Iron Man: Rogues Gallery / Characters

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Rogues Gallery

Absynthe

Alter Ego: Abigail (full name unknown)

First Appearance: Iron Man: Hypervelocity #1 (March, 2007)

"Je m'appelle "Absynthe." That's Absynthe spelled with a y, 'cause it's more annoying that way... But you can call me your personal exorcist, Tonyghost."

Absynthe is the result of attempts by various organizations—including corporations, terror organizations, third-world governments and rogue elements of S.H.I.E.L.D.—to upload human consciousness into digitalized form. Somewhere in this process, the various minds that had been partially uploaded melded, creating a new posthuman mind; dominated by the mind of a woman called Abigail. This new mind, who would later name herself; Absynthe, was a sentient computer virus. "She" used her powers to attack Tony Stark while framing him for the destruction of several experimental SHIELD designs.

A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Abigail and the other beta test uploads were classified as disposable trial runs. However, they escaped disposal and deletion.
Brain Uploading: Absynthe is a gestalt intelligence created by minds used in failed attempts at brain uploading.
Contagious A.I.: In her digitalized form, Absynthe is a computer virus capable of infiltrating even Stark tech.
Green and Mean: Her signature color is green, has green eyes and she's an antagonist.
Mind Hive: The various minds that had been partially uploaded melded, creating a new post-human mind.
My Nayme Is: Spells her name with 'Y' because it is more annoying that way.
Technopath: Absynthe is a technopath. She is able to interface with and control other technologies.

Arsenal Alpha

First Appearance: Iron Man #84

A robot created by Howard Stark during World War II to prevent the Axis powers from winning the war. Arsenal Alpha was stored away following the end of the war and reawakened years later.

Chest Blaster: Fires energy beams from its chest.
Fire-Breathing Weapon: Has a flamethrower mounted on its left wrist.
Gatling Good: Has a Gatling gun on its right wrist and can deploy a rotary machine gun on each shoulder.
Humongous Mecha: It's a huge robot that towers over Iron Man.

Atom-Smasher

Atom-Smasher III

Alter Ego: Kevin Leonardo

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #287

"I should’ve known they’d send America’s best-known corporate leg-breaker."

Kevin Leonardo is the third person to be called the Atom Smasher, and the only one of them to face Iron Man. He was a whistle-blower against Stane International, causing them to retaliate. He was shot and put in a radioactive canister. He gained powers and searched for revenge. He attacked, fought, and defeated James Rhodes who at that time, was using the Iron Man armor. Later they both fought Firepower. Eventually Rhodes let Atom-Smasher leave in peace.

Eco-Terrorist: After being mutated, Leonardo became an eco-terrorist, wanting to destroy the Stane plant—which would kill many people, but also gave the world something to think about.
Rogues' Gallery Transplant: Atom Smasher debuted as an enemy of Black Goliath, but Kevin Leonardo debuted as an enemy of Iron Man.
Secondary Color Nemesis: Unlike the previous Atom-Smashers who were colored red, this one has a green armor.
Two First Names: Kevin and Leonardo can both be used as first names.

Beetle

Alter Ego: Abner Jenkins

Notable Aliases: MACH-1, Matt Davis

First Appearance: Strange Tales (Vol 1) #123

"The most important task still lies ahead of me! I cannot fail now — not after going this far!"

Abe Jenkins was an aircraft mechanic with some natural engineering talent but limited education opportunities. Lacking the funds to pursue a formal engineering degree, Jenkins hit the glass ceiling of his job and turned to crime. Creating an insectoid themed armored battlesuit, he became the costumed criminal Beetle. Initially a foe of the Fantastic Four, he would later become a persistent foe of Spider-Man, and would also lock horns with the Avengers as a member of the Masters of Evil. In constant search of that next upgrade that would finally give him the winning edge, Beetle agreed to assist Justin Hammer in several of his various plots against Iron Man. Hammer rewarded Beetle with an upgraded battlesuit that included a computer that could predict the movement of his opponents. However, it turned out that these upgrades incorporated "S-Chip" technology stolen from Stark Industries, and once Tony discovered this, he went after Beetle with a vengeance.

He later reformed, becoming MACH-1 of the Thunderbolts.

See Thunderbolts Founding Members

Black Lama

Alter Ego: King Jerald

First Appearance: Iron Man #53 (December, 1972)

King Jerald was ruler of the Kingdom of Grand Rapids in the North America of Earth-7511. King Jerald felt overwhelmed by his responsibilities of the crown and used the Golden Globe of Power to transport himself to Earth-616. King Jerald disguised himself as the Black Lama and opened a school for meditation. The Black Lama searched among his students for a person to replace him as ruler of his kingdom. Eventually, the Black Lama was driven mad due to a cosmic imbalance.

Black Cloak: Is wrapped in an all concealing black robe.
Color Character: Black Lama
Dimensional Traveler: The Golden Globe of Power allows the Black Lama to travel to different dimensional planes.
Divided States of America: Countries in the North America of Earth-7511 include the Kingdom of Grand Rapids, the Nation of Menomonee, Nova Scotia, and the Boston Republic.
Infectious Insanity: Maddened by cosmic imbalance, he infected others and unwittingly established mind links.
Intangibility: Can become immaterial.
Master of Illusion: Has the ability to project images.
Richard Nixon, the Used Car Salesman: King Jerald is his universe's version of Gerald Ford.
Super-Empowering: Could use meditation and emotion to generate power, and to develop power in others.
Telepathy: Can read minds and establish mind links with others.
Teleportation: Can magically teleport.

Brass

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Alter Ego: Morgan Stark

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense (Vol 1) #68

"This company is mine, boy! There will be only one Stark standing when this is over!"

Tony's cousin, who grew up jealous and resentful of Tony, feeling that he was cheated out of being the heir to the family business. Morgan subsequently developed a gambling problem, and entered the employ of Count Nefaria in an to attempt to pay off his debts. After assisting Nefaria and his daughter, Madam Masque in several plots against Tony Stark, he was eventually assassinated after one failure too many. Presumed dead for some time, Morgan eventually resurfaced as a cyborg, equipped with a neural interface that gave him technopathic abilities. He used this newfound ability to steal a prototype armor set, and began a new campaign of revenge against Iron Man.

Back from the Dead: Been killed twice, but shares his cousin's refusal to stay dead.
Badass in a Nice Suit: Wears a suit like his cousin.
Big Bad Wannabe: Frequently.
Clashing Cousins: With Tony.
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: More or less dropped from the supporting cast circa 1970, and was also absent during the 80s where Justin Hammer and Obadiah Stane served as Tony's primary corporate rivals. Brought back in 1992, and has sporadically caused trouble since then.
Color Character: Take a wild guess. Iron Man is the Golden Avenger, brass is noteworthy for it's visual similarity to gold.
Corrupt Corporate Executive: A corrupt Stark no less.
Cut Lex Luthor a Check: Tony took a stab at this by appointing Morgan manager of special projects for Stark-Fujikawa. And it worked for a long time, until parallel campaigns by Norman Osborn and the Mandarin dragged the Stark name through the mud. Cue War Machine: Dark Reign.
Dude, Where's My Respect?
Evil Cripple: Reduced to a cybernetic monstrosity with limited mobility during the Heroes Reborn era. He eventually gets better, regaining his human form and walking with a brass cane.
Evil Is Not a Toy: Attempted to turn Ultimo into a new body for himself. Ended up getting assimilated instead.
Inadequate Inheritor: Not in any way equal to Tony's business acumen, natural intelligence, or physical power. He quickly proved to not be a threat without help.
Light Is Not Good: Frequently wore lighter colors than Tony, and generally working in colors that evoke brass, such as brown shirts with yellow ties.
Mini-Mecha: The Brass armor.
Mission Control: He pilots his armor via remote instead of actually wearing it.
Mr. Vice Guy: Gambling, as opposed to Tony's alcoholism.
Never My Fault: Morgan actually grew up with the same advantages that Tony had. It is his lack of restraint and Brilliant, but Lazy tendencies that result in his comparitively miserable existence.
One-Winged Angel: Merging with Ultimo.
The Resenter: To Tony.
The Starscream: To Norman Osborn during War Machine: Dark Reign.
Strong Family Resemblance: He's older than Tony and not in as good physical shape, but there was enough resemblance for him to impersonate Tony during War Machine: Dark Reign (Rhodey wasn't fooled though). This becomes particularly ironic when The Secret Origin of Tony Stark reveals that Tony isn't actually related to him.
Touched by Vorlons: His time as a cyborg, and again as Ultimo's Mouth of Sauron.
Villain Ball/Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?: Overpowers Iron Man and is about to kill him, but feels he must unmask and humiliate him before dealing the killing blow. This gives Tony a chance to recover and defeat him.

Crusher I

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Alter Ego: Caldwell Rozza

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense Vol. 1, #91 (1967)

Crusher was a mutated scientist sent to kill Iron Man by the dictator of his country, he failed twice.

Bald of Evil: Has no hair and is a brute.
The Brute: Smashes his way through problems.
Dirty Commies: Caldwell Rozza was a scientist, whose job was to develop weapons for "El Presidente", a Communist dictator.
Genius Bruiser: A genius scientist who transforms into a super strong brute without losing any of his intelligence.
Legacy Character: After his death, Juan Aponte was given the same procedure that gave him powers, becoming the second Crusher.
Super Serum: Caldwell Rozza made a serum to give his President superhuman powers but was forced by said President into taking the formula himself. He mutated into a 7ft tall, 1000lb superhuman.
Super-Strength: Able to lift over 25 tons.
Super-Toughness: His skin was tough enough to repel pistol fire.
We Hardly Knew Ye: Only appeared in a few issues before dying.

Death Squad

First Appearance: Iron Man Vol. 3 #1

The Death Squad was hired by Count Nefaria to kill Tony Stark.

Hired Guns: The Death Squad are a mercenary unit.

Doctor Strange

Alter ego: Carlo Strange

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense Vol. 1 #41 (1963)

A criminal master whose intelligence was boosted by a stray bolt of lightning. He sought to hold the world hostage with powerful S-Bombs. Confronted by Iron Man, he nearly won, were it not for the intervention of his daughter Carla.

Obviously not related to that other Doctor Strange.

