Marvel’s most enigmatic Iron Man variant has remained in the shadows for fifteen years. Iron Man has only grown in popularity over the past couple of decades. It only stands to reason that anything related to the Armored Avenger takes a special place in the Marvel Universe.
Iron Man boasts countless multiversal counterparts in Marvel Comics’ multiverse. Earth-1610’s Ultimate Iron Man reimagines Tony Stark as a living techno-organism, while Earth-11029’s Iron Man 2020 shows a corporate, dystopian evolution of Stark’s tech, and Earth-6160 presents a young Tony who becomes Iron Lad instead. Though, none of these Iron Men are as striking as the most demonic Iron Man in the Marvel multiverse.
Little Is Known About Marvel’s Iron Ghost
Iron Ghost Is The Most Badass Iron Man In The Marvel Multiverse
Iron Ghost stands among Blob’s Blag Legion from Earth-295
In Uncanny X-Force #12, the titular team arrives on Earth-295 to save the mutant Gateway. There, they’re opposed by Blob and his squad of dark multiversal variants of several famous Marvel figures. Among them are an Orange Hulk, a Demon Doc Ock, and a Thing-Chamber fusion, among others. However, the villain who stands out the most is Iron Ghost, a fusion between Ghost Rider and Iron Man.
Iron Ghost of Earth-295 is shrouded in mystery. Almost nothing about this Iron Man variant is known so far. Is he a version of Tony Stark who survived death through dark magic, or a Ghost Rider who wears a suit of Iron Man armor? Marvel has rarely resisted explaining its wildest multiversal characters, which makes Iron Ghost’s ambiguity especially intriguing.
With no other comics exploring Blob’s Black Legion, Iron Ghost holds plenty of untapped potential. Marvel could reintroduce him as a multiversal traveler, similar to Cosmic Ghost Rider. On Earth-616 or elsewhere, Iron Ghost could challenge Iron Man’s legacy, confront other Tony Stark variants, or serve as a horror-tinged antagonist in a multiversal storyline. Marvel has already expanded on a mysterious multiversal Ghost Rider’s story before with Samurai Ghost Rider, so seeing more of Iron Ghost is always a possibility.
Ghost Rider Is Largely Underutilized In Marvel
The Ghost Riders Should Be Like The Symbiotes
Ghost Rider handles his chain walking toward the camera in Ghost Rider Marvel Tales cover
Ghost Rider is one of Marvel’s most visually iconic and conceptually flexible characters. The idea of a supernatural Spirit of Vengeance that can possess anyone is as malleable as it is powerful, but Marvel has often confined Ghost Rider to niche corners of the supernatural. Ghost Riders rarely spill over into other books in meaningful ways despite having built-in mythology that naturally invites universe-wide or at least worldwide chaos.
The Ghost Riders should be similar to the symbiotes: a recurring, universe-shaking presence that comes and goes, possessing famous heroes and villains alike. The Avengers, the X-Men, and their villains could temporarily become Riders in major events. Sometimes these events could be dark and apocalyptic like King in Black, and sometimes absurd like Venomized. A Ghost Rider equivalent to King in Black already feels overdue, with Hell, vengeance, and possession spilling across Earth and beyond.
NAME
Anthony Edward “Tony” Stark
FIRST APP
“Tales of Suspense” #39 (1963)
Franchise
Marvel
Alias
Iron Man