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Iron Man (Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark) is a fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963).

Publication history

Iron Man's premiere was a collaboration among editor and story-plotter Lee, scripter Lieber, story-artist Heck, who would illustrate most of the early Iron Man tales, and Kirby, who provided the cover pencils and designed the first Iron Man armor.Heck created the look of characters including protagonist Tony Stark and his secretary, Pepper Potts. Lee based Stark's personality on Howard Hughes, explaining, "Howard Hughes was one of the most colourful men of our time. He was an inventor, an adventurer, a multi-millionaire, a ladies man and finally a nutcase."

Iron Man starred in generally 13-page but occasionally 18-page adventures, with the rest of Tales of Suspense devoted to anthology science fiction and supernatural stories. After debuting with bulky grey armor, Iron Man was redesigned with similar but golden armor in his second story (issue #40, April 1963), with the first iteration of his familiar, sleek red-and-golden armor appearing in issue #48 (Dec. 1963), drawn by Steve Ditko (though whether he or Kirby, singly or in collaboration, designed it, is uncertain).

Beginning with issue #59 (Nov. 1964), Iron Man began sharing the now "split book" Tales of Suspense with Captain America. After the final issue, #99 (March 1968), the book became Captain America; Iron Man appeared in the one-shot Iron Man and Sub-Mariner #1 (April 1968), and then debuted in his own title with The Invincible Iron Man #1 (May 1968).

Iron Man was originally an anti-communist hero. Throughout the character’s comic book series, technological advancement and national defense were constant themes for Iron Man, but later issues developed Stark into a more complex and vulnerable character as they depicted his battle with alcoholism and other personal difficulties.

Writers often portray Iron Man as a symbol of humanity's creativity as well as its frailties. He is often placed in contrast with his close friends Captain America and Thor, the former as a contrast between interventionist and cooperative attitudes, and the latter contrasting science and the supernatural. Throughout most of his career, Iron Man has been a member of the superhero team the Avengers, and has been featured in several incarnations of his own various comic-book series.

Origins

Anthony Stark was born in Long Island, New York. He enters the undergraduate electrical engineering program at MIT while only 15 years old and graduates at the top of his class. At the age of 21, he inherits his father's company, Stark Industries, after his parents are killed in a car accident. One of the first things Stark does is buy out the company that made the faulty brakes on his parents' car and correct the mechanical problem.

While on a visit to Vietnam (later updated to the Gulf War) to see how his new mini-transistors could assist the American war effort, Stark is caught in a booby trap. Captured by a Vietnamese warlord named Wong Chu, and dying from a piece of shrapnel lodged in his heart from the booby trap, Stark is pressed into building weapons for Wong Chu, along with a fellow prisoner, the famed physicist Yin Sen (later called Ho Yinsen). However, Stark and Yin Sen use the workshop to secretly design and construct a suit of powered armor — an iron exoskeleton that gives Stark tremendous strength as well as other abilities — that will not only keep Stark's heart beating, but also allow him to escape. Yin Sen sacrifices himself to buy Stark time to charge the bulky suit of armor, and as Iron Man, Stark kills Wong Chu and his men. On the way back, Iron Man encounters a wounded American Air Force helicopter pilot, Jim Rhodes. Introducing himself as Stark's bodyguard, Iron Man and Rhodes manage to defend themselves against the pursuing North Vietnamese before making it back to American lines. On his return to the U.S., Stark continues to improve the armor, establishing a dual identity as the adventurer and superhero Iron Man. He also greatly expands his father's company, Stark Industries, eventually renaming it Stark International.

The cover for Iron Man is that he is Stark's bodyguard and corporate mascot. To that end, Iron Man fights threats to his company, Communist opponents such as the Black Widow, the Crimson Dynamo and the Titanium Man as well as independent villains like the Mandarin. Both the Widow and the Dynamo eventually defect to the United States, and even erstwhile villain Hawkeye, originally a pawn of the Widow, reforms and joins the Avengers. No one suspects Stark of being Iron Man as he cultivates an image as a rich playboy and industrialist. Two notable members of Stark's supporting cast at this point are his personal chauffeur Harold "Happy" Hogan and secretary Virginia "Pepper" Potts, to both of whom he eventually reveals his dual identity.

The comic took an anti-Communist stance in its early years, which was softened as opposition rose to the Vietnam War. This change evolved in a series of stories with Stark profoundly reconsidering his political opinions and the morality of manufacturing weapons for the military. Stark, however, has remained essentially conservative both in character and politics, despite his playboy image. He also often shows himself to be occasionally arrogant and willing to let the ends justify the means. This leads to personal conflicts with the people around him, both in his civilian and superhero identities.

Stark has a vast personal fortune, and is also known as a philanthropist. He donates the use of his boyhood manor as Avengers Mansion, and funds the Avengers' operations through the Maria Stark Foundation, a non-profit organization named after his late mother. The Foundation is not linked to any of Stark's businesses, and has continued to operate even when those businesses have failed. Stark also provides technology to other superheroes, including designing various replacement shields for Captain America, the Quinjets used by the Avengers, the image inducers used by the X-Men and Spider-Man's second armored costume.