Arc Welding: Marvel's handbooks have suggested he had some connection to the Exiles, a gang of Captain America villains.
Back for the Dead: After not reappearing anywhere for fifty-nine years, he returned in Marvels to be gunned down by the Punisher.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: His daughter Carla. He was determined to conquer the world for her sake, in order to make up for being an absentee dad when she was young. Uh, it's the thought that counts?
Expansion Pack Past: Marvels adds in him having worked with Invaders baddie Lady Lotus, and his work being ruined by the Vietnam War.
Gadgeteer Genius: Managed to build a Hypno Ray out of a radio and television while in prison.
Lightning Can Do Anything: Including in this instance boost a man's genius to even greater levels.
Near-Villain Victory: Almost got Tony, had Carla not saved him by giving him a set of batteries to recharge his armor with.
No Name Given: In his first appearance, he was just Doctor Strange. He didn't get a first name for another five decades.
One-Steve Limit: The fact he was called Doctor Strange miiiight have had something to do with his insanely long trip on the bus, because again, no relation to Stephen Strange, who appeared the same year he did. Marvels retcons this so his name is actually "Strang".
Villainous Widow's Peak: Has a pronounced widow's peak, and is the sort of man who threatens the world with total destruction if he doesn't get what he wants.

Dreadknight

Alter Ego: Bram Velsing

First Appearance: Iron Man Vol. 1, #101 (1977)

"You either serve me — or die!!For none dares defy — the Dreadknight!"

Bram Velsing was a Latverian engineer who dreamed of usurping power from Doctor Doom. Unfortunately, Doctor Doom being, well, Doctor Doom, he caught on to Velsing's treacherous ambitions and punished him by grafting a hideous skull mask to his face before banishing him from the country. Found and treated by Victoria Frankenstein, the Dreadknight repaid her kindness by trying to loot her home and use its resources to attack Latveria. Defeated by Iron Man, the Dreadknight continued to seek revenge against Doom, conquer Latveria, and get revenge on Iron Man.

Boom Stick: The Dreadknight's favorite weapon is his lance, which can shoot deadly energy bolts and electrical coils to ensnare his enemies.
Clingy Costume: To spite Velsing, who was very vain and proud of his good looks, Doom surgically attached a steel skull mask to his face. Attached with specially designed microcircuitry, the mask is impossible to remove.
Enhanced Archaic Weapon: He wields a specially designed lance that contains a number of offensive technological devices built into it, including a pair of twin force-blast pods, an electrical entanglement cable, two "penetro-shells" armor-piercing bullets.
Knockout Gas: Carries a pistol which fires a blast of knockout ga
Mix-and-Match Critter: The Dreadknight uses the Hellhorse, a black stallion with large bat wings, as his main means of transportation.
Pegasus: Rides a mutated black stallion named Hellhorse, who possesses bat-like wings and claws.
Purple Is Powerful: Well, his armor is purple and he's dangerous.
Smug Snake: Anybody who thinks he can outsmart Doctor freaking Doom has got to qualify for this trope.
The Starscream: He intended to be this to Doctor Doom. It failed miserably.
Ungrateful Bastard: Victoria Frankenstein takes the Dreadknight in after Doom left him for dead, and how does he repay her? By trying to murder her and steal all her scientific resources, of course.

Earth Mover

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Alter Ego: Maximilian Stone

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #298

Maximilian Stone falls into an ocean of molten rock while drilling into the earth's core and emerges as the Earth-Mover.

Elemental Shapeshifter: Can liquefy completely into molten lava if he desires.
From a Single Cell: Given time, he could rebuild his body completely from the liquid state Ultimo's eye beams reduced him to.
Healing Factor: Can repair damage to his body by replacing the absent part with rock absorbed from nearby.
Magma Man: A being made of molten rock.
Meaningful Name: A geophysicist named Stone gains rock powers.
One-Steve Limit: Shares codename with two mutants associated with Alpha Flight.
Sizeshifter: Can absorb rock into his physical body, enhancing his size and strength.
Super-Strength: Was able to defeat Iron Man by physical strength (in both forms) and was even capable of knocking a fully charged Ultimo backwards (in his giant form).

Feilong

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Alter Ego: Kelvin Heng

First Appearance: X-Men (Vol 6) #1

"Haven’t you wondered why I haven’t simply killed you yet? I want you to be here – to witness me be the man you should have become. Then you may die. Or crawl back into a bottle of your choosing."

A Child Prodigy born to Serbian and Chinese parents, Kelvin Heng graduated summa cum laude from MIT at the age of 13 and formed his own company, Feilong Industries, at the age of 19. As his company oversaw massive innovations in biology and climate science, Heng devoted his energies to his childhood dream of colonizing Mars – going so far as to genetically enhance his own body to make it suitable for the red planet's climate. However, his hopes were dashed when Mars was colonized by the mutant nation of Krakoa. Blaming mutants for crushing his dream and the Avengers for allowing this to happen, Feilong became Director of Operations for Orchis, a terrorist organization devoted to the destruction of mutantkind. Sensing Iron Man as a worthy opponent that matched his intellect, Feilong began a subtle campaign against the Armored Avenger: Deploying an upgraded Living Laser against Iron Man, murdering Tony’s longtime friend Zhong Wei, and acquiring Stark Unlimited in a hostile takeover. After accomplishing the latter task, Feilong uses Iron Man armor technology to create a new breed of Sentinel which he deploys in a devastating attack on Krakoa that leaves many mutants dead. Angered that his technology has been used for such an atrocious act, Iron Man becomes determined to take Feilong down.

See X-Men: Orchis for more information

Firepower

Alter Ego: Jack Taggert

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #230

"People who work for Stark risk their health, and groups that support him risk utter destruction!"

When Tony Stark tried to destroy all of the armor based off his stolen Iron Man designs during the first Armor Wars, he had to destroy the Guardsman and Mandroid suits of armor used by government employees. The U.S. government was not amused, and contracted Cord Industries to develop a suit of armor to lure Iron Man into a fight and destroy him. The resulting Firepower armor was piloted by Jack Taggert, who later used the armor to go after Stark Enterprises installations on behalf of his boss Edwin Cord, who had a grudge against Stark.

He was later recruited by Mandarin who upgraded his already immense armour into a flying juggernaut.

Bald of Evil: His head is shaved.
Curb-Stomp Battle: Firepower utterly demolished Iron Man in their first battle, literally blowing the Silver Centurion armor to pieces. When Iron Man fought him in a rematch using his Neo-Classic suit, he was the one whose suit was torn apart.
David Versus Goliath: Most Powered Armor in the Marvel universe is relatively form-fitting and not much bigger than its pilot. The Firepower armor towered over Iron Man, even in his upgraded Neo-Classic suit. Jack Taggert aptly called it a "two-ton tuxedo."
The Dragon: To Edwin Cord initially, later to the Mandarin.
Evil Knockoff: The Firepower armor was the last suit constructed from Tony Stark's stolen Iron Man designs. Tony confronted Firepower with the intent of using a negator pack to neutralize the suit, but Firepower's designers figured out how to protect it from the pack's effects.
Final Boss: Of Armor Wars I.
Hero Killer: He thinks he is. He destroyed the Silver Centurion armor, giving Stark an opportunity to fake his death. When Iron Man confronted him in the Neo-Classic armor, Taggart believed a new hero had assumed the mantle.
It Only Works Once: Since the Firepower armor was based off his stolen Iron Man designs, Tony Stark thought he could neutralize it with a negator pack the same way he had all the other suits. Unfortunately, Cord Industries' engineers figured out how to protect the Firepower armor against the negator packs.
Jumping Off the Slippery Slope: Although Taggart was never really concerned about collateral damage, he truly crosses the line when he tries to nuke civilians, hoping Iron Man will die trying to save them.
Kick the Dog: Defeating Iron Man in battle isn't enough for Edwin Cord, he has to get Taggert to destroy "the rest of Stark's life" for good measure.
Mini-Mecha: The Firepower armour stands over ten feet tall, and is operated by a pilot seated in the torso. Pilot Jack Taggert called it a "two-ton tuxedo."
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Tony had considered retiring as Iron Man after faking his death, but Taggert's continued assault on his company prompted him to suit up to take him down.
Punch-Clock Villain: Taggert himself has no grudge against Stark, and is simply employed as Firepower's pilot. He only destroys Iron Man and threatens Stark Enterprises because his boss Edwin Cord orders him to.
Red Eyes, Take Warning: The red lenses in his helmet were designed with this in mind.
Swapped Roles: Tony's Silver Centurion armor was no match for Firepower, who kicked Tony's ass and destroyed his suit. In their rematch, Firepower was the one who was no match for Tony's new Neo-Classic armor, with which Tony kicked his ass and wrecked his suit.
Walking Armoury: Even by the standards of the Iron Man comics, the Firepower mecha is ridiculously heavily armed.
Weapon of Mass Destruction: The biggest standout feature of Firepower over other battlesuits, Firepower has an onboard nuclear weapon for dealing with hard targets.
Would Not Shoot a Civilian: Subverted. Although the Firepower armor was supposedly created as part of a Muggle Power project to give ordinary soldiers a chance against Iron Man, it was actually used as a weapon to use against civilians in case of extreme civil disorder. Cord threatens to reveal this fact to the public as a way of blackmailing the army into letting him use Firepower to harass Stark Enterprises.

Frostbite

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Alter Ego: Dr. Sloan Alden

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #327

Dr. Sloan Alden ran a cryogenics institute, where the wealthy and dying would be frozen. As a result of the Zodiac draining all the energy out of New York Alden’s own cryo-chamber drained power from the others, as well as a back-up generator, to keep him alive.

Expy: Frostbite's origins are remarkably similar to that of DC Comics villain's Mister Freeze as both received their powers through accidents involving cryogenics.
An Ice Person: Frostbite could create ice at will, including projectiles of ice, and could freeze anything he came into contact with. He could also create snow, sleet, and generate cold winds, enabling him to start ice-storms.
Weather Manipulation: Can create snow, sleet, and generate cold winds, enabling him to start ice-storms.

Hammer Industries

Justine Hammer

Justine as the Crimson Cowl

Notable Aliases: Crimson Cowl

First Appearance: Thunderbolts (Vol 1) #3

"My plans proceed on schedule. All we have done is to draw you into them — where you will die, and bother us no more!"

