Cover art by Jack Kirby First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #40 (April 1963) Iron Man debuts his new golden armor as he battles the caveman-like villain Gargantus.
He constructed at least one updated, form-fitting (although still rigid) version upon his return to the United States.
Stark used it to escape terrorists in Vietnam who were holding him hostage. All of the armor's devices and functions were manually controlled by the wearer. Weaponry included a chest-mounted monobeam (proton beam generator), a miniature hacksaw, and magnetic turbo-insulators that allowed Stark to magnetically deflect metal projectiles or bring metal objects to him. Air pressure jets allowed for extended jumps and removable suction cups allowed the wearer to cling to walls and ceilings. Powered by flat linear armature rechargeable DC motors, the exoskeleton boosted the strength of the wearer by about 10 times, and employed motion-sensing negative feedback to control movement. The armor, made from ordinary iron, provided protection from physical attacks, small arms, extreme temperatures, some forms of energy, and acid. Stark's grey armor was the first Iron Man armor he made it was built around an iron chest plate designed to prevent the piece of shrapnel he received in Vietnam from travelling to his heart and killing him. First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963) Originally a spotlight and "proton beam", it has grown to accommodate a number of other weapons, primarily light and force-based.Ģ0th century incarnations Armors of the 1960s A later variation on this is the Pulse Bolts, bolts of concussive energy that actually gain energy the further they have to travel, up to a limit of roughly three football fields (about 329 meters).Īnother defining trait is the chest-mounted "uni-beam", also known as the variobeam, pentabeam, tri-beam, and chest RT, or chest repulsor transmitter. In the 2008 film, the repulsors are a form of propulsion and (as hand units) steering and braking jets, though Stark later learned that they could also be used offensively. They have been referred to as being magnetic, a blast of charged particles, and as a force beam. The repulsors originated as a hand attachment, but have since become the armor's most important standard armament. The defining abilities of Stark's armor are the jets situated in the boots and the repulsors situated in the gauntlets. Earlier versions of the armor could also fold virtually flat, allowing Stark to store them in his bullet-proof briefcase. Furthermore, they typically have multiple power sources including a secondary solar energy collection function in the event that conventional recharging methods are unavailable. Every suit has a self-contained environment, assorted onboard weapons systems, enhanced strength, flight, and various communications arrays and sensors, such as radar and radio. They are made of incredibly-strong, fictional materials bolstered by a force field. Stark's suits are each unique in design and purpose.
2.3.3 Iron Man Armor MK VI (Recovery armor).2.3.2 Iron Man Armor Model 07 (Stealth Armor MK I).2.2.1 Iron Man Armor MK IV (classic red and gold).2.1.3 Iron Man Armor MK III (original red and gold).2.1.2 Iron Man Armor MK II (Golden Avenger).
In real life, it changed as different artists took over the series and decided to change it to what they wanted. In the fictional multiverse, the appearance of Stark's armor has radically changed over the years, either as a result of modifications made by Stark or specialized armors created for specific situations. The first armor (which in the story, was created by Stark and Ho Yinsen), was designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, and first appeared, along with Tony Stark, in Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963). Iron Man's armor is a fictional powered exoskeleton appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and is worn by comic book superhero Tony Stark when he assumes the identity of Iron Man.