The History of Captain America vs. Iron Man (Part 1 of 5)

The motion picture Captain America: Civil War will soon be upon us and will treat viewers to a cinematic tale in which Captain America and Iron Man are pit against each other. It may be known to some film fans that this story is partially based upon the series Civil War, but perhaps some might benefit from learning more about the past conflicts of Captain America and Iron Man. In this quick series, I'll lead you through the history of Iron Man & Captain America's friendship.

Captain America joined the proper Marvel Universe in the pages of Avengers #4 (1964), in which the Avengers (Thor, Iron Man, Giant-Man & Wasp) found him frozen in ice and revived him. By the end of the issue, Captain America had become a member of the team. At the time, the other four all appeared in titles of their own, but Captain America's home series was the Avengers for awhile. The five heroes would comprise the Avengers cast until issue #16 (1965), when Iron Man, Giant-Man, Wasp & Thor would depart, leaving Cap to lead three reformed villains (Hawkeye, Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch) as the new team.

Although Iron Man was right there in the midst of Cap's revival, the two characters didn't have a dynamic at the time. In fact, the Avengers as a team didn't have a dynamic. Although they would occasionally make reference to their rotating leadership, there was no lasting conflict between the ranks (not since the Hulk left in issue #2). Even though Marvel's Fantastic Four had made great hay out of the cast having interpersonal dynamics, that element was lacking in the Avengers. It was only after #16 that the team finally became interesting as real conflict emerged (mainly because of Hawkeye's belligerence). Likewise, Captain America was no longer amongst his peers (the four who had revived him in issue #4) and so became the senior member of the Avengers and obvious team leader. Although Cap would come and go from the Avengers over the years, he became almost the "default" leader of the team.

One unusual thing about the Avengers for several years (through writers Stan Lee & Roy Thomas) is that when characters left the team, they nearly always remained gone. Giant-Man & Wasp did return as regular members, but only because their own series had ended. Thor, Iron Man and (by issue #47, 1967) Captain America left the team and mostly stayed away, returning on special occasions such as inducting a new member to the team or battling an exceptionally powerful villain. This was how Captain America, Thor & Iron Man would become known as the Avengers' "Big Three" - not because of their personal interactions, but because any time they entered a story (such as "the Kree-Skrull War") it meant the team were up against something bigger than usual. Thus, it was a long time before Iron Man and Captain America had a chance to appear side-by-side.

After losing his faith in the "American Dream," Captain America was confronted by several Avengers - including Iron Man - in Captain America #176 (1974) as they attempted to persuade him to avoid giving up on his costumed identity. However, Iron Man didn't really speak to Cap on a personal level, simply recalling their past adventures as an ally. The Avengers failed to re-inspire him and Steve Rogers gave up being Captain America for a time.

And there came a day...

It began in an unassuming way. In Avengers #164 (1977), the Avengers made a poor showing against their old foe Whirlwind. Captain America was quick to comment, "this whole team's been falling short of its rep, lately." It sounds like a small matter, but it wasn't; you see, Cap wasn't the Avengers leader at the time: Iron Man was.

Tomorrow! Who threw the first punch?

RIP: Arthur Anderson

Yet another stalwart from the days of old-time radio has passed away; aged 93 years, he's beloved by many OTR fans for his work as a child actor on the children's program Let's Pretend. Of all his roles he's most widely-known as the voice of Lucky the Leprechaun for Lucky Charms cereal. But what I'll remember him best for is his work with Orson Welles.

As a teen, he was privileged enough to perform with Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre, both in stage and on the radio. Most notably, he appeared on the 2nd broadcast of the Mercury Theatre on the Air in the lead role of Jim Hawkins in Welles' adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, and it wasn't easy to top Welles on his own show. Treasure Island is one of the best episodes of what was one of OTR's finest shows. Anderson also performed opposite Welles in a quick adaptation of Clarence Day's Life with Father.

Check out Treasure Island and Life with Father at archive.org if you'd like to sample Anderson at his dramatic best. He was more than merely a leprechaun!

Creator Credits Roundup

I have now created a page to house my ongoing data collection of appearancecs of elements from Marvel Comics in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Everything is grouped together by creator, from the one who has contributed the most to the least. Going forward, I will be updating the MCU page every time I post a new MCU creator credits blog entry.

"But the world needs us -- we six can't think of ourselves anymore --" Showcase Presents the Great Disaster Featuring the Atomic Knights

My father owned a single issue of DC's Strange Adventures featuring the Atomic Knights. The visual of the characters - men in medieval knight armour riding upon giant dalmatians in a post-apocalyptic world - struck my fancy. DC has collected the Atomic Knights into one of their massive black & white Showcase Presents tomes, but because there weren't actually that many Atomic Knights stories, they loaded up the book with various other stories set in the same continuity. How is the book as a whole? In short: it's too much and too little. Let's examine Showcase Presents the Great Disaster Featuring the Atomic Knights!

The series is divided into six sections in the table of contents, sections which are mostly bound together by theme. Part of the problem of this book - something which becomes evident the more you read - is that these stories were not originally conceived as sharing a continuity with each other. It's something the fanboys and the editors threw together after the fact, out of a strange desire to link DC's future timelines together. We open with "Pre-Disaster Warnings" opens the book with a few time travel stories set in then-contemporary times. The first is a three-parter about a man from the post-apocalyptic future journeying to present times and telling people about the world to come. After that, the section contains a Superman story in which Superman is manipulated into creating a divergence in his timeline's future so that the Legion of Super-Heroes continuity and Great Disaster continuity exist in separate timelines. It's the kind of fanboy continuity obsession I understand all too well, given my own history with the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. Someone thought it was important to explain how DC could have two very different futures - ignoring the fact that truly neither of them will ever become the DC Universe's present. The inclusion of this Superman story seems very ill-judged to me as it's deeply entwined with Jack Kirby's Kamandi #29, a story which revealed what had become of Superman's indestructible costume in that future world. Continuity mavens claim Kamandi and OMAC's futures belong to the same timeline as the other stories reprinted here, but, notably, this is not a Kamandi or OMAC collection. The book would be improved if this Superman story were eliminated and it published in a Kamandi volume instead, it's strictly for the continuity dorks (no offense, fellow dorks).

The "Day After Doomsday" section features a series of short (1-2 page) stories which appeared in odd ducks like Weird War Tales through the 70s and early 80s, but are not presented in print order because... I think some continuity nerd figured out a chronological sequence for them? Anyway, these were conceived of by Len Wein and are essentially cruel tales about the post-apocalyptic world, often riffing on abused tropes from the sub-genre. For instance, the last man on Earth is named Adam; he meets the last woman who is named... Gertrude. In another, a man finds a vending machine but he has no dimes - what a tragic twist! - but then he breaks it opens and finds - nothing but dimes! - what a doubly tragic twist! Steve Ditko drew a few of these, including one where a man is killed by radioactive hippies. I'm making that one sound more entertaining than it is. Anyway, there's also some very early Frank Miller and overall, you do get a few good dark chuckles out of this series.

The "Tales of the Atomic Knights" section is the main event, the John Broome/Murphy Anderson Atomic Knights adventures which appeared in Strange Adventures from time-to-time in 1960-1964. The series is set in 1992, following an atomic war in 1986 which has decimated humanity and destroyed most crops and animals around the world. The lead character is a former soldier, Gardner Grayle; he teams up with teacher Douglas Herald, Herald's sister Marene, twin brothers Hollis & Wayne Hobard and scientist Bryndon Smith. Discovering a set of armours which have developed tremendous resistance to radiation, the six put on the armours to defend a town of survivors from the people preying upon them, then set out to explore the worldwide devastation, battling giant monsters, mole men and Atlanteans (Atlanteans are the recurring enemies, believe it or not). Along the way they find a pair of dalmations which have been mutated to a tremendous six and they become the heroes' steeds (with a litter of pups promising more giant dogs to come). The stories are fairly typical of DC's adventure hero team books and, settting aside, are much like Challengers of the Unknown. The best thing about the series is Anderson's luscious artwork; he made the post-apocalyptic world look like a storybook.

