Around the 2015 event Secret Wars, Marvel Comics was in the process of creating new characters to continue the legacy of its veteran stars. This is why heroes like Miles Morales (Spider-Man), Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel), and Sam Alexander (Nova) were brought into the spotlight. To help promote them, they sided with Tony Stark during Civil War 2.
The trio hoped that their intervention would stop Carol Danvers from ruining innocent lives. They were joined by a mystery person in a bulky, but effective, version of Iron Man's armor. We later learn that it was Riri Williams. While little was known about her (and this was not her first appearance), she joined Team Iron Man. Considering their similarities, it wasn’t shocking.
With Marvel Studios’ Ironheart premiering on Disney Plus (and bringing Dominique Thorne's version of the character back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe), it seems like the right time to introduce people to the Riri Williams we first met in Marvel Comics. These facts about her are a good way to learn who she is and why she was chosen to get a solo project in the MCU. Let's start at the beginning.
Declared a super genius at how old?!
On the first page of Riri Williams’ first solo series (Invincible Iron Man: Ironheart Vol. 1, written by Brian Michael Bendis, with art by Stefano Caselli), readers learn that Riri is a super genius. Fun fact: Her parents learn this when she was just five years old.
The principal of her school explains to Riri’s parents why their daughter is having behavior problems. He says she’s bored. Her parents are confused because she has things to do. The principal continues by saying Riri took a test and scored at a super genius level. He says, “She’s bored because she’s smarter than you, smarter than me… and you are giving her Sesame Street, dollies, and apple juice in a cardboard box. She is acting up out of boredom.”
Riri had things to do from a very young age!
Riri's dynamic debut
The first appearance of a character is important. Wolverine debuted fighting the Hulk (Incredible Hulk Nos. 180 and 181), Deadpool began as a villain fighting the New Mutants and Cable (New Mutants No. 98), and Captain America started his run of excellence punching Hitler (Captain America No. 1, 1941). Riri Williams didn’t begin her Marvel Comics journey fighting. Her origin started with a creation.
At the end of Invincible Iron Man No. 7 (written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Mike Deodato Jr.), Riri Williams is shown building a functional Iron Man armor at 15 years old. A feat that people twice her age can't do with a massive team behind them. If that's not impressive enough, she did it with things she found around the M.I.T. campus and built it inside her room instead of a lab or factory.
Her best friend and her stepdad's death
Most comic book heroes have a tragedy that motivates or molds them. Riri’s is among the most heartbreaking. After finding a friend (Natalie) and slowly starting to learn that her stepfather cares, they’re both taken from her in an act of violence.
Gunshots fly on a beautiful day during a picnic. As Riri’s stepfather attempts to push them both out of the way, he's shot, only saving Riri. As her best friend slowly dies, she holds Riri’s hand. As tears roll down Natalie’s face, her last words to her friend are “Why?”. Meanwhile, Riri’s mother (Ronnie) screams as she holds her dying husband. The story gets more tragic. This isn’t the first time this has happened to Riri and her mom. Her biological father was killed by a gunshot, too.
Riri has Tony Stark’s blessing
After Riri's first trip in her armor, Tony Stark visited her and her mother. Tony was beyond impressed by everything she did. He even saw a little bit of himself in her. When he said he couldn’t give her an AI, she said she’d just have to build one herself. It made Tony smile because there was someone else out there to continue his legacy. That and she was so confident in her skills.
Tony's blessing was confirmed in Invincible Iron Man: Iron Heart when he gave her an AI based on his personality.
Team of young heroes
Riri Williams has never been an Avenger. She may have teamed up with them during a big event, but she hasn’t been a member. However, she was part of one of the premier young teams, the Champions. Among the members were a young Cyclops (snatched from the past), Viv (Vision’s daughter), Miles Morales, and Amadeus Cho (Brawn a.k.a. the Totally Awesome Hulk).
This may not seem important, but it could be. Everyone assumes that the Young Avengers are the team we’ll see with Kate Bishop, Kamala Khan, and the other up-and-coming heroes. However, the Champions franchise could be the way to go. It may not have the branding, but it could start something new. (And hey, rumor has it that Marvel's long-rumored Young Avengers project is expected to be retitled Champions). Stay tuned to Bam Smack Pow to find out if that happens.
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