Howard Stark

"What is, and always will be, my greatest creation... is you."

- Howard Stark's message to his son Howard Stark was a brilliant inventor and businessman. He founded Stark Industries. And during WWII he worked on various government projects, including the Manhattan Project and "Project: Rebirth". Howard also helped the Strategic Scientific Reserve fight against HYDRA. He constructed Captain America's shield. And after the war he discovered the Cosmic Cube. Later in life, Howard married a woman named Maria and had a son, Tony. He also co-developed the arc reactor with defected Soviet scientist Anton Vanko. Howard founded S.H.I.E.L.D. along with Nick Fury. Eventually, Howard would push Tony away, but did care for his son and had high hopes that Tony would change the world. Howard and Maria were killed in a car accident.

Captain America: First Vengance
Howard began a demonstration which would showcase Vibranium, a metal discovered by Stark Industries researchers in Africa. Later, Howard met with Colonel Philips after being attacked by HYDRA assassins. He agreed to join Col. Philip's newly created Strategic Scientific Reserve.

Captain America: The First Avenger
During the second World War, Howard was present during the process that Steve Rogers under goes in order become America's Army first super soldier after receiving the Super Soldier Serum from Dr. Abraham Erskine. Stark was responsible for construction and formation of the circular Shield made from vibranium. Stark also made Steve an upgraded military suit to use as Captain America. After the disappearance of Rogers, Stark located the Cosmic Cube in the ocean.

Iron Man
Sometime later, he founded Stark Industries with Obadiah Stane, and together they were responsible for the development of the atomic bomb which led to the end of World War II.

Mr. Stark was killed in an accident when Tony was only 17.

Iron Man 2
In it, he is depicted as having been a co-creator of the arc reactor technology, and a founding member of S.H.I.E.L.D.. His major role turned out to be as the original creator of the arc-reactor (which powers both his son Tony Stark's heart and his Iron Man armor) and the design of a new element that can stabilize the reactor, Howard lacked the technology to create the element at the time, so he embedded the atomic structure of the new element in the disguised form of the blueprint of the Stark Expo layout. Assuming that future technology will be able to synthesize the material, he films a message for his son Tony and hints that the key is the Expo model. Before the film ends, Howard says that Tony is and always will be his greatest creation. After examining the Expo model, Tony discovers the new element, noting that his father was still taking him to school even after being dead for over two decades. The new element is the key to a safer and more powerful arc reactor, which Tony needs to power the electromagnet protecting his heart without poisoning his blood, as the previous arc reactor had been. Creating a miniature accelerator in his basement lab, Tony is able to synthesize the new element, upgrade the design of the arc reactor to clean his blood, and construct a new armor suit using the new reactor in time for the film's final battle.

The Avengers
Howard Stark's file is among the ones Rogers studies after his awakening in the present days, and he's obviously reported as "Deceased".

Howard's past association with Captain America is referenced when Tony notes that his father talked about Cap a great deal, although Tony initially expresses doubt towards Rogers' abilities until he sees the super soldier in action.

Character traits
Howard Stark is a brilliant scientist and inventor, with a genius-level I.Q., but often puts his work above everything, family included, thus gaining his son's disrespect. As a young man, he was extremely similar to what his son would have become: extremely brilliant and intelligent, but also a daredevil, often more interested to beautiful women than to science.

Relationships

 * Abraham Erskine - Partner
 * Chester Phillips - Work colleague
 * Peggy Carter - Friend and work colleague
 * Steve Rogers - Friend and work colleague
 * Nick Fury - Work colleague
 * Obadiah Stane - Former business partner
 * Anton Vanko - Former business partner
 * Tony Stark - Son
 * Maria Stark - Wife

Appearances/Actors

 * Marvel Cinematic Universe (4 films)
 * Captain America: The First Avenger - Dominic Cooper
 * Iron Man (First appearance) - Gerard Sanders
 * Iron Man 2 - John Slattery
 * The Avengers (Mentioned only)

Behind the scenes
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Trivia

 * When the film rights to Iron Man belonged to New Line Cinema, early scripts had Iron Man pitted against Howard, who would become War Machine.
 * Howard Stark's scenes in Iron Man 2 were inspired by Walt Disney's promotional videos.