The "Gods Return" section has a few problems. It opens with Jack Kirby's Atlas story from First Issue Special #1. I don't know who decided this was a post-apocalyptic tale, because it strikes me as a story set in the distant past as it is basically Kirby doing a Conan adventure. It never connects to the continuity of the other tales in this book and ends on a cliffhanger to boot; I love Kirby, but it doesn't really belong here. The remainder of the section is devoted to the 12-issue run of Hercules Unbound from 1975-1977. It opens with World War III causing Hercules to be set free from an island where'd been chained up for several thousand years. Hercules ventures into a world of mutants and battles Ares, who lords over the mayhem. The first six issues are by Gerry Conway and Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and it's a decent enough series (though the World War III timeline in Hercules doesn't actually fit the Atomic Knights', despite what continuity nerds have established).

Conway & Garcia-Lopez left after #6 and in came David Michelinie as writer for #7-9, then Cary Bates for #10-12 with Walter Simsonson on art for the remainder. Initially, Simonson was inked by Wally Wood who seriously overpowered Simonson's pencils. It's notable particularly in Wood's ever cleavage-happy females, who don't look remotely like Simonson's women. Layton inked one issue but finally Simonson took over full art for the last two issues and they look pretty much as you'd expect; it's big, glorious Simonson art with gods at war. These latter issues are also where the continuity tie-ins come in - issue #10 guest stars the Atomic Knights (providing the cover for this Showcase collection) and picks up a dangling contintuity matter from OMAC.

The "More Tales of the Post-Apocalyptic World" section has a bunch of man-animals back-up strips from Kamandi - no idea why they're here when Kamandi is otherwise absent. There's also a stray "Day After Doomsday" tale.

Finally, the "Alternate Endings" section. This opens with a Superman/Atomic Knights team-up story from a 1983 issue of DC Comics Presents. Like the earlier Superman story, it's a bit problematic. In this, Superman meets the Gardner Grayle of his own reality, who turns out to be a soldier in a virtual reality machine. The story claims that all of the Atomic Knights stories (and Hercules Unbound) were merely delusions of Gardner's atomic war-obsessed brain. Superman enters this virtual reality and makes various cutting remarks at how unbelieveable the Atomic Knights' world is (as if believability ever stood for anything in the DC Universe; your rogue's gallery includes a giant ape with Kryptonite eyebeams, Supes!). Heck, part of Superman's case against the Atomic Knights is that their Hercules has the wrong hair colour (horrors! I hope someone was arrested over it!). The story is, ultimately, an attempted deconstruction of the Atomic Knights. In the climax, Gardner sums up what appears to be the authors' view of the Atomic Knights:

"This whole project was misguided from the start -- trying to figure out how to live in a post-holocaust world... how to keep making war in it! To believe that civilization can continue in the face of that cataclysm is a fantasy... a fantasy as monumentally false as the one you helped me to give up here today! The task before mankind isn't to survive an atomic war! It's to work in this world we're living in to make certain such a war can never begin!"

Yeah! In your face, speculative fiction authors! Hang your heads, Broome & Anderson! You have been scorched by the creators of Blue Devil! Of course, the weird thing is that Kamandi still existed in the DC Universe after this story. And OMAC. More amusingly, the true holocaust of 1986 at DC Comics would be the event Crisis on Infinite Earths, another attempt by DC continuity geeks to force the entirety of DC Comics to "make sense," but instead created problems which persist to this day. Forget about learning how to stop atomic war - DC needed to learn how to survive publishing ennui.

The book concludes with a text piece written by continuity chairman Paul Levitz for the Amazing World of DC Comics at a time when Hercules Unbound was still being published. In it, Levitz tries to make sense of the "Great Disaster" continuity, using various notes from Kirby and Conway about where their series fit in, but it includes details which never made it to the comics (Levitz claims World War III in Hercules Unbound was started by Darkseid; Cary Bates would later make it the "anti-gods").

As a whole, this is a decent enough collection; the Atomic Knights were fun and Hercules Unbound is interesting, especially when Simonson enters. "The Day After Doomsday" stories were good - but the other continuity detritus surrounding this book would've been better excised. There is ultimately something very sad about reading pre-Crisis stories which were so, so obsessed with continuity matters which Crisis would ultimately render moot. To this day, DC seems determined to seek out stories which have their own continuity or personality and stamp it out until those stories conform to the line-wide narrative.

"Since when is Golgoth indecisive?" Empire: Uprising Vol.1 review

Mark Waid & Barry Kitson's Empire is back... for the third time and at its third publisher.

I wasn't present for the original release of Empire and its premature death at Image Comics after merely two issues. However, it became a series I heard about from my friends. In discussions about incomplete comic books they wished would come back, several of my friends would bring up Empire. It finally did return for six issues at DC Comics and I came aboard then, enjoying the series quite a bit. I didn't imagine there would be more Empire, yet here is the first volume of Empire: Uprising, published now by IDW.

Assuming you're unfamiliar with the set-up, Empire is set in a world where super-villains have won. An armored figure named Golgoth has killed (or otherwise incapacitated) every super hero on the planet and conquered every military power. Although various resistance forces have sprung up, none have been able to seriously challenge Golgoth. And yet, the various lieutenants who serve as Golgoth's ministers need something to keep themselves occupied and so they plot against each other - and also against Golgoth, believing that if he proves himself compromised in any way, it might be the opportunity they need to usurp his empire.

Being what it is, Empire tells a very bleak story; there is not one of the ministers who exhibits laudable behaviour. It's a world where the powerful prey upon the weak and no one can be trusted. The previous series ended with one minister going rogue and finding himself in contact with a resistance movement. If you think that means there is anything approaching hope in this tale, then I'm sorry to disappoint you: his guidance results in a resistance attack on Golgoth which - although it cleverly exploits Golgoth's affections for his deceased daughter - is ultimately futile. Further, Golgoth proves to know exactly where and what the minister is doing, leaving him alive as a game.

Indeed, if there is no hope then why wallow in this world of transgressors? Empire is at its most entertaining as the ministers vie against each other. It is easy to imagine that if Golgoth were killed the resulting civil war amongst his ministers would outstrip even the devastation seen in this series thus far.

Of particular interest to me in this story is the appearance of "New Angola," one of Golgoth's states. It is extremely rare to find mention of Angola in a super hero comic, much less to find a major superhuman character who is Angolan; one of Golgoth's enemies in this volume is a woman named Kianda who helped Golgoth conquer Angola but is now masterminding a movement against him. She remains a threat at large to be explored in the next volume of Empire; Uprising, which hopefully will be along before too much longer.

Empire: Uprising is marked for mature readers and features some noticeable gore. And yet, Barry Kitson shies away from lascivious material with regards to the female cast members. Although female characters get undressed in the course of the book, he doesn't delve into the expected curvy breasts & buttocks found in most comics. In fact, he seems unwilling to draw butt cracks. It's kind of nice to see this approach to female bodies, but at the same time it might also be another manifestation of North America's willingness to indulge in gore while being skittish about sexual situations.

Empire: Uprising is best enjoyed by people who have read the original Empire series. If that's you, then hurry out and get a copy!

Remedial Creator Credits: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

This is the first Marvel film I've looked at where Kirby contributed more than anyone else! As always, alert me to any oversights or errors.

