In case you haven't heard, a little movie called Iron Man 3 is hitting theaters this week. This latest superhero sequel kicks off the next phase of Marvel Studios' ongoing plans and sees the Armored Avenger clash with Mandarin for the first time in live-action. It's definitely an exciting time to be an Iron Man fan.

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But what about when the credits roll and you walk out of the theater? What are you supposed to do to tide yourself over until the next blockbuster Marvel movie? Well, you could try reading some comics. Iron Man has been around for 50 years at this point.Needless to say, he's accrued his fair share of quality stories in that time.We've put together a comprehensive list of the 25 greatest Iron Man comics, ranging from his original debut in Tales of Suspense #39 to recent favorites like Invincible Iron Man and Extremis. We focused mostly on his solo adventures, as we already explored the 25 greatest Avengers stories last year.Check out our picks for the best of the best, and let us know what your favorites are!

25 Iron Man is Born!

Tales of Suspense #39No list of great Iron Man stories would be complete without the one that started everything. Stan Lee and Don Heck first introduced the Armored Avenger in the pages of this long-running anthology series (it would be several years more before Marvel launched Iron Man's solo series). Lee has often noted his desire to create a superhero based on industrialist and playboy Howard Hughes, in a time when Hughes was still known for those traits and not his wilder eccentricities. Thus was born Tony Stark, a wealthy weapons manufacturer whose genius led to the armored suit that both saved his life and allowed him to enter the superhero game.The broad strokes of the origin story in this issue still remain in play fifty years later, with Tony being captured as a prisoner of war and teaming up with Ho Yinsen to build the first Iron Man armor. The main difference is that this version of Tony's origin unfolded in Vietnam, rather than Afghanistan like in more contemporary accounts.In some ways Iron Man was still very rough around the edges in his first appearance. The more tame storytelling standards of the Silver Age didn't really allow for his womanizing playboy side to come out. But without Tales of Suspense #39, we would have no Demon in a Bottle, Extremis, or any number of other classic tales.

24 Enter the Mandarin

Iron Man - Enter the Mandarin #1-6Mandarin is often viewed as Iron Man's greatest nemesis, despite only sporadically appearing over the decades and not always enjoying the cream of the storytelling crop. With Enter the Mandarin, writer Joe Casey took an increasingly popular approach by revisiting the early Iron Man/Mandarin battles through a more modern lens. If you enjoy the style of Marvel's Season One graphic novels, you'll be right at home with this mini-series.Casey struck a delicate balance between honoring the tone and style of the Silver Age while still presenting more nuanced takes on the two lead characters. And though Eric Canete's visual style is as divisive as it is distinctive, it meshed very well with the throwback approach to this book. Enter the Mandarin remains one of the best ways for new readers to get the full scoop on this heated rivalry.

23 Crash and Burn

Iron Man Vol. 1 #301-306Iron Man #300 saw Tony Stark overcome his ongoing neurological disorder and don a new suit called the Modular Armor. But he faced a new challenge as his company records were stolen and Stark Industries was suddenly accused of fraud. The ensuing "Crash and Burn" storyline was a winning blend of superhero action and intrigue. These issues saw Iron Man battle everyone from Venom to the New Warriors to Hulk, all with the ultimate goal of clearing his name and that of his company.Though the Modular Armor had a relatively short shelf life as far as Iron Man armors go, its look was adapted for both the 1994 animated series and the Marvel vs. Capcom games. In many ways, this run of issues defined the look and feel of the Iron Man universe during the '90s. It was certainly a more enjoyable period than what was to come with Onslaught and Heroes Reborn.

22 Ultimate Iron Man I & II

Ultimate Iron Man #1-4, Ultimate Iron Man II #1-4As mentioned, Iron Man's origin story hasn't changed all that much over the decades (though we'll soon see what Kieron Gillen has in store with his current "Secret Origin" storyline). With the first two Ultimate Iron Man mini-series, Marvel broke the mold by offering a distinctly different take on Tony Stark's early years. Sci-fi writer Orson Scott Card was brought in to shed light on the version of Tony seen in Mark Millar's The Ultimates.Among other changes, Card revealed that Ultimate Tony had brain issue extended through his entire body, accounting for his massive intelligence but also forcing him to live every moment in excruciating pain. The Stark family dynamic also evolved a great deal, with Tony and his father taking on more of an underdog role in the fast-paced, life-or-death business world.Reaction to these two volumes was somewhat mixed. For one thing, Card's take on Tony Stark never really seemed to mesh with the version seen in the other Ultimate books. The second volume also failed to completely wrap up the ongoing story, and eventually Marvel wrote the whole thing off when a later Ultimate book revealed that the events of these two stories were actually a TV dramatization of Tony's childhood.Ignoring all of that, Ultimate Iron Man I & II managed to offer an interesting new spin on an old formula. And they featured some great visuals from the likes of the Kubert brothers and Pasqual Ferry. Even if this material is no longer considered in-continuity, it's well worth a look for Iron Man fans who crave something different.

21 Hypervelocity

Iron Man - Hypervelocity #1-6Speaking of different, Hypervelocity is another notable example of Marvel bringing in an outside writer to provide a unique take on Iron Man's world. In this case, that writer was Adam Warren, best known for the American version of the Dirty Pair manga and his "sexy superhero comedy" series Empowered.Echoing Joe Quesada's The Mask in the Iron Man to an extent, Hypervelocity introduced a conflict wherein the Iron Man armor accidentally gained sentience and went on the run from the military. Unfortunately for its pursuers, the suit still boasted all the intelligence and experience of its maker. What ensued was a violent, kinetic chase that would have been home in Warren's other books.Warren's frenetic, dreamy storyline was a vast departure from the usual Iron Man yarn, and one that proved highly enjoyable. Though not terribly important to ongoing Iron Man continuity, Hypervelocity offers something different for readers bored with the same conflicts.