Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Iron Man #3
The world has not been kind to Iron Man over the last few years – and now, at his lowest ebb, Tony Stark has come to the conclusion that he must do something different if he wants to save the world, rather than avenge it. After having his company stolen and his legacy tarnished, Tony was left with nothing but a vision for the future of his role in the Marvel Universe.
In Iron Man #3 - written by Spencer Ackerman, with art by Jethro Morales and Julius Ohta – Tony Stark is still fighting an uphill battle to rescue Stark Unlimited from another hostile takeover.
Tony no longer has direct authority over his company. Now, the remnants of Feilong's board have opened a deal to sell Stark Unlimited to Roxxon and AIM. Despite vowing to leave the weapons industry for good, Stark must watch as his company becomes the new face of global war and energy.. However, just in time, Tony crashes the meeting to stop the deal. and state his vision for Stark Unlimited and what it could mean for the world.
Iron Man wants to develop the world, not just avenge it
Iron Man #3 - Written by Spencer Ackerman; Art by Jethro Morales and Julius Ohta; Color by Alex Sinclair; Lyrics by Joe Carmagna; Cover art by Yasmine Putri
The Avengers serve an immediate purpose and do a good job. However, the Avengers are a way to treat symptoms, not a cure, and they always have been. Avenging means that your work begins after the tragedy occurs. In a better world, however, tragedy would not occur so often. Iron Man tried for world peace a few times, but failed because he tried to make it safer through weapons. These days, both Stark and the Avengers react to disasters with force. Now, Tony wants to break this pattern.
For Tony, Stark Unlimited means something: “The boldness to solve problems, not to manage them. Or take revenge on them.
Tony did his best to stop working in the weapons manufacturing industry. However, after “genocidal racists”create weapons of mass destruction using
the Stark name and technology
this mission is jeopardized. Now, as Stark struggles to keep his company going again, he's finally making it clear what kind of hero he wants to be and how Stark Unlimited has a place in his vision. For Tony, Stark Unlimited means something: “The boldness to solve problems, not to manage them. Or take revenge on them. Tony Stark is trying hard to save the world by creating new resources.
More resources, fewer villains
Longtime Marvel fans will recognize that Tony Stark has expressed similar sentiments to Iron Man #3 before. Depending on the writer, Tony's company tends to swing between weapons manufacturing and clean energy, with the character sometimes betraying his morals for the "greater good." However, this time, Tony Stark's path seems clear, as he sets out to prove that the the world doesn't need revenge. Tony wants Stark Unlimited to rise up and show everyone what the future could be like; it remains to be determined to what extent this continuous Iron Man the series will deliver that.
Roxxon and AIM
seek to combine powers with Stark Unlimited to forge a global monopoly over all forms of energy. The world's most needed modern resource would be in the hands of genocidal supercriminals, all craving profit at the expense of morals. It's a very real problem that causes similar problems in comics. Ultimately, most villains and criminals are motivated by their desire or need for resources. There is not enough money. Things are very expensive. These stressors often create villains. This is the problem that Tony Stark wants to solve.
Iron Man didn't just save his legacy, Tony Stark did
The hero has everything it takes to achieve his vision
As Tony has already acknowledged, he sees his company, even his legacy, as something bigger than revenge. He attempted to steer Stark Unlimited toward clean energy research and production. By transforming the company into a machine of ingenuity, driven by the desire to fill the world with cheap and abundant resources, Iron Man's vision of the future
I wouldn't need the Avengers
no more. If he really wanted to and didn't have to fight fascists and otherworldly entities to get his company back, Tony Stark could create that future.
At the end of this issue, Tony successfully wins back his company. It's important to note that he doesn't do this as Iron Man, but as Tony Stark. Not with strength and a giant sword, but through ingenuity and cunning. Stark is showing that he has what it takes to be the hero he wants to be. There's still a lot to clean up, in Stark Unlimited and around the world, and Iron Man will be needed to do it. However, after the mess is over and Stark Unlimited's books are cleaned up, Iron Man is giving up “revenge” so Tony Stark can be the hero.
Iron Man #3 is now available from Marvel Comics.