This Is the Best Iron Man Story and It Isn’t Even Close

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Iron Man is a fantastic hero, and nobody is here to deny that point. He’s saved the day on so many occasions, and even his death inspired a few villains to give a go at becoming something better. However, one of Iron Man’s best stories happens when Tony Stark is let off the leash. Yes, we’re talking about Superior Iron Man. This story stemmed from a larger Marvel event, and it flipped Tony’s script, turning the hero into a villain with no limitations or boundaries. Yes, the whole “hero-turned-villain” tale has been done a hundred times before, but sometimes exploring the darker side of a character allows for more depth and appreciation. Plus, you’ve gotta admit it; Iron Man would make for an awfully terrifying adversary.

The Origin of Superior Iron Man

Image courtesy of Marvel Comics.

Let’s take a step back and start from the beginning. Shockingly Superior Iron Man is set within the main continuity of Marvel Comics (Earth-616), but that means a few things had to happen to set the scene. Superior Iron Man is part of the larger Axis event, in which Scarlet Witch, in an attempt to defeat the Red Skull, used an inversion spell to alter Red Skull’s very being. Unfortunately, the spell worked a little too well, affecting more than the Red Skull. The spell also hit many others on the scene, including iconic heroes on the front line of the battle. We don’t have to explain how bad that is, as these heroes had their moral compasses flipped.

Enter Superior Iron Man. Free from his restraints, Tony Stark picked up his life and moved to San Francisco, where he began infecting the citizens with his newest version of the Extremis virus. Yes, that really was one of the first things he did after relocating, in case it wasn’t clear enough that Tony was playing for the side of villains. In its original state, the virus was inactive, but Tony could trigger it at will. There were multiple stages to the plan, and it mostly boiled down to a corporate dystopia setting, with Superior Iron Man at the center of it.

The Strange Case of Tony Stark and Iron Man

Image courtesy of Marvel Comics.

This shiny new version of Tony Stark was, quite understandably, a nightmare. He was narcissistic down to his marrow and displayed a variety of other personality disorders. At the core, Tony was seemingly most interested in money, and he showcased a complete lack of care or empathy for others. The story took Iron Man’s premise and pushed the boundaries, and in doing so presented something we’d never seen before.

Truthfully, evil Tony becoming some sort of corrupt businessman isn’t all that shocking. It’s the level he went to and his chosen methods that are so shocking. For example, he didn’t hesitate in his betrayal of Pepper Potts, which is probably especially surprising to those who’ve only watched the movies. He also pulled Daredevil into his antics, (temporarily) giving the hero his eyesight back. It was all part of Tony’s game, and that arguably made it hit even harder.

Turning the Tides & Finding Creative Solutions

Image courtesy of Marvel Comics.

Those unaffected by Wanda’s spell felt compelled to put a stop to the likes of Superior Iron Man (and other heroes-turned-villains). Daredevil, Pepper Potts, an AI version of Tony, and other heroes rose up to try and stop Superior Iron Man, quickly realizing that the problem was broader than they first anticipated. Unsurprisingly, this wasn’t the sort of situation that could be easily solved with a single action-packed battle.

This is where Superior Iron Man deviates from more classical heroes-turned-villain arcs. Yes, many heroes did throw themselves headfirst into battles against the corrupted Tony, but that is ultimately not how the day was won.

No matter which angle we take, it’s easy to see how Superior Iron Man became such a groundbreaking series for the character. While we’re relieved by how quickly he returned to his superhero status, we’ll never forget the dark potential lying just beneath the surface.