Iron Man was among the earliest Marvel superheroes and a key member of the original Avengers team. Interestingly, Captain America first appeared in comics even before Marvel started publishing superhero stories. Despite this, both heroes have been part of the Marvel Universe for many years, often teaming up, but sometimes clashing as opponents. These interactions have occurred in their individual comic books and in special team-up issues. While their long history as Avengers won’t be covered here, this focuses on two significant Marvel events where they fought on opposing sides.
Whether they were joining forces against a common enemy or clashing as rivals, here’s a look at the most memorable encounters between Iron Man and Captain America in Marvel Comics.
7) Armor Wars
The Armor Wars storyline involved Iron Man, Tony Stark, attempting to recover all armor and weaponry built using his stolen designs. However, his pursuit became problematic as he targeted everyone, including the U.S. government and even tried to disarm security personnel at a high-security prison. When he attacked heroes like Stingray and SHIELD’s Mandroids – even though their armor wasn’t based on his technology – it became clear that Iron Man had lost control.
Although Steve Rogers was no longer Captain America, he continued to fight crime as The Captain. He confronted Iron Man in *Iron Man* #228 after Tony Stark surprisingly made him a new shield. The two heroes clashed during an attack on the Guardsmen at the Vault, and Steve was upset by Tony’s harsh methods. This conflict between them is a recurring issue in their relationship.
6) Time Runs Out
The storyline ‘Time Runs Out’ depicted a particularly low point for both Captain America and Iron Man. During a crisis involving multiversal Incursions – events that threatened to destroy Earth – the two heroes were unable to overcome their conflict, even as their world faced annihilation. The problem began when they discovered, as members of the Illuminati, that multiple Earths were being destroyed, and their own Earth-616 was next. Captain America attempted to save their world by using the Infinity Gauntlet, but it broke during the effort, and he couldn’t bring himself to sacrifice other Earths to ensure their survival.
Eventually, Iron Man convinced Doctor Strange to erase Captain America’s memories, and some time went by. Later, in the story *Time Runs Out*, Captain America partially regained his memory and questioned Iron Man about the destruction of other Earths. When Tony revealed that Captain America was responsible, a fight broke out between them. This conflict led to the collision and destruction of Earth-616 and Earth-1610, with Iron Man and Captain America tragically fighting to the death, focused only on themselves.
5) Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (1998)
Mark Waid and Ron Garney revisited Captain America’s origins in 1998 with the series *Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty*. The story started during World War II, and included tales featuring the Invaders team. Later, in issues five and six, the narrative jumped forward in time to show Captain America being revived and first meeting Iron Man, shortly before he officially joined the Avengers.
The initial conflict between Captain America and Iron Man arose shortly after Cap was revived. While exploring his old neighborhood, Iron Man doubted Captain America could adapt to the modern world of superheroes. However, when Iron Man fell under the control of Gargantus robots, Captain America quickly demonstrated his abilities, even rescuing Iron Man from their influence. This event marked the first time Captain America truly proved his value to Iron Man.
4) Iron Man #172
As a long-time comic fan, it’s always fascinating to revisit early crossovers. One that sticks out is Captain America’s appearance in *Iron Man* #172. It happened at a really tough time for Tony Stark – he was battling alcoholism and James Rhodes was actually filling in as Iron Man. Tony was on the brink of losing Stark International to his rival, Stane, and everyone was worried he wouldn’t pull things together. His company leaders sent Iron Man – meaning Rhodey at the time – to track Tony down, and Rhodey wisely realized he needed Cap’s help to do it.
Captain America and Iron Man teamed up to rescue Tony from a villain called Firebrand. The most impactful moment of the comic was a conversation between Cap and Tony, where Tony admitted he was struggling and felt unable to stop. Captain America then revealed his own father battled alcoholism, explaining he couldn’t assist Tony unless Tony specifically asked for help. Sadly, Tony vanished once more, and Obadiah Stane seized control of his company. This situation highlighted the depth of their friendship and Captain America’s understanding that he couldn’t force help on Tony.
3) Captain America/Iron Man: The Armor & The Shield (2021)
As a huge Marvel fan, I was really happy to see Captain America and Iron Man teaming up again in 2021 – it had been way too long since they were on the same side! This story was a five-issue run that introduced a really interesting new villain, Veronica Eden. Apparently, she had a brief fling with Tony Stark years ago, and then ended up working for SHIELD. But things went south, naturally, and she’s now fully sided with Hydra. Her goal? To take down superheroes with a group called the Paladins, believing they’re actually responsible for a lot of the world’s problems and deaths. It’s a pretty compelling setup, honestly.
Captain America and Iron Man faced an even bigger threat when the Overseer was rebuilt, aiming to control all of humankind. Their partnership worked so well because they approached the problem in different ways: Captain America explained to Eden that superpowered individuals need self-discipline, not external control, while Iron Man focused on dismantling the Overseer’s technology. The most successful team-ups between these two heroes demonstrate their contrasting viewpoints while still showing why they are both exceptional.
2) Captain America and Iron Man (2012)
Published in 2012, *Captain America and Iron Man* was a three-part story arc created by writer Cullen Bunn and artist Barry Kitson. It was an important story because it followed the *Civil War* event, which had driven a wedge between the two heroes. This arc successfully reunited them, even though they would later go their separate ways again in the *Time Runs Out* storyline. Still, it allowed them to work together as allies for a while.
This short series took Iron Man and Captain America to Madripoor, posing as attendees at a tech expo. However, they quickly found themselves fighting Batroc’s Brigade and the villainous Kashmir Vennema. The situation escalated when Iron Man’s armor stopped working. What really made this story enjoyable was the playful back-and-forth between Iron Man and Captain America – their witty insults and friendly rivalry while fighting bad guys. It’s exactly the kind of dynamic fans love to see from these two heroes.
1) Civil War
The story featuring Captain America and Iron Man in Madripoor is exactly the type of adventure fans of those heroes enjoy, but *Civil War* is different. Although it shows both Avengers at their lowest point, it remains one of Marvel’s most popular comic book storylines of the 21st century. The conflict begins when Iron Man, following a tragic accident where many children are killed during a superhero battle, proposes that all superheroes be required to register with the government and undergo training.
Captain America disagreed with the government’s plan because he worried they wouldn’t prioritize the well-being of heroes or citizens, and he feared heroes would be exploited as weapons. This disagreement split the superheroes into opposing sides, leading to a conflict between Iron Man and Captain America. Ultimately, Iron Man won, but Captain America died, and many readers strongly disliked Tony Stark as a result. While a difficult time for fans of both characters, this storyline was incredibly significant for Marvel Comics.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Read More
- The Most Jaw-Dropping Pop Culture Moments of 2025 Revealed
- Ashes of Creation Rogue Guide for Beginners
- ARC Raiders – All NEW Quest Locations & How to Complete Them in Cold Snap
- Best Controller Settings for ARC Raiders
- Where Winds Meet: How To Defeat Shadow Puppeteer (Boss Guide)
- Ashes of Creation Mage Guide for Beginners
- Where Winds Meet: Best Weapon Combinations
- Hazbin Hotel season 3 release date speculation and latest news
- My Hero Academia Reveals Aftermath Of Final Battle & Deku’s New Look
- Mike Flanagan’s Most Overlooked Horror Villain Hits Even Harder on a Rewatch
2025-10-06 18:42