An episode of What If..? imagined a world where Tony Stark had never become Iron Man. In the comics, infinite worlds exist where alternate versions of Iron Man arose. Some possess more power than others, with a few counting among the most powerful beings in their respective worlds.
Whether it's from an alternate timeline or just a different version of Iron Man from Earth-616, these variants of the character represent many divergent possibilities. Some likely appear in some form in the MCU in the future, making them all the more compelling as the franchise explores a world without Tony Stark.
Updated August 25th, 2022 by Darby Harn: Though Iron Man exited the MCU in Avengers: Endgame, the multiverse allows many alternate Iron Man versions to appear in live-action. With the franchise headed toward Secret Wars, fans can expect to meet one or two Iron Man variants along the way. Marvel Comics offers numerous Iron Man variants for the MCU to adapt, including some with direct ties to the 2015 Secret Wars comic book event, like the Invincible Iron Man. Other variants are likely to appear in animation or live-action series that establishes the foundation for the epic movie, including possibly Young Avengers and Iron Lad, a Kang The Conqueror variant.
Lord Iron
Lord Iron hails from Earth-311, the universe of the 1602 comics where Marvel superheroes exist in an Elizabethan setting. This version of the character possesses roughly the same power and ability as the regular Iron Man, though his armor is much more of a steampunk take.
With increased strength and armored protection, Iron Lord enjoys supreme defense against the weapons of the day. He can also fly and generate blasts of energy, even if the tech behind it all is much more analog than his Earth-616 counterpart.
Iron Man 2099
Sonny Frisco takes on the mantle of Iron Man in the 2099 universe, one of the darkest Marvel future timelines. While the technology behind his advanced suit of armor is a century ahead of Tony Stark's, the basic range of powers and abilities are essentially the same. Iron Man 2099 flies at supersonic speeds and generates powerful energy blasts.
Sonny Frisco also features an advanced intellect comparable to Tony Stark's, using his talent for engineering to build the suit of armor himself and earn a place on the Avengers team of 2099 in the process.
Iron Maniac
Iron Maniac emerged on Earth-5012 with most of the powers and abilities the 616 Iron Man possesses, with some key differences. His advanced armor repels some magical attacks as well as generates a neural dampening field that mitigates telepathic and telekinetic attacks to some degree.
He differs from most Iron Man variants in his capacity for violence. Titannus destroyed his world, killing most heroes and forcing Iron Maniac to take extreme measures. He fought the Fantastic Four and killed the Human Torch before taking his battle to Earth-616.
The Crossing
The Crossing, a Marvel Comics crossover event the MCU will likely avoid, introduced a teenage Tony Stark from a different timeline. This iteration adopted a new armor with several upgrades over the original, including the ability to solidify sound waves in the armor's immediate vicinity, creating an additional sonic force field.
The armor also exists mostly as hard light holograms, manifesting when the practical elements of the suit activate. This armor and the teenage Tony Stark didn't last long, abandoned when the Heroes Return event in the late 1990s revitalized the Avengers.
Earth X Iron Man
The Earth X Iron Man shared the same powers and abilities as his Earth-616 counterpart, but circumstances forced him to become even more inventive. When all people in the world gain superpowers, Iron Man creates a mechanized version of the Avengers called the Iron Men to fight for a corrupt government run by Norman Osborn.
This Tony Stark experienced even more economic and political power than others, virtually becoming the United States' entire defense in a world turned upside down by the aggressive actions of Black Bolt, who released the Terrigen Mists across the globe.
Exiles
Tony Stark rules Earth-42777 with a literal iron fist, brutally killing all superheroes and supervillains, except those that didn't oppose him like the Inhumans. This character shares all the traditional powers of Iron Man's suit including embedded weapons and booster rockets, but is unfettered by any sense of morality.
Cold, uncaring, and driven by pure ego, this version of the character from Exiles #23 is powerful in his capacity for cruelty. While the character wears the cloak of Doctor Doom, he doesn't have the mystical powers of the ruler of Latveria.
Iron Man 2020
Arno Stark, the descendant of Tony, wears an upgraded suit of armor noticeable for its trademark 'clamps.' The suit in general proves faster and more durable than previous versions of the armor, with an increased potential for energy blasts and speed.
