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History

After a disastrous battle with the criminal known as Mister Doll, Tony Stark came to realize that the Iron Man Armor Model 1 was too cumbersome, especially in his state, which caused an excessive use of energy for the armor to simply sustain its own weight. To remedy this, Tony designed a sleeker, lightweight armor.[3]

Anthony Stark (Earth-616) from Tales of Suspense Vol 1 59 cover

A brief time after donning the Model 2 for the first time, Tony designed a stronger, lighter, and more comfortable helmet for it.[4]

When Tony Stark undertook Stark Resilient, one of the models of this armor was melted to create the Iron Man Armor Model 37.[5]

After Tony suffered an almost-fatal mental attack by the Black Lama, he created a full back-up of his mind in case he was subjected to a similar assault in the future. Having downloaded the back-up into a version of the Mark 2 armor, he then subjected himself to a short-term mind-wipe so that he would forget about the A.I.'s creation.[6] It returned when he was subjected to the moral inversion during a clash with Red Onslaught,[7] but Tony was able to subvert and disable it,[6] forcing the A.I. to transfer itself into Iron Man Armor Model 8.[8]

Properties[]

Overview[]

This suit is essentially a lighter, more flexible and more maneuverable version of Tony Stark's original Iron Man Armor. For example, the chestplate was reduced in thickness to a "wafer-thin" layer, and the helmet was redesigned in such a way it was so light, Stark claimed it can be barely felt it's being worn. The reduction in weight allowed Stark to add more protective devices. The parts of the suit subjected to more articulation, such as the legs and arms, used a malleable metallic mesh instead of solid metal plating.[3] Ultra fine 3D knitting incorporated knitted motors for full motility surface.[9]

In addition to the miniature batteries in the chestplate (with improved power-handling circuitry),[9] the armor included additional emergency battery units in the arm and leg cuffs.[3] A compartment in the left gauntlet revealed a energy gauge used to keep the suit's power level in check.[10] The suit's batteries could be charged either by plugging the chestplate into any electrical source, or with the use of a built-in generator.[11] The armor carried a spare extension cord in case its user had to recharge the armor during an emergency.[12] In case the output of the armor needed to be increased, extra power was stored in the armor's belt pods.[11]

Hawkeye Vol 4 10 Many Armors of Iron Man Variant Textless

A new mechanism made suiting up the armor much faster than the Model 1, which had to be completely put on manually (a process that took one minute and a half).[9] In this armor, the only parts needed to be snapped on the body were the torso, the arm-leg "adaptors" (the cuffs of the gloves and boots), the fingers and the back of the hands, and the boots' soles. Metallic meshes were pulled magnetically from the adaptors to the other sections of the armor in less than two seconds. As easily as the suit could be slipped on, it could be slipped off.[3]

This armor is the first to implement the trademark red and yellow color schemes. Two different helmets were used with this model. The Model 2 Mark I featured a faceplate with jagged edges at the forehead, making it appear slightly horned.[3] The Model 2 Mark IA sported a helmet with rivets in the forehead. This helmet was stronger and lighter, featured a built-in oxygen mask (though this feature could've been present in the previous version),[4] an emergency underwater breathing apparatus that could last for roughly 15 minutes,[11] and oxygen filters.[13]

The second generation of jet boots were reduced to less than one inch thick, and allowed the armor's wearer to fly long distances. However, prolonged periods use would overtax them, causing the jets to exhaust until they could be recharged.[14] Similarly to the Model 1, this armor featured roller skates, which would be used mostly for short travels on land, in order to save energy that otherwise would've been used for the jet boots.[4] A miniature gyroscope for flight stability was located on the left boot's top.[15]

Miscellaneous equipment includes computer systems[13] with radio communications[14] (with a built-in radio antenna on the left shoulder and spare radio parts in the armor's belt pods)[15] and sensors,[16] a generator of high-frequency waves,[10] powerful magnets,[14] a drill,[17] magnetic grapplers (to hold on to metallic surfaces),[4] and a small diamond-edged blade concealed in the right hand thumb that can be activated by applying pressure in the finger's stud.[13] Some of these sub-miniature devices were located in the armor's flexible belt-buckle.[15] First aid equipment was stored within the flap of the right boot top.[15]

Offensive Powers[]

The enhanced strength provided by the armor allows its user to lift heavy objects with ease,[3] to the point of being able to break the fall of a rocket with little effort at maximum power.[18] Additional power-packs located in the suit's cuffs provide the arms an extra push.[14] According to Tony Stark, this armor's gloves pack "twice the wallop" of the previous suit's.[3]

The armor includes magnetic repulsors housed in the palm of each glove,[15] an electric discharge that can be fired from the armor's fingers,[19] and an modular electro-blaster that is magnetically clipped onto the armor's magnetic wrist holder.[13]

The variable power chest spot-light is strong enough to dispel powerful energy rays,[10] and it can still be used as a search light.[14] An add-on allows the search light to emit UV-A light.[20]

Defensive Powers[]

The shell of the suit can protect its user from gunfire of small arms[17] to powerful energy blasts from Hawkeye's strongest explosive arrow tip.[21] The armor's insulation is even capable of protecting its user from atomic explosions at a close range.[14] The suit's miniature electromagnetic generators allows its user to create repellant magnetic force fields.[14][4] The suit is, however, vulnerable to rusting, thus to chemicals that accelerate this process.[21]

Alternate Realities[]

Demonic Avengers (Earth-64087)[]

Avenger (Earth-64087) from Avengers Vol 1 7

Iron Man (Tony Stark) used his armor to terrorize Manhattan New York.[22]


Ruins (Earth-9591)[]

Anthony Stark (Earth-9591) from Ruins Vol 1 1 0002

Iron Man's second, and final, suit of armor. It was destroyed, along with Iron Man and the other Avengers, when its Quinjet was shot down by a Predator Missile.[23]

Notes

  • In Tales of Suspense #50, it's shown that the armor possessed a slide rule calculator in its left arm, the most commonly used calculation tool in science and engineering before the invention of the pocket calculator. Due to the nature of the sliding timescale, it's most likely this feature is no longer canon.
    Avengers Vol 1 672 Kirby 100th Anniversary Variant Textless

    The "horns" as drawn by Jack Kirby.

  • This armor is known as the "Ditko Armor" as it was designed by the Iron Man artist at the time, Steve Ditko.[24]
  • The prominence of this armor's "horns" when it first appeared varied depending on the artist, and sometimes it changed in a very same issue. Initially, the horns were almost non-existent. In Tales of Suspense #50, the horns started gaining jaggedness. Depictions of the armor's "horns" after it had stopped being Iron Man's main suit were usually similar to Jack Kirby's rendition of the feature.
  • When the riveted helmet first appeared in Tales of Suspense #54, it also included a line of rivets that cut the faceplate vertically through its center. These rivets were gone the following issue with no explanation, and since the comic was an immediate follow-up to issue #54, there would be no way for the rivets to have been removed off-panel.

See Also

Links and References

References

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