Jack Kirby: creator of Arnim Zola, a scientist who experiments on people (Captain America #208, 1977); of Zola being a Swiss scientist who allied with Nazi Germany (Captain America #209, 1977); of Zola working with the Red Skull (Captain America #210, 1977); co-creator of Captain America, Steve Rogers, a thin and weak young man who is the chief experiment of Operation: Rebirth, injecting him with the Super-Soldier Serum which makes him a perfect specimen of humanity; of the scientist who creates the serum and is assassinated by a Nazi spy; of the US military officer who oversees Operation: Rebirth; of Operation: Rebirth hidden base beneath a shop with an old woman standing guard above; of Captain America's red, white and blue costume with 'A' on forehead and stars & stripes on his chest; of Bucky Barnes, Steve's friend and partner who joins him in battle; of Captain America's triangular red, white & blue shield; of Sgt. Duffy, Steve's drill sergeant; of Camp Lehigh, the location Steve drills at; of Captain America punching Hitler in the face; of the Red Skull, a Nazi agent who battles Captain America and Bucky (Captain America Comics #1, 1941); of the Cosmic Cube, a massively powerful artifact which the Red Skull seeks to control (Tales of Suspense #79, 1966); of the Super-Soldier Serum's creator being named Abraham Erskine (Tales of Suspense #63, 1965); of Steve Rogers lying on his application papers in hopes of joining the army; of the vita-ray treatment which helps activate the Super-Soldier Serum; of the Nazi spy's name Heinz Kruger; of officer General Phillips' name (Captain America #109, 1969); of Captain America being frozen in ice and awakened in contemporary times; of Bucky seemingly dying on mission with Captain America; of Captain America being frozen before the end of World War II (Avengers #4, 1964); of Captain America's round, red and white shield with star in its center (Captain America Comics #2, 1941); of S.H.I.E.L.D., an international intelligence agency; of Nick Fury's eyepatch; Nick Fury being director of S.H.I.E.L.D.; of a Stark-designed flying car; of Hydra, a terrorist group who raise both arms to salute, saying "Hail Hydra" (Strange Tales #135, 1965); of Nick Fury, an adventure hero; of Dum-Dum Dugan, one of the Howling Commandos who wears a derby hat; of Gabe Jones, an African-American soldier in the Howling Commandos; of the Howling Commandos, a World War II unit; of the Howlers' battle cry "wa-hoo!" (Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #1, 1963); of the Hydra insignia, a skull atop octopus arms (Strange Tales #151, 1966); of the Red Skull being German (Captain America Comics #7, 1941); of the Red Skull plotting a bombing assault near the end of World War II (Tales of Suspense #80, 1966); of Peggy Carter, Captain America's wartime love interest (Tales of Suspense #75, 1966); Captain America throwing his shield so that it ricochets and returns to his hand (Avengers #5, 1964); of Yggdrasill, the Asgardian World-Tree (Journey into Mystery #97, 1963); of Captain America and Bucky working alongside the Howling Commandos (Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #13, 1964); Vibranium, a rare metal with unusual, unpredictable properties (Fantastic Four #53, 1966)

Stan Lee: co-creator of the Cosmic Cube, a massively powerful artifact which the Red Skull seeks to control (Tales of Suspense #79, 1966); of the Super-Soldier Serum's creator being named Abraham Erskine (Tales of Suspense #63, 1965); of Steve Rogers lying on his application papers in hopes of joining the army; of the vita-ray treatment which helps activate the Super-Soldier Serum; of the Nazi spy's name Heinz Kruger; of officer General Phillips' name (Captain America #109, 1969); of Captain America being frozen in ice and awakened in contemporary times; of Bucky seemingly dying on mission with Captain America; of Captain America being frozen before the end of World War II (Avengers #4, 1964); of S.H.I.E.L.D., an international intelligence agency; of Nick Fury's eyepatch; Nick Fury being director of S.H.I.E.L.D.; of a Stark-designed flying car; of Hydra, a terrorist group who raise both arms to salute, saying "Hail Hydra" (Strange Tales #135, 1965); of Nick Fury, an adventure hero; of Dum-Dum Dugan, one of the Howling Commandos who wears a derby hat; of Gabe Jones, an African-American soldier in the Howling Commandos; of the Howling Commandos, a World War II unit; of the Howlers' battle cry "wa-hoo!" (Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #1, 1963); of the Hydra insignia, a skull atop octopus arms (Strange Tales #151, 1966); of the Red Skull plotting a bombing assault near the end of World War II (Tales of Suspense #80, 1966); of Peggy Carter, Captain America's wartime love interest (Tales of Suspense #75, 1966); Captain America throwing his shield so that it ricochets and returns to his hand (Avengers #5, 1964); of Yggdrasill, the Asgardian World-Tree (Journey into Mystery #97, 1963); of Captain America and Bucky working alongside the Howling Commandos (Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #13, 1964); of Jacques Dernier, a member of the French Resistance who fights alongside the Howling Commandos (Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #21, 1965); Vibranium, a rare metal with unusual, unpredictable properties (Fantastic Four #53, 1966)

Joe Simon: co-creator of Captain America, Steve Rogers, a thin and weak young man who is the chief experiment of Operation: Rebirth, injecting him with the Super-Soldier Serum which makes him a perfect specimen of humanity; of the scientist who creates the serum and is assassinated by a Nazi spy; of the US military officer who oversees Operation: Rebirth; of Operation: Rebirth hidden base beneath a shop with an old woman standing guard above; of Captain America's red, white and blue costume with 'A' on forehead and stars & stripes on his chest; of Bucky Barnes, Steve's friend and partner who joins him in battle; of Captain America's triangular red, white & blue shield; of Sgt. Duffy, Steve's drill sergeant; of Camp Lehigh, the location Steve drills at; of Captain America punching Hitler in the face; of the Red Skull, a Nazi agent who battles Captain America and Bucky (Captain America Comics #1, 1941); of Captain America's mask being fastened to his costume; of Captain America's round, red and white shield with star in its center (Captain America Comics #2, 1941); of the Red Skull being German (Captain America Comics #7, 1941)

Bryan Hitch: co-creator of S.H.I.E.L.D. creating a simulation of the 1940s to help Captain America adjust to the present but being quickly found out; of Nick Fury resembling Samuel L. Jackson and having visible scars beneath his eyepatch (Ultimates #2, 2002); of Captain America wearing a pseudo-military version of his costume; of Captain America being found in present times by S.H.I.E.L.D. (Ultimates #1, 2002); of the wings on the side of Captain America's helmet being painted on (Captain America: Reborn #1, 2009)

Mark Millar: co-creator of S.H.I.E.L.D. creating a simulation of the 1940s to help Captain America adjust to the present but being quickly found out; of Nick Fury resembling Samuel L. Jackson and having visible scars beneath his eyepatch (Ultimates #2, 2002); of Captain America wearing a pseudo-military version of his costume; of Captain America being found in present times by S.H.I.E.L.D. (Ultimates #1, 2002)

Dick Ayers: co-creator of Hydra being active in World War II (Captain Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders #2, 1968); of Jacques Dernier, a member of the French Resistance who fights alongside the Howling Commandos (Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #21, 1965); of Jim Morita, a World War II Nisei soldier who fought alongside the Howling Commandos (Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #38, 1967)

Roy Thomas: co-creator of Montgomery, Lord Falsworth, British soldier and wartime ally of Captain America (Invaders #7, 1976); of Jim Morita, a World War II Nisei soldier who fought alongside the Howling Commandos (Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #38, 1967)

Sal Buscema: co-creator of the Red Skull funding the creation of Hydra (Captain America #148, 1972); of Steve Rogers' skill as an artist (Captain America #237, 1979); of Steve Rogers joining the army from a sense of idealism (Captain America #176, 1974)

Fabian Nicieza: co-creator of Operation: Rebirth's multiple candidates; of Gilmore Hodge, a bully who is rejected from Operation: Rebirth (Adventures of Captain America #1, 1991); of Chester Phillips' first name (Adventures of Captain America #2, 1991)

Kevin Maguire: co-creator of Operation: Rebirth's multiple candidates; of Gilmore Hodge, a bully who is rejected from Operation: Rebirth (Adventures of Captain America #1, 1991); of Chester Phillips' first name (Adventures of Captain America #2, 1991)

