544

2017

Marvel

Justin Hammer is a recurring antagonist in Marvel Comics, primarily associated with Iron Man. A wealthy industrialist and arms dealer, Hammer rivals Tony Stark in business acumen, though often resorting to unethical and illegal tactics.

Hammer's primary goal is to surpass Stark in technological innovation and market share. He achieves this through corporate espionage, sabotage, and the manipulation of other supervillains, often supplying them with advanced weaponry. His methods frequently backfire, resulting in chaotic situations and inadvertently strengthening Iron Man's position.

Despite his vast resources and cunning intellect, Hammer consistently fails to defeat Iron Man due to his reliance on underhanded tactics and his tendency to underestimate Stark's resourcefulness. His lack of genuine innovation and reliance on stolen technology ultimately limits his success.

Hammer's portrayal varies across media. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he is depicted as a more comedic and less competent figure, played by Sam Rockwell in Iron Man 2. However, his core characteristic as a morally bankrupt industrialist remains consistent.