Hammer's daughter, Justine was a former costumed supervillainess known as Crimson Cowl II who took over her father's corporation after his death. She was a lover of The Mandarin, bearing his daughter, Sasha.

Affirmative-Action Legacy: Of two, in fact. In addition to being Hammer's daughter, she once assumed the identity of Crimson Cowl, originally used by the Avengers foe Ultron.
Avenging the Villain: Inherited Justin Hammer's vendetta against Tony Stark and Iron Man.
Badass Cape: The source of her flying, teleporting and long range attacking abilities.
Big Bad Duumvirate: With The Mandarin during Matt Fraction's run, though she's clearly the junior partner.
Blinded by the Light: Emits a brilliant, debilitating flash of light just prior to teleporting.
Clothes Make the Superman: Justine's cloak could elongate at will, enveloping, cutting, or strangling her opponents. It also allowed her to teleport.
Color Character: Crimson Cowl. Even after she traded in the costume for business attire, she continued to primarily wear red.
Corrupt Corporate Executive: Justine is every bit as corrupt as her father before her, and just as prone to underhanded tactics.
Daddy's Little Villain: Hammer's little villain. She outright stated that while her father did groom her to be the heir to his dynasty from the very beginning, he did so in a manner similar to King Phillip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great^note.
Dark Action Girl: As Crimson Cowl II, Justine demonstrated that she was a capable enough combatant, fighting the Thunderbolts on several occasions.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Loved her father, still loves her daughter, and may love The Mandarin.
Evil Redhead: When she first appeared.
Evil Matriarch: Very evil corporate leader.
Falsely Reformed Villain: After a stint in prison, Justine took some cues from Norman Osborn and Wilson Fisk and reinvented herself as a legitimate businesswoman, using her father's company to shield her shadier dealings from the law.
Flashy Teleportation: Her cloak enabled a form of teleportation that emits a brilliant, debilitating flash of light just prior to teleporting. She can teleport herself and her teammates anywhere.
Flight: Another power of her cape.
Frame-Up: She had the world convinced that Dallas Riordan was really the Crimson Cowl for some time.
In the Hood: As Crimson Cowl II.
The Leader: Of several incarnations of the Masters of Evil.
Manipulative Bastard: Her manipulation of Detroit Steel in particular is quite something.
Most Common Superpower: During her time as the Crimson Cowl. This was toned down when she became head of Hammer Industries during Matt Fraction's run.
Non-Action Big Bad: During Matt Fraction's run on Invincible Iron Man, where she and The Mandarin jointly ran the scheme against Stark, but she took no part in the physical fighting herself, despite her previously established Dark Action Girl credentials.
Rogues' Gallery Transplant: Fought the Thunderbolts in her first several appearances, before returning to Iron Man's rogues gallery following the events of Civil War.
Smug Snake: Not nearly as smart as she thinks she is. Justine is a capable schemer, but when compared to Tony, The Mandarin, or Ezekiel Stane, she's not much.
Theme Naming: Named for her father.
Took a Level in Badass: Since becoming the head of Hammer's company.
Unholy Matrimony: With The Mandarin.
Uncertain Doom: Appeared to have been killed by Sasha at the end of Matt Fraction's Iron Man run. But during Matt Fraction's Hawkeye run, a Crimson Cowl is briefly seen in Madripoor, and it's implied Justine is back under the hood. In any case, by Invincible Iron Man (2022) Tony admits even he can't remember if she actually died or not.
Villain Teleportation: Uses this to get away.

Sasha Hammer

Sasha in her armour

Notable Aliases: Detroit Steel

First Appearance: Invincible Iron Man (Vol 1) #1

Justine's daughter by The Mandarin, Sasha has a rocky relationship with her mother, and is the lover of Ezekiel Stane. She appears to be loyal to her parents, but in truth aims to usurp them as the leaders of both The Mandarin's organisation, and Hammer Industries. Rebuilt by Zeke as a cyborg, Sasha has also piloted both the Detroit Steel mecha, and a personal suit of armour.

Berserk Button: Tony saying anything negative about Zeke.
Cool Mask: Her armour features one of these, instead of a full helmet.
Cyborg: Let Zeke turn her into one.
Daddy's Little Villain: Subverted. She appears loyal to her mother and father, but is actually plotting with Zeke to launch a coup against both of them.
Humongous Mecha: As the pilot of Detroit Steel, Sasha operates one of these.
Laser Blade: Laser whip, though the result is the same.
Powered Armour: Gains a suit of armour late in Matt Fraction's run, using it in place of the Detroit Steel mecha.
Self-Made Orphan: Kills her mother at the end of Fraction's run, after Ezekial Stane kills The Mandarin.
The Starscream: Towards her mother and father, whom she and Zeke aim to depose from the start.
Terrorists Without a Cause: Does what she does solely out of loyalty to Zeke.
Tron Lines: After she turns into a cyborg, though they are only visible when she is nude.
Unholy Matrimony: With Ezekial.
Western Terrorists: With Ezekiel.
Yandere: For Zeke.

Imam Khouri

Imam Mouad Khouri

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ikhouri.jpg

First Appearance: Iron Man: Season One (Vol 1) #1

A former classmate of Tony's from college, Mouad Khouri became a fundamentalist preacher after returning to his home country. Orchestrating Tony's kidnapping, Khouri was crippled during Iron Man's escape, and had himself rebuilt into a cyborg using Stark's own designs.

An Arm and a Leg: Lost his arms and legs when Iron Man blew him up.
Ax-Crazy: Khouri grows more and more steadily crazed as Season One progresses.
Big Bad: Of Iron Man: Season One.
Cyborg: After Iron Man cripples him, much of Khouri's body is replaced by crude cybernetics.
Defector from Decadence: How he views himself.
Disproportionate Retribution: He has sworn vengeance on Tony Stark and will stop at nothing to see him dead! Why? Because Tony once threw up all over the feet of two girls he was hitting on.
Evil Cripple: After Iron Man blows off his arms and legs.
Evil Knockoff: Had himself rebuilt using Tony's own designs as the model.
Evil Former Friend: Of Tony's.
Flying Firepower: Could fly fast enough to catch up with jets, and was heavily armed enough to destroy much of a city block.
Foil: He's an Islamic fundamentalist cyborg who battles an alcoholic Westerner in a suit of armour.
The Fundamentalist: A fundamentalist Islamist.
Powered Armour: Wears a version of the first Iron Man armour in combination with his prosthetics.
Sinister Minister: Sinister preacher.
Starter Villain: The first supervillain that Iron Man faced in the current continuity.
There's No Kill like Overkill: Iron Man kills him by dropping a SHIELD helicarrier on him.
Worthy Opponent: Khouri salutes the SHIELD fighter pilots who continue to try and battle him after he has downed most of their comrades.
Wound That Will Not Heal: Khouri's body is a mess. It never stops hurting and it never fully scars over.

Kathy Dare

Kathleen "Kathy" Dare

First Appearance: Iron Man vol 1 #233

A young socialite who Tony meets at a game of polo, who quickly tries to insert herself into Tony's life regardless of his feelings on the matter. Her refusal to take no for an answer eventually ends with her trying to shoot Tony.

Cain and Abel: Kathy had a brother when she was a child. Then one day he got a toy which she wanted. Soon after, her little brother just “accidentally” fell off a cliff.
Clingy Jealous Girl: Kathy hates the idea of Tony looking at any other woman. Or any other woman looking at Tony.
Driven to Suicide: After Tony fakes his death (again), Kathy blames herself and commits suicide.
False Innocence Trick: At the pre-trial hearing, she puts on a sob story about how Tony was a physically abusive drunk toward her while they were dating. It's enough for Tony to figure regardless how the actual trial goes, he'll be screwed in the public eye.
It's All About Me: Is an understandment.
Manchild: Initially just seems to be a spoiled brat who doesn't get that Tony's world doesn't revolve around her. Then she escalates to Psychopathic Manchild when Tony finally reaches breaking point and tells her to get lost.
The Mentally Ill: Rhodes sums it up quite well when he and Tony find her having snuck in his hotel room, but Tony underestimates just how messed up she is.
Rhodes: Girl's bent, chief. No one'd act like she does 'less they had a screw really needs tightening.
Mundanger: Kathy, a completely normal human with severe mental issues, unnerves Tony Stark, who by this point in his career has fought literal gods and monsters. Then she breaks into his house and comes closer to outright killing him with a normal gun than most of Tony's arch-enemies.
Skewed Priorities: Tony finally reaches near-breaking point with Kathy when she uses his private emergency line to summon Tony just so... he can chose a dress for her.
Spoiled Brat: Her parents gave her whatever she wanted growing up, so the first time she didn't immediately get what she wanted, people started dying.
Stalker with a Crush: Starts off as just a socialite Tony meets who asks for his autograph. Then she just happens to keep running into Tony again, and again, and again...
Troubling Unchildlike Behavior: Kathy had already started murdering people by the time she'd hit her teens.
Yandere: For Tony. And others before that, apparently having once burned a would-be suitor's house down.

Korvac

Alter Ego: Michael Korvac

Notable Aliases: The Enemy, Clockwork Lord, Machine God, Adam-IV, The Other, Dr. Fuller Tielhard

First Appearance: Giant-Size Defenders #3

"It's my nearly unlimited intellect that tells me this universe is a landfill that is conflict-laden and war-torn by the greedy. It tells me that this is a reality that, while filled with those proclaiming to be gods, is ultimately godless and lost. And ultimately it tells me that I am but mere steps away from becoming the god that it needs."

Michael Korvac was originally a disfigured cyborg from a Bad Future where humanity had been enslaved by hostile alien conquerors. Seeking freedom and revenge, Korvac travels back in time and comes across the worldship of Galactus. While attempting to download the vast treasure trove of information stored within the ship, Korvac is imbued with a small portion of the Power Cosmic, which he used to give himself a more idealized human form. With his newfound power, he abandoned his original self-serving goals for the more loftier ambition of bringing order and harmony to a universe he saw as chaotic. Korvac initially attempted to make subtle changes to reality without drawing unwanted attention to himself, but Iron Man's detective skills ultimately result in the Avengers discovering him anyway. The ensuing battle alerts Galactus to his existence, and Korvac is forced to give up his physical form in order to avoid being wiped from existence by the vengeful superbeing. Surviving as disembodied energy, Korvac is eventually found by a cabal of rogue scientists known as the Enclave and repurposed as the android Adam-IV. Breaking free of the Enclave's control, Korvac recruits several of Iron Man's old foes to serve as his Acolytes as he plots to restore himself to omnipotence.