Ed Brubaker: co-creator of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes being nearly the same age (Captain America #5, 2005); of the wings on the side of Captain America's helmet being painted on (Captain America: Reborn #1, 2009)

Jim Steranko: creator of Hydra being a group which splintered out of Nazi Germany (Strange Tales #156, 1967); co-creator of the Hydra insignia, a skull atop octopus arms (Strange Tales #151, 1966)

Gary Friedrich: co-creator of the Red Skull funding the creation of Hydra (Captain America #148, 1972); of Hydra being active in World War II (Captain Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders #2, 1968)

Carl Burgos: creator of Phineas Horton, scientist who created the Human Torch; of the Human Torch, an artificial man placed on display at a fair within a clear tube (Marvel Comics #1, 1939)

Paul Neary: co-creator of the Red Skull's name Johann Shmidt (Captain America #298, 1984); of Captain America's shield being made of Vibranium (Captain America #302, 1985)

Mark Gruenwald: co-creator of the skin being burned off the Red Skull's face; of the Red Skull having the Super-Soldier Serum in his veins (Captain America #350, 1989)

Kieron Dwyer: co-creator of the skin being burned off the Red Skull's face; of the Red Skull having the Super-Soldier Serum in his veins (Captain America #350, 1989)

Randall Frenz: co-creator of Howard Stark working with Captain America, Bucky and the Howling Commandos during World War II (Captain America Annual #9, 1990)

Mark Bagley: co-creator of Howard Stark working with Captain America, Bucky and the Howling Commandos during World War II (Captain America Annual #9, 1990)

Frank Robbins: co-creator of Montgomery, Lord Falsworth, British soldier and wartime ally of Captain America (Invaders #7, 1976)

Steve Englehart: co-creator of Steve Rogers joining the army from a sense of idealism (Captain America #176, 1974)

Michael Lark: co-creator of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes being nearly the same age (Captain America #5, 2005)

Brian Michael Bendis: co-creator of Nick Fury as an African-American man (Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #5, 2001)

Roger Stern: co-creator of Steve Rogers' parents dying in his teenage years (Captain America #255, 1981)

Mike Carlin: co-creator of Captain America's shield being made of Vibranium (Captain America #302, 1985)

John Byrne: co-creator of Steve Rogers' parents dying in his teenage years (Captain America #255, 1981)

Mike Allred: co-creator of Nick Fury as an African-American man (Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #5, 2001)

Alex Schomburg: creator of Captain America riding a motorcycle (Captain America Comics #27, 1943)

J.M. DeMatteis: co-creator of the Red Skull's name Johann Shmidt (Captain America #298, 1984)

Chris Claremont: co-creator of Steve Rogers' skill as an artist (Captain America #237, 1979)

Roger McKenzie: co-creator of Steve Rogers' skill as an artist (Captain America #237, 1979)

Archie Goodwin: co-creator of Howard Stark, Tony's father (Iron Man #28, 1970)

Don Heck: co-creator of Howard Stark, Tony's father (Iron Man #28, 1970)

Remedial Creator Credits: Thor (2011)

Unfortunately, due to an error in marketing 2011's Loki movie was titled "Thor."

Stan Lee: creator of Journey into Mystery title (Journey into Mystery #1, 1952); co-creator of Thor, Asgardian god of thunder whose hammer Mjolnir can control weather and has a worthiness enchantment which prevents others from lifting it; Thor's silver helmet, red cape and blue bodysuit with discs on his chest; Thor using the mortal alias of Donald Blake (Journey into Mystery #83, 1962); of the Frost Giants, creatures from the Nine Worlds; of Yggdrasill, the World-Tree; of Odin's title "All-Father" (Journey into Mystery #97, 1963); of Laufey, Loki's father, a giant; of Jotunheim, land of the giants; of Odin adopting Loki (Journey into Mystery #112, 1965); of Thor and Loki being friends in their youth (Journey into Mystery #113, 1965); of the Warlock's Eye, a mystical artifact in Odin's custody (Thor #129, 1966); of the Orb of Agamotto, a mystical sphere (Strange Tales #118, 1964); of the Tablet of Life and Time, a mystical stone tablet (Amazing Spider-Man #68, 1969); of Thor being sent to Earth as punishment by Odin to teach him humility after a clash with Frost Giants (Thor #159, 1968); of Loki trying to usurp Odin's throne (Journey into Mystery #94, 1963); of the Asgardians and Frost Giants going to war with each other (Journey into Mystery #98, 1963); of S.H.I.E.L.D., an international intelligence agency affiliated with Tony Stark; of Nick Fury wearing an eyepatch; Nick Fury as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strange Tales #135, 1965); of Loki, Thor's wicked brother who has the power to cast illusions; of Asgard, the realm where Thor lives; Bifrost, the rainbow bridge which connects Asgard to other worlds; Odin, lord of Asgard, father of Thor and Loki; Heimdall, guardian of Bifrost (Journey into Mystery #85, 1962); of the Cosmic Cube, a massively powerful artifact (Tales of Suspense #79, 1966); of Hawkeye, a master archer with trick arrows (Tales of Suspense #57, 1964); of Tony Stark, an industrialist who builds armor (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of Jane Foster, Thor's romantic interest (Journey into Mystery #84, 1962); of the Destroyer, a massively powerful suit of automated armor built by Odin with destructive energy blasts emitted from its face and which battles Thor (Journey into Mystery #118, 1965); of Odin wearing a cape fastened over his shoulders (Journey into Mystery #89, 1963); Sif, a female Asgardian warrior and love interest to Thor (Journey into Mystery #102, 1964); of Volstagg, a red-haired, overweight and jovial Asgardian warrior; Hogun, a grim-faced and dark-haired Asgardian; and Fandral, a dashing, adventurous Asgardian (Journey into Mystery #119, 1965); Sif with dark hair (Thor #136, 1967); Earth referred to as Midgard by Asgardians (Thor #126, 1966); of Jasper Sitwell, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent (Strange Tales #144, 1966)

Jack Kirby: co-creator of Thor, Asgardian god of thunder whose hammer Mjolnir can control weather and has a worthiness enchantment which prevents others from lifting it; Thor's silver helmet, red cape and blue bodysuit with discs on his chest; Thor using the mortal alias of Donald Blake (Journey into Mystery #83, 1962); of the Frost Giants, creatures from the Nine Worlds; of Yggdrasill, the World-Tree; of Odin's title "All-Father" (Journey into Mystery #97, 1963); of Laufey, Loki's father, a giant; of Jotunheim, land of the giants; of Odin adopting Loki (Journey into Mystery #112, 1965); of Thor and Loki being friends in their youth (Journey into Mystery #113, 1965); of the Warlock's Eye, a mystical artifact in Odin's custody (Thor #129, 1966); of Thor being sent to Earth as punishment by Odin to teach him humility after a clash with Frost Giants (Thor #159, 1968); of the Asgardians and Frost Giants going to war with each other (Journey into Mystery #98, 1963); of S.H.I.E.L.D., an international intelligence agency affiliated with Tony Stark; of Nick Fury wearing an eyepatch; Nick Fury as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strange Tales #135, 1965); of Loki, Thor's wicked brother who has the power to cast illusions; of Asgard, the realm where Thor lives; Bifrost, the rainbow bridge which connects Asgard to other worlds; Odin, lord of Asgard, father of Thor and Loki; Heimdall, guardian of Bifrost (Journey into Mystery #85, 1962); of the Cosmic Cube, a massively powerful artifact (Tales of Suspense #79, 1966); of Tony Stark, an industrialist who builds armor (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of Jane Foster, Thor's romantic interest (Journey into Mystery #84, 1962); of the Destroyer, a massively powerful suit of automated armor built by Odin with destructive energy blasts emitted from its face and which battles Thor (Journey into Mystery #118, 1965); of Odin wearing a cape fastened over his shoulders (Journey into Mystery #89, 1963); Sif, a female Asgardian warrior and love interest to Thor (Journey into Mystery #102, 1964); of Volstagg, a red-haired, overweight and jovial Asgardian warrior; Hogun, a grim-faced and dark-haired Asgardian; and Fandral, a dashing, adventurous Asgardian (Journey into Mystery #119, 1965); Sif with dark hair (Thor #136, 1967); Earth referred to as Midgard by Asgardians (Thor #126, 1966); of Jasper Sitwell, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent (Strange Tales #144, 1966)

