The Marvel Universe would be a very different place without Iron Man. He's moved beyond the stereotypical Cold War capitalist fighting the Red Menace into a truly multifaceted character, one whose heroics and hubris have both benefited and been detrimental to his fellows. Iron Man has become one of Marvel's most interesting heroes; even if he isn't as popular as his MCU counterpart, he's more of a fully realized person.
Iron Man in the comics hasn't been popular for a very long time, but that doesn't mean he's a bad character. There's a lot to love about Iron Man and his adventures in the comics, making him a joy to read about at times.
10 His Struggles With Alcoholism Show The Man Beneath The Armor
One of the greatest things about Marvel's heroes is the human foibles they have. This allows readers to understand them better, humanizing them in the best ways. Iron Man was given his own struggles, and his problems were more serious than most other heroes: he was an alcoholic. His struggles with addiction have made him into an icon for readers that have similar problems.
Iron Man's high-stress lifestyle led him to overindulge in alcohol. He was able to quit and stay sober, although he fights it daily. It's a very realistic portrayal of addiction, and it shows the struggles of Tony Stark with the lifestyle he's chosen, something that allows readers to understand him better.
9 His Relationship With Captain America And Thor Is Always Entertaining
Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America are the three most important Avengers. Over the years, their relationship has evolved, and it's always entertaining, even when they're not on the best of terms. A big reason for this is Iron Man and how he looks at each of them. He finds Cap kind of old-fashioned but trusts him completely. He respects and fears Thor's power, and there's no one he'd rather have watch his back.
The three of them interacting is always a good time for readers. It doesn't matter if they're the best of friends, working together, or at each other's throats, usually because of Iron Man's actions; the Avengers' trinity is good for business.
8 He's Evolved Far Beyond His Roots
Iron Man was honestly a pretty offensive character in his original incarnation. Stan Lee was known for using real-world motivations for his characters, and Iron Man was cast as the intrepid Cold Warrior, the industrialist who proved that capitalism was superior by smashing the evil communists every chance he got. At best, it's something that hasn't aged well, and at worst, it was pretty racist.
Times change, though, and so has Iron Man. He's grown far beyond the arms dealer with a heart of gold that first debuted. He's not exactly a changed man, having more of an inoffensive libertarian bent without the problematic aspects, but he's much better than he used to be.
7 He'll Do Anything To Save The World
Iron Man is the most pragmatic hero on Earth. Spider-Man talks about responsibility all the time, but Iron Man lives that life in a way that makes the Wall-Crawler look quaint. Iron Man has proven that he'll do anything to keep the Earth safe, even if it takes turning against one of his oldest friends. He founded the Illuminati, gathering powerful like-minded heroes to his side to do what needs to be done.
Iron Man will go to any lengths to keep the world safe. He'll lie, cheat, and destroy anything he has to, and take all the responsibility on himself. He doesn't allow his moral code to stop him from saving lives. This has led to some dark places, but they're always great to read about.
6 He's One Of The Smartest People On Earth
Marvel's scientists are some of the smartest in comics. They've created some amazing inventions, from interdimensional portals to unstable molecules to time machines. Even among this illustrious number, Iron Man is one of the smartest. Although his focus is on engineering and weapons design, he's learned from the heroes around him and is a polymath of the highest order.
He's not the smartest hero, that's Moon Girl, but his intelligence has helped save the world many times. He works well with his super-science compatriots, and while he can be rather arrogant in general, he understands that he can't always do everything on his own.
5 He Innovates When He Needs To
Iron Man faces down some extremely dangerous villains on a regular basis. There have been plenty of times over the years that his armor just wasn't up to snuff against his foes, forcing him to go back to the drawing board and make his armor better. Conflict and innovation go hand in hand, and Iron Man's armor has gotten much better because of it.
It's not just his armor he innovates either. He upgrades the Avengers' technology and equipment every chance he gets, creates new technology for the masses, and does his part to make the world a better place through tech.
4 His Rivalry With Doctor Doom Is Possibly Better Than The Reed/Doom Rivalry
Iron Man and Doctor Doom are the two most egotistical people on Earth, so it makes sense they'd be rivals. They're both armored scientists who think they're better than everyone else and have had some monumental clashes over the years. Their rivalry isn't as personal as the one between Reed Richards and Doom, and that honestly makes it a little better.
Iron Man and Doom actually respect each other in ways that Doom could never respect Richards. Doom even subbed in for Iron Man when he was thought dead, doing his best to do justice to his foe's name while also redeeming his own. It's a good time every time they clash.
3 His Witty Repartee Is Always Entertaining
Marvel's heroes have long been known for being pretty funny, and over the years, Iron Man has taken the cake in that regard. He's no Spider-Man, and he's certainly not as quippy as his MCU counterpart, but Iron Man's wit has always been one of the most entertaining aspects of the character. For a character as serious as he usually is, it's refreshing for him to drop one of his jokes.
It's one of the many joys of reading Iron Man comics. They aren't laugh-a-minute comedies or anything like that, but he has it where it counts and his snarky, often self-deprecating humor do wonders to lighten the darkest situations.
2 He's The Most Important Avenger
The Avengers are the most important team in the Marvel Universe. They've saved the world thousands of times from every kind of threat imaginable. Iron Man is a founding member of the team, but he's definitely more important than any of the founders or, for that matter, any of the team's other members. He's done more for the team than anyone else.
He's given the team multiple bases, paid for all of their equipment, and ensured that members of the team didn't have to worry about a job because he paid them a generous stipend. Iron Man made the Avengers' existence possible in a way no one could have over the years.
1 His Armor May Not Be The Best, But It's The Best Looking
Comics are full of amazing armors used by heroes and villains. Iron Man's isn't exactly the best, as armor possessed by Doctor Doom and Lex Luthor have allowed them to defeat foes that Iron Man would fall to, but it's certainly the best looking. From the overall design to the color scheme, Iron Man's armor has always been one of the best looks in comics.
It's a perfect example of form and function coming together. The fact that it's always evolving makes it even better; other heroes' costume changes feel like a gimmick, but Iron Man's are just part of his schtick. His armor is always getting better looking, changing with the times to create iconic looks.