10 Comics That Told Inspiring Mental Health Stories
5. Demon In A Bottle
One of the earliest comic stories to shine a light on mental health was David Micheline and Bob Layton’s Demon In A Bottle arc. Published in 1979, the story dealt with Iron Man’s alcoholism, which also served as inspiration for Iron Man 2 in 2010.
In the story, Iron Man’s armour continually malfunctions, which leads to him accidentally killing a foreign ambassador. Shaken by the experience, Tony drinks heavily to forget his problems. Becoming increasingly isolated, Stark lashes out at his colleagues, friends and loved ones.
Eventually, Stark is confronted by his girlfriend, Bethany Cabe, who reveals that she was once married to a man who suffered from drug problems. She forced Tony to come to terms with the fact that he was an alcoholic. Wanting to get better, Stark let Bethany help him through withdrawal.
At the end of the story, Iron Man is feeling optimistic about his future and vows to stay away from alcohol.