Stark Industries

Stark Industries, later also known as Stark International, Stark Innovations, Stark Enterprises and Stark Resilient, is a fictional multi-national conglomerate appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Frans Robert Bernstein, Stan Lee, and Jack Kirby, the company first appeared in ''Tales of Suspense'' #39 (April 1962). Stark Industries is depicted as being owned and run by businessman and namesake Tony Stark, who is also known as Iron Man, and was founded by Tony's father, Howard Stark, from whom he inherited the company.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Stark Industries has a logo modeled after the defense contractor Lockheed Martin and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange as SIA. During the press conference scene, Stark is seen entering a building that resembles the entrance to Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works facility. An airplane similar to the Lockheed YF-22 stood as a statue in front of the Stark Industries facility, much like the prototypes on display at the Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California.

Publication history

Stark Industries first appeared in ''Tales of Suspense'' #40 (April 1963), created by Robert Bernstein, Stan Lee, and Jack Kirby. The company was first identified by name in issue #48.

History

Stark Industries was founded in 1939 by Howard Stark, and then headed by his son Tony after Howard's death. Over the years, through bankruptcy, Tony's "death", Tony's return and hostile takeovers, the company has gone through many name changes including Stark International (later Stane International), Stark Enterprises, Stark/Fujikawa and Stark Solutions.

Stark Industries

Functions

Stark Industries is primarily an arms and technology company. It manufactures the armor worn by Iron Man and War Machine, builds the helicarriers used by S.H.I.E.L.D, and produces the Quinjets used by the Avengers.

Staff

* Tony Stark – Chairman of Stark Industries
* Obadiah Stane – Executive Officer (deceased)
* Happy Hogan – Former head of Security
* Pepper Potts – CEO
* Dr. Gray Armond – Head Designer.
* Harmon Furmintz – Member of Stark Industries' biochemical division. He worked for Genetech and was born around 1918. He was a child prodigy and was recruited as candidate for Super Soldier Project, but was rejected due to having hemophilia. He attempted to gain the power of Terrax, but his body and mind were destroyed by Shafear and reformed into duplicate of his own.
* Jacob Fury (Scorpio) – Former research scientist.
* Sally McIntyre
* Eddie March – Former part of the Iron Legion.
* Kevin O'Bryan
* Ralph Roberts
* Anton Vanko (Crimson Dynamo) — Former Head Scientist and Chief Developer (deceased)
* Arwyn Zurrow – Head of the Miami facilities.

Subsidiaries

* Project: Caribbean (staff unknown) – Stark Industries made an effort to start a plant in Haiti, however it was destroyed by Night Phantom.

Stark International

Originally Stark Industries, the name was changed when the company ceased manufacturing munitions, with Tony handing over the CEO position to Pepper Potts. Eventually, the company was taken over by Obadiah Stane after a hostile takeover and he renamed it Stane International.

Staff

* Tony Stark – Original Head
* James Rupert Rhodes – Pilot, later Acting CEO
* Bambi Arbogast – An executive assistant.
* Yvette Avril – Worked for the French branch of Stark International and was brought to the US to become vice president of the Long Island facility. She unsuccessfully attempted to save the company when Tony Stark went on a major drinking binge and quit after takeover by Obadiah Stane.
* Bethany Cabe –
* Dianne Carruthers –
* Morley Erwin – Owned Circuits Maximus as well as working Stark International. He is the brother of Clytemnestra Erwin. He also assisted Jim Rhodes in learning to use the Iron Man armor, helped form Circuits Maximus, killed when Obadiah Stane had the Circuits Maximus building bombed
* Abe Klein – Director of Engineering. – Tony Stark's old electrical engineering professor. Killed by Mordecai Midas.
* Scott Lang (Ant-Man)
* Kristine "Krissy" Longfellow – Secretary. She posed as Tony Stark's secretary to be close to him without involving him with a criminal.
* Harold Marks (Techno-Killer) – A research technician. He left to work for author James Spencer; built an armor to gain respect and vengeance from perceived lack of appreciation
* Vincent "Vic" Martinelli – A security guard. He was a former soldier and architect who worked for Williams Innovations before working at Stark International. He remained with Obadiah Stane after his hostile takeover due to difficulty in finding a new job.
* Artemus "Artie" Pithins – Director of Public Relations. He is currently a White House Press Secretary. Quit Stark International after Obadiah Stane took over.
* Erica Sondheim – Medical Director.
* Carl Walker –
* Cherry Wood – A scientist. She studied Doctor Octopus' Adamantium arms and dated Stark. She was taken hostage by Doctor Octopus.