Larry Lieber: co-creator of Thor, Asgardian god of thunder whose hammer Mjolnir can control weather and has a worthiness enchantment which prevents others from lifting it; Thor's silver helmet, red cape and blue bodysuit with discs on his chest; Thor using the mortal alias of Donald Blake (Journey into Mystery #83, 1962); of Loki, Thor's wicked brother who has the power to cast illusions; of Asgard, the realm where Thor lives; Bifrost, the rainbow bridge which connects Asgard to other worlds; Odin, lord of Asgard, father of Thor and Loki; Heimdall, guardian of Bifrost (Journey into Mystery #85, 1962); of Tony Stark, an industrialist who builds armor (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of Jane Foster, Thor's romantic interest (Journey into Mystery #84, 1962)

Walter Simonson: creator of the Einherjar, the greatest warriors of Asgard (Thor #350, 1984); of the Casket of Ancient Winters, a mystical artifact which can unleash snowstorms (Thor #346, 1984); of Thor wearing a beard (Thor #367, 1986); of the Eternal Flame, a mystical flame in Odin's custody (Thor #349, 1984); co-creator of Grundroth, a Frost Giant who fights Thor (Thor #375, 1987)

Mark Millar: co-creator of Thor's claims of godhood being doubted by those who know him on Earth (Ultimates #4, 2002); of Nick Fury resembling Samuel L. Jackson and having visible scars beneath his eyepatch (Ultimates #2, 2002); of Hawkeye as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Ultimates #7, 2002)

Bryan Hitch: co-creator of Thor's claims of godhood being doubted by those who know him on Earth (Ultimates #4, 2002); of Nick Fury resembling Samuel L. Jackson and having visible scars beneath his eyepatch (Ultimates #2, 2002); of Hawkeye as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Ultimates #7, 2002)

Roy Thomas: co-creator of Odin's ravens Hugin and Munin; of Odin's eight-legged horse Sleipnir; Odin having only one eye (Thor #274, 1978); of Odin's spear Gungnir (Thor #275, 1978); of the Soul Gems which became the Infinity Gems (Marvel Premiere #1, 1972)

J. Michael Stracynski: co-creator of Mjolnir falling to Earth where it is studied by scientists and various locals attempt to lift it (Fantastic Four #536, 2006); of Thor wearing a suit with chainmail on his sleeves (Thor #1, 2007)

John Buscema: co-creator of Odin's ravens Hugin and Munin; of Odin's eight-legged horse Sleipnir; Odin having only one eye (Thor #274, 1978); of Odin's spear Gungnir (Thor #275, 1978)

Don Heck: co-creator of Hawkeye, a master archer with trick arrows (Tales of Suspense #57, 1964); of Tony Stark, an industrialist who builds armor (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963)

Mike McKone: co-creator of Mjolnir falling to Earth where it is studied by scientists and various locals attempt to lift it (Fantastic Four #536, 2006)

Jim Starlin: co-creator of the Infinity Gems, assembled together into the Infinity Gauntlet (Thanos Quest #1, 1990)

Ron Lim: co-creator of the Infinity Gems, assembled together into the Infinity Gauntlet (Thanos Quest #1, 1990)

John Romita: co-creator of the Tablet of Life and Time, a mystical stone tablet (Amazing Spider-Man #68, 1969)

Jim Mooney: co-creator of the Tablet of Life and Time, a mystical stone tablet (Amazing Spider-Man #68, 1969)

Brian Michael Bendis: co-creator of Nick Fury as an African-American man (Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #5, 2001)

Robert Bernstein: co-creator of Loki trying to usurp Odin's throne (Journey into Mystery #94, 1963)

Mike Allred: co-creator of Nick Fury as an African-American man (Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #5, 2001)

Gil Kane: co-creator of the Soul Gems which became the Infinity Gems (Marvel Premiere #1, 1972)

Joe Sinnott: co-creator of Loki trying to usurp Odin's throne (Journey into Mystery #94, 1963)

Oliver Coipel: co-creator of Thor wearing a suit with chainmail on his sleeves (Thor #1, 2007)

Howard Purcell: co-creator of Jasper Sitwell, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent (Strange Tales #144, 1966)

Steve Ditko: co-creator of the Orb of Agamotto, a mystical sphere (Strange Tales #118, 1964)

Sal Buscema: co-creator of Grundroth, a Frost Giant who fights Thor (Thor #375, 1987)

Remedial Creator Credits: Iron Man 2 (2010)

Continuing my remedial work - Iron Man 2, the sequel which merged the Crimson Dynamo and Whiplash into one person for... some reason...?

Stan Lee: co-creator of Iron Man, Tony Stark, an industrialist who must wear a suit of armor to keep himself alive (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of Whiplash, a criminal with a metallic whip charged with electricity who can pierce Iron Man's armor (Tales of Suspense #97, 1968); of Anton Vanko, a Russian scientist who does battle with Iron Man; Tony Stark's business under scrutiny by the Pentagon (Tales of Suspense #46, 1963); of Pepper Potts, Tony Stark's secretary and romantic interest; Happy Hogan, a former boxer turned chauffeur and bodyguard to Tony Stark; Stark performing a test drive with a racecar which crashes; Stark Industries, Tony's company (Tales of Suspense #45, 1963); of S.H.I.E.L.D., an international intelligence agency affiliated with Tony Stark; of Nick Fury wearing an eyepatch; Nick Fury as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strange Tales #135, 1965); of Nick Fury, an adventurer (Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #1, 1963); of Jarvis, an entity who serves Tony Stark (Tales of Suspense #59, 1964); of Iron Man wearing red and gold armor (Tales of Suspense #48, 1963); of the Avengers, a team of heroes whose founding members include Iron Man (Avengers #1, 1963); of Iron Man's chief weapon, repulsor rays (Tales of Suspense #57, 1964); of the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff, a spy who encounters Iron Man (Tales of Suspense #52, 1964); of Iron Man's armor being gold; of Iron Man's unibeam in the center of his chestplate; of Iron Man armor kept inside of briefcase (Tales of Suspense #40, 1963); of the Black Widow's black bodysuit and Widow's Bite wrist weapon; Natasha's red hair (Amazing Spider-Man #86, 1970); of Mjolnir, a mystical hammer (Journey into Mystery #83, 1962)

Don Heck: co-creator of Iron Man, Tony Stark, an industrialist who must wear a suit of armor to keep himself alive (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of Anton Vanko, a Russian scientist who does battle with Iron Man; Tony Stark's business under scrutiny by the Pentagon (Tales of Suspense #46, 1963); of Pepper Potts, Tony Stark's secretary and romantic interest; Happy Hogan, a former boxer turned chauffeur and bodyguard to Tony Stark; Stark performing a test drive with a racecar which crashes; Stark Industries, Tony's company (Tales of Suspense #45, 1963); of Iron Man's chief weapon, repulsor rays (Tales of Suspense #57, 1964); of the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff, a spy who encounters Iron Man (Tales of Suspense #52, 1964); of Howard Stark, Tony's father (Iron Man #28, 1970); of Black Widow as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Avengers #38, 1967)

Jack Kirby: co-creator of Iron Man, Tony Stark, an industrialist who must wear a suit of armor to keep himself alive (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of S.H.I.E.L.D., an international intelligence agency affiliated with Tony Stark; of Nick Fury wearing an eyepatch; Nick Fury as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strange Tales #135, 1965); of Nick Fury, an adventurer (Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #1, 1963); of Jarvis, an entity who serves Tony Stark (Tales of Suspense #59, 1964); of Iron Man wearing red and gold armor (Tales of Suspense #48, 1963); of the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff, a spy who encounters Iron Man (Tales of Suspense #52, 1964); of Mjolnir, a mystical hammer (Journey into Mystery #83, 1962)

