Marvel Cinematic Universe: Definitive Guide To Easter Eggs, In-Jokes And Foreshadowing
Iron Man
12. Stan Lee Cameo
Here's the first MCU cameo from the incredible Stan Lee, creator of pretty much every one of Marvel's major heroes. After rather minor appearances in the Spider-Man and X-Men films, here he's the punchline of a joke; when gatecrashing his own charity event, Tony quickly greets an ageing playboy he mistakes for Hugh Hefner.
11. Whiplash Jets
After blowing up The Ten Rings' weapons supplies, Iron Man finds himself taking on two F-22 jets. The pilots are named Whiplash One and Two, a direct reference to the comics villain whose name (although not backstory) would be used for Iron Man 2. It's an example of one of the MCU's early Easter eggs, that were winks to the fans, pure and simple, not even attempting to foreshadow later events.
10. Rhodeys Ringtone Is The Cartoons Theme (Again)
Remember when the introduction music for Tony Stark was an instrumental of the 1966 cartoon's opening? Well it rears its head again during the F-22 sequence; Rhodey's ringtone (possibly personalised for Tony, or as he's called in the phone, The Starkster) is the same theme. It's a cool Easter egg and another reminder that Iron Man had had some mainstream appearances before the film. Quite why Rhodey would have the same ringtone as a casino, however, isn't made clear.
9. Stane Is Playing Chess
When a disgruntled Obidiah Stane watches Rhoedy explaining away the whole Iron-Man-takes-revenge-on-his-captors event as a "training exercise" he's got a chess-game going on. Although it's a common trope to signify intelligence, this case is a little more involved. In the comics, Stane is a genius chess champion, to the point where, once he becomes a supervillain, he made his own super-team, the Chessmen. See also in the background a picture of a younger Stane with Howard Stark.
