Iron Man is one of the most popular superheroes in the world. Even before the Marvel Cinematic Universe turned him into a household name that defined a generation, Iron Man was one of Marvel’s A-listers, pushing the boundaries of what a hero is and could do. He’s always been one of the driving forces behind Marvel’s innovation and technological progress. As a core member of the Avengers, being on it more often than not, Iron Man is the person that everyone turns to when they need high-powered tech or a way to turn their idea to save the day into a comic book science-backed reality.
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Iron Man has become an essential part of the superhero community, and that role must continue, even when Tony Stark himself is out of the picture. Superhero identities often come to represent something even greater than the first person to don the suit, and grow into symbols that endure long into the future. Every popular hero leaves a legacy, and Iron Man is no exception. Today, we’re taking a look at all of the people who carried on Iron Man’s name or mission long after him, and talking about what makes each of them tick.
6) AI Tony Stark
Let’s start with the worst torchbearer of all time, blue Tony Stark. After Tony was put into a coma at the end of Civil War II, other heroes took up his legacy to continue the good fight. What’s unfortunately very clear is that other writers really, really wanted to use Tony, but couldn’t, and this was the worst workaround imaginable. Creating an extra duplicate of Tony Stark in every way, down to his ability to pilot an Iron Man Suit and finding a way to alter his code to get drunk, was one of the worst possible decisions because it completely invalidated any impact that Tony’s real injuries had.
This is Marvel’s biggest moment of having their cake and trying to eat it too. An AI Tony being around to help Ironheart isn’t a bad idea, but an AI Tony that everyone treats exactly like the original is. Superhero comics already have a problem convincing audiences that injuries or deaths have meaning, and this is the prime example of how to destroy that argument in a single move. Tony is a fantastic character, but this isn’t Tony, and pretending like it is while the actual Tony rots in a hospital bed is a slap in the face to everyone.
5) Sonny Frisco
Sonny Frisco was the Iron Man of the year 2099, originally debuting in Secret Wars 2099. Sonny was an uncommonly short inventor who was mocked for his height and chose to build an endless array of devices to protect himself from abuse. His skills were noticed, and he was chosen for Alchemax’s new take on the Avengers, with Sonny taking the name Iron Man. We haven’t seen much of Sonny, honestly, but his suit is practically the same as the original Iron Man’s armor, just more sophisticated and with that classic ‘90s-inspired 2099 design. The biggest problem with Sonny is that he has great potential, but hasn’t done anything with it.
Sonny being an insecure scientist in a future with even more advanced technology than present-day Marvel has a ton of potential, but he hasn’t had the screen time to develop it. As of right now, all of his plots and strengths are just theoretical. He could be a fantastic character, but we don’t know because he’s barely a character at all. Currently, he’s still living in the present with his memories wiped, and while an amnesiac genius from the future holds a ton of inherent drama, it can’t deliver on it unless we see more. Sonny needs to prove that he can be Iron Man to actually garner an audience.
4) Arno Stark
Arno was Howard and Maria Stark’s biological son, with Tony later being revealed to be adopted. Arno was trapped in an iron lung for decades, until Tony found out about him and helped bring him into the world. Arno became Iron Man when he convinced the world that Tony was an AI masquerading as the real Tony. He needed to take over Stark Industries to create the defense program against the Extinction Entity, which was a creature he foresaw destroying the Earth. He betrayed everyone who loved him and stole everything from his brother to become the Iron Man he thought the world needed.
The best thing about Arno’s time as Iron Man is that it’s a tragedy. The Extinction Entity was never real, and to save Arno and save the world from Arno, he was locked in a virtual reality where his plan worked. Arno is a very interesting character to have in Tony’s orbit. I can easily see him returning to either be an anti-hero Iron Man, acting like a god for mankind’s sake, or as an ally who has learned from his greatest mistakes. I love a good redemption arc. However, Arno ranks low on this list because I think he’s most interesting around Tony, and if Tony’s around, he’s the best Iron Man.
3) Ironheart
Riri Williams is, in many ways, her generation’s Tony Stark. She was a super genius who dedicated herself to becoming a superhero at a young age, even creating her own prototype Iron Man armor with spare parts she nabbed from her MIT lab. Tony recognized her intelligence and supported her fast-tracking to superherodom, even leaving his AI to help her take his place after Civil War II. From there, Riri grew into her own hero with her own struggles, mostly in how to connect to other heroes her own age and how to find her own place in a world that she’s both far too smart for and too confused by it to understand.
The thing that holds Ironheart back is that she doesn’t have her own niche yet. Super geniuses are a dime a dozen in Marvel, so she needs something to push her over the edge to capture an audience. Even her own expanded mythos directly ties her to Iron Man, then the Ten Rings, then Wakanda. She feels like she connects to so many places but doesn’t exemplify anything of her own, at least right now. She needs some x-factor that I don’t think she has right now. Even still, she’s a great and entertaining character who is trying to find her way in the world, and I would love to see her develop more.
2) Doctor Doom
Victor Von Doom is an absolute menace in every regard. He’s one of Marvel’s most dangerous and egotistical villains, legitimately believing that only he can and deserves to lord over creation. Yet, on the inside, he’s a deeply insecure man who cannot handle any imperfections, which is why he covers his scarred face. All those circumstances make him an incredible villain, and those same circumstances made his turn to heroism after Secret Wars (2015) so incredible. With his face restored and the position of Iron Man open, Victor rose to the occasion in a way we never expected.
Doom’s turn to heroism was the final act in a long road to redemption paved over the course of years. He finally got everything he wanted in the truest sense of the word, and with his excuses for villainy removed, became a hero unlike any other. Seeing such a classic villain so convincingly flip sides is so rare but so darn cool. I loved every moment of Doom being a hero and everything it represented, with him showing how much he’d grown and how he tackled a world where he didn’t have to be evil and where Mister Fantastic wasn’t around. Doom was an amazing Iron Man, and my only complaint is that it ended far too soon.
1) Jim Rhodes
There’s little doubt that Rhodey is the greatest successor to Iron Man, and he already proved it decades ago. He has something that no other potential Iron Man successor has right now: the best build-up in the business. He was the hero who took over when Tony faced his demons in the bottle. Tony recovered while Rhodey showed the world a whole new Iron Man that was just as effective as the original. Even before that, Rhodey was an important side character in Tony’s stories for a long time, establishing himself as a friend, confidant, and hero in his own right. When Rhodey finally donned the armor, it felt right and, most importantly, earned.
The best way to make fans love a successor is to have them struggle to live up to their mentor, but ultimately demonstrate why they deserve the position they have. Rhodey struggled every moment to be Iron Man, but proved that he brought a new perspective, wit, and determination to the mantle. He may not be a genius, but he’s a master engineer. In fact, he’s the only Iron Man who isn’t a genius, which keeps his stories fresh and distinct from Tony’s. Rhodey has the history and skill set to be a fantastic hero, and he shows that whenever he steps up to the plate.
Which of Iron Man’s successors is your favorite? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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