Editing Iron Man (section)

=== Allies ===
{{Main|List of Iron Man supporting characters}}
[[Pepper Potts]] is a Stark Industries employee who Stark promoted to his executive assistant.{{Sfn|Hoskin|2008|loc=Pepper Hogan}} The original portrayal of the character was that of a simple love interest and [[damsel in distress]].{{Sfn|Kirk|2020|p=50}} She came to manage the business herself, as Stark had little interest in his responsibilities.{{Sfn|Hoskin|2008|loc=Pepper Hogan}} When Stark became Iron Man and took responsibility for his company, she taught him how to manage the business.{{Sfn|Hoskin|2008|loc=Iron Man}} When Pepper was injured by an explosion and received a heart injury similar to Iron Man's, he installed the arc reactor technology in her.{{Sfn|Michálek|2015|p=197}} She eventually became the CEO of Stark Industries.{{Sfn|Michálek|2015|p=198}} Iron Man secretly worked on a suit of armor to be powered by her arc reactor, and she discovered it in a Stark Industries lab while she had control of the company. Taking the armor, she became the superhero Rescue.{{Sfn|Hoskin|2010|loc=Rescue}}

[[War Machine|James Rhodes]] was an employee of Stark's.{{Sfn|Chambliss|2015|p=148}} He first appeared in 1979 and was developed as a supporting character in 1981.{{Sfn|Chambliss|2015|p=150}} He briefly became Iron Man while Stark was relapsing on alcoholism.{{Sfn|Chambliss|2015|p=152}} Later on, when Stark was near death, he gave Rhodes his corporation and the War Machine armor.{{Sfn|Chambliss|2015|p=153}} Stark let Rhodes keep the armor, and Rhodes became the superhero War Machine.{{Sfn|Chambliss|2015|p=154}} Rhodes' dependency on Iron Man for his armor often constrains him as a supporting character to Stark, even in solo War Machine stories.{{Sfn|Chambliss|2015|p=158}}

[[Happy Hogan (character)|Happy Hogan]] was hired as Stark's chauffeur after saving his life, and Happy later deduced Stark was Iron Man.{{Sfn|Hoskin|2008|loc=Happy Hogan}} Iron Man has other allies through his affiliation with the Avengers, including close personal relationships with Captain America, Ant-Man, and the Wasp.{{Sfn|Patterson|Patterson|2010|p=220}} As Tony Stark, he is the benefactor of the Avengers, providing their headquarters at [[Avengers Mansion]].{{Sfn|Cassell|2012|pp=15–16}} Stark's butler, [[Edwin Jarvis]], works for both Iron Man and the Avengers.{{Sfn|Housel|Housel|2010|p=246}} During a period without Pepper, Stark hired a new secretary, [[Mrs. Arbogast]].{{Sfn|Kirk|2020|p=51}} Iron Man is also supported by his artificial intelligence companions [[Jocasta (comics)|Jocasta]]{{Sfn|Housel|Housel|2010|p=246}} and [[F.R.I.D.A.Y.]]{{Sfn|O'Sullivan|2016|loc=Iron Man Update}} His association with S.H.I.E.L.D. sees him working with its agents and leadership, including Nick Fury and [[Maria Hill]].{{Sfn|Michálek|2015|p=198}} He has taken on other heroes as sidekicks, including [[Spider-Man]] and [[Jack of Hearts (Marvel Comics)|Jack of Hearts]].{{Sfn|Hoskin|2008|loc=Iron Man}}

Other characters in the [[Marvel Universe]] have taken up the Iron Man mantle besides Stark, including James Rhodes{{Sfn|Chambliss|2015|p=152}} and [[Doctor Doom|Victor von Doom]].{{Sfn|Fentiman|2019|p=195}} The Iron Man armor itself came to life in the "Mask in the Iron Man" storyline, becoming violent before sacrificing itself to save Stark's life.{{Sfn|Novy|2010b|pp=147–149}}{{Sfn|Patterson|Patterson|2010|p=228}}