Warning: spoilers for Captain America/Iron Man #2 ahead!

Every Marvel fan remembers Iron Man‘s famous line in 2012’s The Avengers when he tells Captain America the world regards him as a “genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist.” But the movies went a little light on Tony’s self-loathing, and he just finished that thought with a darker sentiment.

In Derek Landy and Ángel Unzueta’s new Captain America/Iron Man series, Steve teams up with Tony. So far, it’s a perfect story for first-time readers and returning comic fans alike, as the two subtly do some work on their relationship while attempting to combat Hydra. While Civil War is long past, it casts a long shadow, and Captain America/Iron Man sees Steve and Tony asserting their friendship even in the context of past wrongs.

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In Captain America/Iron Man #2, Tony and Steve explore the “genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist” quote from The Avengers. When Captain America confronts Tony about being too hard on himself, Iron Man retorts that he’s never heard anyone say this about him before. Tony says he’s heard others call him, “genius, billionaire, philanthropist, narcissist, egomaniac,” quickly turning the traits into negatives. Steve cuts his self-criticism short and says, “that’s the person you present to them, but I don’t know that Tony Stark.” Despite the constant references to their superhero Civil War, Captain America proves to be one of Tony’s closest friends, knowing him well enough to pick him up when he feels down.

While Robert Downey Jr.’s take on Iron Man continues to influence modern comic books, some of the character’s older, more somber soliloquies remain integral as well. For example, Alex Paknadel and Ryan Bodenheim’s The Death of Doctor Strange: The Avengers #1 resurfaces one of Tony’s deepest afflictions – his alcoholism. Tony’s struggle against alcohol was emphasized in 1979’s infamous “Demon in a Bottle” story, told in the pages of Iron Man #128 (by David Michelinie, Bob Layton, and John Romita Jr.). Although Tony is still sober in current comics, his desire to drink is as strong as ever, especially as his own series has seen him obsessing about how he’s seen by the public, even being bullied off Marvel’s equivalent of Twitter.

Compelling as he may be, Tony Stark stories have long fixated on his flaws as much as his heroism, and it turns out he noticed. It’s a good thing Iron Man still has good relations with Captain America. Although they’ve had a rocky past, Tony and Steve are integral members of the Avengers. Tony is having serious trouble with his demons, and a breaking point is inevitable. Iron Man may soon need all the help he can get.

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About The Author


Dylan Moure
(141 Articles Published)

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Dylan Moure is a writer for Screen Rant, covering the comic book industry, focusing on Marvel Entertainment, DC Comics, and Star Wars. He is currently a graduate student at New York University, where he pursues a Master of Arts in Multimedia Storytelling. Dylan earned a bachelor’s degree at Florida State University, where he double-majored in Creative Writing and Studio Art. He was born in Miami, Florida, to Puerto Rican and Cuban-American parents. His passion for writing and entertainment began in high school, where he joined the newspaper as an entertainment writer/editor. He also founded and led comic book clubs in high school and college. His main interests include DC Comics, Star Wars, Marvel Entertainment, Peanuts, Image Comics, Mass Effect, The Elder Scrolls, and other fantasy/fiction franchises.

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