While most heroes love their local communities, there's simply not enough time and energy to prevent their favorite bagel shop from cataclysmic destruction. It’s no surprise then why Tony Stark, one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, has spent most of his time ending domestic, global, and intergalactic conflicts. Stark’s commitment to protecting and preserving Earth is an essential one. Unfortunately, it removes the tech giant’s ability to enact lasting change at the community level. Thus, the harsh truth is that when given the choice, most big-budget superheroes opt to save the world rather than safeguard their local communities from danger.
Unlike Stark, Riri Williams, better known as Ironheart, utilizes her exceptional intelligence, technological prowess, and cutting-edge lab at MIT to expose crime and uproot corruption in her neighborhood of South Shore, Chicago. Riri’s vision for street-level change sets her apart from Tony Stark, demonstrating that saving the world must begin in one’s backyard. Let's dig into 2018's Ironheart (by Eve L. Ewing, Kevin Libranda, Luciano Vecchio, and Matt Milla) to discover why Riri travels down a much different road than her mentor, Tony Stark.
Tragedy Unites Riri Williams and Tony Stark as Heroes
Riri's tragic backstory sets the stage for her community-centered approach as Ironheart, which differs drastically from the more globally-minded Iron Man. At first glance, both heroes are more alike than they are different. Besides being super-geniuses, the pair boasts an uncanny ability to understand, repurpose, and wield technology for devasting effects. Additionally, both Riri and Tony lost their parents when they were young, tragedies which drastically altered the course of their lives.
Both characters struggle with survivor's guilt, plagued by the weight of living in the shadow of their fathers' legacies each day. Tony honors his late father by taking up the mantle of Iron Man and cementing Stark Industries as a force for peace. Ultimately, Stark still longs to make his father proud, and it is this desire that drives him to be the best version of Iron Man he can be. While Tony Stark’s parents were killed in a car accident, Riri’s stepfather and best friend, Natalie, were killed in a drive-by shooting.
This tragedy, coupled with the death of Riri's birth father before she was born, shapes her sense of self and sets her on a mission to transform her community. In Ironheart #1, Riri recalls the advice of her stepfather that defines her purpose as Ironheart. She repeats his words to Xavier, her close friend, over FaceTime, as she states, "Those who move with courage make the path for those who live in fear." Her stepfather's advice sparks Riri's commitment to ensure that no one in South Shore, Chicago has to say goodbye to a slain loved one--at least not on her watch.
Ironheart Transforms Her Community Through Hope
Ewing's Ironheart spends its first arc unpacking how Riri can use her power to address crime and uproot political corruption in her city. The conflict revolves around the suspicious disappearance of children in Chicago. When Daija, one of Riri's high school friends, vanishes, too, Ironheart steps in to investigate. Concurrently, it's election season, and one candidate for governor, Thomas Birch, has flooded the airwaves with a promise to clean up the city and keep "thugs" off the street. Riri and Xavier feel a sense of unease about Birch, but it's Chicago--sleazy politicians are par for the course.
Riri soon discovers a spike in cell phone-related robberies--all at the hands of children and teens. Utilizing her tech to trace Daija's location, Riri bum rushes a warehouse to find a room full of kids and the sinister leader behind it all--Thomas Birch. The gutless politician confesses his plan to turn Chicago into a lawless city, a city where children--all with "criminal instincts"-- become pawns in his political game. Thankfully, Ironheart dismantles the goons with glee and enlists the children to work in her lab after-school. As a native of South Shore, Riri is acutely aware of their powerless struggle, but she will move with courage--and just as her stepfather taught her--pave the way for those in fear.