One of the most beloved superheroes in the Marvel comics and cinematic universe, Iron Man is the alter ego of charismatic billionaire and genius inventor Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark. Created, developed and illustrated by legendary artists like Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby and Don Heck, the enduring popularity of the character could partly be ascribed to his unconventionality. Unlike most superheroes, Stark doesn`t possess any superpowers beyond his supreme intellect. He is also depicted as a born leader who is quick-witted and charmingly arrogant. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tony Stark is portrayed by actor Robert Downey Jr..

GENESIS
The character debuted in the March 1963 edition of the anthology series Tales of Suspense, and subsequently got his own solo series in 1968. According to the creators, Tony`s characterisation was heavily influenced by the life of American business tycoon, pilot, philanthropist, filmmaker and engineer Howard Hughes, who was a bit of a maverick himself. In the early iterations, we see him as an anti-communist crusader in the Cold War era; a reflection of the times where the Vietnam War was raging on.

A boy genius and an MIT graduate, Tony loses his parents during his teen years. He then takes over his father`s business empire as an industrialist and weapons manufacturer, which earns him many enemies inside and outside of the country. During an overseas visit to seal a weapons contract, he is caught up in an explosion and abducted by warlord Wong-Chu, who intends to use Stark`s expertise in building weapons for his subversive activities. Tony, who is badly injured with a shrapnel lurking dangerously close to his heart, is saved by the timely intervention of fellow prisoner and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Ho Yinsen, who constructs a magnetic chest plate to stop the shrapnel.

The two of them then collaborate on hatching an escape plan. This marks the birth of the first iron suit, which is pretty much a prototype for the future versions. Following his escape, Tony returns to the United States a changed man; marking the birth of Iron Man as we know him today.

THE SUIT
The Iron Man suit has had over fifty different versions and upgrades over the years; while most of these are all-purpose suits, some like the Hulkbuster are designed to deal with specific contingencies. The main weapon in every suit is the repulsor rays, which are powered by the suit`s gauntlets. Centred around the chest is the unibeam, which is even more potent than the repulsor rays. The suit is equipped with artificial intelligence, state-of-the-art communications system that can transmit on any frequency and booster jets that let Tony fly at speeds past the sound barrier and outmaneuver potential threats. The helmet, besides offering 360-degree vision, can display a multitude of information and is resistant to blunt trauma and even psychic-based attacks to a certain degree.

ALLIES, ENEMIES & STORY ARCS
While he has taken on hundreds of major and minor supervillains over the years, some of Iron Man`s chief nemeses are the egomaniacal genius The Mandarin, industrialist Obadiah Stane, Justin Hammer, Ghost, Crimson Dynamo and Titanium Man. In some story arcs, he is also pitted against his own friends or allies: notably Captain America in Civil War and Captain Marvel in Civil War II.

On the personal front, Tony`s three close associates are Pepper Potts, Harold "Happy" Hogan and Lt. Colonel James Rhodes. At various points of time, Pepper and Rhodes are seen temporarily taking the mantle over from Tony as he battles personal demons like alcoholism and other health issues caused by the prolonged use of the Iron Man suit.

Tony also spearheads the iconic Avengers initiative, serving as one of its three core members alongside Thor and Captain America. Storylines over the years have also seen the superhero teaming up with Nick Fury in building and consolidating S.H.I.E.L.D. and temporarily joining the Guardians of the Galaxy.