Which Iron Man Armor Is The Most Powerful? (original) (raw)

Iron Man's Most Powerful Armors Of All Time, Ranked

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Iron Man from the MCU with his comic armors from Marvel Comics behind him

Iron Man has been around for years, so it’s no surprise Tony Stark has continually devised new armor designs. As technology advances, Iron Man upgrades and improves his armor to stay ahead of the curve. It's not enough for him to just have good armor; he has to be better than every other tech-based villain or hero.

A true tinkerer at heart, Tony’s passion for technology has led him to create suits of armor for every occasion. He has armor that enables him to battle space deities and armor infused with mystical protection against supernatural threats. Stark's best Iron Man suits are all top-of-the-line, and he knows it.

Updated on August 21, 2024 by Scoot Allan: While fans are already preparing to see the former Tony Stark, Robert Downey Jr.. suit up in a new suit of armor in the MCU, the comic character is also receiving a new look. However, this new version will be an ever-adapting suit that grows and changes based on Stark's needs. He's always created new suits on the fly when needed, as some of his most powerful armors in the comics have shown over the years. This article has been updated with even more of Iron Man's strongest armors and to conform to current CBR standards.

20 The Model 13 "Modular Armor" Could Be Customized To Fit Any Situation

First Appearance: Iron Man #300 (November 1993) by Len Kaminski, Kevin Hopgood, Steve Mitchell, Ariane Lenshoek, and Ken Lopez

Tony Stark as Iron Goblin, Crimson Dynamo, and Doctor Doom from Marvel Comics

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Every Time Iron Man Wore Someone Else's Armor

Tony Stark may have made a name for himself as Iron Man thanks to his high-tech armor, though he has also had to don other characters' armor.

Certainly, the modular armor is one of Stark's more iconic looks, thanks to its appearance in the '90s Iron Man cartoon and the video games. However, it was also by far the most powerful suit he'd ever created up to that point. When the suit debuted, he used it to save a number of his friends who had also suited up in their attempt to take down the technological giant, Ultimo.

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Iron Man's modular armor consisted of many components, which made it easier to store and assemble. This might easily have been one of his best scientific upgrades, as the modular armor featured several additional module plugins that could join the armor at any time. He even designed a new Hulkbuster suit that worked with his modular armor. That said, it ranks at 15th because it's still one of Stark's older suits, and he's since created armors that far surpass this one.

19 Iron Man's Variable Threat Response Battle Suit Would Become War Machine

First Appearance: Iron Man #281 (April 1992) by Len Kaminski, Kevin Hopgood, Bob Wiacek, Mike Rockwitz and Michael Heisler

The War Machine armor standing upright as piloted by James "Rhodey" Rhoades.

When Tony Stark faced the deadly Masters of Silence, he was shocked that their advanced weaponry could severely damage his Iron Man armor. He upgraded his suit with even more armor and stocked it with more weaponry than any suit he had created before.

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The Mark 11 was also known as the Variable Threat Response Battle Suit, though his close friend James "Rhodey" Rhodes coined it the War Machine. After Stark used the armor to defeat the Masters of Silence, he gave the suit to Rhodey, who began his career as War Machine. While the suit has obvious ornaments, it also includes hidden weaponry and advanced targeting systems to really stand out in Tony Stark's armory.

18 The Model 13 "Hulkbuster Armor" Is Designed For Battles With A Certain Jade Giant

First Appearance: Iron Man #304 (March 1994) by Len Kaminski, Kevin Hopgood, Steve Mitchell, Ariane Lenshoek, and Phil Felix

Iron Man fights in his Hulkbuster armor

The famous Hulkbuster armor impressed viewers when it appeared in live-action on the big screen in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. In the comics, Tony Stark pulled out the Hulkbuster armor after the Hulk attempted to shut down a plant that had been making gamma bombs. Without realizing it, Tony had acquired the same plant.

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Tony and the Hulk came to blows over the plant, requiring Tony to construct armor that could match the Hulk’s strength. Since then, the Hulk has grown even stronger, so Stark has had to keep beefing up the Hulkbuster over the years. That said, though they were mostly even in Tony's first encounter wearing the Hulkbuster armor, Hulk hasn't lost to Tony in subsequent encounters.

