While Iron Man is a household name these days thanks to his charismatic portrayal of Robert Downey Jr. in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he wasn't always the publisher's most popular character. Despite his charming personality, he was always a billionaire weapons manufacturer and war profiteer – but that all changed with a 1979 story arc: “Demon in a Bottle”.
Taking place in The Invincible Iron Man (Volume 1) #120-128 – written by David Michelinie, with art by John Romita Jr. – “Demon in a Bottle” addressed the real-world ramifications of Tony Stark's cosmopolitan portrayal of the character, asking how Tony could continue to be the Iron Man when he would otherwise be too drunk to drive.
While his friends and loved ones worried about him, Iron Man's most powerful enemy was revealed to be Tony Stark himself, in a story that fundamentally changed the character and, arguably, Marvel Comics as a whole.forever.
Marvel Comics' Definitive Iron Man Plot “Demon in a Bottle” Explained
Starting in The Invincible Iron Man (1968) #120 – Written by David Michelinie; Art by John Romita Sr. and Bob Layton
“Demon in a Bottle” is a slow burn; while the arc takes place over nine issues, the first eight issues play out in the relatively familiar style of Bronze Age comic book storytelling. A flying tank hits the commercial jet he is on; Iron Man faces Namor; he fights a group of Roxxon Oil mercenaries; his Iron Man armor malfunctions on his flight home, although he can find nothing wrong; it later malfunctions again and causes the death of a foreign diplomat. Later, a date in Atlantic City with Bethany Cabe is interrupted by Whiplash, Blizzard and Melter.
If comics had hitherto been criticized as frivolous and at worst considered metaphors for real issues, “Demon in a Bottle” showed that it was possible to tell a serious story in the medium.
Notably, the story introduces one of Tony Stark's billionaire enemies: Justin Hammer. Hammer is the driving force behind Tony's problems, as he caused the armor to malfunction, sent the trio of villains to Atlantic City, and tried to ruin his life. His company lost a lucrative bid to Stark International, so none of this was personal; it was strictly commercial. Even though Tony doesn't have his Iron Man armor on, he still has intelligence: he escapes from his room, destroys the machine controlling his armor, and flees a base full of costumed villains until the police arrive.
What made the “Demon in a Bottle” arc stand out at the time and, in retrospect, makes it an important part of comic book history, was to tell a mature, meaningful story about a real-world issue, using an established comic book hero as the protagonist. If comics had hitherto been criticized as frivolous and, at worst, considered metaphors for real issues at best, “Demon in a Bottle” showed that it was possible to tell a serious story in the medium.
Iron Man's battle with alcoholism defined “Demon In A Bottle” – and the trajectory of Tony Stark's character in the years that followed
The Story's Key Beats, Explained
In a way, “Demon in a Bottle” was the beginning of a shift in comic book storytelling that took hold in the 1980s.; It could be argued that the arc set the stage for Alan Moore Watchmenpublished just seven years later. In fact, comic book fans know that Moore's original intention was to do with DC Comics characters what David Michiline did with Iron Man – utilizing their untapped potential to tell serious, dramatic stories. For Michiline himself, this was not an intentional project, but rather a “happy” accident of recognizing the story's potential in Tony Stark's relationship with alcohol.
Throughout all these adventures, there is a throughline – Tony Stark is drinking too much. His standoff with Namor is marred by the four martinis he had on the plane. On their date, Bethany tries to stop him from opening a bottle of champagne, saying she has had enough. When a Stark International employee asks Iron Man to represent the company on the ambassador's visit, Tony pours himself a drink at 9:30 in the morning, apologizing with a variation of: “It's 5 o'clock somewhere.” The last straw is when he drunkenly insults Jarvis so much that the faithful butler resigns.
One of the best aspects of the story is that Tony's excessive drinking is seen as almost understandable. He was friends with Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D., until he discovered that the government was buying a controlling stake in Stark International. Justin Hammer framed Iron Man for the murder of a foreign ambassador in front of hundreds of witnesses. At this time, Iron Man was still a secret identity for Stark, so not only was his double life exhausting, but he couldn't talk about his problems with anyone. Every time Tony said he needed a drink, the reader was prepared to agree with him.
Tony Stark learned to recover one day at a time
The Invincible Iron Man (1968) #128 – Written by David Michelinie; Art by John Romita Jr.
It all comes to a head The Invincible Iron Man (1968) #128. Tony's girlfriend Bethany reveals that she is a widow; her husband, Alex, died after his addiction to pills caused him to swerve off the road. She knows what addiction feels like and sees it in Tony, begging him to get sober. The panels of arrogant Tony Stark reaching out and asking for his help made for a powerful image; the next page is full of panelless vignettes, jumbled moments of Tony going through withdrawal and coming out okay on the other side.
A single page of cleanup seems potentially overwhelming, but the comic doesn't end there. After apologizing to Jarvis and making him come back, Tony discovers that Jarvis sold his two shares of Stark International – two shares that Tony was sure would never reach S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hands. Control of his company has been taken away from him, and it's his fault. Returning home, he instinctively reaches for the bottle, while Bethany and Jarvis beg him to remember everything good in his life. Tony doesn't relapse and puts the lid back on before drinking a cup of coffee.
“Demon in a Bottle” Shaped Iron Man's Future as One of Marvel's Top Heroes
The Invincible Iron Man (2022) #14 – Written by Gerry Duggan; Art by Andrea Di Vito and Bryan Valenza
Like many in recovery, Tony Stark's struggle with alcoholism did not end in this issue. The storyline was widely praised and returned the spotlight to a character whose popularity was waning. Other writers over the next four decades picked up the baton and ran with it. Writer Denny O'Neill famously relapsed Stark in issue #168 of “The Empty Shell”, leading Rhodey to don the Iron Man suit for the first time when Tony was too drunk to function. Iron Man's battle with alcohol is still a part of the character today; it has been effectively integrated into its modern history by writers such as Gerry Duggan.
Interestingly, actor Robert Downey Jr. had his own struggles with addiction, which was one of the reasons why RDJ was a perfect Iron Man. Writer/director Jon Favreau said he didn't think the addiction would work with the films' lighter tone, but elements of “Demon in a Bottle” still found their way into the MCU. In Iron Man 2Tony drinks too much and embarrasses himself; in Iron Man 3Tony is separated from his suit and has to save the day as just a man. Fortunately, the comics show the true depth Iron Manand how your problems define your strengths.
Iron Man: Demon in a Bottle is now available from Marvel Comics.