Robert "Bobby" Drake's first appearance in X-Men # 1 did not show the true face of the hero, not even his real motivations. For many years he remained as the joker of the group. He was a member who's presence existed mostly to make the book fun, not to show his powers and abilities. But as time ran on, readers could see the real Iceman. Bobby was the second of the X-Men (or third) gathered. Saved and recruited by Cyclops as a request from Professor Xavier, he became a founding member of the original X-men team. He remained with the group until Krakoa, the Island That Walks Like A Man, kidnapped him and the rest of the team. After being saved by the New X-Men, Bobby realized that he was unable to fit in the new group after all the adventures he had with his pals. Although he used to be the clown of the group, Bobby's temper had is shown on occasion, like when Lorna Dane (Polaris) chose Alex (Havok) instead of him. He couldn't stand all the new members, who for most part were older than he and not willing to be commanded by the youngest member of the former team. So, Iceman and the other original members left the team, leaving only Scott Summers behind, as the leader of the new group.

In this time of absence from the X-Men, Bobby left and finished his studies, but was not made for working in an office. So when Warren (the Angel) and Hank (the Beast) founded the Defenders he quickly joined. However, that group didn't last long, but as soon as Bobby thought that his hero life was finished, Jean Grey appeared at the bottom of Hudson Bay, and the old team reunited : Jean, Bobby, Cyclops, McCoy and Warren, founders of the original X-Men, formed X-Factor a group born in the middle of the mutant hysteria, pretending to pursue mutants, but really protecting them from the humans. In X-Factor, Robert had already shown more powers from his first appearance, but the most impressive revelation was in his personality side. We learned that Icemanīs father was a man filled with prejudice and hatred for what he though that was abnormal, such as black people, Asians, from other religions and cultures. His father was really against his dating Opal, a Japanese girl.

After the Onslaught Tragedy Mutant hysteria was at an all time high. Mutant hater Graydon Creed made a bid for the presidency. Bobby, along with Sam (Cannonball) Guthry was sent to infiltrate this campaign. Bobby was found out by Creed when his father attacked Creed for being a hate monger. Creed had Bobby's father beat. Bobby decided to stay with his family and left the X-Men, but when one team was in space and the other was trapped by Bastion, Iceman was once again needed. He saved Doctor Cecilia Reyesīs life and met Marrow while at it. Bobby defeated bastion in his own home and returned to the X-Men with his newfound "friends".

The Iceman has found a lot of troubles with women. Since Lorna, who was suspected to be the daughter of Magneto and left him for Havok, until Opal, whose family didn't approve of Bobby because he was a mutant much more than his father approved of an oriental girl, we've got a whole lot of problems. For example, he once fell in love with his neighbor, who also loved him, but she had a little problem: being a cosmic being, almost omnipotent and with a very bad temper (See the Iceman Limited Series). He as well liked Infectia, a young girl whose mutant power was to twist the genes of the unlucky ones she kissed, and who liked X-Factor's ship more than she liked Bobby. Beast sacrificed himself and returned to his animal form to save Bobby.