Capes On the Couch - Where Comics Get Counseling - Issue 3 - Tony Stark

Issue 3 - Tony Stark

03/21/18 • 65 min

Capes On the Couch - Where Comics Get Counseling

Dr. Issues learns we don't have the licensing budget for good music, and Anthony discovers he's like Iron Man, but not in the cool, mechanized suit-wearing kinda way.

Show notes:

Introduction
Background on Tony Stark
- Starts off as Howard Hughes analogue - pro-war industrialist
- 1969 - Artificial heart
- Demon in a Bottle - Grapples with alcoholism
- Loses company, becomes homeless - Rhodey takes over suit
- Armor Wars - Takes out armored heroes/villains, battles Edwin Cord
- Creates War Machine armor, but becomes paralyzed and loses Rhodey
- The Crossing - kills several people (later retconned)
- Heroes Reborn - comes back healthy and with new look
- Secretary of Defense - leads to Avengers Disassembled
  - First time Stark Tower used as Avengers base
- Civil War - Superhuman Registration Act
- Dark Reign - Brain "rebooted"
- Heroic Age - Bleeding Edge armor/Stark Resilient
- Comics Tony turns into a clone of RDJ
- Secret Wars II - Incursions, end of Ultimate Universe
- Civil War II - Tony vs. Carol
- Marvel NOW - Tony is in coma, brain is AI, Riri is Ironheart
Primary Issues
- Arrogance
- Alcoholism
- Reliance on technology creates distance
- Tendency to over-intellectualize everything
How to address issues
- Want to solve problems without breaking him down
- Narcissism makes for delicate handling
Tony on Dr. Issues's couch

Dr. Issues learns we don't have the licensing budget for good music, and Anthony discovers he's like Iron Man, but not in the cool, mechanized suit-wearing kinda way.

Show notes:

Introduction
Background on Tony Stark
- Starts off as Howard Hughes analogue - pro-war industrialist
- 1969 - Artificial heart
- Demon in a Bottle - Grapples with alcoholism
- Loses company, becomes homeless - Rhodey takes over suit
- Armor Wars - Takes out armored heroes/villains, battles Edwin Cord
- Creates War Machine armor, but becomes paralyzed and loses Rhodey
- The Crossing - kills several people (later retconned)
- Heroes Reborn - comes back healthy and with new look
- Secretary of Defense - leads to Avengers Disassembled
  - First time Stark Tower used as Avengers base
- Civil War - Superhuman Registration Act
- Dark Reign - Brain "rebooted"
- Heroic Age - Bleeding Edge armor/Stark Resilient
- Comics Tony turns into a clone of RDJ
- Secret Wars II - Incursions, end of Ultimate Universe
- Civil War II - Tony vs. Carol
- Marvel NOW - Tony is in coma, brain is AI, Riri is Ironheart
Primary Issues
- Arrogance
- Alcoholism
- Reliance on technology creates distance
- Tendency to over-intellectualize everything
How to address issues
- Want to solve problems without breaking him down
- Narcissism makes for delicate handling
Tony on Dr. Issues's couch

Previous Episode

Episode 2 - Joker

Anthony and Dr. Issues discuss the Clown Prince of Crime, and Doc gets a buzz out of his new patient. Literally.

Show notes:

Introduction
Background on Joker
- Arch-nemesis of Batman
- Introduced early on in Batman's history
- Multiple backstories
- Evolution of character from serial killer to prankster
- Denny O'Neil/Neal Adams run returned him to a maniac
- 1980s - Dark Knight Returns, Killing Joke, Arkham: Serious House on Serious Earth
- Animated series introduces Harley Quinn as lover/sidekick
- Modern era: Death of the Family/Endgame - Face removed and surgically reattached
Primary issues
- Obsession with Batman
- Psychopath
- No sense of logic
How to address issues through treatment
- ???
Joker on the couch

Next Episode

Issue 4 - Moon Knight

Anthony goes totally fanboy over his favorite character, while Dr. Issues tries to keep things on track. It's a miracle this episode was only an hour...

SHOW NOTES:

Introduction
Background on Moon Knight
- Marc Spector - Boxer, then Marine, then mercenary
- Left to die in desert by Bushman, resurrected by Khonshu
- Creates multiple identities - Steven Grant (millionaire) and Jake Lockley (cab driver)
- Loses moon-based powers, joins West Coast Avengers
- Battles brother Randall aka Shadow Knight
- Dies after building explodes because of computerized Zero Hour program
- Resurrected by Khonshu yet again
- "The Bottom" - return of Moon Knight
- Doesn't take a side in Civil War, goes to Mexico, fights luchadors
- Vengeance of Moon Knight - Return to NYC, no-kill policy in effect
- Bendis run - Personalities become Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America
- Ellis run - introduces suited Mr. Knight
- Lemire run - reconciles issues with identities
- Bemis run - introduces daughter
Primary issues
- Dissociative identity disorder
- Loss of powers
- Religious reliance/Khonshu avatar appearance
- On-again/off-again relationship with Marlene
- Keeps allies at distance
Treatment
- In-universe - Exhaust personalities to break Marc down
- Out of universe - Variety of treatment, medication
Next week's episode: Harley Quinn