Arno Stark invented virtually all the components of his armor, including a weapon called the Flying Star Blade, a detachable projectile device that he can remotely control.
Ultimate Iron Man
With his mind and body altered by exposure to an Infinity Gem, the Iron Man from Earth-1610 can physically and mentally interact with any computer system. This blurs the line between man and machine, and also allows him access to virtually any computer system in the world.
The Ultimate Comics Iron Man easily ranks among the strongest Iron Man variants thanks to his ability to project his mind into other computers and androids, allowing him to escape death. His signature Iron Man armor generates force fields and a cloaking field that made him invisible.
Superior Iron Man
The Superior Iron Man lost his morality thanks to an inversion spell during the Axis crossover, making an already ethically dubious Tony Stark even more prone to doing bad things. In addition, he wore the Endo-Sym Armor, a liquid-metal armor based on the same alien symbiote that spawned both Venom and Carnage.
This gave Stark incredible power, including mental control over the armor that can be operated independently of him. The armor absorbs electromagnetic energy, meaning the suit never runs out of power and can also increase its capability in virtually any environment.
Iron Lad
Iron Lad wears neurokinetic armor from the 40th century, highly advanced technology capable of time travel. He also controls the suit telepathically, though the tech behind this differs greatly from the symbiote-based armor Superior Iron Man wore. The armor alters its shape and the weapons it generates based on Iron Lad's thoughts.
His extraordinary power comes from the fact that Iron Lad is among the most powerful Kang The Conqueror variants in Marvel Comics. He came back in time to avoid his destiny, and ultimately fought himself as a member of the Young Avengers.
Iron Goblin
The Iron Goblin from the 2011 Spider-Island storyline not only counts among the most powerful Iron Man variants but the strongest Green Goblin variants as well. This version of Tony Stark benefited not only from the power and ability of the Iron Man armor but also from the Goblin formula. He enjoys superhuman strength, speed, stamina, and a healing factor.
This version of Iron Man also wields the Ebony Blade, among the most powerful weapons in the Marvel Universe.
Infamous Iron Man
While the Exiles version of Iron Man didn't have Doom's powers, Doctor Doom did wear Iron Man's armor in Earth-616 for a time. The Infamous Iron Man not only possessed the highly advanced armor and all its inherent powers, but Victor Von Doom's considerable magical abilities as well. As one of the most powerful Marvel magicians, Doom manipulates matter and reality.
Comic book fans know Doctor Doom possesses incredible genius and ambition, a kinetic combination that combined with his technological attributes makes one of the most powerful Iron Man variants ever.
Iron Lantern
Iron Lantern fuses Iron Man and Green Lantern for the Amalgam Comics crossover event between Marvel and DC in 1997. The character combines the powers of both Tony Stark and Hal Jordan, making for a powerhouse superhero who can generate green energy constructs right out of his specially modified suit of armor.
More than that, Iron Lantern can time travel and teleport enormous distances across space. He possesses telepathic ability as well, making him a solid candidate for the strongest Iron Man variant.
Sorcerer Supreme
Many powerful variants of Doctor Strange exist in Marvel Comics, and Iron Man is just one of them. On Earth-9810, Tony Stark becomes the Sorcerer Supreme and builds a suit of Sorcerer Armor. This special set of armor from What If...? #113 combines the technological advancements of Stark and the extraordinary magical ability of Doctor Strange.
The armor houses a database of spells onboard and also has the Eye of Agamotto built right in - taking the place of the Arc Reactor - making it one of the most powerful weapons in any dimension.
Infinity Warps
The Iron Man from the 2018 Infinity Warps comic book event blended the characters of Iron Man and Thor. This made for one of the most powerful versions of Tony Stark ever. Stark Odinson enjoys virtual immortality thanks to his Asgardian physiology, along with superhuman strength and endurance.
He also wields the Mjolniron, a hammer with all the extraordinary power of the regular Mjölnir, such as generating electrical blasts of cosmic dimension. The weapon also unlocks the Iron Hammer armor, a mystical suit Stark wore in his battles to save Earth.