Skip to main content

Marvel introduces its female Iron Man’s superhero name: Ironheart

Riri Williams is Ironheart.
Marvel
Marvel revealed last month that Tony Stark is retiring his familiar armored suit and letting a new character, Riri Williams, step into his shoes come November, leaving fans to wonder what superhero moniker the new female character would adopt. We now have the answer, thanks to Wired, and it turns out Williams will be known as Ironheart.

It took some discussion for editors to agree on a name. Perhaps the most obvious suggestion, Iron Woman, was rejected because it “seemed old-fashioned to some,” writer Brian Michael Bendis told Wired. Other options were thrown around, but in the end, it was writer, editor, and artist Joe Quesada’s idea that won out.

The superhero name is fitting for a number of reasons, according to Bendis; it “speaks not only to the soul of the character but to the Iron Man franchise as a whole,” he said. He added that although Stark and Williams’ reasons for putting on the armor are different, they’re both “heart-related.”

“When people see her story, you’ll be amazed at how simple and brilliant Joe’s suggestion was,” said Bendis.

Williams will take over from Stark in Invincible Iron Man #1, which is due out this fall. While many readers will be sad to see Iron Man go, he won’t be absent in every sense. Editor Tom Breevort assured Wired that Williams’ in-armor A.I. will be based on the beloved superhero’s personality and that he’ll be “soaring along with her spiritually.”

Williams suit will be different from that of her predecessor in some ways, though. Apparently, being the science prodigy that she is, she reverse-engineered hers in her dorm room. We will see what else she is capable of in the coming months when Invincible Iron Man #1 debuts.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephanie Topacio Long
Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…
All the Marvel Easter eggs in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Ant-Man, Stature, and Wasp stand ready for battle in Ant-Man 3.

Marvel Studios' Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has finally premiered in theaters, starting Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a wild bang. In Scott Lang's third solo film in the MCU, he and his loved ones are sucked into the Quantum Realm, where they are forced to face the time-traveling villain, Kang the Conqueror.

Like many other Marvel movies, Quantumania is filled with references to previous MCU films and the comic book source material. Now that the film has been released to the public, readers can now see the list of all the Easter eggs found throughout Ant-Man and the Wasp's latest subatomic adventure.
Scott's memoir

Read more
The 5 best Marvel comics to read before you watch Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
The poster for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Phase 5 of the MCU is about to kick off, and with it comes an entirely new master villain. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has promised to introduce us to Kang, one of the iconic Avengers villains from the comics, and someone who is reportedly immensely powerful.

In light of all the hubbub around the new film, it makes sense that some fans want to dive deep into the comics that will be the basis for much of this story. Thankfully, we've got you covered with five comics you should definitely check out before Quantumania hits theaters.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Read more
The 5 most powerful Iron Man villains, ranked from weakest to strongest
Iron Man/Tony Stark

In a universe filled with a wide array of superpowered beings, Iron Man is just a smart guy with lots of money. Like Batman, he relies on his technology and his wits to allow him to keep up with a wide variety of bad guys. Oftentimes, the battles Iron Man faces are fairly easy ones, although there are times when he finds that his greatest enemy is himself.

Sometimes, though, Iron Man has more trouble saving the day. These are the villains that Iron Man has the most trouble taking down, even when he's got his full array of suits.
5. The Crimson Dynamo

Read more