Eventually, Stark's heart condition is discovered by the public and cured with an artificial heart transplant. However, Stark is also developing a serious dependency on alcohol. The first time it becomes a problem is when Stark discovers that the national security agency S.H.I.E.L.D. has been buying a controlling interest in his company in order to ensure Stark's continued weapons development for them. At the same time, Stark's business rival Justin Hammer hires several supervillains to attack Stark. At one point, the Iron Man armor is even taken over and used to murder a diplomat. Although Iron Man is not immediately under suspicion, Stark is forced to hand the armor over to the authorities. Eventually Stark and Rhodes, now his personal pilot and confidant, track down and defeat those responsible, although Hammer would return to bedevil Stark again. With the support of his then-girlfriend, Bethany Cabe, his friends and employees, Stark pulls through these crises and, for the moment, overcomes his dependency on alcohol.

Powers and abilities

Iron Man possesses powered armor that gives him superhuman strength and durability, flight, and an array of weapons. The armor is invented and, with occasional short-term exceptions, worn by Tony Stark, an American industrialist billionaire and military contractor known not only for his lifestyle, but also for his incredible ingenuity and inventive genius. Other people who have assumed the Iron Man identity include long time partner and best friend James Rhodes, close associates Harold "Happy" Hogan, Eddie March, and (briefly) Michael O'Brien.

Iron Man's appearance and abilities are continually in flux as Stark modifies and upgrades his equipment, most notably his powered armor. The Iron Man armor was originally grey, but Stark found that this appearance frightened the public, so he spray-painted it gold (Tales of Suspense #40). This bulky armor was changed in Tales of Suspense #48 into a more form-fitting design, sporting a red and gold color scheme that it has mostly retained since. One notable exception is the "Silver Centurion" armor, with a red and silver color scheme, created for use against Obadiah Stane's Iron Monger suit and retained until the end of the first Armor Wars.

Iron Man's powers and abilities derive from the advanced powered armor that he wears. The armor has evolved from a bulky iron suit to a molecularly aligned matrix of crystallized iron enhanced by magnetic fields over layers of other metals like titanium, creating a shell that is pliable, yet capable of great resilience and protection. The suit grants him superhuman strength and flight capabilities, and is powered by a combination of solar converters, electrical batteries and an on-board generator that uses beta particle absorption as a fuel source. The suit is also able to convert nearby energy sources, such as heat or kinetic energy into electricity, or even drain electrical energy directly into the batteries for recharge. Tony also adds jet skates that are now so powerful Iron Man could skate forward towing an entire train behind him. Miniature panes can protect Iron Man's eyes when needed. In addition, the suit can be completely sealed for operations in vacuum or underwater, providing its own life support, and is shielded against radiation.

The onboard systems of the armor are controlled by Tony Stark's brain patterns, read from a cybernetic interface in his helmet. Sophisticated computers with an artificially intelligent operating system of Stark's own design provide tactical information as well as constant feedback on the suit's status, using internal and external sensors. As noted above, Stark has tried to put safeguards in to make sure that the systems do not actually achieve sentience, although these were once circumvented.

The weapons systems of the suit have evolved over the years, but Iron Man's standard offensive weapons have always been the repulsor rays that are fired from the palms of his gauntlets. Other weapons built into various incarnations of the armor include the uni-beam projector in its chest; pulse bolts that pick up kinetic energy along the way, so that they hit harder the further they have to travel; an electromagnetic pulse generator and an energy shield. Other capabilities include generation of ultra-freon, creating and manipulating of magnetic fields, sonic blasts and a holographic generator to create decoys.

Skills

Apart from the powers granted him by the suit, Stark is an inventive genius, constantly creating new technology and looking for ways to improve it. This extends to his ingenuity dealing with difficult foes and deathtraps, where he is capable of using his suit in unorthodox and effective ways. He is well-respected in the business world, able to command people's attentions when he speaks on economic matters. He is known for the loyalty he commands from and returns to those who work for him, as well as impeccable business ethics. He also strives to be environmentally responsible in his businesses, and in two cases, immediately fired employees who made profitable but illegal sales to Doctor Doom and A.I.M.

Stark prides himself on being a futurist.

When Stark was unable to use his armor for a period of time, he asked Captain America for combat training and has become physically formidable on his own.

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Choosing styles and clothing to look slimmer

Follow these helpful tips and ideas for looking slimmer. Included are suggestions for clothing styles and colours to make you look thin and beautiful.

Bologna may be the same no matter which way you slice it, but that little saying isn’t true for the human figure. You can appear to be slimmer while wearing certain styles, colours, and types of clothing. You can easily look ten to twenty pounds lighter if you know the secrets to looking slimmer.