Stane International

After driving Tony Stark back to alcoholism, Obadiah Stane wrested control of Stark International from James Rhodes after a hostile takeover and renamed the company after himself. Stane renewed the munitions manufacturing. However, after Stane was killed, the company was run by a mysterious cartel which was eventually bought out and reabsorbed by Stark Enterprises.

Staff

* Obadiah Stane – CEO of Stane International.
* Joel Arons – He was involved in a project that kidnapped Myron MacLain. He stole Captain America's proto-adamantium shield
* Joseph "Joe" Faulkner – general manager.
* Dr. Edward "Edwin" Earl Hawkins – Designed the Mass Acquisition Unit. He aided Giant Man (Bill Foster) in battling Doctor Nemesis.
* Karaguchi Inoyawa – Sought to rebuild the Red Ronin for peaceful purposes.
* Joseph "Joe" Kilman – After being fired for unknown reasons, he sought revenge by trying to take control of Red Ronin
* Vic Martinelli
* Michael Craig Stockton (Dr. Nemesis) – Sought to coerce Dr. Hawkins into creating a mass acquisition warhead.

Stark Enterprises

After regaining his personal fortune following Obadiah Stane's death, Tony established a new company, Stark Enterprises, in Los Angeles.

Staff

* Tony Stark – CEO and founder
* James Rhodes – Former CEO (when Stark was in suspended animation following his first "death"; quit upon Stark's revival); former pilot
* Rothvichet Poch – Former lawyer, vice-president and CEO. Alvarez defended Tony Stark in the trial of Kathy Dare.
* Bambi Arbogast - receptionist and former member of the US Department of Defense. "Tony stark was able to build this in a cave, with a box of scraps!"
* Veronica Benning/Victoria Michelle – Tony Stark's physiotherapist.
* Bethany Cabe – Security Chief and former bodyguard of Tony Stark.
* Diane Carruthers –
* Lee Clayton
* Ed Deal – Worked on the VLS-2980 Project.
* Phillip Grant – Computer hacker.
* Chester "Chet" Harrigan – Former chauffeur to Tony Stark.
* Bert Hindel – Former lawyer of Stark Enterprises. He was fired after he failed to clear up the Government civil suits brought on during the ''Armor Wars'' storyline. He also unsuccessfully defended Kathy Dare.
* Happy Hogan –
* Heuristically Operative-Matrix-Emulation Rostrum (H.O.M.E.R.) – Nearly intelligent computer of Tony Stark.
* Sarah Jennings – Accounts & Marketing
* Kylie Normandy –
* Dr. Cal Oakley – Former employee of Cordco. Oakley assisted in rebuilding Tony Stark's nervous system following his being shot by Kathy Dare.
* Marcia Jessica "Marcy" Pearson – Former Director of Public Relations and later vice-president. Rhodes fired her when she resented his being named Stark's successor as CEO.
* Garrison Quint – Chief of security.
* James Simpson – Security guard. He allowed Edgar Elliot to sabotage Tony Stark's experimental rocket.
* Dr. Erica Fredrika Sondheim – Medical Director and former surgeon.
* Wayne Unnier
* Nick Walcek
* Atha Williams – Secretary
* Roderick Withers – Director of Public Relations
* Abraham Paul "Abe" Zimmer – Research director and former member of the board of directors at Accutech. He was killed by Calico.

