Marvel's What If...? References One of Iron Man's Most Infamous Storylines

Iron Man's "Demon in a Bottle" storyline earned an Easter egg in the latest episode of Marvel's What If...?

By Adam Barnhardt

When it comes to Iron Man, few stories stand out as much as the character's battle with alcoholism in "Demon in a Bottle." Bob Layton's artwork on the cover of The Invincible Iron Man #128 (1979) has become an iconic piece in the Marvel Stable, something that's received countless homages throughout the years. Now, the infamous storyline has even found its way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In the latest episode of Marvel's What If...?, Tony Stark makes a passing "demon in a bottle" reference during a chat with Gamora on Sakaar. Though it wasn't an exact adaptation of the comic story by any means, it's the first time Marvel Studios has given a nod to the controversial comic.

Shane Black previously revealed he wanted to adapt pieces of the storyline for Iron Man 3, though Disney censors didn't allow any such storyline into the movie. "In our first draft Tony was a bit more rock 'n' roll," Black said in 2013. "Even if you look at the websites of the mommy bloggers they say, you know, 'Watch out, mom's! Tony drinks in this movie!' It's amazing."

He added, "There's one or two scenes in this movie where he picks up a drink and it'll be in those blogs, so they'll say 'watch out because he drinks'. It's pretty amazing because it used to be you drank all the time in movies."

What Is Season 2 of What If...? About? 

You can read Marvel Studios' official synopsis here: "Season two of What If…? continues the journey as The Watcher guides viewers through the vast multiverse, introducing brand new and familiar faces throughout the MCU. The series questions, revisits, and twists classic Marvel Cinematic moments with an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles. Featuring fan-favorite characters this season like Nebula, Hela, and Happy Hogan, episodes are directed by executive producer Bryan Andrews with executive producer AC Bradley as head writer."

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The episode titles of What If...? Season 2 are as follows: "What if Nabula Joined the Nova Corps?"; What If Peter Quill Attacked Earth's Mightiest Heroes?"; "What If Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?"; "What If Iron Man Crashed into the Grandmaster?"; "What if Captain Carter Fought the Hydra Stomper?"; "What if Kahhori Reshaped the World?"; "What If Hela Found the Ten Rings?"; "What if The Avengers Assembled in 1602?"; and "What if Strange Supreme Intervened?."

One new episode of What If...? releases every day from December 22nd to December 30th. 

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