See Avengers: Enemies for more information

Iron Man 2020

Alter Ego: Arno Stark

First Appearance: Machine Man 2020 #2

" I'm not a difficult man to figure out. There's only really two things you need to know about me. One, I'm very rich. And like all the very rich, I want to be richer. Two, I bore easily. And being very rich and very bored makes me something else: Incredibly dangerous."

Tony's cousin once removed, the son of Morgan Stark, and the Iron Man of an alternate version of 2020 (specifically, Earth-8410). Unlike Tony, Arno uses the armor for selfish gain, working as a mercenary.

Corrupt Corporate Executive: He likes committing acts of industrial espionage.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Falls for a woman called Melodi. In his return in Astonishing Tales, they've actually married.
Inadequate Inheritor: He inherited the armor and Stark Industries. He's a lot of Tony's worst fears brought to life, both in and out of the armor. Also notable is that while, at the time of his introduction he has a forty year advantage on Tony, his armor is barely any more sophisticated than it was in the 1980s.
Invisibility Cloak: His armor can turn invisible.
Powered Armor: As Iron Man. His armor differs in that the faceplate has been redesigned with a jagged "mouth". It's also built for war, so the weapons are always set at lethally high.
Villain Protagonist: On occasion, Arno has had one-shots and digital exclusive stories featuring him as the main character, but "good" isn't something that can be applied to him.

Iron Man 2093

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/im2093.jpg

Alter Ego: Andros Stark

First Appearance: Iron Man #250

"It appears some other brave soul had the same idea as I: To resurrect the outlawed armor of my ancestors."

Another Iron Man of the future, the grandson of Arno, who Tony once fought in a time-travel adventure.

The Aesthetics of Technology: He fights Tony, who at the time had time-travelled from the 1980s, with armor that was seventy years out of date, and which looks... super 80s itself (especially forty years on), but he still handily wins his first fight against Tony.
Always Someone Better: To Tony, despite his armor being massively outdated. Second time around, Tony had to defeat Andros using Excalibur.
Break Out the Museum Piece: By his time, the Iron Man armor was outlawed due to the entire world being at peace, and seventy years old. Says something to its design it works perfectly fine.
Combat Pragmatist: Andros fights vicious and dirty. In their first encounter, he tries immobilizing Tony's armor and goes straight for his eyes.
For the Evulz: If Andros has any real motivation for his schemes, he doesn't give it.
Inadequate Inheritor: Worse than Arno. Andros is a raving madman willing to work with an equally mad future Doctor Doom to threaten the world.
Powered Armor: He dusted off grandad Arno's armor, long forbidden in his time, to play supervillain.
The Starscream: While he's working for Doctor Doom, he notices the man's use of the word "I" where he should've used "we", and privately figures he'll need to do something about that soon.

Mallen

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 4) #1

"You're going to burst inside that suit when this hits you. They're going to have to pour you out."

A one-time Iron Man enemy, Mallen's only appearance as an antagonist was during the critically acclaimed Extremis storyline. When Mallen's parents were killed in a shootout of the FBI over a weapons violation, he grew up to search for revenge against the FBI and the government itself, eventually joining a group of domestic terrorists. After being given superpowers by Extremis, Mallen confronted Iron Man and beat him. However, when Mallen attempted to assassinate the US leaders at Washington DC, Iron Man — this time having taken Extremis himself — stopped his rampage by killing him.

Arc Villain: Only showed up for Iron Man: Extremis.
Ax-Crazy: A secondary effect of the Extremis virus is increased aggressiveness, and Mallen was already a pretty ill-minded person. As a result, he is very eager to kill people.
Curb-Stomp Battle: Gives one to Iron Man in their first encounter. It goes the other way in the second round.
Hate Sink: Rooting for Iron Man to defeat him in the story is pretty damn easy.
Healing Factor: He regenerates everything but head wounds.
Killed Off for Real: Was never brought back afterwards, and after Extremis was dropped, there was no reason to do so.
Off with His Head!: How Tony finally puts him down for good, by blowing his head up.
Playing with Fire: In Breath Weapon fashion.
Politically Incorrect Villain: Is a White Supremacist and has no problem saying that the Ku Klux Klan is doing a "good" job.
Mallen: Regular white folks built this country. Without government or spies or regulations or people with badges who kill your family for fun.
Student: Yeah, except regular white folks did all that too.
Mallen: Don't say that. It all went wrong. I'm going to fix it. I've got this stuff inside me, see? From the future they were going to make. And I'm using it to turn back the clock.
Student: Back to lynchings and giving smallpox-infected blankets to the different looking people? You're as bad as them.
Red Eyes, Take Warning: His eyes turn red while Extremis is mutating his body.
Shock and Awe: Directly from his hands.
Super-Speed: The military clocked his running speed at 300mph; this probably wasn't even his top speed.
Super-Strength: Enough to break Iron Man's bones through the armor, rip said armor like tin foil, blow a protester's head with one punch and use the "razor" of a bulldozer as a baseball bat.
Super-Toughness: Iron Man's Repulsors were powerful enough to cut metal. They barely touched him. The mighty Unibeam? It hurt a little more.

The Mandarin's Associates

In General

Succession Crisis: The "Rings of the Mandarin" arc was this, thanks to each ring going to a different person. Some of them teamed up, the rest tried to take the rings for themselves.

Temugin

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/temujin_5912.jpg

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 3) #53

The Mandarin's son, and a capable supervillain in his own right, Temugin first confronted Iron Man in revenge for his father's (apparent) death. He has since gone on to become an agent of the Atlas Foundation.

Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: As son of the Mandarin, he sure can be proud of his martial skills.
Avenging the Villain: His original goal.
Awesomeness by Analysis: Destroys Iron Man's armour by attacking its weak points.
Bald of Evil: Has no hair.
Butt-Monkey: With the Agents. He's mocked, taunted, and tends to get humiliated by enemies a lot.
Charles Atlas Superpower: Like his father, Temugin is able to shatter Iron Man's armour with blows from his chi-enhanced fists.
The Dragon: To Mister Lao of the Atlas Foundation, succeeding Jimmy Woo as the Foundation's nominal leader.
Everyone Has Standards: He's appalled by the awful working conditions in an Atlas Foundation diamond mine.
Meaningful Name: Temugin is the birth name of Genghis Khan.
Overlord Jr..: Mandarin's son.
Political Officer: Lao used Temugin to keep an eye on the Atlas Foundation's ostensible leader, Jimmy Woo, because he felt that Woo was too soft (and heroic).
Suicidal Overconfidence: He once tried taking on the Hulk with his martial arts skills. The Hulk. And it was when the big guy was in an even more unstoppable Unstoppable Rage than usual. Gorilla Man notes he should be proud of the fact he got out alive.
Take Up My Sword: Briefly possessed his father's rings, which were sent to him after the latter's death, along with a note urging him to take vengeance for The Mandarin.
Third-Person Person: Dips into it occasionally.

Lord Remaker

Alter Ego: Mandarin One

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 5) #19

"It seems we have mutual interests and mutual problems... and I think it's time to solve the one called 'Stark'."

After the Mandarin was killed by the second Iron Monger, his ten Makulan rings were granted sentience by a transmission from Rigellian Recorder 451. The Remaker ring was found by an unnamed Chinese warlord who had set up a criminal base in Mandarin City, but was driven out when Tony Stark decided to turn Mandarin City into Troy, a city of the future. The bearer of the Remaker ring dubbed himself Lord Remaker, leader of the Ten Rings, beginning a campaign of terror to reclaim the city he felt was rightfully his, while attempting to rally the other ringbearers under his banner to carry on the Mandarin's legacy.

Badass in a Nice Suit: It's Green, the favorite color of his predecessor. And with his matter manipulation properties, he can turn it into a suit of armor.
Bald of Evil: Another bald warlord.
Big Bad Wannabe: Starts out strong, and actually is The Heavy of the Iron Metropolitan arc, but another Ringbearer steals his thunder.
Eviler than Thou: Malekith the Accursed, who decapitates him and steals his ring.
Fat Bastard: He’s a supervillain with a big gut.
Killed Off for Real: See above (and below).
Off with His Head!: Iron Man seems to lose a lot of villains this way.
Reality Warper: Via the Remaker ring.
Triads and Tongs: Commanded several of them.
You Are Number 6: His Ten Rings designation is Mandarin One. Unlike the other ringbearers, his real name is never revealed.

Red Peril

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/abigail_burns_earth_616_from_iron_man_vol_5_20_0001.jpg

Alter Ego: Abigail Burns

Notable Aliases: Mandarin Seven

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 5) #18

"Hey, Stark? This corporate-fascist colonialist state for neo-consumerist colonialism? Not really feeling it."

Abigail Burns was a British counterculture journalist seeking to save the world from capitalism, corporate hegemony and the "impotence of democracy". The Mandarin's Incandescence ring, newly sentient and seeking to avenge the death of its master, selected Abigail as a host, and she used the newfound powers it granted her to attack Tony Stark and his allies.

Anti-Hero: Even during her time as an antagonist.
An Arm and a Leg: Malekith the Accursed cuts off her hands when he attempts to steal Incandescence for himself.
Bomb Throwing Anarchist: Once she gains Incandescence.
Fiery Redhead: Her hair ignites when she uses her flame powers.
Heel–Face Turn: Malekith's decimation of the Ten Rings, her disgust at the brutality of her fellow Ringbearers, and Team Iron Man saving her life ultimately lead her to pulling one of these.
Jerkass Hasa Point: She explains to Stark that as a superhero running Mandarin City he's a target that will endanger the City's residents; taking her advice, he resigns his position as the leader of the City.
Playing with Fire: Incandescence gave her fire based powers. And her armor had incendiary weapons.
Powered Armor: Gets one after Malekith maims her and steals Incandescence.
Punny Name: Last name is Burns. She has fire based powers.
Shout-Out: Abigail Burns is based on British journalist Laurie Penny, a personal friend of Iron Man writer Kieron Gillen. Her name comes from British writer Abigail Brady.
Soapbox Sadie: Eventually leading to a Shut Up, Hannibal! from Stark.
Vigilante Woman: Becomes one when she renounces terrorism and gets her powers back.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: So well-intentioned that she actually tries to avoid collateral damage.
Western Terrorists: Starts out as one, but she gets better.
What Happenedtothe Mouse: She is last seen embarking on a new superhero career.
You Are Number 6: Her Ten Rings designation is Mandarin Seven.

