Iron Man

It's not a coincidence if Tony Stark from the MCU makes you think of a hip Elon Musk. The Tesla/SpaceX billionaire served as the inspiration for Robert Downey Jr.'s Stark character. However, the 1963 version of the character was based on Howard Hughes.

By the time Stan Lee and others had the notion, Hughes had lost favor. Hughes, who was formerly admired for his success as a wealthy investor, aviation pioneer, defense contractor, film director, etc., was now viewed as a madman—a recluse who was addicted to codeine and feared germs. He was an unusual superhero model, but that was the whole purpose. Marvel specialized in "problematic heroes." Not only was Stark dependent on technology to survive, but he also struggled with alcoholism.

Hughes was also a sort of hero. Despite his issues, he made an effort to use his money for good, much like Iron Man. He offered the presidents Johnson and Nixon millions of dollars in bribes to cease nuclear testing, for example, since he was worried about it. Ironically, arms producers later profited from Iron Man's 2008 premiere on the big screen.

Publisher: Marvel Comics
First appearance: Tales of Suspense #39 (March 1963)
Created by: Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, Jack Kirby, With Steve Ditko