Howard Stark is the father of Tony Stark, and the CEO and founder of Stark International. He is an accomplished and prolific inventor, and he and his son Tony have worked together on many advanced technological developments. His wife Maria died tragically from unknown causes when Tony was very young. He is calm and kind, good father and wise mentor. Howard might seem young but he is already old, in his old years, he calls himself an "old man" and jokes about his advenced age. 