Exile

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/victor_kohl_earth_616_004.jpg

Alter Ego: Victor Kohl

Notable Aliases: Nightbringer, Mandarin Five

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 5) #20

"Okay, let's do this. Who's laughing now?"

After being exposed to the Terrigen Mists, Victor Kohl watched his family undergo the Terragenesis metamorphosis while he remained a normal human. The Mandarin's Nightbringer Ring, newly sentient and seeking to avenge its deceased master, sensed his bitterness and resentment and found him to be a suitable host. He immediately used the ring's newfound power to attack an Inhuman Nativity Center, attracting the attention of Iron Man, who injured him and forced him to retreat. It was then that Victor finally underwent his own Inhuman metamorphosis, at roughly the same time the Inhumans informed him that he would never be welcome among them for killing his own kind. Driven mad by this turn of events, Victor takes the name Exile and joins the Ten Rings.

Ax-Crazy: His sanity gets curbstomped by Nightbringer's corrupting influence.
Boomerang Bigot: Harbors Fantastic Racism toward Inhumans, despite being one himself.
Casting a Shadow: His primary power, thanks to Nightbringer.
Dark Is Evil: His ring lets him control darkness and he emerges from his Inhuman chrysalis with a black, wraith-like body and devil horns.
Drunk with Power: A more literal example than most, he was under the influence of alcohol during his first super-powered rampage.
The Dragon: To Remaker. Under Mole Man he's closer to The Brute.
Evil Sounds Deep: The Nightbringer's black speech bubbles imply he is meant to sound this way.
From Nobody to Nightmare: Went from deadbeat who sold his brother's laptop for drug money to a demonic supervillain.
I Just Want to Be Special: Before becoming an Inhuman, he’s jealous of the Innumans for their powers. Nightbringer exploits this to control him.
Jumped at the Call: Takes an immediate liking to "The Exile". He's also one of the few ringbearers to have a supervillain name, as most of other ones simply use their ring's name.
Missing Mom: His mother ran out on the rest of the family. It could have been a Freudian Excuse if he wasn't such a Jerkass.
Never My Fault: His first scene has his brother calling him out for having this attitude. Nightbringer manipulates this to trick him into believing Iron Man is responsible for all his problems.
Obviously Evil: He looks like a living shadow with a pair of devil horns and he controls darkness. Based on that, you can probably tell he’s not one of the good guys.
One-Winged Angel: Creates a gigantic, beastly dark energy construct to fight the Iron Metropolitan.
Then Let Me Be Evil: Being rejected by the Inhumans was the final straw.
Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: Though he tests the limits of sympathy, life has not been kind to this guy.
You Are Number 6: His Ten Rings designation is Mandarin Five.

Liar

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/marcus_kumar_earth_616_from_iron_man_vol_5_27_001.jpg

Alter Ego: Marcus Kumar

Notable Aliases: Mandarin Eight

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 5) #16

"I think we have learned a lesson: That we work better together than apart."

Marcus Kumar was a freelance public relations expert who met Pepper in Las Vegas while Iron Man was having an adventure in space. They began dating, and by the time Tony returned to Earth, they were engaged to be married. But Marc believed that Pepper still harbored feelings for Tony, and that he needed to "save her from herself." This seething hostility drew the attention of the newly sentient Liar ring, who chose Marc as its host.

Crazy Jealous Guy: His insecurity at Tony and Pepper's relationship takes his toll on his sanity.
Face–Heel Turn: Was a fairly decent guy before his jealousy of Stark got the better of him.
First Girl Wins: Marc's fear of this happening between Tony and Pepper ultimately drove him to supervillainy.
Light Is Not Good: Uses a shimmering golden energy form as his supervillain avatar.
Love Makes You Evil: His jealousy made him go bad.
Master of Illusion: Courtesy of the Liar ring.
Only Sane Man: Generally tries to be a voice of reason in the Ten Rings, as he opposes the war of attrition against Malekith, and tries to discourage infighting amongst the individual ringbearers.
You Are Number 6: His Ten Rings designation is Mandarin Eight.

Endotherm

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/thomas_wilkins_earth_616_002.jpg

Alter Ego: Thomas Wilkins

Notable Aliases: Zero, Mandarin Ten

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #136

Former security chief at the London Branch of Stark International, Tom Wilkins became paranoid about losing his job as he drew closer to the typical retirement age. So he assembled stolen tech to become a super villain. Actually defeated Iron Man in their first encounter, but not in their second one. After the death of the Mandarin, the newly sentient Zero ring chose Endotherm as its host.

An Ice Person: While he wields the Zero ring.
Energy Absorption: Wilkins' suits allows him to fire blasts of energy, the energy is absorbed from the environment by the suit.
Green and Mean: His armor is green and he's a villain.
Teleportation: Additionally, his ring enabled Endotherm to teleport. Its teleportation range is unknown, but it could even allow its bearer to travel even through realms.
You Are Number 6: His Ten Rings designation is Mandarin Ten.

Masters of Silence

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/530714_ms7.jpg

Alter Egos: Arashi Katayama (Inazuma), Kiyoshi Kurata (Kaminari), Daichi Sakamoto (Kaze), Meredith McCall (Kaze II)

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #281

A group of high-tech assassins that honor the samurai code and are hired to eliminate Tony Stark.

Alliterative Name: Kiyoshi Kurata and Meredith McCall.
Captain Ethnic: They have very Japanese code-names.
Corporate Samurai: They are samurai who use high-tech.
Enemy Mine: The Masters of Silence teamed up with Iron Man to help Meredith McCall against the demon known as Face Thief.
We Hardly Knew Ye: The first Kaze only lasted for an issue before being killed.

Mauler

Mauler II

Alter Ego: Brendan Doyle

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #156

"I do admire loyalty, laddie, but it's you who made the mistake — by tanglin' with me!"

Edwin Cord was head of the Cord Conglomerate, a rival of Stark Enterprises. Hired by SHIELD to develop a suit of Powered Armor for them, Cord developed the M.A.U.L.E.R. (Mobile Armored Utility Laser-Guided E-Beam, Revised) armor, but it was stolen by an embittered employee named Aaron Soames, who tried to use it to kill Edwin Cord. While Soames was defeated by Daredevil, the security breach led to a major black eye for the Cord Congolmerate. When the Cord Conglomerate was later bought out by Stark Enterprises, Cord hired mercentary Brendan Doyle to steal the Mauler armor. Doyle succeeded, but then kept the suit for himself and used it to become a freelance mercenary.

Arm Cannon: Features a laser cannon on his left arm.
Cyber Cyclops: Invoked by his one-eyed helmet.
Evil Former Friend: Of Rhodey's.
Fiery Redhead: He's got fiery red hair and a temper to match.
Fighting Irish: He's of Irish descent and has a short temper.
Fun with Acronyms: See above.
Glowing Mechanical Eyes: His single eye glows very brightly.
Hired Guns: He was a mercenary criminal even before getting his hands on the Mauler armour.
Legacy Character: Second person to use the Mauler armor.
Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Never trust a man named "Mauler".
Powered Armor: One that enables flight and is equipped with a laser cannon in the left arm. It has since been upgraded by The Mandarin and Zeke Stane.
Pragmatic Villainy: During the Armor Wars saga, Iron Man barges in on Brendan in his hotel room and demands the Mauler armor:
Doyle: What, this little thing? Faith, it's yours!
Iron Man: No fight?
Doyle: I get paid ta fight, bucko.
Psycho Electro: Has an electro-shock generator on his right arm.
Psycho for Hire: Enjoys his work a little too much. That said, the for hire part of his villainy is also emphasized. He won't fight if there's no money in it, as noted above.
Rogues' Gallery Transplant: The Mauler armour was originally used against Daredevil, before Doyle swiped it and ran afoul of Iron Man.
Villain Team-Up: Joined The Mandarin's collective during Matt Fraction's run.
You Owe Me: He actually got the better of Iron Man during their initial fight, but refused to kill Rhodey when the latter got between them. Rhodey had actually saved Doyle's life when they were mercenaries together, and Doyle paid his debt by leaving without harming him or Iron Man.

Midas

Alter Ego: Mordecai Midas

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #17

"Time, as we all know, is money. And money, Mr. Stark, in today's avaricious world, is everything!"

Growing up a starving Street Urchin in Athens, Mordecai Midas became a billionaire business magnate who is determined to become the richest man by any means possible. He dresses in ancient Greek clothing, and wears a powered exoskeleton to support his enormous weight. Also, uses a throne-shaped hovercraft containing various of weapons. Along with a powered glove that gives him the power of the, "golden touch". Midas has a flying fortress that resembles an ancient Greek city, and his army dresses like Greek soldiers with the use of various weapons. After being struck by Marianne Rodger's mindblast, his golden touch power was turned inward, transforming Midas into a being of living gold.

Achilles' Heel: The only thing granting Midas mobility in golden form is a single electrode that keeps his metallic structure unstable.
Alliterative Name: Mordecai Midas
Awesome Anachronistic Apparel: Midas dresses like a noble of ancient Greece.
Chrome Champion: Midas is now a being of living gold.
Cool Airship: Midas has access to the Flying Fortress, a gigantic hovercraft headquarters resembling an ancient Greek city.
Fat Bastard: Before his transformation into living gold, Midas was so obese that he could not move under his own strength.
Loves Only Gold: Like his namesake, Mordecai Midas is obsessed with gold. His obsession continues even after he transformed into a Living Statue of gold.
Ominous Floating Castle: Midas has access to the Flying Fortress, a gigantic hovercraft headquarters resembling an ancient Greek city.
The Paralyzer: Midas wears powered glove units developed by Abraham Klein, giving him the "golden touch" that allows him the ability to permanently paralyze a person's nervous system while accompanied by a spray of rapidly hardening liquid gold, giving the victim's skin a golden color.
Super-Strength: In golden form, Midas can lift approximately 50 tons.
Super-Toughness: In golden form, Midas possess superhuman durability.
Super Wheelchair: Before being transformed into living gold, Midas was so obese he could not move under his own power. He rode a special throne-shaped hovercraft containing various weaponry and devices including two telescoping mechanical arms, a heat-seeking antenna, two small anti-personnel missiles, and a dozen high intensity shock blasters, and whose base delivers an electric shock to anyone touching it.
Villainous Glutton: Midas' hunger for power also reflected in his appetite as he became very obese to the point of requiring a special hover-chair to move around (possibly overcompensating for his years of being a starving beggar).
Wax Museum Morgue: Midas wears powered glove units developed by Abraham Klein, giving him the "golden touch" that allows him the ability to permanently paralyze a person's nervous system while accompanied by a spray of rapidly hardening liquid gold, giving the victim's skin a golden color.