17 The Model 44 Heavy Duty Armor Was An Upgraded Modular War Machine

First Appearance: Iron Man #4 (December 2012) by Kieron Gillen, Greg Land, Jay Leisten, Guru-eFX and Joe Caramagna

Iron Man wearing his Heavy Duty armor

When Tony Stark returned to Earth after spending some time in space, he refocused on forming the Avengers and revamping his own tech with powerful Repulsor Tech cores. His gold and black Model 42 armor was an upgraded version of his modular armor designed to help him test experimental new technology, including new armor.

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After AIM stole his technology, Iron Man debuted a powerful new Heavy-Duty Armor that dwarfed his first War Machine armor. He outfitted it with as much modern weaponry as he could fit, which made the suit the same size as some of his Hulkbuster variants but with much more firepower.

16 The Model 29 "Extremis Armor" Made Tony One With His Armor

First Appearance: Iron Man #4 (August 2005) by Warren Ellis, Adi Granov, and Randy Gentile

Tony Stark is outfitted with the Extremis version of his Iron Man armor

Iron Man with Iron Monger and Fin Fang Foom in the background

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The Most Significant Villains Iron Man Ever Fought

Iron Man has faced enemies in and outside of his armor, with many of these making a major impact on the life of Tony Stark and his armored alter ego.

The enhanced terrorist known as Mallen damaged Tony Stark’s armor during their first encounter. The battle highlighted the limitations of his current technology, as he simply wasn't fast enough to keep up with Mallen's response time. To make up for this, Stark used the experimental Extremis nanotech that powered Mallen to upgrade himself as well.

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Stark tailored the Extremis Virus, so he could store an advanced liquid metal skin within his body. This liquid metal improved Stark’s interface with the armor and allowed him to connect directly with other technology, like satellites. Iron Man’s new suit of armor was faster, stronger, and linked directly to his neural pathways, becoming one of his most advanced armors.

15 The Model 37 "Iron Destroyer Armor" Was Meant For Battles With The Gods

First Appearance: Invincible Iron Man #509 (October 2011) by Matt Fraction, Salvador Larroca, Frank D'Armata, and Joe Caramagna

Iron Man flies in his Asgardian Iron Destroyer armor

The Fear Itself event brought the Asgardian God of Fear to Earth, aiming to take over Midgard with his new generals. Enchanted hammers reigned down to Earth and corrupted heroes and villains. Iron Man and the Avengers needed an extra boost to take on the Asgardian-powered Worthy, so they created weapons to enhance themselves.

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Tony Stark recreated his Iron Man armor using the enchanted Uru metal that composed Thor’s hammer. With no other choice, given how his Bleeding Edge armor was made, Stark plunged himself into an Asgardian forge to transform himself into the powerful Iron Destroyer. Following the defeat of the Serpent, Stark returned the Uru to Odin, and his armor returned to its normal state.

14 The Model 37 "Bleeding Edge" Allowed Stark To Store The Armor Inside Him

First Appearance: Invincible Iron Man #25 (April 2010) by Matt Fraction, Salvador Larroca, Frank D'Armata, and Joe Caramagna

After stepping down from his role as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Stark worked with Reed Richards to advance his armor once more. Taking the Extremis armor concept to its next level, Stark and Richards invented a suit that existed inside Tony’s body. Controlled by powerful nanotech, the armor could quickly form around him on demand.

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Repulsor Tech powered Tony Stark’s body, which provided more than enough energy for his Bleeding Edge armor. The government eventually challenged Stark’s use of the suit, believing its power to be too great for a single man to hold. To appease them, Tony destroyed the Bleeding Edge armor. It didn't stop Tony from making even more powerful armor later. This suit stays in the tenth spot because Stark later created armor that was not only more powerful but easier to use without altering his own body.

13 The Model 65 "Ultronbuster Armor" Briefly Resisted Even Ultron's Control Over Technology

First Appearance: Tony Stark: Iron Man #16 (September 2019) by Dan Slott, Jim Zub, Valerio Schiti, Edgar Delgado, and Joe Caramagna

Iron Man in his Ultronbuster armor fights against Ultron Pym

During The Ultron Agenda event, the nightmarish union of Avengers’ villain Ultron and Hank Pym returned to Earth. It attempted to bring organics and artificial beings together to create a new superior race in Ultron Pym’s image. Stark designed a powerful new armor called the Ultronbuster, which enhanced his strength and created energy shields to help Iron Man defeat one of the most significant villains he ever battled.

