Iron Man in other media Iron Man in other media The Marvel Comics character Iron Man has appeared in various other media since his debut in "Tales of Suspense" #39 (March 1963). Iron Man has been the focus of three animated series and a direct-to-DVD animated feature. An "Iron Man" live-action feature film starring Robert Downey Jr. as the character and directed by Jon Favreau was released in 2008, with Downey also appearing as the character in a cameo in "The Incredible Hulk", and as a main character in several other Marvel Studios films including "The Avengers", "", "", "", "", and "". Iron Man
Iron Man (2008 film) the star, the superhero is the star. The success of "X-Men" and "Spider-Man" without being star-driven pieces reassures [executives] that the film does have an upside commercially." However, in September 2006, Robert Downey, Jr. was cast in the role. Favreau chose Downey, a fan of the comic, because he felt the actor's past made him an appropriate choice for the part, explaining "The best and worst moments of Robert's life have been in the public eye. He had to find an inner balance to overcome obstacles that went far beyond his career. That's Tony Stark." Favreau faced opposition from Marvel