The True Tony Stark

[MyNameisAsh525]

I always imagined Stark as a serious type. I remember the 90's cartoon...and from there I adapted the personality when I read the comics. Now that Downey took over at Stark in the films, it changed. Now he's a huge ham. He hams it up! I like it....yet, did he reinvent Stark? or was Stark always intended to be the way Downey portrays him? OR is this the Ultimate version of Stark? Being a student in engineering myself, I find myself to be a more serious type like the Stark of cartoon syndication of the 90's.....yet, Downey.....he's def not a very serious type in his rendition of Stark. Someone explain.

[cherokeesam]

RDJ is definitely playing himself. But he's a huge lifelong fan of the character, and his take on Tony Stark is still respectful of the source material. He just happened to inject Tony with a fun personality, and it's worked great.

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Tony in the books is boring.

[cph9fa]

This is a good point... I'd assumed a lot of the seriousness I'd been picking up from Tony in the comics (which I've only started to read since Avengers) was due to my happening to focus largely on the Civil War and post-CW-fallout story lines. A lot of the events in there, obviously, weigh very heavily on him.

Another aspect of his personality that I've noticed in several of the comics, and which has been largely downplayed in the films, is the whole "futurist" concept -- the idea that as a genius, Tony is constantly anticipating possible future scenarios and preparing backup plans for them. Hopefully we get to see a bit of that in IM3.

But ultimately, yeah, he is a genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist.

[pr0xyt0xin]

I'm always hesitant to bring this up for fear of having been reading Iron Man comics the wrong way or offending RDJ fans.

But lets break it down,
He's highly intelligent so witty makes sense.
He's rich and famous so confident makes sense.
He's confident and attractive so lady's man makes sense.

I guess we should try re-reading the comics in RDJ's voice.

[metaphysician]

Tony has always been a lady's man in the comics. RDJ just gives that some greater credibility.

[[rono]]

Originally Posted by Blitzkrieg Bop

Tony in the books is boring.

It's a wonder the series lasted so long then.

[chiefchirpa]

RDJ's Tony is a countering personality for 2 guys in the MU often associated with him:

a) Steve Rogers - a very serious, reserved man.
Additionally: Thor is a very serious demigod.

b) Reed Richards - a very serious, reserved man.
Additionally: Serious-introvert Bruce Banner, T'Challa and perhaps Henry Pym (but I doubt it)

So yeah old book Tony Stark was boring and brought no countering personalities against some of the MU established characters.

[the dmg]

Originally Posted by cph9fa

Another aspect of his personality that I've noticed in several of the comics, and which has been largely downplayed in the films, is the whole "futurist" concept -- the idea that as a genius, Tony is constantly anticipating possible future scenarios and preparing backup plans for them. Hopefully we get to see a bit of that in IM3.

But ultimately, yeah, he is a genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist.

Stark Expo in IM2 and Stark Tower in TA as two examples.

[BigThor]

Originally Posted by the dmg

Stark Expo in IM2 and Stark Tower in TA as two examples.

Bingo

[storyteller]

Keep in mind that we had been seeing super serious all the time characters up until Iron Man. Blade, Peter Parker, Wolverine, Batman, Superman, and others weren't really all that playful. They have certainly made him a little less uptight as he was in the comics. Honestly Tony in the comics seems very depressed and suicidal. He jumps into bed with the next lady to feel something. He can barely hold himself together.

But RDJ's portrayal is a refreshing look at the superhero. He actually made it fun to be a superhero. The portrayal connects more because it's very hard to see the downside of being Tony Stark/ Iron Man.

[metaphysician]

Originally Posted by storyteller

Keep in mind that we had been seeing super serious all the time characters up until Iron Man. Blade, Peter Parker, Wolverine, Batman, Superman, and others weren't really all that playful. They have certainly made him a little less uptight as he was in the comics. Honestly Tony in the comics seems very depressed and suicidal. He jumps into bed with the next lady to feel something. He can barely hold himself together.

But RDJ's portrayal is a refreshing look at the superhero. He actually made it fun to be a superhero. The portrayal connects more because it's very hard to see the downside of being Tony Stark/ Iron Man.