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Unfortunately, Ultron Pym hit Iron Man with his own device, causing the hero's body to merge with the Ultronbuster armor to create a monstrous new form. Stark held his own against Ultron long enough to keep his body intact. He eventually reversed the process and separated his body from his armor, destroying the Ultronbuster suit in the process.

12 The Model 38 "Phoenix-Killer Armor" Was Created To End a Cosmic Power

First Appearance: Avengers vs. X-Men #5 (June 2012) by Matt Fraction, John Romita, Jr., Scott Hanna, Laura Martin and Chris Eliopoulos

Iron Man in his Phoenix-Killer armor, about to kill the Phoenix

Tony Stark Ironman Unmasked Comic

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10 Most Important Pieces Of Iron Man Lore New Readers Need to Know

Iron Man is more than just a cool set of armor, and the comics have taken him in several interesting directions that movie fans might not expect.

The Avengers were Earth's Mightiest Heroes, which usually made them the first line of defense regarding cosmic threats. When the Phoenix Force returned to Earth after wiping out several solar systems, Iron Man started designing a new suit of armor that could potentially kill the cosmic entity.

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The "Phoenix-Killer" armor was a massive suit designed for space travel. It also had a massive energy cannon meant to destroy the Phoenix Force. However, it only dispersed the powerful energy, fracturing it into five forms. This meant the Phoenix Force found five new hosts instead of one, making the Phoneix-Killer armor one of Stark's most powerful failures.

11 The Model 50 "Endo-Sym Armor" Saw Tony Turn His Armor Into A Symbiote

First Appearance: Avengers #32 (June 2014) by Jonathan Hickman, Leinil Francis Yu, Gerry Alanguilan, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles

Tony Stark is the Superior Iron Man

Tony Stark, completely unfettered from his morals, invented a brand-new suit of armor that psionically bonded with its user. Designated the Model 50, the Endo-Sym armor was a symbiote suit Tony could summon mentally, merging with it at will. While Tony's identity has been public for years, this armor made his face visible--even though an invisible helmet kept him protected.

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The Endo-Sym armor was highly adaptive and could take on a Hulkbuster form while absorbing lightning bolts from Storm. Captain America destroyed the Endo-Sym armor during 2015's Secret Wars event, and Stark never created a replacement after he reverted to his usual self. Stark likely views this armor as an embarrassment from when he allowed himself to go out of control.

10 The Model 51 "Model-Prime Armor" Was An Upgrade On The Modular Armor

First Appearance: Avengers Free Comic Book Day 2015 #1 (May 2015) by Mark Waid, Mahmud Asrar, Frank Martin Jr., and Joe Sabino

Tony's Model 51 armor combined much of his previous technology into one suit. It's named Model-Prime because it can fulfill most of his other single-use armors' functions. The Model-Prime armor was like many armors rolled into one, thanks to Stark's use of advanced nanotechnology. In many ways, it was designed to be an improved version of the Model 13--a Modular armor for a new era.

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The Model-Prime can transform and become a Hulkbuster suit. It can convert into a stealth mode for quiet investigation. On top of these abilities, the Model-Prime armor has all the standard bells and whistles like repulsor rays and a devastating Unibeam to elevate its status in Stark's armory further.

9 The Massive Model 57 Fin Fang Foombuster Contained A Mini Surprise

First Appearance: Tony Stark: Iron Man #1 (June 2018) by Dan Slott, Valerio Schiti, Edgar Delgado and Joe Caramagna

Iron Man in his Fin Fang Foombuster armor

One of Iron Man's largest villains is an alien dragon known as Fin Fang Foom. When he arrived, the powerful Malthusian frequently threatened cities, so Stark designed a new suit to withstand the alien dragon. Known as the Fin Fang Foombuster, Model 57 was a powerful mecha he could control from his main Iron Man suit while inside.

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The incredible size of the Fin Fang Foombuster also allowed for even more additions to be included. Tony Stark equipped the Fin Fang Foombuster with specialty pods that contained a new advanced swarm of Nano iron Mans, all remotely piloted by Tony Stark. When the Fin Fang Foombuster failed to take down the enhanced Fin Fang Foom, he employed the Nano Iron Man swarm to finish the job from the inside.

