Comic book maker Marvel has revealed that Tony Stark will soon be hanging up his suit. But don’t worry, it’s going to be donned by Riri Williams, a 15-year-old black girl who is a science prodigy studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The character is a Chicago-born science genius and made her debut earlier this year as part of the “Invincible Iron Man” comic’s issue number seven in March this year. She was created by Marvel writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Stefano Caselli.
She will be taking over from Tony Stark at the end of the Civil War II comic book series, reported the BBC.
Bendis told Time in an exclusive interview that he came up with Williams’ character after being struck by the “chaos and violence” of Chicago while working in the city.
He said that he was inspired by the story of a brilliant young woman who instead of ending her life because it was marred by tragedies, chose to go to college.
He added,
“I thought that was the most modern version of a superhero or superheroine story I had ever heard.”
The Iron Man character first appeared in 1963, and the series focuses on billionaire weapons inventor Tony Stark. His storyline is currently coming to an end, after the death of a best friend, the collapse of his company and a revelation about his biological parents, reported the Independent.
Marvel has recently begun diversifying its superheroes and villains, and had previously introducing a female Thor.
Here’s how the news of a black Iron Man thrilled Twitterati.