Invincible Iron Man

Author: Brian Michael Bendis

Of all the Marvel Cinematic Universe characters, Tony Stark is the only secret identity that holds much interest. And it's not all Robert Downey, Jr. infusing the role with his own sort of 12-step charm; it's been there all along in the comics. Though the degree of his neuroses and addictions vary, what doesn't is the dual life he leads, and in a way, an anti-Superman. Stark is outrageous, boisterous, while Iron Man is heroic and not entirely without faults. The battle between Stark and Iron Man is often difficult, and the way it plays out across pages of the comic is intense, especially for the work that was happening in the 1970s. Though his storyline has been up-and-down in popularity over the years, it's never been anything less than phenomenal storytelling. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, along with Larry Leiber and Dan Heck, developed the character into one of the most brilliantly nuanced comic book heroes of all time. The first cover of The Invincible Iron Man, from 1968, looks like it could have been from 1988, or even 2008, which is a rare thing; Iron Man is somehow timeless. Why it's on the list: A brilliant character and a title that seldom goes wrong.