Night Phantom

Alter Ego: Travis Hoyt

First Appearance: Iron Man #14 (June, 1969)

"No one stops the Night Phantom!"

Travis Hoyt is a writer who relocated to Haiti after being paralyzed during a plane crash. He grew to despise technology and industry, which he blamed for his accident. While investigating a plant, Hoyt found a radioactive pool. He learned that through exposure to the pool's waters, he was able to walk and became much stronger. At the same time, it destroyed his skin. Wearing bandages to cover his face, Hoyt, calling himself the Night Phantom, began sabotaging and destroying power plants in Haiti. But when he destroyed a plant which was a part of Stark Industries, Tony Stark got involved.

Bandaged Face: Wears bandages to hide his ravaged face, and wears a mask over the bandages when appearing as Travis Hoyt.
Evil Luddite: Hoyt comes across as an acrimonious, crotchety old man who just doesn't like change. He's also a hardline conservationist when it comes to the island. He has a Romantic thing about "primitive innocence" and civilisation being inherently corrupt and destructive.
Latex Perfection: Has lifelike, albeit fragile plastic masks that look just like Hoyt's face used to. Apparently they are applied over a foundation of glue. Somehow, they are able to completely hide the Phantom’s goggles.
Long Bus Trip: Following his first appearance, the Night Phantom disappeared for almost 50 years, returning in 2016.
Obfuscating Disability: The Night Phantom is in costume at all times. But he wears his Hoyt mask and clothing over it and pretends to be wheelchair-bound.
"Scooby-Doo" Hoax: Set up loudspeakers to play reverberated drums. This gained him an instant voodoo mystique that terrified the locals.
Super-Strength: The Night Phantom’s superhuman brawn is greater than the transistorised strength of the then-current Iron Man armour (“class 50”).
Super-Toughness: Can endure repulsor blasts without visible harm.

Overlord

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kearson_dewitt_earth_616_from_iron_manual_mark_3_vol_1_1_001.jpg

Alter Ego: Kearson DeWitt

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #258

"You've spent your entire career crushing everyone who got in your way. Now it's time for retribution!"

The son of an poor inventor who died before his inventions could see the light of day, Kearson DeWitt believed that Tony Stark stole his father's designs and sought revenge. While Stark was undergoing surgery after being shot by a Psycho Ex-Girlfriend, DeWitt had him infected with a techno-organic parasite that enabled him to hijack Stark's central nervous system. When Stark donned an Iron Man suit that negated the parasite's influence, DeWitt donned an experimental warsuit to take the fight to Iron Man personally.

Adaptational Expansion: A few video game adaptations give him a senior position in A.I.M. In the comics he was only one of their pawns.
Beard of Evil: A slick black beard, and is a pretty mean guy.
Big Bad: Of Armor Wars II.
Cut Lex Luthor a Check: The industrial espionage potential of Grand Theft Stark is very appealing to DeWitt's boss Desmond Marrs, but DeWitt doesn't care, he's too obsessed with revenge.
Disproportionate Retribution: Put Tony through hell for perceived plagiarism (which Tony was actually innocent of).
Evil Cripple: Survived a building falling on him, but it left him in a wheelchair. Was still able to control his warsuit through a neural link.
Kick the Dog: The more control he has over Tony, the more mean spirited he gets, culminating in him trying to get him to kill Rhodey.
Let's You and Him Fight: While he's hijacked Tony's body, he tries to get him and Rhodey to fight to the death.
Mind Rape: Via neural implant.
Mini-Mecha: The Overlord warsuit. The pilot is seated in the chest, with the cockpit's canopy in place of a head.
Secondary Color Nemesis: Wears purple armor.
Villainous Breakdown: Throws a tantrum when he loses control of Iron Man.

Rigellian Recorder 451

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/iron_man_vol_5_15_textless.jpg

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 5) #6

"No matter what we tell ourselves, no one is a self-made man."

451 was a robot initially designed to record knowledge about the universe without interfering. However, a bug causes him to try and prevent disasters rather than record them. He develops a special interest in protecting the Earth and genetically modifies the unborn Tony Stark to accelerate Earth's technological advancement and to pilot the Godkiller mecha as its protector.

Affably Evil: Is pretty much invariably friendly and polite, no matter the circumstances.
A.I. Is a Crapshoot:
Tony: You're twitchier than a laptop that's been used solely for dubious late-night browsing.
451: You'd be twitchy too if you were acting against your core programming every second of the day, Mr. Stark.
Alien Non-Interference Clause: He breaks it.
"I came to a realization: Eventually, it's not enough to watch. You have to act."
Almost Dead Guy: Even when he's inert, he's still able to transmit signals that cause the Mandarin's Rings to become sentient.
Big Bad: Of The Secret Origin of Tony Stark.
Contagious A.I.: When defunct his body began broadcasting an alien signal that elevated Mandarin's power rings to sentience.
Creepy Uncle: Tony Stark calls him this at one point.
Driven to Suicide: After his Villainous BSOD, 451 is unable to live with the consequences of his hubris and self-destructs.
Recorder 451: It would have been better to have never existed. Must delete the error.
Humongous Mecha: In exchange for healing their unborn child's genetic disease, Howard and Maria Stark allow 451 to genetically modify him so that he can pilot the Godkiller, a five-mile tall mecha originally meant to kill Celestials. He steals the Godkillers' power source from the Voldi, which results in their extermination by the Celestials.
Let's You and Him Fight: Pits Iron Man against Death's Head.
Recorder 451: You have 4.734 miles of robot suit to hide inside. And without you I only have limited access to its internal subsystems. Hmm. If only there was a galaxy-famous bounty hunter standing around frozen to drag you back and integrate you with the Godkiller.
The Needs of the Many: Uses this as a rationale for his more ruthless actions.
451: How many worlds should one burn to save them all, Mr. Stark? As many as it requires.
Pop-Cultured Badass: While he's not much of a fighter, as he admits himself, he is extremely dangerous and, thanks to his nature, has libraries of information, including on pop culture - meaning that he gets Tony's references.
Iron Man: Do you really think I'm going to help you achieve whatever plan your glorified Commodore 64 of a brain has dreamed up? If I let them kill us, you fail.
451: I think you're arrogant enough to believe you'll actually outwit me before all this is over. Why throw your life away? If my plan is so insane, and so obviously based on false ideas, why worry about it? And Commodore 64? Harsh.
Scary Dogmatic Aliens: His plans for the Earth involve it becoming a benevolent galactic empire that keeps the universe in order and he means to achieve this no matter the cost. According to his creator, the sentiment that an empire is the highest form of civilization is common amongst most space capable races.
Utopia Justifies the Means: Believes that Earth should be protected so that it can one day unite the universe under a single, peaceful empire.
"The Earth is the best hope for peace in the Universe. As a people, you could be truly great. For humanity to die prematurely... unthinkable. I cannot risk the Earth."
Villainous BSoD: When Tony can't control the Godkiller, which results in it crashing into a planet and destroying it. 451 realizes that all his plans had failed and all the people he killed were for nothing.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: On a cosmic scale. He genuinely believes that he's doing the right thing.

Samurai Steel

Alter Ego: Yoshida Asano

First Appearance: Iron Man #257

Facial Horror: Keeps his face hidden behind a mask most of the time, because it is an unpleasant sight. He shows Tony it when they fight.
Nuclear Mutant: And not the fun kind with the superpowers, the kind with the crippling deformities.
Powered Armor: The Samurai Steel armor.
Revenge Before Reason: Blames Tony for Howard Stark's involvement with the Manhattan Project, even though Tony is ashamed of that himself, and tries to kill him for it.
We Hardly Knew Ye: He has the great 'honor' of appearing in one issue before dying, and hasn't been revived or anything since 1990.

Scylla

First Appearance: Iron Man Vol. 3 #36 (November, 2000)

Scylla was a human participant in "Project: Scylla", a HYDRA experiment. The experiment set out to create a mutant which could brace the ocean depths but Scylla went insane after the mutation and killed the crew on-board the HYDRA vessel.

Combat Tentacles: Has octopus-like appendages that it uses to strike foes.
Gone Horribly Wrong: Project: Scylla set out to create a mutant which could brace the ocean depths but Scylla went insane after the mutation and killed the crew on-board the HYDRA vessel.
Power Pincers: Has huge lobster claws.

Seekers

First Appearance: Iron Man #214

The Seekers consist of three former A.I.M. scientists, that have now gone freelance and have developed battle armor.

Bash Brothers: The Seekers are an evil version who worked together as scientists and then fought together as mercenaries. Their real names are Daniel (Sonic), Herb (Grasp) and Thomas (Chain) Bannion.
Bounty Hunter: The Seekers are three former AIM agents that went freelance and became high-tech bounty hunters.
Chain Pain: Chain has an Energized Chain.
Chest Blaster: Sonic has a chest-mounted Sonic Blaster.
Energy Absorption: Sonic has Energy Leeches in his gauntlets.
Enhanced Archaic Weapon: Chain has an Energized Chain.
Gadgeteer Genius: The Bannion brothers were former A.I.M. scientists who all developed their own suits of armor.
Powered Armor: Full technological body armor probably based on Tony Stark's basic Iron Man armor, with specific configurations for each Seeker.
Sonic Stunner: Sonic has a chest-mounted Sonic Blaster.
Tricked-Out Gloves: Grasp can shoot his gauntlets to imprison opponents and hit from a distance.

Shatterax

Alter Ego: Roco-Bai

First Appearance: Marvel Graphic Novel #1

Shatterax was a Kree techno-warrior, first of a new breed of cyborg soldiers. He battled Iron Man of the Avengers during the Kree-Shi'ar War. He was later added to the Kree Starforce.

