Stark Industries

sortkey	Stark Industries

Stark Industries, later also known as Stark International, Stark Innovations, Stark Enterprises and Stark Resilient, is a multi-national conglomerate appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Frans Robert Bernstein, Stan Lee, and Jack Kirby, the company first appeared in Tales of Suspense #39 (December 1962).[1] Stark Industries is depicted as being owned and run by businessman and namesake Tony Stark, who is also known as Iron Man, and was founded by Tony's father, Howard Stark, from whom he inherited the company.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Stark Industries has a logo modeled after the defense contractor Lockheed Martin [2] and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange as SIA. During the press conference scene, Stark is seen entering a building that resembles the entrance to Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works facility. An airplane similar to the Lockheed YF-22 stood as a statue in front of the Stark Industries facility, much like the prototypes on display at the Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California.

Publication history

Stark Industries first appeared in Tales of Suspense #40 (April 1963), created by Robert Bernstein, Stan Lee, and Jack Kirby.[1] The company was first identified by name in issue #48.[3]

History

Stark Industries was founded in 1939 by Howard Stark, and then headed by his son Tony after Howard's death. Over the years, through bankruptcy, Tony's "death", Tony's return and hostile takeovers, the company has gone through many name changes including Stark International[4] (later Stane International),[5] Stark Enterprises,[6][7] Stark/Fujikawa[8] and Stark Solutions.[9]

Reception

Accolades

In 2011, Forbes ranked Stark Industries 16th in their "25 Largest Fictional Companies" list.[71]
In 2016, Time ranked Stark Industries 3rd in their "18 Most Influential Fake Companies of All Time" list.[72]
In 2018, Sideshow ranked Stark Industries 1st in their "Top 10 Superhero Corporations" list.[73]
In 2019, CBR.com ranked Stark Industries 8th in their "Top 10 Fictional Marvel Companies" list.[74]

Other versions

Amalgam Comics

In the world of Amalgam Comics, the company is known as Stark Aircraft (itself a merger between Stark Industries and Ferris Aircraft). The only known employees are Janice Doremus, Pepper Ferris, Happy Kalmaku, Stewart Rhodes, Hal Stark.[75]

Marvel 2099

In Marvel 2099 (an alternate future reality set in the year 2099), Stark-Fujikawa is a major corporate power, alongside Alchemax and Roxxon. The only known staff members are Hikaru-Sama and Shudo.[76]

During the "Secret Wars

In other media

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Television

Stark Industries appears in Iron Man (1994). Julia Carpenter (the second Spider-Woman) is depicted as the head of Stark Industries' research and development.
Stark Enterprises appears in Spider-Man: The Animated Series.
A Stark Enterprises building appears in the X-Men: Evolution episode "On Angels' Wings".
Stark International is featured in Iron Man: Armored Adventures. After Howard Stark is abducted by the Mandarin and presumed dead, Obadiah Stane becomes the CEO of Stark Industries. In the episode "Heavy Mettle," Stane is fired by the chairman of the board after Tony Stark and Roberta Rhodes show the board of directors footage of Stane making a deal with Ghost. In the episode "The Hammer Falls," Howard Stark returns and reclaims ownership of Stark International.
Stark Industries appears in The Super Hero Squad Show.
Stark Industries appears in

External links

Stark Industries at Marvel Wiki
Stark Industries at Comic Vine

References

Walter Lovett II. Every Marvel Hero's Civilian Job CBR, 2022-09-13, retrieved 2023-01-09^
Mooradian, Steve. "‘Iron Man’ movie’s Stark Industries is clearly a spoof of Lockheed Martin" Negative99.com, May 5, 2008.^
Iron Man: 15 Things You Didn't Know About Stark Industries

Stark International

Originally Stark Industries, the name was changed when the company ceased manufacturing munitions, with Tony handing over the CEO position to Pepper Potts. The company was taken over by Obadiah Stane after a hostile takeover and renamed it Stane International.

