercer reprising his role.
  • Iron Man appears in the animated film Marvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight, with Mick Wingert reprising the role from Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Avengers Reassembled.
  • Video games

  • Iron Man is featured in several video games. He is one of four selectable heroes in Captain America and the Avengers (1991) and one of five playable characters in Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems (1996). Chris Britton voices the character in Capcom's Marvel Super Heroes (1995) and in Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (2000).
  • Iron Man appears as an assist character in the 1995 arcade game Avengers in Galactic Storm.
  • Tony Stark is referenced in Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro.
  • He appears in Iron Man and X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal for the PC, PlayStation, the Game Boy, Saturn and Game Gear.
  • The Invincible Iron Man was released on the Game Boy Advance in late 2002.
  • Iron Man is unlockable after beating the easy difficulty on Tony Hawk's Underground released in 2003.
  • Iron Man makes an appearance in the 2005 Punisher video game voiced by John Cygan. He learns from his security that the Eternal Sun tried to steal the Iron Man armors. An inside joke alludes to Stark's alcoholism: After viewing the destruction left by the Punisher, Stark sighs and says, "I need a drink."
  • Iron Man is an unlockable character in X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse voiced again by John Cygan. He can be unlocked by collecting the four homing beacons in each act to access the secret area to retrieve a piece of his armor. Collect four pieces of his armor to unlock him. The War Machine armor is one of his alternate costumes. He's the only playable non-mutant character to be mistaken as a mutant by Bastion and the Sentinel, and a member of the X-Men. Due to fact, he himself been an old friend of the X-Men for long time.
  • Iron Man is one of the main characters in Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects, voiced by David Kaye.
  • John Cygan reprises his role of Iron Man who is a playable character in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. His costumes include his New Avenger armor, his Classic armor, the War Machine armor, and his Ultimate armor. Iron Man is one of the main characters in game; Stark Tower is one of the bases of the team in the game. He has special dialogue with Nick Fury, the Crimson Dynamo, Deathbird, Dark Colossus, and Dark Captain America. A simulation disk has Iron Man fighting Ultimo on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
  • In 2008, Sega Corporation published an Iron Man video game in tandem with the release of the movie with Robert Downey, Jr. reprising his role as Tony Stark and Iron Man voiced by Stephen Stanton.
  • Stephen Stanton reprises his role of Iron Man in The Incredible Hulk video game. He serves as a boss and as a threat level enemy should the Hulk cause too much destruction. He fights the Hulk in his Hulkbuster Armor MK II. Iron Man's Hulkbuster Armor is playable if one has the data of the Iron Man video game on their memory card.
  • In Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, Spider-Man tries to call Tony Stark to help build a device that will rid the city of the symbiotes. Stark Industries is closed due to a public health emergency caused by the symbiote invasion. Billboards of Iron Man are seen across the city.
  • Iron Man is a playable character and a boss character in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 voiced by Crispin Freeman. He is one of the first four characters available for play in the game. Since the game's storyline is based on the Civil War story arc, he plays a major role as the leader of the Pro-Registration Movement. His alternate costume is a slightly modified classic costume.
  • Iron Man is the main character in Iron Man: Aerial Assault.
  • Iron Man appears as a playable character in the Marvel Super Hero Squad video game and its sequel, with Tom Kenny reprising his role.
  • Iron Man appears in the video game adaption of Iron Man 2 voiced by Eric Loomis.
  • An Iron Man pinball machine produced by Stern was released in 2010. It is based on the first two feature films.
  • Iron Man appears as a playable fighter in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. Eric Loomis reprises his role and Iron Man is portrayed in his Extremis armor. Alternate colors include the "tin can" prototype armor, the Stealth Suit, and the Silver Centurion armor, with Norman Osborn's Iron Patriot armor available as downloadable content. He appears in the Mike Haggar character ending as Haggar's running mate for his presidential campaign. Iron Man would later appear as a playable character in the standalone update of the game, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
  • Iron Man is available as downloadable content for the game LittleBigPlanet, as part of "Marvel Costume Kit 1".
  • Iron Man is a playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online and Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat, voiced by Tom Kenny in his standard armor, Hulkbuster armor and Stealth armor.
  • Iron Man is a playable character in the Facebook game Marvel: Avengers Alliance.
  • Iron Man appears as a playable character in the 2012 fighting game Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth.
  • Iron Man is a playable character in the MMORPG Marvel Heroes, voiced by Marc Worden.
  • In Spider-Man Unlimited Nick Fury mentions Iron Man as a better candidate for stopping the Sinister Six. Tony Stark is also mentioned in Iron Spider's back story.
  • Iron Man is a playable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes and Lego Marvel's Avengers, voiced by Adrian Pasdar.
  • Iron Man is a playable character in Marvel Avengers Alliance Tactics.
  • Iron Man is a playable character in Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes. His Hulkbuster armor is added as a separate character in the 3.0 edition.
  • Iron Man is a playable character in Marvel: Future Fight.
  • A teenage version of Iron Man appears in Marvel Avengers Academy, voiced by Dave Franco.
  • Iron Man will be a playable character in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite.
  • Motion comics

    Iron Man appears in the Iron Man: Extremis motion comic voiced by DJ Tanner.

    Books

    The Iron Man armor is prominently featured in the book Inventing Iron Man: The Possibility of a Human Machine by E. Paul Zehr, which explores the hard science fiction aspects of Iron Man and the possibility of building an Iron Man-like armor.

    Iron Man has appeared in the following novels:

    Theatre

    Iron Man appears in the Marvel Universe Live! stage show.

    Unrealized projects

    In 1989, while the third TV-movie sequel to The Incredible Hulk live-action television series was expected to co-star She-Hulk, Iron Man was being considered for both a follow-up or a solo film of his own. One year later, a film from Universal Studios to be directed by Stuart Gordon was being negotiated. This was still on the table ten months later, and also another two years on, this time with no specific director or even studio attached.

    Amusement park

  • On October 8, 2013, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Thomas O. Staggs announced that Hong Kong Disneyland would be adding the Iron Man Experience, becoming the first Disney attraction to be based on a Marvel property. Set at the fictional Stark Expo, the attraction will feature Tony Stark recruiting guests to fend off extraterrestrial beings from attacking Hong Kong.
  • References

    Iron Man in other media Wikipedia