Robert Bernstein: co-creator of Anton Vanko, a Russian scientist who does battle with Iron Man; Tony Stark's business under scrutiny by the Pentagon (Tales of Suspense #46, 1963); of Pepper Potts, Tony Stark's secretary and romantic interest; Happy Hogan, a former boxer turned chauffeur and bodyguard to Tony Stark; Stark performing a test drive with a racecar which crashes (Tales of Suspense #45, 1963); of Iron Man's armor being gold; of Iron Man's unibeam in the center of his chestplate; of Iron Man armor kept inside of briefcase (Tales of Suspense #40, 1963); of Iron Man's armor being gold; of Iron Man's unibeam in the center of his chestplate; of Iron Man armor kept inside of briefcase (Tales of Suspense #40, 1963)

David Michelinie: co-creator of Justin Hammer, a business rival of Tony Stark who tries to combat him through criminal proxies (Iron Man #120, 1979); Hammer trying to obtain his own version of the Iron Man armor (Iron Man #225, 1987); of Hammer hiring Whiplash to attack Iron Man (Iron Man #123, 1979); of Bambi Arbogast, Stark's secretary; of James Rhodes, pilot and friend of Tony Stark (Iron Man #118, 1979); of Tony Stark's alcoholism (Iron Man #128, 1979); of Tony Stark's cliffside manor overlooking the ocean (Iron Man #222, 1987)

Bob Layton: co-creator of Justin Hammer, a business rival of Tony Stark who tries to combat him through criminal proxies (Iron Man #120, 1979); Hammer trying to obtain his own version of the Iron Man armor (Iron Man #225, 1987); of Hammer hiring Whiplash to attack Iron Man (Iron Man #123, 1979); of Bambi Arbogast, Stark's secretary; of James Rhodes, pilot and friend of Tony Stark (Iron Man #118, 1979); of Tony Stark's alcoholism (Iron Man #128, 1979); of Tony Stark's cliffside manor overlooking the ocean (Iron Man #222, 1987)

Len Kaminski: co-creator of Tony Stark using artificial intelligences to create his armors (Iron Man #298, 1993); of the War Machine armor, gray and silver Iron Man armor equipped with shoulder-mounted canons, gattlings and mini-guns (Iron Man #281, 1992); of James Rhodes wearing the War Machine armor (Iron Man #284, 1992)

Mark Millar: co-creator of Nick Fury resembling Samuel L. Jackson and having visible scars beneath his eyepatch; Iron Man armor with eye slits which glow light blue (Ultimates #2, 2002); of the Initiative, a S.H.I.E.L.D.-led effort to control superhumans affiliated with the Avengers (Civil War #7, 2007)

John Romita Jr.: co-creator of Justin Hammer, a business rival of Tony Stark who tries to combat him through criminal proxies (Iron Man #120, 1979); of Hammer hiring Whiplash to attack Iron Man (Iron Man #123, 1979); of Tony Stark's alcoholism (Iron Man #128, 1979)

Dennis O'Neil: co-creator of Rhodes and Stark falling out with each other (Iron Man #185, 1984); of Iron Man wearing red and silver armor (Iron Man #200, 1985); of James Rhodes wearing Iron Man armor because of Tony's perceived shortcomings (Iron Man #169, 1983)

Mark Bright: co-creator of Hammer trying to obtain his own version of the Iron Man armor (Iron Man #225, 1987); of Iron Man wearing red and silver armor (Iron Man #200, 1985); of Tony Stark's cliffside manor overlooking the ocean (Iron Man #222, 1987)

Kevin Hopgood: co-creator of the War Machine armor, gray and silver Iron Man armor equipped with shoulder-mounted canons, gattlings and mini-guns (Iron Man #281, 1992); of James Rhodes wearing the War Machine armor (Iron Man #284, 1992)

Larry Lieber: co-creator of Iron Man, Tony Stark, an industrialist who must wear a suit of armor to keep himself alive (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of Mjolnir, a mystical hammer (Journey into Mystery #83, 1962)

Luke McDonnell: co-creator of Rhodes and Stark falling out with each other (Iron Man #185, 1984); of James Rhodes wearing Iron Man armor because of Tony's perceived shortcomings (Iron Man #169, 1983)

Bryan Hitch: co-creator of Nick Fury resembling Samuel L. Jackson and having visible scars beneath his eyepatch; Iron Man armor with eye slits which glow light blue (Ultimates #2, 2002)

Roy Thomas: co-creator of the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo, an eagle within a circle (Strange Tales #154, 1967); of Black Widow as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Avengers #38, 1967)

Stefano Caselli: co-creator of the Initiative, a S.H.I.E.L.D.-led effort to control superhumans affiliated with the Avengers (Avengers: The Initiative #1, 2007)

John Jackson Miller: co-creator of Christine Everhart, a journalist who is romantically interested in Tony Stark, but also critical of him (Iron Man #75, 2004)

Gene Colan: co-creator of Whiplash, a criminal with a metallic whip charged with electricity who can pierce Iron Man's armor (Tales of Suspense #97, 1968)

Dan Slott: co-creator of the Initiative, a S.H.I.E.L.D.-led effort to control superhumans affiliated with the Avengers (Avengers: The Initiative #1, 2007)

Jorge Lucas: co-creator of Christine Everhart, a journalist who is romantically interested in Tony Stark, but also critical of him (Iron Man #75, 2004)

Steve McNiven: co-creator of the Initiative, a S.H.I.E.L.D.-led effort to control superhumans affiliated with the Avengers (Civil War #7, 2007)

John Romita: co-creator of the Black Widow's black bodysuit and Widow's Bite wrist weapon; Natasha's red hair (Amazing Spider-Man #86, 1970)

John Byrne: co-creator of Bambi Arbogast, Stark's secretary; of James Rhodes, pilot and friend of Tony Stark (Iron Man #118, 1979)

Salvador Larroca: co-creator of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts being in a romantic interest (Invincible Iron Man #15, 2009)

Don Rico: co-creator of the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff, a spy who encounters Iron Man (Tales of Suspense #52, 1964)

Matt Fraction: co-creator of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts being in a romantic interest (Invincible Iron Man #15, 2009)

Tom Tenney: co-creator of Tony Stark using artificial intelligences to create his armors (Iron Man #298, 1993)

Brian Michael Bendis: co-creator of Nick Fury as an African-American man (Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #5, 2001)

Scott Lobdell: co-creator of the red widow icon on Black Widow's belt (Journey into Mystery #517, 1998)

Randall Green: co-creator of the red widow icon on Black Widow's belt (Journey into Mystery #517, 1998)

Jim Steranko: co-creator of the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo, an eagle within a circle (Strange Tales #154, 1967)

Mike Grell: creator of Iron Man's identity as Tony Stark being public knowledge (Iron Man #55, 2002)

Mike Allred: co-creator of Nick Fury as an African-American man (Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #5, 2001)

Chris Claremont: co-creator of Black Widow using the alias "Rushman" (Marvel Team-Up #82, 1979)

Steve Ditko: co-creator of Iron Man wearing red and gold armor (Tales of Suspense #48, 1963)

Sal Buscema: co-creator of Black Widow using the alias "Rushman" (Marvel Team-Up #82, 1979)

Archie Goodwin: co-creator of Howard Stark, Tony's father (Iron Man #28, 1970)

Adi Granov: creator of the Iron Man armor design (Iron Man #75, 2004)

Remedial Creator Credits: Incredible Hulk (2008)

Edward Norton's Hulk! Remember when that was something?

