Install this theme
theatlantic:
“ Iron Man Saved My Life
“ My earliest memories are of comic books, and of my father. He’d bring me to this little bar called The Dead End in Fox River Grove, where I would sit quietly in the corner, going over the pages of the same few...

theatlantic:

Iron Man Saved My Life

My earliest memories are of comic books, and of my father. He’d bring me to this little bar called The Dead End in Fox River Grove, where I would sit quietly in the corner, going over the pages of the same few comics again and again, looking for new details in the stories and the art. On the drive home, I recall the car swerving. I also recall him hitting me, throwing me to the ground.

The first comic books I bought on my own were a stack of Iron Mans from a little shop not far from the one-bedroom apartment I shared with my mother. From time to time, I’d add to this collection, shepherding and obsessing over it like only a five-year-old could, spreading it out on the pullout sofa I slept on. I constantly pleaded with my mom to buy more comics. Sensibly, she usually said no. When she did say yes, I always picked Iron Man.

As with the Robert Downey Jr. film adaptations, the original Iron Man character is defined as much by his intellect or technology as by personal troubles. Starting in 1978, with issue No. 120, in a story arc known as “Demon in a Bottle,” David Michelinie, John Romita Jr., and Bob Layton took Tony Stark’s billionaire playboy attitude and added the specter of alcoholism. The story begins with Stark flying first-class, pondering his life as he asks the stewardess for a fourth martini. When questioned by her, he rationalizes that he’s is drinking for two men, his civilian persona and his costumed identity.

Read more. [Image: Bob Layton/Wikimedia Commons]

 
  1. conciliatoryfabrications reblogged this from extradimensionalanthropology
  2. the-nerds-guide-to-aa reblogged this from theatlantic
  3. alysanyeebony reblogged this from theatlantic
  4. pensivecommisluna reblogged this from theatlantic
  5. itschaosmagic reblogged this from charadesarchive
  6. charadesarchive reblogged this from extradimensionalanthropology
  7. extradimensionalanthropology reblogged this from theatlantic
  8. neomichyeosseo-blog1 reblogged this from theatlantic
  9. lifesmarvels reblogged this from cyborgcap
  10. unddennoch reblogged this from theatlantic
  11. tumbleaboutit reblogged this from dduane
  12. tanelorn8615 reblogged this from dduane
  13. stone-faced-sunset reblogged this from dduane
  14. ironprodigy reblogged this from notgroot
  15. cloudsinvenice reblogged this from schemingreader
  16. schemingreader reblogged this from chujo-hime and added:
    This is amazing. I can’t believe what a profound effect the writers’ decision to explore alcoholism had on this guy’s...
  17. spicyhotcoffee reblogged this from alohdark
  18. alohdark reblogged this from chujo-hime
  19. the-goblet-of-deduction reblogged this from theatlantic
  20. threefeethighsixfeetdeep-blog reblogged this from theatlantic
  21. itsshikibu reblogged this from theatlantic
  22. qcity-blackbird reblogged this from dduane
  23. byappointmentonly reblogged this from theatlantic
  24. citylightscomebackinjune reblogged this from theatlantic
  25. tmwrighting reblogged this from dduane
  26. theatlantic posted this