Get rid of clothing with horizontal stripes. Even the slimmest person will look portly in outfits bearing horizontal patterns and stripes. If you prefer clothing with patterns and stripes, make sure they run vertically. They will give the body a taller and slimmer appearance. Illusion is the main key to looking thinner.

Speaking of patterns, avoid clothing with large patterns. For some reason clothing designers create plus size fashions with large patterns. These patterns are usually large flower blossoms and geometric shapes. They often look garish and tawdry. Even if you wear plus sizes, don’t go for these unflattering fashions. If you like flowers and geometric shapes, look for clothing with smaller designs. Large gaudy patterns flatter no one.

Darker colours are naturally more slimming. Shop for outfits in darker shades. They hide unwanted bumps and bulges, and darker shades usually make the wearer look considerably thinner than lighter hues would. Wear dark colors with vertical patterns and stripes and you’ll magically shed unwanted inches.

Don’t wear clothing that’s two sizes or more too large. You might think you’re covering up extra weight, but you’ll only look like you’re hiding under yards of material. Most people don’t look as overweight as they think they do. Buy well-fitting clothing and you’ll actually look smaller. Just don’t wear clothing so tight that you look melted and poured in. Wearing clothes that are too tight is not attractive either., especially if you are carrying a few extra pounds.

Just like pictures and films, mirrors add about 10 pounds to the human figure. Store mirrors are usually the least flattering of all mirrors. Standing in a three foot by three foot enclosure right next to a mirror will not give you a clear picture of your appearance. Quite often store mirrors are no better than funhouse mirrors! Shop in stores that have quality three-way mirrors that will enable you to stand back and observe your body from every angle. If you don’t, you won’t know how you truly look.

There are specially designed swimsuits available that make use of colours and patterns to give the illusion of being thin and trim. They are also make use of elastic material to hold in problem areas. Although effective, they aren’t very comfortable for some people. These suits truly do make the body look slimmer, but they are quite expensive. Be prepared to pay approximately £45.00 for a swimsuit of this type.

Those having a tummy bulge should not tuck their shirts in. Instead, chose blouses and tops that reach the centre of the bulging area and never tuck them in. This will hide the problem location effectively. Tucking in a top only emphasizes problem areas.

Don’t wear blocks of colour from head to toe. For example, if you wear a white top, black pants, and white shoes, you are going to appear heavier. Only the thinnest people can get away with wearing opposite colours from top to bottom. Choose colours that coordinate well together but aren’t so drastically different.

Choose your clothing carefully, and wear what you choose wisely. No one is perfect, but you can look your very best if you wear clothes that naturally compliment your appearance by making you look slim and trim.

Diamond buying guide and tips

Advice, tips and guide to buying a good quality diamond.

One of the most important purchases you will make is that of a diamond. Diamonds symbolize a great deal to us, the engagement of the person who we will spend the rest of our life with, a lifelong love, a wedding anniversary. Diamonds are one of the most beautiful and brilliant gemstones in the world, and are the hardest substances as well. Buying a diamond can be extremely difficult if you don’t know what you are doing. How do you know if you are getting a good price on a diamond if you don’t know what you’re looking for? Diamond dealers often take advantage of impulsive buyers by pushing off the lesser quality diamonds on them. The more reputable diamond dealers will give you an appraisal with your diamond, but it is better to be informed before you buy.

The basic rule of evaluating a diamond is the rule called The 4 C’s. The 4 C’s are Colour, Clarity, Cut and Carat. It’s easy to remember the 4 C’s but what do they mean?

Colour refers to, of course, the colour of your diamond. The colour of a diamond is one of the determinants to its value, the more colourless your diamond is, the more value it holds. Diamond colours are broken up into grades designated by letter, the higher the letter, the more color in your diamond:

D,E,F: Colourless

GHIJ: Near Colourless

KLM: Faint Yellow

N-Z: Light Yellow

Cut refers to the way your diamond has been cut, there are many different cuts for diamonds and the cuts are further classified by how skilfully they were cut. The skill of a diamond cutter is evaluated in three categories:

Scintillation: this is the sparkle you see when your diamond catches light from different angles

Fire: refers to the colours you can see in your diamond

Brilliance: the shine of the diamond

There are many cuts to choose from and you should pick carefully with your recipients tastes in mind.

Clarity refers to the imperfections in your diamond and these can not be seen with the naked eye, a jewellers eyepiece is needed to determine clarity. Clarity is classified into different categories in this way:

FL: Flawless VVSI: very, very slight, extremely tiny VVS2: very, very slight, imperfect tiny VS1: very slightly VS2: very slightly imperfect SI1: slightly imperfect SI2: imperfect I1: imperfect I2: more imperfect I3: even more imperfect

Carat means how many points your diamond has. One carat has 100 points and the more carats your diamond has, the more valuable it is.

Use caution when buying your diamonds and only shop from a reputed dealer, you can check with the better business bureau beforehand. The rewards you will receive from this purchase will be more than worth the price!