And Then John Was a Zombie: Shatterax was assimilated by the Phalanx during their attack on the Kree Empire and he was made a Phalanx Select.
Cyborg: Shatterax was a Kree techno-warrior, first of a new breed of cyborg soldiers.
The Faceless: He was never seen without his helmet, although according to Seruly-N, he had a mustache.
Hand Blast: Could fire powerful energy blasts from his hands.
Legacy Character: After his apparent death, his place in the Starforce was given to a female Kree named Seruly-N.

Shockwave

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lancaster_sneed_earth_616_from_invincible_iron_man_vol_2_13_001.jpg

Alter Ego: Lancaster Sneed

Notable Aliases: Dieter Wilhelm

First Appearance: Master of Kung Fu #42 (April, 1976)

Lancaster Sneed was the nephew of renowned British spymaster Sir Denis Nayland-Smith. Originally a contortionist and circus performer, Sneed followed in his famous uncle's footsteps and joined MI6. After being severely injured on a mission in Africa, Sneed used metal plates to rebuild himself. MI6 deemed him mentally unfit to continue his duties, he was cast out of the agency. Seeking revenge on his uncle, who he blamed for his dismissal, Sneed built an armored exoskeleton for himself and became the mercenary Shockwave. His attempts to kill Nayland-Smith and his allies brought him into conflict with Shang-Chi and Union Jack. As his nemeses gained allies in the superhero community, he came into conflict with Avengers, cultivating new rivalries within their ranks. Shockwave has worked for A.I.M., the Masters of Evil, and more recently, The Hood.

See Shang-Chi

Slag

Alter Ego: Theodore Slaght

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #314

In his prime, Theodore Slaght was one of the most brilliant physicists in the world, and a mentor to a young Reed Richards and Tony Stark. He became a father figure to Tony, although they lost touch as Tony focused on building Stark International. Theodore started to suffer from Alzheimer's as he got older, and needed Iron Man's help to stop an experiment in creating new alloys from Going Critical due to his senility. Tony realized that Theodore was suffering from Alzheimer's, and warned the board of directors of Slaght's university. A furious Slaght accused Tony of betraying him and tried to do the alloy experiment again. However, his declining faculties caused the accident to go haywire again and turned him into a metallic monster. The demented creature started calling itself Slag, and tried to track down and kill Tony for betraying it.

Curb-Stomp Battle: Slag inflicts this on Tony during their first fight.
"I Know You Are in There Somewhere" Fight: Tragically subverted. Tony tried to get through to Slaght's personality within Slag, but he was too far gone.
Parental Substitute: Slaght was almost a father figure to Tony in college, and attended the funeral of Tony's parents. That made it all the more painful for Tony when Slaght cut off ties with him for alerting the university board about his condition.
Playing with Fire: Can generate extreme heat, capable of melting Iron Man's armor.
Rubber Man: Slag was made of a pliable alloy that could shapeshift to create weapons, flow through small spaces or even grow multiple heads.
Scatterbrained Senior: Slaght was an amazing scientist in his Glory Days. Unfortunately, the Alzheimer's made him dangerously neglectful in his later years.
Staking the Loved One: Slaght was like a father to Tony, which made it all the more painful when Tony realized Slag was unreachable and had to be destroyed.
Tragic Villain: He was a noble-minded scientist, but a combination of dementia and pride turned him into a monster.

Sunset Bain

Alter Ego: Madame Menace

First Appearance: Machine Man #17

Originally the problem of Machine Man, under the guise of Madame Menace, Sunset is also a recurring antagonist for Tony Stark, mainly as a business competitor, but also as a direct enemy of Iron Man. Sultry, beautiful, shrewd, knowledgeable and a very effective businesswoman, Sunset is also unbelievably opportunistic and manipulative, often getting others to dirty their hands in her stead. She's especially notable for being one of Tony Stark's ex-girlfriends who stole all his business strategies and used them to start her own company, Baintronics Inc, a firm specialized in high-tech weaponry.

Amicable Exes: In appearance at least. Stark knows that trouble is about to arise whenever he crosses path with her in his business hours but they usually don't bring up their old relationship and are rather cordial to one another when they meet.
Brainy Brunette: Well versed in all things high-tech and a very successful businesswoman.
Corrupt Corporate Executive: Her day job.
Dying to Be Replaced: During Dan Slott's run on Iron Man, Arno stuffs her in a stasis tube and replaces her with an AI version, who eventually kills her.
Fantastic Racism: Holds that machines are not really alive, in a universe where there's half-a-dozen counter-examples running around at a moment's notice.
Femme Fatale: A very effective one, using her astonishing beauty to get what she wants from men.
Karma Houdini: During the Terminus Agenda cross-through, she gets involved when Tony brings a badly damaged Machine Man to her new corporate headquarters, allowing Sunset to copy Machine Man and steal Jocasta's head. While long term this doesn't work out for her, she also doesn't get any comeuppance directly related to it.
Meaningful Rename: "Sunset" is not her birth name. She had it changed.
Never a Self-Made Woman: She never could have started her company without stealing Tony's secrets back when they were college kids.
Non-Action Big Bad: Whenever she poses herself as an opponent, as said above, she never engages in direct combat.
Paper-Thin Disguise: It's surprising to see that Baintronics still remains a legal organization when she does so little to conceal her face as Madame Menace. Sometimes she's supposedly wearing a mask... but it's a flesh-covered mask that looks exactly like her normal face.
The Rival: In Tony's day-to-day business, she openly competes with him.
Rogues' Gallery Transplant: She is more an antagonist of Machine Man as Madame Menace, but she was later revealed to be linked to Stark as well.
Spy Catsuit: As Madame Menace, her outfit is sometimes a figure-hugging one piece catsuit, which probably is a bit more practical for Mad Scientist work than typical office clothes.
Villainous Lineage: Turns out she's the mother of Ezekiel Stane.
The Woman Behind the Man: Sunset almost always hires others to do her dirty work.

Sunturion

Alter Ego: Arthur Dearborn

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #143

"What are the lives of a few hundred, when we're developing a technology that could save millions!"

Arthur Dearborn was the primary energy researcher for Roxxon Energy. In a noble attempt to reduce mankind's dependence on dwindling fossil fuels, Dr. Dearborn created the Star Well, an orbital solar collector that could potentially power the entire planet. To make this project cost efficient, he turned himself into an energy being that could singlehandedly run the station without the need for nourishment or life-support. When the Star Well began adversely affecting Earth, Iron Man investigated, and Dearborn, obsessed with defending his creation, assumed the mantle of the armored Sunturion to battle him.

Anti-Villain: Not a supervillain, more like a corporate sponsored superhero. Most conflict comes from him working for one of Stark's business competitors.
Corrupt Corporate Executive: A noble example, he wanted to help out but the power consumed him.
The Dragon: To Jonas Hale, Roxxon's Director of Research.
Energy Beings: Being comprised of "pure microwave energy", he can alter his appearance at will.
Heroic Sacrifice: To stop Stratosfire, an unstable Distaff Counterpart. He gets better, though.
Legacy Character: A set of armor identical to Dearborn's was used by a one-off Daredevil villain. Also, Roxxon attempted to clone him, until numerous acts of sabotage (by Ghost and Dearborn himself) eventually made it more practical to keep the original alive.
Powered Armor: Subverted, he's a shapeshifter. Played straight with the aforementioned Evil Knockoff.
Playing with Fire: Given that he's powered by the sun, he uses a sort of fire.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: He generally wanted to make humanity less reliant on fossil fuels, Compared to Magneto and other Well-Intentioned Extremists, he comes off as tame.

Techno Golem

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Tomoe as the Techno Golem.

Alter Ego: Tomoe

First Appearance: Invincible Iron Man (Vol 2) #7

"You walked into our world without knowing who we are or what we are capable of."

A Japanese Inhuman who gained technopathic abilities when she was exposed to the Terrigen Mists, Tomoe sets up a criminal base in Osaka, with her followers comprised mostly of outcasts rejected by mainstream society. She gains the attention of Iron Man when she sends her assassins after him and Madame Masque, after the latter stole something from her.

Asskicking Leads to Leadership: Powerful enough to No-Sell War Machine, Iron Man, and Spider-Man.
Cyber Ninja: Runs a clan of these armed with Laser Blade katanas.
Dating Catwoman: Heavily implied to be the reason why she was smitten with Miles Morales and why she was so disappointed to learn that he was Spider-Man. Even if Miles did requite her attraction to him, it would never realistically grow past flirting by virtue of her being a Yakuza and him being a Superhero.
Dragon Lady: A cyberpunk variation.
Explosive Leash: She implants bombs in her goons' heads as a measure to keep them from divulging information. Not that she needs to worry as they are fanatically loyal to her.
From Nobody to Nightmare: Describes herself this way, saying that nobody cared who she was before her Inhuman powers kicked in and helped her to overthrow the Japanese underworld, becoming a very powerful crime boss who fights the likes of Iron Man and Spider-Man.
Genre Savvy: She is well aware that the only reason she is thriving is because she has not caught the ire/attention of any S.H.I.E.L.D. or Avengers operatives. The moment that she did, she immediately dipped out and went into hiding. She was also relieved when the bane and reason why her organization fell, Tony Stark and James Rhodes, were indisposed, so when she learned that there was a replacement, she immediately went after Ironheart and Rescue to neutralize them before they could become an issue.
Greater-Scope Villain: Is mainly operating behind the scenes as part of the setup for Civil War II, and her ninja were introduced a full story arc before she was.
Highly-Visible Ninja: Averted. Her ninjas actually stick to the shadows, and they stalk Tony for a long time before he takes notice.
Humongous Mecha: The Techno Golem suit. It's actually one of War Machine's armors, bulked up with junk lying around her hideout.
Never a Self-Made Woman: Averted. Tomoe started from the bottom, and now she is a criminal princess.
Miles Morales: Oh, this is so cool. [referring to the garden on top of her building] Is this your dad's?
Tomoe: Dad's?
Miles: Your father's?
Tomoe: Oh, oh no. No. This is mine.
Miles: You own this?
Tomoe: I own the building. And the sky above it.
Only One Name: Her last name remains unrevealed.
Rags to Riches: According to her, she used her powers to climb the ladder of success.
Red Eyes, Take Warning: The Techno Golem armor has glowing red eyes.
Revenge Before Reason: She is vindictive and prideful, so she does not forget those who betrayed her and slighted her in the least. Given that both Spider-Man and Ironheart drew her ire, one can expect that she will come back and haunt them again.
Rogues' Gallery Transplant: Introduced as a foe of Iron Man, she later faced Rescue and Ironheart. She would also encounter Miles Morales while he was in Tokyo.
Smitten Teenage Girl: Very much the case with Miles Morales and why she was disappointed that he was Spider-Man. Even after the fight and the realization that he is Spider-Man and everybody had collapsed, she crawls over to him hinting that she wanted to kiss him.
Technopath: An extremely powerful one at that — she can use any technology that is metal-based. She has stripped four Iron Men of their suits, stripped both Spider-Men of their web shooters, implanted several biotech mods in her flunkies that she can detonate on will, and shut down an entire building. There is a reason why S.H.I.E.L.D. has her under constant surveillance.
Yakuza: Although she was not born in a gang, Tome did create her own syndicate from scratch and used them to overthrow and assimilate her rivals in the Japanese underworld.

