The Ages of Iron Man: Essays on the Armored Avenger in Changing Times

by Joseph J. Darowski (Editor)

Overview

Billionaire industrialist, cold warrior, weapons designer, alcoholic, philanthropist, Avenger--Tony Stark, alter-ego of Marvel Comics' Iron Man, has played many roles in his five decades as a superhero. From his 1963 comics debut in Tales of Suspense to the recent film adaptations--The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013)--hundreds of creators have had a hand in writing the character with evolving depictions and distinct artistic styles. This collection of essays provides an historical overview of an important figure in American popular culture and a close reading of Iron Man's most iconic story lines, including his origin in Vietnam, "Demon in a Bottle," "Civil War," and "Extremis."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476620749
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	07/11/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	236
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Joseph J. Darowski teaches English at Brigham Young University and has published on comic book superheroes such as the X-Men, Wonder Woman, and Superman as well as on television series such as Chuck and Frasier.
Joseph J. Darowski teaches English at Brigham Young University and has published on comic book superheroes such as the X-Men, Wonder Woman, and Superman as well as on television series such as Chuck and Frasier.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction—Joseph J. Darowski
“The Iron-Clad American”: Iron Man in the 1960s—Brian Patton
Tony Stark: Disabled Vietnam Veteran?—Craig This
“Gorgeous new menace”: Black Widow, Gender Roles and the Subversion of Cold War Expectations of Domesticity—Natalie R. Sheppard
Fu Manchu Meets Maklu-4: The Mandarin and Racial Stereotypes—Richard A. Iadonisi
Does Khrushchev Tell Kennedy? Superpowered Rivalry and Silver Age Iron Man—José Alaniz
Ike’s Nightmare: Iron Man and the Military-Industrial Complex—Will Cooley and Mark C. Rogers
Socking It to Shell-Head: How Fan Mail Saved a Hero from the Military-Industrial Complex—Charles Henebry
Countdown to #100: Escapist Heroism and the Challenges of Modernity in the Late 1970s—John M. Vohlidka
Demon in a Bottle and Feet of Clay: David Michelinie and Bob Layton on Iron Man—Jason Sacks
War Machine: Blackness, Power and Identity in Iron Man—Julian C. Chambliss
From Armor Wars to Iron Man 2.0: The Superhero Entrepreneur—Jean-Philipe Zanco
Cold Warrior at the End of the Cold War: John Byrne’s “War Games” in an Era of Transition—Joseph J. Darowski
“I would be the bad guy”: Tony Stark as Villain of Marvel’s Civil War—John Darowski
Feminizing the Iron: Tony Stark’s Rescue—Jason Michálek
Iron Icarus: Comics Futurism and the Man–Machine System—Rikk Mulligan
About the Contributors
Index

Editorial Reviews

provides engaging and thought-provoking perspectives on Marvel’s most unexpectedly popular superhero”—SFRA Review; “goes into extensive detail about the individual characters starting from their origins and their transition and evolution through the decades...makes for fascinating reading”—Collectors’ Corner.

From the Publisher