Before Iron Man can propose to Hellcat, he has to fight a gorilla - seriously

Iron Man #20 panel
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Tony Stark's MCU fans know him for his relationship with Pepper Potts, his longtime on-again-off-again romantic partner. But in the latest volume of his title, he's been dating fellow superhero Patsy Walker/Hellcat - and in May's Iron Man #20 from writer Christopher Cantwell and artist Angel Uzueta, he's going to propose.

Iron Man #20 cover by Alex Ross (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Now, of course, we don't know what Patsy will say - it's a real WWE Titantron proposal moment for the pair. If she says yes, this will be the first wedding for Iron Man, but the third for Patsy - including a former marriage to Daimon Helstrom, the Son of Satan.

"Since Issue #1, bringing Patsy Walker/Hellcat into this story just felt right. She was the perfect kind of grounded presence in Tony Stark's hyper-octane world that I believed could help bring more balance to his life," states Cantwell in the announcement of Iron Man #20. 

"Patsy Walker's best super-power in my mind has always been her ability to be human and sincere. And like Tony, she has had her share of demons in the past (some literal in her case)."

Here's a gallery of interior pages from Iron Man #20, which have less to do with Tony and Patsy's engagement and a lot more to do with Iron Man riding his vintage roller skates into battle with a gorilla.

Yup. You read that right. Check it out:

So what is it about billionaire superheroes proposing to women who dress like cats (we're looking at you, Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle)? Who knows - but here's hoping that things work out better for Tony Stark and Patsy Walker than they did for Batman and Catwoman.

"Both Patsy and Tony have gone through fundamental transformations in this story. And as the dust settles, and Tony sees Patsy as this phenomenal force in his life, he does the only thing he can think to do in order to keep her near him and connected: he proposes they be together for the rest of their lives," Cantwell continues. 

"Of course, marriage is freighted for Patsy in ways it is for few other Marvel characters. Just one of her previous relationships took her to the very depths of hell. It's not an easy decision for her in the least."

Iron Man #20 goes on sale on May 11.

Iron Man and Hellcat may join the ranks of the greatest superhero power couples of all time.

George Marston

I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)