Ironheart

Chinaka Hodge will pen the new Marvel-Disney+ series.

‘Ironheart’! ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’!

Riri Williams AKA Ironheart has been a big breakout star for Marvel Comics in the past year, but very few people would have expected a live-action treatment so soon. While she's not showing up in Avengers: Infinity War, she made the leap to the real-world in a fan-film produced by students attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as part of its annual "Pi Day" celebrations, welcoming new students to the college.

It's been just a few months since Amadeus Cho told nine-year-old Lunella Lafayette that she was "the smartest person in whole world" at the end of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #12. In the time since, Lunella has been condescended to by adult scientists, helped take down the Mole Man's monsters, and teamed up with two other girl geniuses --- the new and unstoppable Wasp, and Ironheart, aka Riri Williams. Lunella's brilliance makes her one in a long line of inspiring, super-smart Black characters in comics that can be traced back decades to the Black Panther's first appearance in 1966's Fantastic Four #52, by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee.

One of the best things about Marvel's slate of mobile-based video games is that the publisher is able to use the platform to introduce new characters and concepts to a massive audience outside of the comics, and it's something the games have taken advantage of time and time again with characters like Robbie Reyes, Kamala Khan and America Chavez. Alongside an update that brings in content tied into upcoming event Monsters Unleashed, the latest new character to make their video game debut is none other than Riri Williams, AKA Ironheart who has been announced as a new playable character in Marvel: Future Fight alongside Kate Bishop and Queen Medusa.

Riri Williams' origin as the armored Iron Man successor Ironheart continues in Invincible Iron Man #2 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stefano Caselli. In the first issue, we saw some of Riri's childhood and learned about a recent tragedy in her life. But even with the last page reveal of the A.I. based on Tony Stark, she's not quite Ironheart yet. In classic Bendis tradition, this origin is taking its time.

Last month it was announced that fifteen year old genius Riri Williams would be taking over the lead role in Brian Michael Bendis and Stefano Caselli's upcoming relaunch of Invincible Iron Man. There has been much speculation surrounding what her codename might be, and Marvel announced today that the new hero will operate under the alias "Ironheart".