The MCU helped turn Iron Man into a household name, but the character had a rich history in the world of Marvel Comics long before. Now that Tony Stark's time in the movies seems to be over (for now), there are sure to be fans eager to seek out and enjoy stories to dive deeper into the character. Or diehard comic readers looking to revisit some of their old favorites.

Whether it's expanding on the fallout of the infamous Civil War, exploring various versions of Tony Stark throughout the Multiverse, these stories explore the complexity of the character, his darkest moments, and his greatest triumphs that help to cement him as one of Marvel's greatest comic book heroes. These are the the 20 Best Iron Man Stories in Marvel History.

20 Iron Man Noir (2010)

Scott Snyder, Manuel Garcia

Many readers are familiar with Spider-Man Noir and how that character proved to be a fun expansion on the Spider-Verse. One underseen - but just as fun - Noir depiction is this four-part limited series. While Spider-Man Noir was a detective style glance at Great Depression era Peter Parker, Iron Man Noir focuses on industrialist Tony Stark in a tale that's in the same vain as 1930s pulp actioners. Think 'The Rocketeer' for the Marvel Universe, with a dash of Indiana Jones.

After suffering a poor heart condition, he went on an expedition in search of the Jade Mask, prophecised to cure any and all health problems. Unfortunately for Tony, his search put him in the same path of Nazis who also want the mask. One twist after another, on top of some fun action sequences, make this a must-read for any Iron Man fan.

19 Iron Man: The End (2008)

David Michelinie, Bob Layton, Bernard Chang, Mike Cavallaro

David Michelinie and Bob Layton are two names readers will be seeing a lot of in this list, and with good reason. The duo's contributions to the Iron Man character (which include the critically acclaimed "Demon in a Bottle" storyline) are still celebrated highly today. It only makes sense for them to reunite to help the character ride off into the sunset in this 2009 one-shot.

Almost 50 years after the character hit shelves for the first time, this one-shot takes place several decades into the future as Tony Stark prepares to hang up his hoverboots in an emotional sendoff, taking on one final project referred to as "Big Jump," but not without some opposition and challenges ahead of him. Using one final armor in his arsenal, Tony proves once again why he has and continues to withstand the test of time as one of the most exciting heroes on Marvel's roster.

18 Iron Man: The Rapture (2010)

Alexander Irvine, Lan Medina, June Chung

This four-part limited series is one that seems to improve with age, especially with current concerns about artificial intelligence being more prevalent now than when this story first came out. As this story ages like fine wine, now is the perfect time to revisit it. Things kick off somberly as Tony suffers a heart attack that nearly kills him. Both his best friend Rhodey and his partner Pepper Potts try to convince him to get an operation, but being as self-sufficient as he's always been, he opts to take matters into his own hands instead.

What that looks like is building a new heart for himself out of his Iron Man armor. As he continues to re-build himself into more of a machine, his repairs manifest into an A.I. that takes over Tony's mind, body, and life. It's up to Pepper and War Machine to stop him and do what they can to save what's left of Tony.

17 Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin (2007)

Joe Casey, Eric Canete

In 2007, writer Joe Casey ed forces with artist Eric Canete for the opportunity to reimagine the first meeting between Iron Man and The Mandarin, one that originally happened in 1964's Tales of Suspense #50. Trying to revamp the official Marvel canon for a story that first began 43 years ago is no easy task, and years later after the Marvel Cinematic Universe showcased the Mandarin in a more comedic light, it's even harder for casual audiences to see how intimidating the Mandarin can be.

However, Casey and Canete rose to the challenge and with flying colors. For anyone still not sold on just how dangerous the Mandarin can be when used to his full potential, especially after seeing him in the MCU, this six-part series is the perfect branching off point to see exactly why The Mandarin ranks so highly as one of Iron Man's deadliest rivals.

