Created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mike Deodato, the character first appeared in Invincible Iron Man Vol.

[1][2][3] Dominique Thorne portrays the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), first appearing in the film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) and scheduled to star in the Disney+ series Ironheart (2025).

[6][7] She later appeared under the codename Ironheart in the 2017 Invincible Iron Man series, by Brian Michael Bendis and Stefano Caselli.

[16][17] In October 2016, Marvel Comics and New York-based retailer Midtown Comics jointly decided to pull from circulation J. Scott Campbell's variant cover of the first issue of The Invincible Iron Man, produced exclusively for that store, after previews of the cover were criticized for sexualizing the depicted character, 15-year-old Riri Williams.

[18][19][20] The cover depicted the character, a teenaged MIT engineering student who reverse engineered one of Iron Man's armored suits to wear herself, in a midriff-baring crop top, in contrast to the more modest way in which artist Stefano Caselli depicted the character in the book's interior art.

Campbell called the decision "unfortunate," explained that his rendition of the character was intended to depict "a sassy, coming-of-age young woman".

Brian Michael Bendis, the writer on the series, was pleased with the decision to pull the cover, saying that while he liked the face Campbell had drawn on Riri when he viewed the art as a work in progress, he disliked the completed art, saying, "Specialty covers are not in my purview and it was being produced separately from the work of the people involved in making the comic.

Following her father's death, Riri lives with her mother Ronnie and her paternal Aunt Sharon in Chicago.

[23] Appearing in her Rescue armor following the 2016 "Civil War II" storyline, Pepper Potts confronts Riri Williams and Tony Stark, who has transferred his consciousness into a device becoming an A.I., in an attempt to explain the problems of being a superhero.

[29] During the 2017 "Secret Empire" storyline, Ironheart is seen fighting the Army of Evil during Hydra's takeover of the United States.

Riri sends a distress signal to all available heroes to meet her in Washington, D.C. Ironheart and Falcon II join up with the Champions to assist in the underground's fight against Hydra's takeover of the country.

[31] In a 2019 storyline, Riri is startled to learn that her android teammate Viv Vision has developed a crush on her, which initially revolts her due to internalized homophobia.

[34] During the 2020 "Outlawed" storyline, Ironheart is among the teenage superheroes affected by the Underage Superhuman Warfare Act that was drafted by Senator Geoffrey Patrick ever since Ms. Marvel was put in a coma during a fight with an Asgardian dragon.

[35] In the "Iron Man 2020" arc, Tony Stark, in his form of Mark One, has failed to return Riri's calls.

informs Riri that the signal came from the cell phone of André Sims who is currently working as an intern at Stark Unlimited's Chicago branch.

"[40] Alisha Grauso of Looper referred to Riri Williams as the "true heir to Iron Man's legacy," writing, "Fans were excited by the news, the prospect of seeing Ironheart in live action setting them abuzz.

With her intelligence, determination, and bravery, Riri has risen from a college student to a full-fledged superhero, making a difference in the world and leaving a lasting impact.

"[46] George Marston of Newsarama included Riri Williams in their "Top Marvel Comics Character Debuts" list, writing, "As Tony's replacement, Ironheart, Riri cut her own path through his legacy, taking on some of his biggest villains even as she was forging her own legacy alongside the teen heroes of the Champions.

[53] In 2017, Riri Williams / Ironheart starred in a short live-action film titled “Not all heroes wear capes — but some carry tubes,”[54][55] portrayed by Ayomide Fatunde.

[56][57] Produced by the admissions department Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT),[58] the film shows Riri Williams walking around campus, attending class, building an Ironheart suit in her dormitory, and taking it on a test flight.

As such, Ewing and the team call upon the lessons of past superhero debuts to craft a tale that perfectly walks the line between classically Marvel and refreshingly new.

The art is vibrant and engaging, and the script is a genuine breath of fresh air that injects a new life into Riri Williams that will hopefully see this character and her adventures continue on for many years to come.

Whether Riri is rescuing a room full of people or connecting with an old friend, you can't help but thoroughly enjoy each scene.

Libranda and Becchio's art also helps elevate things as well, creating something that feels so fresh and stunning, especially when paired with Matt Milla's color work.

[65][66][67] Riri Williams / Ironheart appears in media set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), portrayed by Dominique Thorne.