Yesterday, Marvel made the surprising announcement that 15-year old Riri Williams will be the new Iron Man, once Tony Stark steps away from the role next fall. It’s a meteoric rise for Riri, who only recently appeared in Brian Michael Bendis‘ Iron Man comic book series with her own suit of armor which she built in her M.I.T. dorm room.
Before Riri officially becomes Marvel’s Armored Avenger in Invincible Iron Man #1, Comic Book Resources has released artist Stefano Caselli’s design for the new Iron Man. And as you can see, there’s nothing about this armor that suggests a woman is piloting it.
The lack of gender indicators may actually be by design, since Riri’s true identity would be well protected if no one thought she could possibly be Iron Man. However, the one thing that the armor doesn’t mask is Riri’s physical size, and her Iron Man seems shorter and more slender than the previous models.
It’s worth noting that this Iron Man design is also quite different from the armor that Riri has worn in the Marvel NOW! preview artwork. Presumably this is because the new Iron Man armor will be provided by Stark himself, as opposed to something that Riri repurposed. It also suggests that Stark could act as a mentor to Riri, providing that he survives the events of Civil War II. But let’s be honest, if anyone is getting out of that story alive, it’s gonna be Marvel’s flagship hero!
Invincible Iron Man #1 will be released this fall.
What do you think about the design of Riri Williams’ Iron Man suit? Let us know in the comment section below!
More about the new Iron Man announcement right here!
Images: Marvel Comics