8 The "Dragon-Slayer Armor" Was Designed To Wipe Out Symbiotes

First Appearance: Carnage #14 (June 2023) by Alex Paknadel, Fran Galán, Federico Sabbatini, Erick Arciniega, and Joe Sabino

Tony Stark wears his Dragon-Slayer armor during Carnage Reigns from Marvel Comics

Iron Man with Apocalypse and Doctor Doom in the background

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While heroes like Iron Man are known for their armor, Marvel villains like Apocalypse and Doctor Doom further increase their own powers with armor.

During the "Carnage Reigns" crossover, Cletus Kasady attempted to use his stolen Extrembiote to hack into Stark tech and infect anyone connected with his symbiotic influence. Stark creating the Extrembiote was a near-fatal mistake for himself, as Cletus nearly killed him, and only Agent Venom was able to save him. Still, Carnage absorbed additional Iron Man tech and a few human hosts to transform himself into an armored symbiotic dragon.

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After witnessing his transformation into a dragon, Tony Stark debuted his new suit that he designed specifically to deal with Carnage. He dubbed his new armor the "Dragon-Slayer Armor" and joined heroes like Miles Morales/Spider-Man and Normie Osborn/Red Goblin to defeat the overpowered Extreme Carnage. This armor was fried in an attempt to take Kasady down for good, even though it did destroy the Extrembiote.

First Appearance: Invincible Iron Man Vol. 5 #15 (February 2024) by Gerry Duggan, Creees Lee, Walden Wong, Bryan Valenza, and Joe Caramagna

The Iron Man Mysterium Armor is punched by a robot with adamantium claws

The Mysterium Armor is the latest in Stark technology, with help from the X-Men and the other people of Krakoa. While most of Iron Man's improvements come from Stark's genius, the Mysterium Armor's main improvement comes from the metal used to create it. Mysterium is a special super-metal with unique properties that can't be found anywhere else.

For one, it's a metal that's even tougher to penetrate than adamantium. Originally theorized by his father, only the people of Krakoa could finally create mysterium. Thanks to Stark allying himself with Emma Frost to protect each other, Stark gained access to mysterium and built it with the help of the Hellfire Club. With this armor, he's decided to help the X-Men stand against the anti-mutant forces of Orchis.

6 The Model 73 "Sentinel Buster Armor" Was Built In Secret To Fight Orchis

First Appearance: Invincible Iron Man Vol. 5 #15 (February 2024) by Gerry Duggan, Creees Lee, Walden Wong, Bryan Valenza, and Joe Caramagna

Iron Man fighting Stark Sentinels in the Sentinel Buster Armor from Fall of the House of X

When Tony Stark finally debuted his new Mysterion armor, he also set up plans to help the X-men with a powerful new Buster armor. To keep the creation of more Iron Man armor a secret, he disguised the components of Model 73 as separate spaceships tasked with ferrying mutants to Mars/Arakko.

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Stark then lured Orchis' Stark Sentinels to Australia, where he activated the Sentinel Buster Armor. he made quick work of the advanced fleet of Sentinels that had threatened the X-Men on Krakoa. However, Feilong's War Machine-enhanced Sentinel ultimately destroyed his powerful new Buster armor.

5 The Model 22 "Thorbuster Armor" Let Tony Use Thor's Powers Against Him

First Appearance: Iron Man #64 (January 2003) by Mike Grell, Alan Davis, Robin Riggs, Dave Kemp, Richard Starkings, and Jimmy Betancourt

Iron Man fights the Thunder God in his Thorbuster armor

Officially known as Iron Man Model 22, Stark created the Thorbuster Armor in case of a run-in with the Thunder God. Initially, Thor had granted Stark a special crystal to create a clean energy supply. When an Odinforce-powered Thor threw his weight around, it forced Stark to turn the crystal into a power source for his armor in one of the many comics where Iron Man was forced to fight another hero.

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This allowed him to absorb any of the magical energy thrown at him by Thor and even keep up with the amped-up God of Thunder for a while. The two clashed after Stark failed to avoid an international incident between the US and Asgardian governments. Inevitably, Thor ripped Stark out of this exoarmor to stop him from using Thor's own strength against him. This armor stays at the fifth spot because while it allowed Stark to fight evenly with Thor relying on the Odinforce, later armors were designed to battle far more powerful enemies successfully.

