The real superhero

 I was probably under ten years old when Iron Man became my favorite superhero.  Every Sunday, I would get my allowance and run to the neighborhood newspaper stand to buy my weekly Iron Man comic book.

There was something different about his character.   All the other superheros had gotten their powers through all types of random events. Some were born that way, like Superman.  In Tony's case, his ingenuity and courage were his powers. Both are things that we all have and that can be nurtured over time.  A sort of democratic, self made superhero that started out as a regular human but thanks to his hard work, was able to go toe to toe with Superman.  Excellent.  

Tony Stark was blessed by an environment that completely supported his eccentricities. His two male friends and the exquisite Pepper Potts covered his back and allowed him to concentrate on the small sliver of this world that he considered interesting.  

Robert Downey Jr.'s rendition of Tony Stark as the completely self centered, ADHD tinkerer, is different than my own take on this character, but after three movies, I start identifying Robert Downey with Iron Man.  

For those of you that are not baby boomers, he was the Lindsay Lohan of the 90's.  A talented child actor gone bad. There is a price to pay for creative talent.  It seems that highly creative individuals are more easily swayed into self destructive behavior. 

In 1987 RDJ starred in the highly disturbing movie "Less than Zero", where he plays a drug addicted rich boy whose life completely unravels.  In an interview, he called this movie "the ghost of Christmas future".  From the mid 90's to early 00's he was in and out of drug rehab for some truly dangerous substances.  He was on the most frightening self destructive path.  He went to jail a few times on drug charges during the early 00's.  This was happening at the same time than his acting was being nominated for an Oscar. A very talented train wreck. 

 Be it as it may, descending into hell is a lot easier than climbing out of it.  Heroine and cocaine are not addictions that are easily broken.  I wonder what motivated him to fight this incredibly difficult fight. In interviews he mentioned that we was completely committed to rehabilitation that last time. Did he find the real life Pepper Potts, did he reconnect with his children? Who knows. 

Watching the movie last night, I was happy to see how vibrant and healthy he looks at 48. No doubt that Robert Downey jr. has won this real life fight.  He seems to be a better man now.  He is, in my book, the real superhero.