Iron Man is a Marvel Comics superhero who was created in 1963 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. However, the reformed arms dealer shot to prominence in wider pop culture thanks to Robert Downey Junior's portrayal of the character in the MCU. In the comics, Tony Stark is a billionaire who uses his wealth and tech skills to build and operate a variety of armored suits, but keeps his identity as a secret by claiming that Iron Man is his bodyguard.
With so much money and tech know-how, Iron Man has been able to craft a variety of gadgets for himself and others heroes throughout the years. Without any of these gadgets, it is likely that the Marvel universe would look very different today.
6 Iron Spider
An Upgrade For A Younger Avenger
- First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #529 (2006)
The Iron Spider suit has never been worn by Tony Stark himself. He invented it as an upgrade for Spider-Man after the hero defeated Morlun, a dimension-hopping villain intent on wiping out all Spider-Men across the multiverse. The suit is extra durable and has four metallic arms that protrude out of its back, which Peter can control.
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However, Tony had an ulterior motive in giving the suit to Peter Parker. It was used as a way to sway the young hero into joining his pro-registration side of the Civil War event. While this tactic worked initially, Spider-Man eventually aligned himself with Captain America and abandoned the Iron Spider-suit.
5 Extremis
Nano Tech That Got Out Of Control
- First Appearance: Iron Man #4 (2005)
Extremis was the focus of a short run of Iron Man Comics in the mid-2000s. The experiment was also the focus of the third Iron Man movie. However, it behaved very differently in this iteration.
The Extremis program was a system of nanobots invented by Maya Hanson and Alritch Killian that could shape a person's DNA and give them superhuman properties. Tony Stark took this tech and modified it for himself, grafting it to his bones so that he had an Iron Man suit at the ready whenever he needed to act. The original Extremis program soon became a virus that Iron Man and War machine had to defeat. This victory also came at the expense of Tony destroying his own modified Extremis project.
4 Hulkbuster
A Contingency Used To Fight The Hulk
- First Appearance: Iron Man #304 (1994)
The Incredible Hulk is a great ally to The Avengers and the rest of the heroes in the Marvel universe. He has taken out threats like The Leader and Abomination on multiple occasions. However, these feats are only possible when Bruce Banner is in control of his alter ego. Sometimes, the Hulk goes on a rampage that can put innocent civilians in harms way, and few other heroes are powerful enough to stop him. That is why Tony Stark built the Hulkbuster.
The Hulkbuster is a super robust suit with the technology and firepower to take out The Hulk. It is only a contingency plan, but the other Marvel heroes are glad Iron Man has access to this suit of armor.
3 Jet Boots
The Only Tech That Gets Iron Man From A to B
- First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #39 (1963)
For Iron Man to fight crime all around the world, he would need a way to get there fast. His suit of armor is great at protecting him from explosions and gunfire, but its initial form was hardly easy to maneuver. The jet boots in Iron Man's initial suit were implemented as a quick means of escape from his prison in Vietnam. When it came to building a more thought-out suit, Tony Stark decided the technology would need to allow him to fly.
As such, Stark created his jet boots, which are extremely versatile in a firefight. This gadget gives Iron Man the ability to fly anywhere he needs, while also allowing him to stay away from enemy fire on the ground. It is safe to say that, without these boots, Iron Man would not be as popular as he is today.
2 Repulsor Blasts
His Main Form Of Attack
- First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #39 (1963)
As a new superhero looking to take a different approach in life, Tony Stark wanted to get as far away as possible from the weapons tech that made him a millionaire. In the wrong hands, these old weapons were lethal, so the Iron Man suit would need a way to combat enemies in a non-lethal way.
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Instead of using bullets to fight enemies, Stark chose to create his repulsor blasts. These beams of concussive energy fire directly from his hands and can stun or knock out a foe in one hit. These gadgets are the hero's primary means of combat, and Iron Man wouldn't be here without them.
1 Arc Reactor
His Greatest Invention
- First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #39 (1963)
Iron Man's Arc Reactor has two primary functions. It is a magnet that slowly pulls the shrapnel away from his heart that would one day kill him if left alone. It is also the device that powers his suits of armor that helps him live his new life, so no other person would ever need to have shrapnel removed from their heart.
This small gadget is one of Iron Man's most recognizable design features, as it is the small glowing device in the center of Tony Stark's chest. The Arc Reactor is considered to be the pinnacle of technology in the Marvel Universe, and it can do more than just power Iron Man suits. It is also unaffected by EMPs, so Iron Man is not so easy to take out.
