Stark Industries | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Tales of Suspense #40 (April 1963) |
Created by |
Robert Bernstein Stan Lee Jack Kirby David Michelinie (Accutech) Bob Layton (Accutech) |
In-story information | |
Type of business | Corporation |
Base(s) | Gutar |
Employee(s) |
James Rupert Rhodes (War Machine) Pepper Potts Obadiah Stane Bethany Cabe Madame Masque Rumiko Fujikawa Morgan Stark Crimson Dynamo Happy Hogan |
Stark Industries (NYSE: SIA, NASDAQ: STRK, fictional), later also known as Stark International, Stark Innovations, Stark/Fujikawa, Stark Enterprises and Stark Resilient, is a fictional company appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The company is depicted as being owned and run by businessman Anthony Edward "Tony" Stark, also known as Iron Man. It first appeared in Tales of Suspense #40 (April 1963) and was founded by Tony's father, Howard Stark. According to Forbes 25 largest fictional companies it had an estimated sales of $20.3 billion, ranking it at number 16. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Stark Industries has a logo similar to that of defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman and is listed on the 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 extremely similar to the Lockheed YF-22 stood as a statue in front of the Stark Industries facility, exactly like the prototypes on display at Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California.
Stark Industries was founded by Isaac Stark Sr in the 19th century and later taken over by Howard Stark and then by his son Tony, after his 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.
The company is a technology company that develops and manufactures advanced weapon and defense technologies. The company manufactures the armour worn by Iron Man and War Machine. It builds the helicarriers used by S.H.I.E.L.D, and it produces the Quinjets used by the Avengers.
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.