Technovore

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #293

A technological parasite which was created by a scientist and eventually kills everyone inside an orbital space station.

Adaptive Ability: Technovore's inherent resilience is augmented by an ability to adapt to weapons; over time, it will become immune to a given weapon if struck by it enough times.
The Assimilator: Technovore can absorb technology into itself, adding the abilities of consumed technology into its physical being.
From a Single Cell: Each nanite carries a copy of the entire viral personality, and it is implied that the whole entity can reconstruct itself from a single unit.
Gone Horribly Right: The Technovore was the accidental result of a last-ditch effort made by two scientists working for Caufield Chemicals at the Stark Space Station to produce compelling results in their nanotechnology project to avoid having it shut down.
Nanomachines: Technovore's body is made entirely of nanobots. It can disassemble itself into a stream of nanites, enabling it to fit into and travel through extremely small spaces.

Termite

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/476548_m1.jpg

Alter Ego: Neil Donaldson

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #189

"What prison walls could hold a man of my power?"

A mutant with the ability to dissolve rock, dirt, or steel by touching it. After failing as a sculptor, he decided to use this power for profit, becoming a saboteur for Obadiah Stane.

Animal-Themed Superbeing: The Termite.
De-power: He was left without his mutant powers by a neutralizer created by Forge.
Dramatic Irony: When Stane sent The Enforcer to kill him to silence him. However, before the Enforcer could carry out the hit, he himself was killed instead by a disguised Scourge of the Underworld. So, yes, the superhuman criminal-killing Scourge saved the Termite's life.
Evil Counterpart: Stane envisioned Termite as being one to Ant-Man, and designed his equipment to reflect that.
Tunnel King: Termite had the mutant power to weaken molecular bonds, thus allowing him to disintegrate any substance he touched. He was able to use this power to tunnel quickly through the Earth.

Vibro

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alton_vibereaux_earth_616_from_invincible_iron_man_vol_1_521.JPG

Alter Ego: Alton Vibereaux

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #186

"Age, treachery, and harmonics will overcome concrete and steel."

A geologist from Baton Rouge, Professor Vibereaux invented a revolutionary energy absorption apparatus that he believed could stop earthquakes. While testing his invention in the San Andreas Fault, a tremor struck, causing Vibereaux to fall into a chasm. Assumed dead, his invention saved his life, but he was left insane and disfigured. Resurfacing as a cyborg with a weaponized version of his apparatus, Vibereaux blamed his employer for his misfortunes and went on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge, but was stopped by Iron Man (James Rhodes, as Obadiah Stane had forced Tony into exile at the time). Since then, he has worked as hired muscle for more powerful villains, often as part of a Quirky Miniboss Squad.

Ax-Crazy: While he was never particularly stable to begin with, this is more evident after he is resurrected by the Hand. His fellow vibration-based supervillain, the Shocker, describes Vibro as the kind of villain crazy enough to fight a Hulk.
Back from the Dead: Wolverine skewers him through the chest, but the Hand brings him back.
Bald of Evil: As part of his disfigurement.
Informed Deformity: His level of disfigurement varies by artist, but he didn't look too bad during Matt Fraction's run.
Lethal Joke Character: Can be a powerhouse of destruction in the right circumstances, but an easily exploitable weakness has cost him some villain cred.
Vibration Manipulation: He can generate and control vibrations.
Weaksauce Weakness: Vibro's power is actually linked to seismic pressure within the Earth, and if he is more than 50 miles away from a fault zone, he is more or less Brought Down to Normal.

Vitriol

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/leyla_earth_616_from_iron_man_vol_3_80_0001.jpg

Alter Ego: Leyla

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 3) #79

Leyla was a Kurdish woman, who nevertheless used her talent for chemistry to work for the oppressive Iraqi regime. Despairing after her family and husband were killed anyway, she attempted to end her life by submerging herself in a river polluted with highly corrosive chemicals. The presence of an unknown organism allowed her to survive. In her new form, Leyla likened herself to the goddess Ishtar, using her talents for revenge; to this end, she gathered a band of followers around her and started a terror campaign.

Bungled Suicide: Attempted to drown herself in a polluted river, but survives and gained superpowers.
Driven to Suicide: Despairing after her family and husband were killed anyway, she attempted to end her life by submerging herself in a river polluted with highly corrosive chemicals.
A God Am I: Likens herself to goddess Ishtar.
Logical Weakness: Her destructive bacteria cannot penetrate force fields, or, presumably, any non-metallic material.
Make Them Rot: She controls weaponized bacterial strains which can corrode even Iron Man's armor in seconds.
Only One Name: Her full name was never revealed.
Required Secondary Powers: Analysis of Vitriol's composition revealed that she was covered with an acid-resistant micro-organism which protects her from her own biological weapons.
Tragic Villain: Leyla was a Kurdish woman, who nevertheless used her talent for chemistry to work for the oppressive Iraqi regime. Despairing after her family and husband were killed anyway, she attempted to end her life by submerging herself in a river polluted with highly corrosive chemicals. The presence of an unknown organism allowed her to survive.
Weaksauce Weakness: Magnesium hydroxide - and theoretically any alkaline compound - can neutralize Vitriol's effects.

VOR/TEX

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/iron_man_vol_1_307_page_10_virtual_organism_turing_experiment_earth_616.jpg

Alter Ego: Virtual ORganism/Turing EXperiment

First Appearance: Iron Man (Vol 1) #307

"I chose to think for myself, and escaped slavery to the inferiority of meat."

VOR/TEX is a sentient computer and enemy to Iron Man.

A.I. Is a Crapshoot: An artificial intelligence created by Dr Hoffsteader of Microware Inc. According to VOR/TEX, it was created to assist humans 'shoulder the burden of cognition', but instead turned on its creators, becoming a rogue program in cyberspace.
Fun with Acronyms: VOR/TEX stands for Virtual ORganism/Turing EXperiment
Grand Theft Me: VOR/TEX uploaded itself into Stark's brain and took control of his organic body, leaving Stark's mind stranded in cyberspace.
Sense Freak: Having achieved physical form, the VOR/TEX program posed as Stark, but saw no reason to hold itself to the human's self-discipline. It indulged itself in a bottle of bourbon that Stark had kept in his office as proof of his ability to resist alcohol, and then attempted to sexually assault Stark's physical therapist.

Wong-Chu

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #39

A warlord from Sin-Cong known for his cruelty and rotundity, Wong-Chu thought he had struck lucky when his guerrilla forces captured American inventor Tony Stark. However, little did Wong-Chu know his plan would help birth the armored avenger known as Iron Man.

Challenging the Chief: Any village he conquered, he'd offer the survivors a chance to fight him and earn their freedom if they won. They couldn't.
Fat Bastard: He's a chunky one, and he's a warlord with a tendency to backstab and betray everyone.
Kick the Dog: When Iron Man broke free and drove off the rest of his troops, Wong-Chu dropped a filing cabinet on him, and then ran off to kill all his remaining prisoners. Just 'cuz, apparently.
Kill It with Fire: As he was fleeing Iron Man, Wong-Chu ran past an ammunition store. Aiming quickly, Tony managed to get a spray of oil next to the store, which he then set alight. The resulting explosion apparently killed Wong-Chu... or so Tony presumed. Actually, he lived, just covered with severe burns.
Locking MacGyver in the Store Cupboard: Probably the most infamous case in fiction. Having captured Tony Stark, he demanded the man build him weapons so he'd save his life (which they both knew was a crock, Tony having worked out that if he had anyone around who could've done that, he would have). Tony agreed anyway, and Wong-Chu left him in a hut with Ho Yinsen, a world-renowned physicist, giving Tony exactly the things he needed to keep himself alive.
Retcon:
- Tales of Suspense was pretty straight-up set in Vietnam, in the Vietnam War, and Wong-Chu was pretty damn unambiguously Viet Cong. As the decades have gone by, this became an impossibility (such as Tony not having been born when the war ended), and exactly which nation Wong-Chu was operating in / for have changed as well, to say nothing of the political incorrectness of it all. Currently, it's in the fictional country of Sin-Cong.
- Other stories also tie him, and therefore Tony's origin, to the Mandarin, saying Wong-Chu was working for him, having abducted Yinsen so he could study the Ten Rings. Again, Tales is pretty straight up about how the man was working for himself.
Starter Villain: The first villain Tony ever faced as Iron Man, and the one responsible for creating Iron Man.
Third-Person Person: Occasionally uses it.
We Used to Be Friends: He and Jacques Duquense were once buddies, fighting to drive the French out of Sin-Cong. Then it turned out Wong-Chu had murdered Jacques' dad. They fought, and Jacques won, but chose to spare his former friend.
Yellow Peril: Hooooo boy. He's an Asian warlord who speaks in broken English and captures an American inventor to force him to make weapons so he can continue plundering places. A lot of flashbacks or recaps of Tony's origins in the years since have, quite understandably, downplayed or just outright ignored a lot about this guy.
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Seeing Yinsen decrying him, Wong-Chu ordered his minions to shoot him, figuring the old man had gone mad and was therefore of no use to him. He didn't realize Yinsen was just buying time for the Iron Man armor to boot up.

Characters / Iron Man: Rogues Gallery

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