Editing Iron Man (section)

===2000s===
When the [[Ultimate Marvel]] imprint was created with reimagined versions of Marvel's characters, an [[Iron Man (Ultimate Marvel character)|alternate Iron Man]] appeared in 2002 with the [[Ultimates]], the imprint's adaptation of the Avengers.{{Sfn|Gilbert|2008|p=311}} Marvel released a five-issue limited series, ''[[Ultimate Iron Man]]'', featuring this character in 2005.{{Sfn|Gilbert|2008|p=325}}

Iron Man represented an attempt to define what a superhero was in the 21st century, following the [[September 11 attacks]], implicitly likening the fear of terrorism to the fear of unregulated super-powered beings.{{Sfn|Darowski|2015a|p=189}} In 2004, Iron Man was a major character in the ''[[Avengers Disassembled]]'' event and subsequently became a founding member of [[The New Avengers (comics)|the New Avengers]].{{Sfn|Gilbert|2008|pp=323–324}} ''Iron Man'' volume four began in 2005,{{Sfn|Zehr|2011|p=181}} with [[Warren Ellis]] as the writer and [[Adi Granov]] as the artist. Its first story arc, "[[Extremis]]", saw Iron Man upgrade his body directly through the Extremis virus, giving him direct control over a biological armor.{{Sfn|Gilbert|2008|p=325}} The volume's first 14 issues carried the ''Iron Man'' title, while issues #15–32 (2007–2008) were titled ''Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.''{{Sfn|Zehr|2011|p=181}}

Iron Man led the pro-registration faction during the 2006 ''[[Civil War (comics)|Civil War]]'' crossover event by [[Mark Millar]] and [[Steve McNiven]].{{Sfn|Friedenthal|2021|pp=82–83}} In an allegory for the [[Patriot Act]] and [[government surveillance]], Iron Man's pro-registration faction represented conservative support for government surveillance in the name of security and stood against Captain America's anti-registration faction that represented individualism and liberal opposition to government surveillance.{{Sfn|Friedenthal|2021|p=83}} Iron Man believed in pragmatically choosing the lesser of two evils, whereas Captain America held an idealist approach, and both held these positions at great personal cost.{{Sfn|White|2010|pp=69–70}} While Marvel was neutral between the characters, readers overwhelmingly saw Iron Man as the villain, being the stronger force that the underdog had to overcome.{{Sfn|Darowski|2015a|p=181}}{{Sfn|Friedenthal|2021|p=85}}

Iron Man appeared with [[the Mighty Avengers]] in 2007,{{Sfn|Gilbert|2008|p=335}} and his characterization in this era leaned into his identity as a [[futurist]].{{Sfn|Spanakos|2010|p=129}} Marvel restarted Iron Man's comic book run with ''[[The Invincible Iron Man (comics)|Invincible Iron Man]]'' in 2008, written by [[Matt Fraction]] and illustrated by [[Salvador Larroca]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |date=2012-10-24 |title=''The Invincible Iron Man'' #527 Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/10/24/the-invincible-iron-man-527-review |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> This series launched around the same time as the film [[Iron Man (2008 film)|''Iron Man'']] premiered,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Dan |date=2010-04-15 |title=''Iron Man Legacy'' #1 Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/04/15/iron-man-legacy-1-review |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> and the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]] developed while this run was in publication.<ref name=":0" />