Subsidiaries

* Accutech – Research and Development company, based in California, that was bought out as a subsidiary. The company produced and designed a Beta Particle Generator which was sabotaged by the Ghost. Known staff members include Gilbert O’Connor and Abe Zimmer.
* Barstow Electronics> – Subsidiary of Stark Enterprises based in California. It employed Carl Walker after Force's faked death.
* Cordco – Bought out by Stark Enterprises to force Dr. Cal Oakley to implant a biochip in Tony Stark's spine after he was shot by Kathy Dare. Known staff members include Addison Drexel, Edwin Cord, Dr. Cal Oakley, and Basil Sandhurst.
* Stane International – It was reacquired by Stark from Justin Hammer, who owned SI following Obidiah Stane's death. The company reproduced Stark's original Guardsman armor for use at the Vault. Much of Stane's operations involved disreputable business practices, leading Stark to initiate a major clean-up effort after reacquiring the company.
* Hot Cup Coffee – Created by Stark using the pseudonym "The Boss".

Stark/Fujikawa

Created by a merger of Stark Enterprises and Fujikawa Industries following the apparent death of Iron Man/Anthony Stark.

Staff

* Kenjiro Fujikawa – CEO, founder of Fujikawa Industries, father of Rumiko
* Yu Kurin
* Tobi Kanigawa
* Rumiko Fujikawa – Daughter of Kenjiro. She was a skilled businesswoman. Played the role of party-girl to annoy her parents. She was slain by an Iron Man impostor named Clarence Ward.
* Morgan Stark – Cousin of Tony Stark. Became general manager of Stark-Fujikawa after Tony's "death".

Subsidiaries

* Fujikawa Industries – The previous version of this company helped form Stark-Fujikawa. A Japanese firm which took over Stark Enterprises following the apparent death of Tony Stark. Known employees include Tso Fwon, Yu Kurin, Tobi Kanigawa and Wilson Fisk.
* Oracle Incorporated – Formed by Namor, the company was sold to Stark-Fujikawa. Formerly served as the headquarters of Heroes for Hire. After Tony's "death", Bambi Arbogast seconded here. Known employees include Caleb Alexander (who was killed), Carrie Alexander, Allison Grain, Jim Hammond (Human Torch), Robert Losey, Kent Maitland, Phoebe Marrs, Leon McKenzie, Namor McKenzie (former CEO), Rihanna O'Connor, Dr. Anita Savvy, Dr. Richard Savvy, Bambi Arbogast, Josef Went and James "Jimbob" Roberts.
* Parallel Conglomerate – Subsidiary of Oracle Inc. (which would make it a subsidiary of Stark-Fujikawa). Known employees are Captain Holten Gamble (who was killed on board an oil tanker owned by Parallel Conglomerate) and Oliver Russell.
* Rand-Meachum – A company formed by Harold Meachum and Wendell Rand, became a subsidiary of Stark-Fujikawa. Known employees include Daniel Rand (Iron Fist), Wendell Rand-K'ai, Leon McKenzie, Harold Meachum, Ward Meachum, Joy Meachum, Jason Quartermaster, Peregrin Took, Martina Tereshkova and Dr. Ilya Faro

Stark Solutions

The fifth company was run/owned by Tony Stark and was founded after his return from another dimension. It was shut down by Tony after he was defamed by Tiberius Stone who was subliminally influencing him.

Staff

* Tony Stark – CEO
* Happy Hogan
* Pepper Potts
* Svengoto Eriksson

Stark Industries/International

The sixth company owned/run by/founded by Tony Stark and was set up after the closure of Stark Solutions. After the events of "The Five Nightmares" and "World Most Wanted" story arcs, Stark Industries went bankrupt and eventually closed down. It was also known as Stark International, both names formerly used in previous incarnations of the company. Its logo being the same as the S.I. Logo in the ''Iron Man'' film series.

