10 Iron Man Graphic Novels You Must Read Before You Die

2. Iron Man: Iron Monger

Iron Man Alex Ross
Marvel Comics

The premise for the first Iron Man film followed his origin with a final battle against Obadiah Stane, otherwise known as Iron Monger. That storyline was closely related to the original "Iron Monger" from Iron Man issues 190 through 200 and mark some of the series' most important events.

In the comics, Stane took control over Stark's company, which led Tony into a fit of despair. He lost his sobriety, but had to find his way back towards it with the help of his buddy, James Rhodes who took over for him as Iron Man in an earlier issue.

This storyline took place shortly after (and somewhat through) "Deliverance," which saw an end to Stark's downward spiral and the beginning of his rise back to heroism. When he had to retake the Iron Man armor from Rhodes, he reluctantly returned to the role to face his new enemy, Stane as Iron Monger!

As this storyline brought Tony back from the edge of hopelessness towards the bicentennial issue, it marked a turning point for the character. As this list is primarily made up of amazing stories that delve deep into who and what Tony Stark is as a character, "Iron Monger" is essential in understanding how he fell into darkness, but rose back into the light.

Contributor
Contributor

Jonathan is a graphic artist, illustrator, writer, and game designer. Jonathan retired from the U.S. Army in 2017 and enjoys researching and writing about history, science, theology, and many other subjects. He writes for ScreenRant, CBR, NerdBastards, Listverse, Ranker, WhatCulture, and many other sites online. You can check out his latest on Twitter: @TalkingBull or on his blog: jonathanhkantor.com