Staff

Tony Stark – Original Head
James Rupert Rhodes – Pilot, later acting CEO
Bambi Arbogast – An executive assistant.[20]
Yvette Avril[21] – Worked for the French branch of Stark International and was brought to the US to become vice president of the Long Island facility. She unsuccessfully attempted to save the company when Tony Stark went on a major drinking binge and quit after takeover by Obadiah Stane.
Bethany Cabe[5] –
Dianne Carruthers[6] –
Morley Erwin[22] – Owned Circuits Maximus as well as working Stark International. He is the brother of Clytemnestra Erwin. He also assisted Jim Rhodes in learning to use the Iron Man armor. Erwin was killed when Obadiah Stane had the Circuits Maximus building bombed.[23]
Abe Klein – Director of engineering.[24] – Tony Stark's old electrical engineering professor. Killed by Mordecai Midas.[25]
Scott Lang (Ant-Man)[26]
Kristine "Krissy" Longfellow – Secretary.[27] She posed as Tony Stark's secretary to be close to him without involving him with a criminal.
Harold Marks (Techno-Killer) – A research technician.[28] He left to work for author James Spencer; built an armor to gain respect and vengeance from perceived lack of appreciation
Vincent "Vic" Martinelli – A security guard.[29] He was a former soldier and architect who worked for Williams Innovations before working at Stark International. He remained with Obadiah Stane after his hostile takeover due to difficulty in finding a new job.
Artemus "Artie" Pithins – Director of public relations.[30] He is currently a White House press secretary. Pithins quit Stark International after Obadiah Stane took over.
Erica Sondheim – Medical director.[31]
Carl Walker –
Cherry Wood – A scientist.[29] She studied Doctor Octopus' adamantium arms and dated Stark. She was taken hostage by Doctor Octopus.

Stark Enterprises

After regaining his personal fortune following Obadiah Stane's death, Tony established a new company, Stark Enterprises, in Los Angeles.

Staff

Tony Stark[6] – CEO and founder
James Rhodes – Former CEO (when Stark was in suspended animation following his first "death"; quit upon Stark's revival); former pilot
Rothvichet Poch[37] – Former lawyer, vice-president and CEO. Alvarez defended Tony Stark in the trial of Kathy Dare.
Bambi Arbogast[6] - receptionist and former member of the US Department of Defense. "Tony stark was able to build this in a cave, with a box of scraps!"
Veronica Benning/Victoria Michelle[38] – Tony Stark's physiotherapist.
Bethany Cabe[39] – Security chief and former bodyguard of Tony Stark.
Diane Carruthers[6] –
Lee Clayton[40]
Ed Deal[41] – Worked on the VLS-2980 Project.
Phillip Grant[42] – Computer hacker.
Chester "Chet" Harrigan[40] – Former chauffeur to Tony Stark.
Bert Hindel[43] – Former lawyer of Stark Enterprises. He was fired after he failed to clear up the Government civil suits brought on during the Armor Wars storyline. He also unsuccessfully defended Kathy Dare.
Happy Hogan[6] –
Heuristically Operative-Matrix-Emulation Rostrum (H.O.M.E.R.)[44] – An artificial intelligence working in Stark Industries.
Sarah Jennings[45] – Accounts & Marketing
Kylie Normandy[40] –
Dr. Cal Oakley[46] – Former employee of Cordco. Oakley assisted in rebuilding Tony Stark's nervous system following his being shot by Kathy Dare.
Marcia Jessica "Marcy" Pearson[6] – Former director of public relations and later vice-president. Rhodes fired her when she resented his being named Stark's successor as CEO.
Garrison Quint[47] – Chief of security.
James Simpson[48] – Security guard. He allowed Edgar Elliot to sabotage Tony Stark's experimental rocket.
Dr. Erica Fredrika Sondheim[46] – Medical director and former surgeon.
Wayne Unnier[40]
Nick Walcek[40]
Atha Williams[43] – Secretary
Roderick Withers[49] – Director of public relations.
Abraham Paul "Abe" Zimmer[43] – Research director and former member of the board of directors at Accutech. He was killed by Calico.[50]

Subsidiaries

Accutech[43] – Research and development company, based in California, that was bought out as a subsidiary.[43] The company produced and designed a Beta Particle Generator which was sabotaged by Ghost. Known staff members include Gilbert O’Connor and Abe Zimmer.
Barstow Electronics[51] – Subsidiary of Stark Enterprises based in California. It employed Carl Walker after Force's faked death.
Cordco[46] – Bought out by Stark Enterprises to force Dr. Cal Oakley to implant a biochip in Tony Stark's spine after he was shot by Kathy Dare. Known staff members include Addison Drexel, Edwin Cord, Oakley, and Basil Sandhurst.
Stane International

publisher	Marvel Comics
debut	Tales of Suspense #39 (December 1962)
creators	Robert Bernstein Stan Lee Jack Kirby David Michelinie (Accutech) Bob Layton (Accutech)
type	Corporation
business	Y
base	Malibu, California New York City, New York
employees	James Rhodes Pepper Potts Obadiah Stane Bethany Cabe Madame Masque Rumiko Fujikawa Crimson Dynamo Happy Hogan
subcat

Publication history

History