Stark Industries, later also known asStark International,Stark Innovations,Stark Enterprises andStark Resilient, is a fictional multi-national conglomerate appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Created by FransRobert Bernstein,Stan Lee, andJack Kirby, the company first appeared inTales of Suspense #39 (December 1962).[1] Stark Industries is depicted as being owned and run by businessman and namesake Tony Stark, who is also known asIron Man, and was founded by Tony's father,Howard Stark, from whom he inherited the company.
In theMarvel Cinematic Universe, Stark Industries has a logo modeled after the defense contractorLockheed Martin[2] and is listed on theNew York Stock Exchange as SIA. During the press conference scene, Stark is seen entering a building that resembles the entrance to Lockheed Martin'sSkunk Works facility. An airplane similar to theLockheed 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.
Stark Industries was founded in 1939 byHoward 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 includingStark International[4] (laterStane International[5]),Stark Enterprises,[6][7]Stark/Fujikawa[8] andStark Solutions.[9]
Stark Industries is primarily atechnology anddefense 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.
Harmon Furmintz – Member of Stark Industries' biochemical division.[12] He worked forGenetech and was born around 1918. He was a child prodigy and was recruited as candidate forSuper Soldier Project, but was rejected due to havinghemophilia. He attempted to gain the power ofTerrax, but his body and mind were destroyed by Shafear and reformed into duplicate of his own.[13]
OriginallyStark 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 byObadiah Stane after a hostile takeover and he renamed it Stane International.
Yvette Avril[21] – 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.
Morley Erwin[22] – 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[23]
Abe Klein – Director of Engineering.[24] – Tony Stark's old electrical engineering professor. Killed byMordecai Midas.[25]
Kristine "Krissy" Longfellow – Secretary.[27] She posed as Tony Stark's secretary to be close to him without involving him with a criminal.
Harold Marks (Techno-Killer) – A researchtechnician.[28] 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.[29] 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.[30] He is currently a White House Press Secretary. Quit Stark International after Obadiah Stane took over.
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.
James Rhodes – Former CEO (when Stark was in suspended animation following his first "death"; quit upon Stark's revival); former pilot
Rothvichet Poch[37] – Former lawyer, vice-president and CEO. Alvarez defended Tony Stark in the trial ofKathy Dare.
Bambi Arbogast[6] - receptionist and former member of theUS Department of Defense. "Tony stark was able to build this in a cave, with a box of scraps!"
Veronica Benning/Victoria Michelle[38] – Tony Stark's physiotherapist.
Chester "Chet" Harrigan[40] – Formerchauffeur to Tony Stark.
Bert Hindel[43] – Former lawyer of Stark Enterprises. He was fired after he failed to clear up the Government civil suits brought on during theArmor Wars storyline. He also unsuccessfully defended Kathy Dare.
Dr. Cal Oakley[46] – Former employee of Cordco. Oakley assisted in rebuilding Tony Stark's nervous system following his being shot by Kathy Dare.
Marcia Jessica "Marcy" Pearson[6] – Former Director of Public Relations and later vice-president. Rhodes fired her when she resented his being named Stark's successor as CEO.
Accutech[43] – Research and Development company, based in California, that was bought out as a subsidiary.[43] The company produced and designed a Beta Particle Generator which was sabotaged by theGhost. Known staff members include Gilbert O’Connor and Abe Zimmer.
Barstow Electronics[51]> – Subsidiary of Stark Enterprises based in California. It employedCarl Walker after Force's faked death.
Cordco[46] – 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, andBasil Sandhurst.
Stane International[52] – It was reacquired by Stark fromJustin Hammer, who owned SI following Obidiah Stane's death. The company reproduced Stark's originalGuardsman armor for use at theVault. Much of Stane's operations involved disreputable business practices, leading Stark to initiate a major clean-up effort after reacquiring the company.[53]
Hot Cup Coffee –Created by Stark using the pseudonym "The Boss".
Rumiko Fujikawa[54] – 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.[55]
Morgan Stark[9] – Cousin of Tony Stark. Became general manager of Stark-Fujikawa after Tony's "death".
Fujikawa Industries[56] – The previous version of this company helped formStark-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 andWilson Fisk.
Oracle Incorporated[57] – Formed by Namor, the company was sold to Stark-Fujikawa. Formerly served as the headquarters ofHeroes 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[58] – 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)[59] and Oliver Russell.
Rand-Meachum – A company formed byHarold Meachum and Wendell Rand,[60] became a subsidiary of Stark-Fujikawa. Known employees includeDaniel 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
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.
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 asStark International, both names formerly used in previous incarnations of the company. Its logo being the same as the S.I. Logo in theIron Man film series.
Jack Rutledge[67] – 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.[68]
Ryan Zimm[62] – One of the Security Department heads.
Svengoto Eriksson[9] – 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".
In the world ofAmalgam Comics, the company is known asStark Aircraft (itself a merger between Stark Industries andFerris Aircraft). The only known employees are Janice Doremus, Pepper Ferris, Happy Kalmaku, Stewart Rhodes, Hal Stark.[75]
InMarvel 2099 (an alternate future reality set in the year 2099),Stark-Fujikawa is a major corporate power, alongsideAlchemax andRoxxon. The only known staff members are Hikaru-Sama and Shudo.[76]
During the "Secret Wars" storyline, a version of Stark-Fujikawa is seen in theBattleworld domain of 2099.[77]
InEarth-6160, a world preceded byalternate history due to the interference of theMaker, the company is known asStark/Stane, jointly led by business partners Howard Stark and Obadiah Stane. It is one of the main corporations of thetechnocratic 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 theprivate sector superseded the old political order.[82]
After Stane is killed inLatveria and Stark disappears into the city, theMaker'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 afalse flag attack on Stark Tower, causing thousands of casualties in the Manhattan area.[83] AfterWilson Fisk is appointed as Shadow Governor of the New York territory, he asksOscorp'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 ofOtto Octavius.[84] Some Stark assets end up in the hands of wealthy buyers, with the billionaireMidas taking Howard Stark's first Iron Man armor.[85]
Stark Industries appears inIron Man (1994).Julia Carpenter (the second Spider-Woman) is depicted as the head of Stark Industries' research and development.
A Stark Enterprises building appears in theX-Men: Evolution episode "On Angels' Wings".
Stark International is featured inIron Man: Armored Adventures. After Howard Stark is abducted by the Mandarin and presumed dead, Obadiah Stane becomes the CEO of Stark Industries. In the episode "Heavy Mettle," Stane is fired by the chairman of the board after Tony Stark and Roberta Rhodes show the board of directors footage of Stane making a deal withGhost. In the episode "The Hammer Falls," Howard Stark returns and reclaims ownership of Stark International.
