The genius millionaire playboy philanthropist unpacking the iconic character iron man: film openers: Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, is one of the most iconic and beloved superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Don Heck, Iron Man first appeared in the comic book "Tales of Suspense" #39 in 1963. Since then, the character has undergone numerous iterations, but his core personality and traits have remained unchanged. The Origin Story Tony Stark, a brilliant inventor and billionaire CEO of Stark Industries, is kidnapped by a terrorist group while demonstrating his company's latest missile technology in Afghanistan. Forced to build a powerful missile system for his captors, Stark instead uses his intelligence and resourcefulness to create a powered exoskeleton suit, which he uses to escape and eventually becomes the iconic Iron Man suit. The Evolution of Iron Man Throughout the comic book series and the MCU, Iron Man has undergone ...