4 The Model 72 "Celestial Hulkbuster Armor" Used The Body Of A Celestial

First Appearance: Thor #25 (May 2022) by Donny Cates, Martin Coccolo, Matthew Wilson, and Joe Sabino

Iron Man in his Celestial Hulkbuster armor rains down blasts of energy from its shoulder-mounted cannons

Split Images of Iron man and Hall of Armor

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10 Secrets About Iron Man's MCU Armors You Should Know

Tony Stark's Iron Man armors have become a titan in the MCU. But from the Mark I to his Iron Legion, there are many secrets fans still don't know.

Hulk and Thor battled each other in competition once again in the "Banner of War" crossover storyline, which led to Iron Man's involvement. Hoping to help Thor and capture the Hulk, Iron Man created a powerful new version of his classic Hulkbuster armor. That said, despite being more powerful than any of his other Hulkbuster armors, the result was the same once he built it, even though it was made out of impossible material.

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Stark had previously gained access to the corpse of a Celestial, which he had used to create an intergalactic portal. He repurposed the Celestial to create the incredibly powerful Celestial Hulkbuster armor. It was massive and designed to withstand the Hulk's powerful blows. An incredibly powerful Gamma explosion during Hulk and Thor's battle destroyed the powerful suit of armor.

3 The Model 61 "Godkiller Armor MK II" Was Meant To Protect The Earth Against The Celestials

First Appearance: Avengers #5 (July 2018) by Jason Aaron, Paco Medina, Ed McGuinness, Juan Vlasco, Mark Morales, Karl Story, David Curiel, and Cory Petit

A split image shows Iron Man standing next to his Godkiller and Godkiller Mk II armors

An ancient alien race specifically designed the original Godkiller armor to fight the Celestials. When Tony Stark briefly operated this armor, it inspired him to create his own version of the massive suit. Stark’s version became known as the Godkiller MK II and appeared in the 2018 Avengers run.

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Stark hid away his Godkiller MK II on Mars for safekeeping. The armor made its reappearance when the Avengers battled the Dark Celestials. However, while the Godkiller MK II held its own in battle against a Dark Celestial, several attacked it together and destroyed the massive suit of armor. It's an unsurprising fate, considering most of Stark's "buster" armors don't last very long.

2 The Model 63 "Godbuster Armor" Was Built Inside A Virtual Reality

First Appearance: Tony Stark: Iron Man #10 (April 2019) by Dan Slott, Jim Zub, Valerio Schiti, Edgar Delgado, and Joe Caramagna

Iron Man designed his own virtual reality called eScape, which allowed his creative abilities to reach a whole new level. However, the villainous Controller and an A.I. known as Motherboard took over eScape, but Tony Stark used the virtual environment to give his creative spark free rein. He designed the Iron Man Model 63 which he referred to as the “Godbuster” armor.

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With a massive back-mounted cannon, the Godbuster became acknowledged as the most powerful Iron Man armor ever. He even crafted a version of it in the real world after he returned from eScape. This armor was so dangerous that Stark immediately destroyed it after its first use. His brother Arno Stark later based his Iron Man 2020 designs on the Godbuster suit.

1 The Model 70 "Cosmic Iron God Armor" Gave Iron Man Access To The Power Cosmic

First Appearance: Iron Man #14 (November 2021) by Christopher Cantwell, CAFU, Ángel Unzueta, Frank D'Armata, and Joe Caramagna

Tony Stark is in his Power Cosmic-infused Iron Man armor from Marvel Comics

Tony Stark resorted to a retro-inspired take on his Iron Man armor after he felt he went too far with his advanced technology. The Model 70 armor was still incredibly powerful and served as the basis for other variants like the Extrembiote armor. However, it received an incredible upgrade during his battle with the reborn Michael Korvac.

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Iron Man assembled his own team to stop Korvac's quest for the Power Cosmic used by beings like Galactus. While he failed to stop Krovac from accessing the Power Cosmic, he also tapped into it. The Power Cosmic infused his armor, and he gained omnipotence, though he gave up the Power Cosmic and lost his most powerful armor in the process. Given the level of power Stark wielded while wearing this armor, it still stands as Stark's most powerful suit yet.

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