The young hero Ironheart (Riri Williams) is often billed as "Iron Man's replacement", but she is much more than that. After having to fill Tony Stark's huge shoes in the aftermath of the second superhero Civil War, Riri grew into her own heroic self, and an animated video released by Marvel is the perfect introduction for this young-generation hero.
At the height of Civil War II, Iron Man fell into a coma due to extensive damage suffered in a fight against Captain Marvel. Though he got better, it led to a grudge Iron Man still has against Captain Marvel. Luckily, he had foreseen a moment when he would no longer be around but the world still needed an Iron Man, so he arranged for a backup copy of Tony Stark's essence in A.I. form to be sent to Riri Williams, a 15-year old super-genius who wanted to embrace a superhero career after witnessing the murder of her foster father and best friend. A.I. Tony helped Riri in building her own version of the Iron Man armor, which she used to become Ironheart. Making her debut in Invincible Iron Man #7, created by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato Jr, Ironheart can be considered Iron Man's true heir, but she is also much more than that.
Now, Marvel released a video that gives Ironheart the perfect introduction, highlighting the most important moments of her career and her motivations. Riri's life as a superhero was not easy. She attracted the unwanted attention of many of Iron Man's classic villains and even found herself drafted into the resistance when Hydra took over the United States with the help of a fascist doppelganger of Captain America. Luckily, Ironheart also found a family in the Champions, a group of fellow teenage heroes that includes Ms. Marvel, Nova, Amadeus Cho, and Miles Morales. Eventually, Tony Stark returned, but that didn't stop Riri from being a hero. She continues to put her life on the line to save the world, spurred by a desire to prevent the same tragedies that she suffered.
Even if Riri's time as "substitute Iron Man" was short, she was able to carve her own place in the Marvel Universe. With such a big roster of beloved classic characters, it can be hard for Marvel to introduce new ones that are successful and can resonate with a new generation of readers. This is why Ironheart - and the other Champions - have a unique relevance: they are young heroes who have to manage their superhero duties with the growing pains of being a teenager, in the same way that Spider-Man did sixty years ago. Also, Riri's "origin story" ties her with the tragedy of losing someone to gun violence, something that many people in the U. S. (and in many other places in the world) can sadly relate to.
As a young, Black American woman who uses her intellect to fight against crime and violence, Ironheart is one of the boldest and most progressive characters that Marvel Comics introduced in recent years. While she could never actually replace Iron Man in Marvel fans' eyes and hearts, Ironheart has grown into a relevant young-generation hero who will hopefully get the spotlight she deserves (and her upcoming Disney+ series will surely help), and this video is the best way to get to know Iron Man's protege, Ironheart.
Source: Marvel.com