Stan Lee: co-creator of the Hulk, Bruce Banner, a physicist who transforms into a massive, brutish creature with superhuman strength after exposure to gamma radiation; Hulk wearing purple pants; General Thaddeus Ross, a military officer who formerly employed Bruce Banner and becomes an enemy of the Hulk; Betty Ross, daughter of General Ross and love interest of Bruce; Rick Jones, a young man who befriends the Hulk (Incredible Hulk #1, 1962); of the Leader, an intelligent man (Tales to Astonish #62, 1964); of the Abomination, a Russian man exposed to gamma rays which transform him into a monstrous creature who fights the Hulk (Tales to Astonish #90, 1967); of Banner transforming into the Hulk during periods of high emotional stress; of the Hulk having a savage or childlike disposition (Tales to Astonish #60, 1964); of the Hulk producing a shockwave by clapping his hands (Tales to Astonish #65, 1965); of Banner's identity as the Hulk becoming public knowledge, forcing Banner to give up his normal life and live as a fugitive from General Ross and others (Tales to Astonish #77, 1966); of the Leader being a gamma-irradiated man with a large head (Tales to Astonish #63, 1965); of Tony Stark, a wealthy industrialist who wears a suit of armor (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of Tony Stark and the Hulk serving on a team together (Avengers #1, 1963); the Hulk's green skin (Incredible Hulk #2, 1962); the Hulk traveling vast distances by leaping (Incredible Hulk #3, 1963); Hulk's quote "Hulk smash" (Tales to Astonish #88, 1967)

Jack Kirby: co-creator of the Hulk, Bruce Banner, a physicist who transforms into a massive, brutish creature with superhuman strength after exposure to gamma radiation; Hulk wearing purple pants; General Thaddeus Ross, a military officer who formerly employed Bruce Banner and becomes an enemy of the Hulk; Betty Ross, daughter of General Ross and love interest of Bruce; Rick Jones, a young man who befriends the Hulk (Incredible Hulk #1, 1962); of Banner's identity as the Hulk becoming public knowledge, forcing Banner to give up his normal life and live as a fugitive from General Ross and others (Tales to Astonish #77, 1966); of Tony Stark, a wealthy industrialist who wears a suit of armor (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of Tony Stark and the Hulk serving on a team together (Avengers #1, 1963); the Hulk's green skin (Incredible Hulk #2, 1962); the Hulk traveling vast distances by leaping (Incredible Hulk #3, 1963); of the Super-Soldier Serum which created Captain America in the 1940s (Captain America Comics #1, 1941)

Steve Ditko: co-creator of the Leader, an intelligent man (Tales to Astonish #62, 1964); of Banner transforming into the Hulk during periods of high emotional stress; of the Hulk having a savage or childlike disposition (Tales to Astonish #60, 1964); of the Hulk producing a shockwave by clapping his hands (Tales to Astonish #65, 1965); of the Leader being a gamma-irradiated man with a large head (Tales to Astonish #63, 1965)

John Romita Jr.: co-creator of Banner using the online alias "Mr. Green" for correspondence with a mysterious figure known only as "Mr. Blue"; of Banner using meditation techniques to calm himself (Incredible Hulk #34, 2002); of Sterns trying to obtain Banner's blood for his experiments (Incredible Hulk #36, 2002)

Bruce Jones: co-creator of Banner using the online alias "Mr. Green" for correspondence with a mysterious figure known only as "Mr. Blue"; of Banner using meditation techniques to calm himself (Incredible Hulk #34, 2002); of Sterns trying to obtain Banner's blood for his experiments (Incredible Hulk #36, 2002)

Gil Kane: co-creator of the Abomination, a Russian man exposed to gamma rays which transform him into a monstrous creature who fights the Hulk (Tales to Astonish #90, 1967); Hulk's quote "Hulk smash" (Tales to Astonish #88, 1967)

John Romita: co-creator of Banner's identity as the Hulk becoming public knowledge, forcing Banner to give up his normal life and live as a fugitive from General Ross and others (Tales to Astonish #77, 1966)

Mark Millar: co-creator of the Abomination being massive and partially armored (Ultimates 2 #9, 2006); the Hulk resulting from an attempt to recreate Captain America (Ultimates #2, 2002)

Bryan Hitch: co-creator of the Abomination being massive and partially armored (Ultimates 2 #9, 2006); the Hulk resulting from an attempt to recreate Captain America (Ultimates #2, 2002)

Herb Trimpe: co-creator of Leonard Samson, a rival for Bruce's affections toward Betty (Incredible Hulk #141, 1971); of the Leader's name Samuel Sterns (Incredible Hulk #129, 1970)

Roy Thomas: co-creator of Leonard Samson, a rival for Bruce's affections toward Betty (Incredible Hulk #141, 1971); of the Leader's name Samuel Sterns (Incredible Hulk #129, 1970)

Joe Simon: co-creator of the Super-Soldier Serum which created Captain America in the 1940s (Captain America Comics #1, 1941)

Larry Lieber: co-creator of Tony Stark, a wealthy industrialist who wears a suit of armor (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963)

Todd MacFarlane: co-creator of the Leader's head being round to indicate a larger brain (Incredible Hulk #342, 1988)

Don Heck: co-creator of Tony Stark, a wealthy industrialist who wears a suit of armor (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963)

Mark Gruenwald: creator of the Abomination's name Emil Blonsky (Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #1, 1983)

Peter David: co-creator of the Leader's head being round to indicate a larger brain (Incredible Hulk #342, 1988)

Gary Friedrich: co-creator of Hulk's stated desire to be left alone (Incredible Hulk #102, 1968)

Marie Severin: co-creator of Hulk's stated desire to be left alone (Incredible Hulk #102, 1968)

Remedial Creator Credits: Iron Man (2008)

All this week I'm going to be filling in gaps in my lists of creator credits for films based on Marvel Comics. This week, I'll add the five theatrical Marvel Cinematic Universe pictures which I hadn't profiled before. Please do enjoy and alert me to any omissions!

Stan Lee: co-creator of Tony Stark, a wealthy industrialist and designer of weapons for the US Army who goes on a field tour with the army in which he is near-fatally wounded, receiving shrapnel in his heart; Stark captured by rebels and forced to design weapons for them alongside Ho Yinsen, but instead designing a gray suit of Iron Man armor to save Tony's life and enable him to escape; Yinsen dying to give Iron Man time to power up, Iron Man fighting his way out of the rebels' clutches (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of Iron Man posing as Tony Stark's employee; of Iron Man wearing gold armor; unibeam in the center of Iron Man's armor (Tales of Suspense #40, 1963); of adventurer Nick Fury (Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1, 1963); of S.H.I.E.L.D., an international espionage agency; Nick Fury wearing an eye-patch; Nick Fury as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strange Tales #135, 1965); of Pepper Potts, a romantic interest to Tony Stark; Happy Hogan, Tony Stark's chauffeur and bodyguard (Tales of Suspense #45, 1963); Jarvis, an entity who serves Tony Stark (Tales of Suspense #59, 1964); the Avengers, a team of heroes whose ranks include Iron Man (Avengers #1, 1963); Iron Man wearing red & gold armor (Tales of Suspense #48, 1963); of Iron Man's chief weapon repulsor rays (Tales of Suspense #57, 1964)

Jack Kirby: co-creator of Tony Stark, a wealthy industrialist and designer of weapons for the US Army who goes on a field tour with the army in which he is near-fatally wounded, receiving shrapnel in his heart; Stark captured by rebels and forced to design weapons for them alongside Ho Yinsen, but instead designing a gray suit of Iron Man armor to save Tony's life and enable him to escape; Yinsen dying to give Iron Man time to power up, Iron Man fighting his way out of the rebels' clutches (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of Iron Man posing as Tony Stark's employee; of Iron Man wearing gold armor; unibeam in the center of Iron Man's armor (Tales of Suspense #40, 1963); of adventurer Nick Fury (Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1, 1963); of S.H.I.E.L.D., an international espionage agency; Nick Fury wearing an eye-patch; Nick Fury as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strange Tales #135, 1965); Jarvis, an entity who serves Tony Stark (Tales of Suspense #59, 1964); the Avengers, a team of heroes whose ranks include Iron Man (Avengers #1, 1963)

