Comics
Published December 23, 2016

10 Enemies of Iron Man

A dossier of bad guys (and how to take them down).

Image for The Jarvis Report – The Iron Enemies

What follows is a dossier of those criminals whom Iron Man frequently tangles and how to take them down should you ever encounter them – or any like them.

Fin Fang Foom.
What you see is what you get: a large man-dragon. Fortunately, he no longer presents the threat he once did; however, occasional copy cats will surface. Given his size, do not engage in solo combat. Instead, employ squad tactics and hit him from multiple fronts while someone either magically or telepathically places him back into hibernation.

The Controller.
Although frequently defeated, The Controller rarely gives up on his ambitions for world domination. Because he employs upgraded and stolen Stark tech, he’ll present a tough fight. Offer him no grounds for getting into your head either: His greatest strength is controlling weaker minds.

MODOK.
Don’t let the absurdity of how MODOK appears distract you from how deadly he can be. Combining deadly psychic powers with technological advancements, he can prove quite the challenge. To defeat MODOK, focus on disabling his headband and hover chair. This will remove his ability to support his own body as well as rendering his mental attacks null and void.

Madame Masque.
In truth, Madame Masque’s interests lie less with the suit as they do the man in it: Tony Stark. To defeat her, you need to isolate her from her cronies and then movie quickly to incapacitate her. Whitney Frost possesses no superhuman powers but make no mistake: She is a deadly foe well-versed in super hero combat, and she rarely enters a fray without some form of advanced technology and a dozen clones. Take her out quickly.

Ultimo.
As a new super hero, do not engage Ultimo on your own. Capable of growing up to 100 feet, this monstrous robot often finds itself the tool of another villain, bent on creating as much destruction as possible. The most effective method of defeating Ultimo is finding that person and knocking him or her out before too much collateral damage occurs.

Crimson Dynamo.
One of Iron Man’s oldest foes. In reality, the Crimson Dynamo’s abilities shift from one pilot and suit to the next making this opponent unpredictable. Studying the technology of your opponents before you come into contact with often proves the best means of preventing failure on the battlefield, and doing so with the Dynamo program would serve you well.

The Family Hammer.
A river of bad blood flows between Stark Enterprises and Hammer Industries. Secure your armor plans at all costs as they will continually seek to steal your tech and turn it against you. Pay particular attention to Sasha Hammer, as she has the strengths of both her grandfather, Justin, and her infamous parentage working in her favor. And unlike her parents, she has many years before her to lead the family business.

The Family Stane.
First it was the late Obadiah and now Ezekiel “Zeke” Stane who stand off against Tony Stark and Iron Man. No matter how close you find yourself to be – or not be – to Mr. Stark, understand they won’t care who you are or how you really feel. When you put yourself in the armor, you put yourself in their crosshairs. Like the Hammers, this family will rarely miss a chance to take a shot at Iron Man – or any one of his close associates.

Mandarin.
The oldest of Iron Man’s foes, the Mandarin proves time and time again to be one of his most deadly…though thought deceased, his rings are not. Although the rings are now in custody, we recently discovered they became sentient and will seek to select a fitting bearer given the opportunity. Each ring possesses certain weaknesses, so be sure to review the files of Iron Man’s recent battles with Mandarin-One through Mandarin-Ten for additional information.

Thanos.
Do not engage under any circumstances. If encountered, break contact and call in any and all available Avengers forces. See the file for Deceased: War Machine, James Rhodes.