Joshua Williamson Reveals Iron Man’s Most Important Power, And It’s Not What You Think (Exclusive)

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Marvel’s Iron Man is getting a fresh start in 2026 with a new comic book series! Writer Joshua Williamson and artist Carmen Carnero are teaming up to take Tony Stark on a thrilling new adventure. ComicBook recently spoke with Williamson about the series, including what fans can expect from Tony’s story, the inspiration behind his new armor, and how this exciting project came together.

Recently, Williamson has been very busy working on comics in both the DC and Energon universes, including G.I. Joe. Now, he’s excited to start writing for a major hero in the Marvel Universe. However, he’s not stopping his work with DC comics and will be balancing both, focusing on a character he’s always admired.

Working On Iron Man Is A True Dream Scenario

About a year ago, my exclusive contract with DC was ending, so we started discussing a new arrangement that would still allow me to work on the projects I enjoyed, like G.I. Joe. I also wanted to keep doing consulting work for DC, including projects with Scott at Next Level and helping with events – I’d been involved with DC for a long time and didn’t want to stop. I was figuring out how to balance everything when I started talking to Marvel occasionally, mainly about scheduling and potential projects. Then, earlier this year, in the spring, I received an email from them about Iron Man.

I was really puzzled by something because I’m a huge Iron Man fan. I have a large collection of Iron Man toys in my office, and I often think about the character. I wondered how the people who brought it up knew about my interest – did they somehow find out? I own almost every Iron Man armor available, plus the helmet and other collectibles. It turns out they didn’t know specifically about my fandom; they just thought it might be something I’d enjoy.

Williamson is collaborating with Carmen Carnero, the artist behind Captain Marvel and Captain America, on the series, and he’s incredibly impressed with her work. He described her art as fantastic and fun, adding that she’s bringing a new, appealing quality to the portrayal of Iron Man – not just the character Tony Stark, but the visual presentation of the entire book.

Williamson praised her talent and mentioned they discussed the Captain Marvel comic. He’d asked her what kinds of projects she was interested in, which led to a conversation about her previous work. He finished by saying he was thrilled to be working with her and that she was fantastic.

Tony Stark Is The Weapon, Not The Armor

This new series focuses on Tony Stark’s journey to becoming Iron Man, rather than just the creation of the suit itself. Previously, building the armor was seen as the main achievement, but the writer views it as about Stark’s personal growth—how he changed and became a better person by overcoming his selfishness. This is why A.I.M. has changed their strategy from trying to defeat Tony Stark to trying to create their own version of him.

Advanced Idea Mechanics is all about innovative concepts. They create things based on forward-thinking ideas, which is what always fascinated me. The core idea is that when Tony Stark went into the cave, he was a self-centered person, focused solely on his own wealth, reputation, and success. He didn’t consider the broader world. Facing his mortality in that cave, he built the first Iron Man suit.

According to Williamson, the creation of the armor wasn’t just an achievement in itself, but a turning point for Tony. It transformed him into a better person, unlocking a new level of creativity and allowing him to develop things he hadn’t been able to before. By becoming less self-centered, he tapped into a previously inaccessible potential.


The suit is a big part of it, but I was fascinated by what Tony Stark would create if he believed he was facing death again. That question – what would he build to save himself? – became the starting point for the story. We’ve seen this theme in comics before – someone experiences trauma and emerges changed. So, we decided to explore that idea by having someone attempt to replicate Tony Stark – to find another brilliant, creative person and push them to their limits to see what they’d invent under immense pressure.

Initially, A.I.M. focused on simply building advanced weapons. However, Madame Masque realized they were missing a bigger opportunity. She steered them towards the idea of creating their own version of Tony Stark – a continuous source of innovation. Because of her past relationship with Tony Stark, she understood his thinking in a way others didn’t, giving her unique insight into how to replicate his genius and consistently develop new technologies. She knew the key to creating their own long-term innovator.

The storyline revolves around a character attempting to recreate Tony Stark, which Tony himself discovers. This leads him to try and prevent it. At its heart, the story explores Tony’s journey and the impact of his past experiences. Madame Masque plays a key role, as she understands how to manipulate Tony and possesses secret knowledge that drives the plot forward.

It’s About The Character, But You Must Take The Armor Seriously


A fun part of working with a character like Iron Man is designing new armor, and this comic series will feature that. However, the writer, Williamson, didn’t fully anticipate how passionate Iron Man fans are about the suit’s design.

I was discussing this with Gerry Duggan, and it made me realize something. Each fandom develops its own unique expectations and focuses. For example, as a Batman fan, you understand certain unwritten rules about those characters. You can play with those rules, even break them, but it’s important to understand them first. You need to know what those expectations are before you subvert them, really.”

When I started writing Iron Man, my main goal was to make Tony Stark an enjoyable character. I didn’t want him to be gloomy or weighed down by problems. I wanted him to be fun, authentic, and full of personality – even if that meant he was a bit arrogant and got into trouble. I wanted to capture the Tony who’s brilliant but often says the wrong thing and doesn’t understand why it’s a problem. That’s the Tony I focused on in my story, and it’s really about exploring his life, his personality, and what makes him who he is.

The armor design drew inspiration from many sources, but the aesthetics of 1990s Iron Man suits were a major influence. Designer Williamson explained that initially, they struggled to settle on a direction. “I realized how much Iron Man fans care about the armor’s look—because I’m a fan myself! I always loved seeing the different versions,” he said. The team compiled a collection of armor designs they liked, sharing it with Carmen and the editors. They then reviewed the collection together, discussing which elements to incorporate.

We aimed for a design with a nostalgic 90s feel, drawing inspiration from classic armor styles. Carmen and I spent a lot of time discussing how to make this armor unique and different from what readers might expect. We’ll be revealing the story behind the armor gradually. It’s funny, I knew the armor was important, but it also felt familiar, you know? It was great to have the chance to design something new and give it a special function. This story really focuses on Tony Stark, even though he’s always Iron Man. Every issue will have exciting action sequences featuring him as Iron Man, and it’s going to be a lot of fun for readers.

Iron Man #1 soars into comic stores on January 28, 2026.

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2025-12-13 07:11