I wouldn't totally agree; the movies make it quite clear that there are downsides to being Tony Stark. The difference is, Tony doesn't angst about them. They aren't tragedies, they are tradeoffs, or perhaps challenges to overcome.

[The Guard]

It always just seemed to me like IRON MAN's Tony Stark was more along the lines of the Ultimates version, not the 616 version.

[TacomaTruck90]

I thought Tony Stark was self center and kinda an ahole..genious...in the films and comic...cartoon ironman for kids would have to be toned down..I like mcu stark though it got me into comics

[Chewy]

Movie Tony Stark >>>>>>> Comic Tony Stark

[Dark Raven]

Movie Tony Stark is wittier than any Movie Peter Parker.

In the IM comics, Rhodey is the less serious and more laid back one. When he became Iron Man from #170 onwards, one of the things that fans liked about him was that Iron Man was now a more laid back character who joked around and made wisecracks.

In the movies, Stark has more of the laid back personality and makes wisecracks. Rhodey is very serious and uptight.

For a very faithful comic book Stark, Timothy Dalton would've been very suitable for that more serious take when he was in his prime back in the 80s during the time of Flash Gordon or James Bond:

[Spider-Vader]

I like the RDJ version more, I'm glad that's becoming the norm for Iron Man. The old school one is sort of bland & I don't like his face. He looks...scumbaggy.

[ironmaidenrules]

I think he will start being more serious. I think the avengers has a phenomenal affect on him. Kinda like a wake up call. He went to space. As of right now he is the only good guy to get a glimpse of that world. He knows the threats will get bigger. I wouldn't be surprised if he acts a bit like he did in civil war(but not as much) more like trying to mold a better world and behave like a spokesman for super heroes.

He represents something bigger than himself now.

[The Guard]

I think Stark, when the story calls for him to be serious, has been appropriately serious in this franchise. He seems to use humor as a defense mechanism, or to endear himself to people, which seems fairly natural given someone of his ego.

[Baneis8feettall]

If Tony Stark was played serious and darker, he would be Batman copy cat with a different suit and lack of no guns policy. Especially in 2008, when Batman gained his popularity back it might seen as lack of orginality...Both of them non-powered. Both of them Genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist when they are not heroes. Both of them has cool gadgets.

Tony Stark is better this way. He is not over the top funny character. He has his serious moments as well.

[Bren]

Originally Posted by ironmaidenrules

I think he will start being more serious. I think the avengers has a phenomenal affect on him. Kinda like a wake up call. He went to space...

After directing a nuclear missile through a wormhole in a potential sacrifice play to stop world invasion by an alien force being commanded by a mad Asgardian magician........... He wanted to go get a schwarma.

I don't think he will start behaving more seriously

[Silvermoth]

Originally Posted by Baneis8feettall

If Tony Stark was played serious and darker, he would be Batman copy cat with a different suit and lack of no guns policy. Especially in 2008, when Batman gained his popularity back it might seen as lack of orginality...Both of them non-powered. Both of them Genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist when they are not heroes. Both of them has cool gadgets.

Tony Stark is better this way. He is not over the top funny character. He has his serious moments as well.

Ah yes I remember when people used to say they were too similar. Especially back in the days of the non robotic Jarvis. I'm so glad the movies modernised that.

[xeno000]

Originally Posted by [rono]

It's a wonder the series lasted so long then.

Ironically enough, the original Iron Man series suffered from low sales and was on the cancellation bubble more than once back in the day. Stark was rather boring and his villains were just as bland for some reason. Even keeping Stark five seconds from a heart attack for years on end didn't make his title exciting, though it did lead him to be horribly self-pitying most of the time.

Originally Posted by storyteller

Keep in mind that we had been seeing super serious all the time characters up until Iron Man. Blade, Peter Parker, Wolverine, Batman, Superman, and others weren't really all that playful. They have certainly made him a little less uptight as he was in the comics. Honestly Tony in the comics seems very depressed and suicidal. He jumps into bed with the next lady to feel something. He can barely hold himself together.

But RDJ's portrayal is a refreshing look at the superhero. He actually made it fun to be a superhero. The portrayal connects more because it's very hard to see the downside of being Tony Stark/ Iron Man.