Staff

* Tony Stark – CEO
* Joseph Jeremy "Joe" Arnold – One of the Security Department heads.
* David Beaumont – One of the Security Department heads.
* Arturos Benning – One of the Security Department heads
* F.R.I.D.A.Y.
* Happy Hogan – Tony Stark's bodyguard. Killed saving Stark from an assassination attempt
* Michael "Mike" Jochum – One of the Security Department heads.
* Kurt Kennison – One of the Security Department heads.
* Takeshis Kobayashi – Head of Research & Development.
* Archie Merchant – One of the Security Department heads.
* Pepper Potts
* Katherine Rennie – Tony Stark's personal secretary.
* James Rupert Rhodes (War Machine)
* Jack Rutledge – He was involved in the development of a Gamma Radiation Neutralizing Armor. He was later killed by Richard Cummings for covering up the death of Lisa Cummings.
* Ryan Zimm – One of the Security Department heads.
* Gallileo "Leo" Braithwaite
* Jan Kolins
* Svengoto Eriksson – Following closure of Stark Solution, he has been given principal data by Tony Stark and then individually reinvented the AI "Jarvis" and armoury of Iron Man suit. During the establishment of Stark Industries, he gave the research result to Tony. Tony admired him and said that the new suit is like giving Tony a "Regent".
* Martha Johns
* Geoff Douglat
* Tessa Springfield
* Anna Wei
*Dr Dave Allen
* Michael Cline – Supporter
* Horsars Marvel – Supporter

Reception

Accolades

* In 2011, ''Forbes'' ranked Stark Industries 16th in their "25 Largest Fictional Companies" list.
* In 2016, ''Time'' ranked Stark Industries 3rd in their "18 Most Influential Fake Companies of All Time" list.
* In 2018, ''Sideshow'' ranked Stark Industries 1st in their "Top 10 Superhero Corporations" list.
* In 2019, '' CBR.com'' ranked Stark Industries 8th in their "Top 10 Fictional Marvel Companies" list.

Other versions

Amalgam Comics

In the world of Amalgam Comics, the company is known as Stark Aircraft (itself a merger between Stark Industries and Ferris Aircraft). The only known employees are Janice Doremus, Pepper Ferris, Happy Kalmaku, Stewart Rhodes, Hal Stark.

Marvel 2099

In ''Marvel 2099'' (an alternate future reality set in the year 2099), Stark-Fujikawa is a major corporate power, alongside Alchemax and Roxxon. The only known staff members are Hikaru-Sama and Shudo.

During the "Secret Wars" storyline, a version of Stark-Fujikawa is seen in the Battleworld domain of 2099.

MC2

In the alternate future reality of '' MC2'', the company is known as Stark Global Industries and is owned and run by Tony Stark.

Ultimate Marvel

Stark Industries also appears in the Ultimate universe, as it keeps mostly the same origin as spawned out of Howard Stark's defense company. As well as Stark International in the Ultimate Comics as a competitor to Mandarin International.

Stark Global Solutions Headquarters also appears as a separate company operated in Singapore owned by Tony Stark's older brother Dr. Gregory Stark.

Ultimate Universe

In Earth-6160, a world preceded by alternate history due to the interference of the Maker, the company is known as Stark/Stane, jointly led by business partners Howard Stark and Obadiah Stane. It's one of the main corporations of the technocratic North American Union, a regional power bloc which includes the former United States' territories after its central government dissolved in 1969. It was regarded as essentially running the Union since the private sector superseded the old political order.

After Stane is killed in Latveria and Stark disappears into the city, the Maker's Council takes advantage of the resulting power vacuum and frames Tony Stark as a terrorist due to his opposition to the group, using a Stark/Stane satellite to conduct a false flag attack on Stark Tower, causing thousands of casualties in the Manhattan area. After Wilson Fisk is appointed as Shadow Governor of the New York territory, he asks Oscorp's new CEO, Harry Osborn, to help take care of the company's assets, as they became a matter of political intrigue in the Union. Weeks later, Osborn creates the Green Goblin armor using Stark technology, with the help of Otto Octavius. Some Stark assets end up in the hands of wealthy buyers, with the billionaire Midas taking Howard Stark's first Iron Man armor.''The Ultimates'' Vol.4 #2. Marvel Comics.

What If?

