Maybe.

no

Hell yes! Look at what he has to go through, what with his alcoholism and all, yet he still manages to put the betterment of mankind before his own personal well-being!

I'll just post this, because if I don't someone else will.

He's not a hero because he profits off helping to save the world while almost every other Avenger barely sees a dime. Sure he helped to fund the Avengers, but compare how often he works solely for himself vs how much he sacrifices for the greater good.

He's not a hero because through his negligence Cap was murdered.

He's not a hero because he was largely responsible for instituting a facist law and organization in the US.

He's not a hero because while he's he's a self-professed futurist, he pretty much only uses that for personal gain. He's about self-gratification.

He's not a hero because he and the Illuminati stole a Skrull starship, He and Reed profitted from the reverse engineering the technology.

He's not a hero because while Captain America represents Truth, Justice, and Apple Pie... Iron Man/Tony represents CEO's who use their money to influence politics and society for their own personal gain. Tony heads up SHIELD now? Gee, I wonder which corporation will be getting all the fat defense contracts?

A true hero does not need profit from his labors. He does what he needs to do for the sake of those who cannot do it for themselves because it is the right thing to do, they do so willingly without the expectation of even a thank you.

But.... is this what he believes to be the greater good? The whole law thing, that's all a matter of opinion and national security. When it comes to greater good, sometimes you have to look outside the box, past what people want you to be, and into what people need you to be, such as the strict parent that the kids despise for their rules, but later see that they only want the best for their children. Tony Stark is the American people's father figure, in a slightly extended, perhaps even melodramatic point of view.

Octagon Enigma says:

"But.... is this what he believes to be the greater good? The whole law thing, that's all a matter of opinion and national security. When it comes to greater good, sometimes you have to look outside the box, past what people want you to be, and into what people need you to be, such as the strict parent that the kids despise for their rules, but later see that they only want the best for their children. Tony Stark is the American people's father figure, in a slightly extended, perhaps even melodramatic point of view."

By the very definition of a hero, "The ends do not justify the means". Tony Stark believes otherwise, which is demostrated by his every action.

Father figures historically/mythologically speaking are rarely heroes.

Satyrquaze says:

"Octagon Enigma says:

"But.... is this what he believes to be the greater good? The whole law thing, that's all a matter of opinion and national security. When it comes to greater good, sometimes you have to look outside the box, past what people want you to be, and into what people need you to be, such as the strict parent that the kids despise for their rules, but later see that they only want the best for their children. Tony Stark is the American people's father figure, in a slightly extended, perhaps even melodramatic point of view."

By the very definition of a hero, "The ends do not justify the means". Tony Stark believes otherwise, which is demostrated by his every action.

Father figures historically/mythologically speaking are rarely heroes.

"

Historically/mythologically, but what about realistically? How many children look up to their fathers, because they only want to protect their children?

Octagon Enigma says:

"Historically/mythologically, but what about realistically? How many children look up to their fathers, because they only want to protect their children?"

Realistically, about half(?), not that it matters because parentage alone does not make you a hero.

I'm speaking historically/mythologically because comics have more incommon with myths than reality.