Don Heck: co-creator of Tony Stark, a wealthy industrialist and designer of weapons for the US Army who goes on a field tour with the army in which he is near-fatally wounded, receiving shrapnel in his heart; Stark captured by rebels and forced to design weapons for them alongside Ho Yinsen, but instead designing a gray suit of Iron Man armor to save Tony's life and enable him to escape; Yinsen dying to give Iron Man time to power up, Iron Man fighting his way out of the rebels' clutches (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963); of Pepper Potts, a romantic interest to Tony Stark; Happy Hogan, Tony Stark's chauffeur and bodyguard (Tales of Suspense #45, 1963); of Iron Man's chief weapon repulsor rays (Tales of Suspense #57, 1964); of Howard Stark, Tony's father (Iron Man #28, 1970)

Larry Lieber: co-creator of Tony Stark, a wealthy industrialist and designer of weapons for the US Army who goes on a field tour with the army in which he is near-fatally wounded, receiving shrapnel in his heart; Stark captured by rebels and forced to design weapons for them alongside Ho Yinsen, but instead designing a gray suit of Iron Man armor to save Tony's life and enable him to escape; Yinsen dying to give Iron Man time to power up, Iron Man fighting his way out of the rebels' clutches (Tales of Suspense #39, 1963)

Dennis O'Neil: co-creator of James Rhodes learning Tony Stark is Iron Man (Iron Man #169, 1983); of Iron Monger, a suit of armor based on Iron Man's which Obadiah Stane wears to fight Stark, leading to Stane's death (Iron Man #200, 1985); of Obadiah Stane, a criminal businessman determined to seize control of Tony Stark's company so he can revert it to designing weapons (Iron Man #166, 1983)

David Michelinie: co-creator of James Rhodes as a military operative helping return Tony Stark to the USA after his first adventure as Iron Man (Iron Man #144, 1981); of the Mandarin's agents wearing a ring (Iron Man #241, 1989); of James "Rhodey" Rhodes, close friend of Tony Stark (Iron Man #118, 1979); of Tony Stark's cliffside manor overlooking the ocean (Iron Man #222, 1987)

Bob Layton: co-creator of James Rhodes as a military operative helping return Tony Stark to the USA after his first adventure as Iron Man (Iron Man #144, 1981); of the Mandarin's agents wearing a ring (Iron Man #241, 1989); of James "Rhodey" Rhodes, close friend of Tony Stark (Iron Man #118, 1979); of Tony Stark's cliffside manor overlooking the ocean (Iron Man #222, 1987)

Mark Millar: co-creator of Nick Fury based physically on Samuel L. Jackson with visible scars around his left eye; Iron Man's armor glowing light blue in eye slits and repulsor beams; the Avengers being created by S.H.I.E.L.D. (Ultimates #2, 2002); of the Initiative, a S.H.I.E.L.D.-sponsored effort to police super heroes associated with the Avengers (Civil War #7, 2007)

George Tuska: co-creator of Pepper Potts learning Tony Stark is Iron Man (Iron Man #65, 1973); of Tony Stark becoming horrified by the carnage done with his company's weapons and eliminating his weapons production (Iron Man #78, 1975); of Maria Stark, wife of Howard, mother of Tony (Iron Man #104, 1977)

Adi Granov: co-creator of Tony Stark being injured by one of his own weapons while on tour in Afghanistan; of Stark being publicly shamed by journalists for his weapons production (Iron Man #1, 2005); creator of Iron Man armor design (Iron Man #75, 2004)

Luke McDonnell: co-creator of James Rhodes learning Tony Stark is Iron Man (Iron Man #169, 1983); of Obadiah Stane, a criminal businessman determined to seize control of Tony Stark's company so he can revert it to designing weapons (Iron Man #166, 1983)

Bryan Hitch: co-creator of Nick Fury based physically on Samuel L. Jackson with visible scars around his left eye; Iron Man's armor glowing light blue in eye slits and repulsor beams; the Avengers being created by S.H.I.E.L.D. (Ultimates #2, 2002)

Mark Bright: co-creator of Iron Monger, a suit of armor based on Iron Man's which Obadiah Stane wears to fight Stark, leading to Stane's death (Iron Man #200, 1985); of Tony Stark's cliffside manor overlooking the ocean (Iron Man #222, 1987)

Bill Mantlo: co-creator of Tony Stark becoming horrified by the carnage done with his company's weapons and eliminating his weapons production (Iron Man #78, 1975); of Maria Stark, wife of Howard, mother of Tony (Iron Man #104, 1977)

Warren Ellis: co-creator of Tony Stark being injured by one of his own weapons while on tour in Afghanistan; of Stark being publicly shamed by journalists for his weapons production (Iron Man #1, 2005)

John Byrne: co-creator of the Mandarin being the master of the rebels who captured Tony Stark (Iron Man #269, 1991); of James "Rhodey" Rhodes, close friend of Tony Stark (Iron Man #118, 1979)

Len Kaminski: co-creator of Iron Man using an artificial intelligence to design his armors (Iron Man #298, 1993); of Howard and Maria Stark dying in a car accident (Iron Man #288, 1993); of Tony Stark as a child prodigy (Iron Man #286, 1992)

Robert Bernstein: co-creator of Iron Man posing as Tony Stark's employee; of Iron Man wearing gold armor; of unibeam in the center of Iron Man's armor (Tales of Suspense #40, 1963)

Stefano Caselli: co-creator of the Initiative, a S.H.I.E.L.D.-sponsored effort to police super heroes associated with the Avengers (Avengers: The Initiative #1, 2007)

John Romita, Jr.: co-creator of James Rhodes as a military operative helping return Tony Stark to the USA after his first adventure as Iron Man (Iron Man #144, 1981)

Dan Slott: co-creator of the Initiative, a S.H.I.E.L.D.-sponsored effort to police super heroes associated with the Avengers (Avengers: The Initiative #1, 2007)

John Jackson Miller: co-creator of Christine Everhart, a journalist who is romantically interested in Tony Stark, but also critical of him (Iron Man #75, 2004)

Kevin Hopgood: co-creator of Howard and Maria Stark dying in a car accident (Iron Man #288, 1993); of Tony Stark as a child prodigy (Iron Man #286, 1992)

Jorge Lucas: co-creator of Christine Everhart, a journalist who is romantically interested in Tony Stark, but also critical of him (Iron Man #75, 2004)

Steve McNiven: co-creator of the Initiative, a S.H.I.E.L.D.-sponsored effort to police super heroes associated with the Avengers (Civil War #7, 2007)

Paul Ryan: co-creator of the Mandarin being the master of the rebels who captured Tony Stark (Iron Man #269, 1991)

Tom Tenney: co-creator of Iron Man using an artificial intelligence to design his armors (Iron Man #298, 1993)

Brian Michael Bendis: co-creator of Nick Fury as an African-American man (Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #5, 2001)

Mike Grell: creator of Tony Stark making his identity as Iron Man public knowledge (Iron Man #55, 2002)

Mike Allred: co-creator of Nick Fury as an African-American man (Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #5, 2001)

Mike Friedrich: co-creator of Pepper Potts learning Tony Stark is Iron Man (Iron Man #65, 1973)

Steve Ditko: co-creator of Iron Man wearing red & gold armor (Tales of Suspense #48, 1963)

Denys Cowan: co-creator of the Mandarin's agents wearing a ring (Iron Man #241, 1989)

Archie Goodwin: co-creator of Howard Stark, Tony's father (Iron Man #28, 1970)

Kurt Busiek: co-creator of Tony Stark wearing a goatee (Iron Man #1, 1998)

Sean Chen: co-creator of Tony Stark wearing a goatee (Iron Man #1, 1998)