In a What If story, the company is known as ''Stark Interplanetary'' and was the creators of the Irondroids

In other media

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Television

* Stark Industries was featured in the 1990s ''Iron Man'' TV series. In this show, Julia Carpenter (the second Spider-Woman) is also depicted as the head of Stark Industries' Research and Development.
* Stark Enterprises appears in the '' Spider-Man: The Animated Series'' episodes "Venom Returns" and "Carnage". After Tony Stark invented an inter-dimensional portal device, the demonstration was interrupted when Venom and Carnage stole the device for Baron Mordo, in order to release Dormammu from his dimension to Earth.
* A Stark Enterprises building can be seen in the '' X-Men: Evolution'' episode "On Angels' Wings".
* Stark International is featured in '' Iron Man: Armored Adventures''. After Howard Stark was abducted by the Mandrarin in a plane crash and presumed dead, Obadiah Stane becomes the CEO of Stark Industries. In "Cold War," it is revealed that Blizzard used to work for Stark Industries until an accident caused by Obadiah Stane left him "deformed and destroyed." In "Designed Only for Chaos," Roberta Rhodes revealed to Tony that Stark Industries used to make weapons until Howard Stark stopped their production when Tony was born. In "Heavy Mettle," Obadiah Stane ends up fired by the chairman of the board after Tony Stark and Roberta Rhodes show the board of directors the footage of Obadiah Stane making a deal with Ghost is shown. In "Hostile Takeover," Justin Hammer ends up buying Stark International and sends Sasha to tell Tony Stark that he will no longer inherit the company when he reaches 18. After the fight with Titanium Man, Whiplash, Killer Shrike, and Unicorn, Tony Stark along with Rhodey and Pepper create a company called Stark Solutions. In "The Hammer Falls," Howard Stark returns and manages to reclaim Stark International after Justin Hammer (when soon buy the secret lair of Stark and secret Stark Solutions) is exposed and defeated by Mr. Fix.
* Stark Industries is featured in ''The Super Hero Squad Show''.
* Stark Industries appears in '' The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes''.
* Stark Industries' Japanese branch appears in '' Marvel Anime: Iron Man''.
* A Stark Industries lab appears in ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' episode "Flight of the Iron Spider."
* In the '' Eureka'' episode "Once in a Lifetime," Nathan Stark is shown in a building with the name Stark Industries.
* The Stark Expo is featured in a titular episode of ''Marvel's Spider-Man''.
* A Stark Industries billboard appears in the ''X-Men '97'' episode "Bright Eyes" when the X-Men went on Madripoor.

Video games

* A billboard in ''Spider-Man'' on the level "Race to the Bugle" features a Stark Solutions logo and the slogan "Consulting in the Future." It was shown on the building just before the Daily Bugle building. A Stark Enterprise building can be seen in the level where Spider-Man chases Venom through New York City.
* Stark Industries appears in ''The Punisher'' video game. The Eternal Sun group raid the company to steal the Iron Man armors.
* In '' The Incredible Hulk'' video game, it was mentioned that Stark Industries built the Hulkbuster armors.
* A Stark Industries sign is visible in the opening cutscene for '' Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds'' when Iron Man is battling Morrigan Aensland.
* In '' Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions,'' the 2099 universe makes repeated mention of Stark-Fujikawa on signs and over intercom announcements.
* In '' Spider-Man: Edge of Time'', Stark-Fujikawa is mentioned by Walter Sloan as a competitor to Alchemax.
* In ''Fortnite'' during Chapter 2: Season 4, Stark Industries was a mythic location on the map where players could receive items by eliminating Stark-Bots and Iron Man.
* Stark-Fujikawa is referenced in '' Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2''.

Theme parks

* Stark Industries is physically featured in Marvel Super Hero Island at the Islands of Adventure theme park, part of Universal Orlando Resort. It is also mentioned in the queue of '' The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man'' ride in which it develops the SCOOP news-gathering vehicle for the Daily Bugle and the anti-gravity ray gun which it is stolen by the Sinister Syndicate who use the weapon to destroy parts of New York City and seize the Statue of Liberty to be held hostage as a leverage against the city.
* The Far East division of Stark Industries held an expo at Hong Kong Disneyland.

See also

* Alchemax
* Cross Technological Enterprises
* Oscorp
* Parker Industries
* Roxxon Energy Corporation

References

External links

Stark Industries
at Marvel Wiki

Stark Industries
at Comic Vine

{{Jack Kirby

Iron Man
Marvel Comics organizations
Fictional companies