For comic book fans, the idea of crossovers between Marvel and DC characters is always exciting. Fans of both universes love to see how different heroes and villains would interact and work together, leading to some fantastic storylines and epic battles. However, a recent discovery within the DC Universe has shed some new light on the relationship between these two universes, revealing that Marvel’s most iconic billionaire, Tony Stark, actually exists in the DC Universe, but not as Iron Man.
The revelation came in 1977’s Super Friends Vol. 1 #5, where the Justice League held a telethon to raise money for charity. One of the callers was none other than Anthony Stark from New York, who donated a significant amount of money to heart health. Fans immediately recognized this as a clear reference to Tony Stark’s arc reactor, which keeps him alive by preventing shrapnel from entering his heart. This confirms that Tony Stark exists within the DC Universe, but it also reveals that he never became Iron Man.
In the world of DC, Tony Stark is still the famous billionaire playboy philanthropist that fans know and love, just without his iconic suit of armor. It’s likely that he never went through the events that led him to become Iron Man in the Marvel Universe, such as building his first suit of armor with his cellmate in secret or facing off against enemies like the Mandarin and Ultron.
But what’s even more interesting about this discovery is the friendly rivalry it reveals between Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne, aka Batman. When Tony calls in to donate $75,000 to the telethon, Bruce Wayne immediately leaves to make a higher donation so that he’s not overshadowed by Stark. It’s a humorous moment that shows that while the two billionaires aren’t enemies, they still have a friendly rivalry that pits them against each other, even when it comes to charitable donations.
This rivalry between Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne is not new to fans of the comics. In fact, Marvel and DC have often played up the similarities between the two characters, both of whom are wealthy, charismatic, and known for their technological prowess. The two have even faced off against each other in the comics, with Tony’s Iron Man battling Batman’s armored suit in several crossover events.
While the revelation that Tony Stark exists in the DC Universe without his Iron Man persona might disappoint some fans who were hoping to see a crossover event between the two universes, it’s still an exciting discovery. It opens up new possibilities for how the two universes might interact and gives fans something new to think about. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll see Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne team up for a different kind of adventure, one that doesn’t involve armored suits or superhero powers.
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Source: ScreenRant
