The iconic cheeseburger scene in the Iron Man movie has actually a much deeper meaning that ties in with Marvel's unique approach to superheroes, which transferred from the comics into the movies of the MCU.

In the MCU's founding movie, Iron Man, when Tony Stark returns home after being kidnapped in Afghanistan, he immediately calls for a press conference and "an American cheeseburger", in a moment that is seemingly intended to signal that, despite his billions and his genius, Tony is a down to earth and relatable guy. However, in Marvel Comics, cheeseburgers appeared in moments of cosmic significance, hinting that this simple object is actually a symbol with a much more important meaning that can only be understood by looking at the way that Marvel has depicted its heroes since the very beginning.

Related: Iron Man's Journey Inside a Celestial Redefines His Origin

Most recently, in Avengers #60 (by Mark Russell, Greg Land, Jay Leisten, and David Curiel), Hawkeye eats a burger while arguing with the Celestial Progenitor. The cosmic being is judging every person on Earth for their right to exist, and Hawkeye stoically points out that the process is totally arbitrary and only based on the Celestial's superior power, all the while munching on his burger. In Secret Wars #9 (by Jonathan Hickman, Esad Ribic, and Ive Svorcina), Miles Morales, the last survivor of the Ultimate Universe, gets to enter the rebuilt Marvel Multiverse (and have his mother resurrected) because, on Battleworld, he gave Molecule Man (the creature that is literally holding what is left of creation together) a hamburger that he happened to have in his pocket when his universe was destroyed.

Hawkeye-cheeseburger-Progenitor-Avengers-60

This juxtaposition of cosmic beings and burgers is a really interesting visual shorthand for Marvel's unique approach to superhero stories. Marvel heroes tend to ultimately be "common people", who require a very simple (and very American) form of sustenance as they go about their day. The big difference between Marvel and DC, which Stan Lee believed led to the company's success, is that its heroes are relatable and feel like real humans, while DC's characters are presented as gods among mortals. The cheeseburger symbolism is actually an expression of what's at the heart of Marvel: no matter how big things get, these heroes are not mythic beings like in DC, they are effectively just like you readers.

secret wars hamburger spider-man miles morales

Of course, the "you readers" are themselves a construct based on a prominently American cultural background, so the cheeseburger symbolism may not resonate as well with Marvel's global audience. However, it's still interesting to see that the same comics-derived construct was used in an iconic scene in Iron Man, the movie that kickstarted the MCU and thus gave birth to Marvel's era of global cultural dominance.

Next: Marvel & DC's Big Moral Difference Called Out by Judgment Day Writer