16 I Am Iron Man (2023)

Murewa Ayodele, Dotun Akande

One of the more recently released entries on the list, I Am Iron Man is a five-part limited series that exists to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the character that audiences around the world have fallen in love with. To celebrate the character, the series opts to showcase some of the best adventures fans have never gotten to witness, pulled from several different points in his superhero career.

Not only that, but the series tells these stories as a means to dissect, analyze, and ultimately recontextualize Tony Stark as a character in ways never before seen. The series looks at all of his highs and lows, strengths and weaknesses that make Iron Man into the genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist that audiences love him for being. Whether it's exposing new suits of Samurai armor, I Am Iron Man expanded the Iron Man mythos as much as it celebrated it.

15 The Infamous Iron Man (2016)

Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev

How does one redeem one of the most diabolical villains to come out of the Marvel Universe. You rechristen him as the next Iron Man, at least that's the route that the writer/artist duo of Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev opted to go in when tackling Victor Von Doom. It results in one of the best redemption arcs that Marvel has ever had to offer. Infamous Iron Man takes place after the events of

The Infamous Iron Man takes place after the events of Civil War II and with Tony Stark out commission following that event, Doctor Doom makes it known that will be taking the Iron Man helm for himself. What follows is a surprisingly emotional rollercoaster of a ride that feels much like a companion piece to the Superior Spider-Man arc that remodeled Doctor Otto Octavius in a similar vein.

14 Iron Man: Extremis (2005)

Warren Ellis, Adi Granov (Iron Man #1-#6)

Fans of the MCU might be familiar with "Extremis" thanks to Iron Man 3 (2013). It is true that the movie adapted several key details from the comic, but the original storyline is very different than what fans saw on screen, as Iron Man takes on the results of a super-soldier experiment gone wrong.

Not only did "Extremis" help to inspire the third and final Iron Man movie, but it also seemed to influence how the character would eventually be portrayed in the movies. There are a few storylines on this list that form such a basis for the character's onscreen presence, for readers curious as to what comics built the foundation for Tony Stark's final few MCU appearances, look no further than "Extremis."

13 Invincible Iron Man (2016)

Brian Michael Bendis, Stefano Caselli (Beginning in Invincible Iron Man #9)

Movie audiences know that Iron Man's legacy is still very much a part of the MCU even with the character gone. The same was true after Tony fell in the comics universe, ultimately leading to the introduction of Riri Williams, AKA Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri Williams has emerged as one of the most best new Marvel characters of the decade, and this series is where it all began.

The 2015 run of "Invincible Iron Man" introduced Williams into the Marvel universe as a protégé of Tony Stark and allowed her to gain her own following among fans.

12 Iron Man: The Inevitable (2005)

Joe Casey, Frazer Irving

Iron Man does not have one of the most noteworthy rogue's gallery of villains compared to other Marvel heroes. However, it is still fun to see some of the lesser-known or forgotten villains make a comeback in "Iron Man: The Inevitable." The story follows the events of "Extremis" and subverts the hero vs villain idea in some interesting ways.

Without giving away too much, Iron Man comes face-to-face with the Spymaster, a longtime rival of his from the past. Again, not the most well-known villains from the Iron Man books and some will call him one of Iron Man's lamest classic villains, but in an action-packed chapter for the character, the villainous espionage enemy is used to the best of his abilities.

11 Superior Iron Man (2014)

Tom Taylor, Yıldıray Çınar

While it is easy to find plenty of examples of Tony Stark being a selfless hero, he is also a very complex character. Tony's willingness to do anything to ensure peace is pushed to the extreme in "Superior Iron Man" as he becomes a tyrannical superhero who seeks control over everything.

While storylines like Civil War depict Tony Stark as an antagonist, there are still enough redeemable qualities present to identify him as a hero with questionable methods. As Superior Iron Man, though, he is depicted as a full-blown villain who needs to be stopped. Though it is not the typical Tony Stark that fans are ready to cheer for, it is a thrilling look at the darkest aspects of the character.