Iron Man is an American comic book superhero, who first appeared in 1963 Tales of Suspense no. 39. His creation is officially credited to four people: writer and editor Stan Lee, who plotted the first story; his brother Larry Lieber, who scripted it; artist Don Heck, who drew it; and Jack Kirby, who designed Iron Man’s original armored battle suit. Iron Man has appeared as the star of his own comic book series, as a regular guest in other popular comics (most notably in the The Avengers), in animated films and television series, and in live-action motion pictures. Since his first debut in 1963, Iron Man’s character went through many changes, many of which he is known for today. Iron Man, also known as Tony Stark, is a millionaire, inventor, and genius. He becomes Iron Man in the comics after a heart transplant that leaves him paralyzed, so he becomes a kind of cyborg who later becomes the superhero we all know and love.

Captain America was created by writer Joe Simon and artist Jack Kirby as a form of propaganda for World War II and first debuted in 1941 in Captain America Comics no. 1. The story begins with Steve Rogers, a would-be army enlistee rejected by recruiters because of his small size and tendency to illness. Rogers volunteers to receive a top-secret serum, and he is transformed into a “super soldier.” He becomes Captain America, who wears a red, white, and blue costume with a matching stars-and-stripes shield, and joins the U.S. Army. He gains a sidekick, another soldier by the name of Bucky Barnes—and begins on a career of enthusiastic Nazi-bashing.

Black Widow, real name Natasha Romanov, first appeared as a recurring Russian spy antagonist in the Iron Man comics. Later on she teams up with future Avenger Hawkeye and joins the Avengers. But Black Widow’s history goes deeper, and darker, than that. Romanov was originally indoctrinated in the Red Room, a Russian training program that trained young girls to become lethal undercover agents. The character was created by editor Stan Lee, scripter Don Rico, and artist Don Heck, and first debuted in Tales of Suspense #52 (April 1964).