This is all very true. In the comics, Tony is portrayed as being self-destructive quite often, emotionally empty and needy to the point where he defines himself and gains self-worth through his relationships with women. At one low point, Stane was able to drive Stark into a depressive spiral by hiring a woman to romance and then dump Tony. That was part of the genesis of the classic "Demon in a Bottle" story arc. The movie version of Tony Stark draws on the emotionally-stunted, needy, insecure, obsessive aspects of Tony's comics persona and brilliantly combines them with charm, wit and manic energy to come up with a character that the audience can connect to and enjoy.


At SDCC Joe Quesada admitted that before the Iron Man movie came out in 2008, Tony Stark was the most hated character in the comics universe because of the way he was portrayed in the Civil War series. They had essentially turned Stark into the comics worst villain by having him betray most of the other heroes and lead the government efforts to hunt down anyone who refused registration. The character was essentially rehabilitated by Downey, Favreau and the writers of Iron Man.

[Dark Raven]

Originally Posted by xeno000

Ironically enough, the original Iron Man series suffered from low sales and was on the cancellation bubble more than once back in the day. Stark was rather boring and his villains were just as bland for some reason. Even keeping Stark five seconds from a heart attack for years on end didn't make his title exciting, though it did lead him to be horribly self-pitying most of the time.





This is all very true. In the comics, Tony is portrayed as being self-destructive quite often, emotionally empty and needy to the point where he defines himself and gains self-worth through his relationships with women. At one low point, Stane was able to drive Stark into a depressive spiral by hiring a woman to romance and then dump Tony. That was part of the genesis of the classic "Demon in a Bottle" story arc. The movie version of Tony Stark draws on the emotionally-stunted, needy, insecure, obsessive aspects of Tony's comics persona and brilliantly combines them with charm, wit and manic energy to come up with a character that the audience can connect to and enjoy.


At SDCC Joe Quesada admitted that before the Iron Man movie came out in 2008, Tony Stark was the most hated character in the comics universe because of the way he was portrayed in the Civil War series. They had essentially turned Stark into the comics worst villain by having him betray most of the other heroes and lead the government efforts to hunt down anyone who refused registration. The character was essentially rehabilitated by Downey, Favreau and the writers of Iron Man.

No it wasn't. You're wrong there. Demon in a Bottle is specifically Iron Man issues #120-128, with #128 titled "Demon in a Bottle". That was several years before Stane even entered the picture. Demon in a Bottle was brought about by 2 things:

1) SHIELD trying a hostile take over of Stark International, causing Tony to start drinking.
2) Justin Hammer framing Iron Man for murder of a UN ambassador.

The Stane storyline wasn't until the mid to late #160s when, after a period of strength and success in Tony's life, Stane entered and began using chess tactics on him, first with the Chessmen, and then Indries Moomji, as you mentioned, who was specifically brought in to toy with his emotions and then dump him.

The Stane storyline where Tony lost Stark International and gave up being Iron Man (handing it over to Rhodey) and became a wandering bum lasted several years, with Tony hitting rock bottom around the #180s before he began the road to recovery. The whole story wasn't handled by David Michellinie or Bob Layton, and was definitely not considered classic at the time that readers were experiencing it. Most readers thought it went on for too long, thought Stark was past his sell-by date, and there were mixed reactions to Rhodey (with some wanting him to stay on permanently as IM because he was more laid back and less serious, and others wanting Stark back).

It was only when it culminated in Iron Man #200 and the confrontation between Silver Centurion Iron Man and Iron Monger that it put the whole thing in a new light and it was more highly considered because of the dramatic battle and turning point for Stark.

But that story is definitely NOT the "Demon in a Bottle" storyline and certainly not the genesis of it. The DIAB title specifically refers to IM #120-128.

[ironmaidenrules]

Originally Posted by Bren

After directing a nuclear missile through a wormhole in a potential sacrifice play to stop world invasion by an alien force being commanded by a mad Asgardian magician........... He wanted to go get a schwarma.

I don't think he will start behaving more seriously

lol yes...but they all went.even cap and he is super serious lol

Getting food after doing stuff that uses energy is pretty normal. Besides stark wouldn't want people to know how much it affected him. I think during iron man 3 after he loses Pepper and his house explodes he will be very serious