ESSENTIAL STORYUNES
• Iron Man Vol. 1 *120-129 *153-156 Tony Słarks lirst encounter with Justin Hammer and rvs banie with ałcohoi.
• Iron Man Vof. 2 *162-200 Słarkfc tong d»k tali to tho yuiter at tho hands ot Obadtan Stanę, and his graouaf resurrection.
• Iron Man Vol. 3 *27-30 The Iron Man armor bocomes sentient and attacks Stark
Wealthy charming, handsome—over the years. countless women have been drawn to Tony Stark, and many hearts have been broken, including his own. Time and again, his dual identity and multipłe responsibllities have sabotaged any hope at a settled, long-term romance.
SATASHA RO\LĄ.\OVA Sometime adrersary andformerfancie.
JASICĘ CORD BETHASYCAUE SUSSETBALS VIRC.ISIA POTIS
Daughler of Stark Tony’s looer umil her Seduced Tony and One of Tony’} most
rioal Drexel Cord. husband returned. stole his seerets. loyal conf dames.
Although innnensely strong-willed, at limes the pressures upon Tony Stark have proved overwhclming—twicc hc has succumbed to the lure of alcohol.Tbnys first fali from grace was precipitatcd by a series of attacks from supervillains hired by business rival Justin 1 Iammf.r. While fending these off, Iron Man was framed for the niurdcr of a diplomat, and at the
same titne national security _
agency SHIELD werc attempting to buy his company and so gain his military sccrets.
Gradually. with the support of his friends,Tony overcame these threats and defeated his addiction.
rhis episode was nothing < ompared to Tony s sccoml dance with drink. As a result of the cmotional manipulations of his competitor Obadiah STANĘ,Tony entered a decp depression and for a ttme hecame a homelcss vagrant.
His epiphany came whcn he was forc dcliver the child of a homelcss woman, who died soon after.
Uattling armored humans is com ntonplaeejor Iron
In tho House of M unwerso. Tony Starte ksacompotrtor in Sapten Death Match. a tefovtsed gfadtatonoi contest. There he competes agamst other armorod lxjmarvs.
Uko hc, lat ber betorohśm. Tony Stark was cursedbythe demon drink.
With Iron Man labofod a murderor and his company undflf siego. Tony wasdriven to thebottJo.
After waking up in hospital. he began to ebuild his lite. creating a new business empire from scratch—Stark Enterprises—and dcfcating Stanc in conibat.
an Enemy of America
Although a long-tcrm membcr of the Avengers. ac limes Tony's decisions havc brought him into dircci contlict with his Super I Iero friends. as woli as with che US
gowrnmcnt.Whcn Justin Hammer stole Stark technology and distributed it to criminałs across the world.Tony began .1 qucst to find each item of missing technology. It was his crtort to tr.uk down the US military* Scark-derivcd Guardsmen suits tliat rcsulted in the Iron Man being branded an outlaw by the US government.This anion also antagonized Caftain America.
A HEAVY BURDEN
Tony s lite has gone through many dramatu* changes.When he publicly admitted to being the Iron Man, his initial relief at no longer having to lead a double lite was short-lived. Successftilly campaigning to become US Secretary of Defensc. he tried to use his governmcnt position to control the use of his various iiwentions.
At the same timc he continucd to serw as Iron Man. Ewntually, the mounting conflicts of interest led him to resign from the government and announce that the role of Iron Man was now being borne by someone else.
Dcspite bis lite s many ups and downs Tony Stark remains the same man he always was, adhering to his principles with an iron will. AD
Aflfxxjgh somotmos at odds with r»s feSow Avongars. Tony Stark remains one of the team's most constanl members. Whte Iks rronoy koops the team aSoat. a is as kon Man that he rooły kwves his mark.
147