Revamped Iron Man Respect Thread · Comic Book 'Respect' Forum

"The armor allowed him to escape his enemies' stronghold. When he returned to the States, Tony swore off building lethal weapons systems, having seen their terrible effects with his own eyes. Tony still felt he had much to atone for, though. He secretly invested all his resources into the construction of a new, more advanced version of his armor... one that would allow him to redeem himself by protecting others as... the Invincible Iron Man." From Iron Man: Season One #1:

FROM CIVIL WAR TO DARK REIGN

The heights Tony Stark's fallen from are unique in history. The great turning point in Stark's recent past, as it was for so many of his super hero peers, was the Civil War. He supported the concept of super hero registration and found himself opposed by Captain America, who was the face of the resistance to the new law. After the brutal conflict, he was lifted to reigning over S.H.I.E.L.D. as its director. As Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., he was forced to confront the returned-from-exile Hulk in World War Hulk and Ezekiel Stane in the Five Nightmares storyline which destroyed Stark Industries.

But it was during the Secret Invasion that Iron Man's veneer of invincibility was truly shattered. Iron Man fought bravely behind the scenes but the public only saw Norman Osborn get the kill shot against the Skrull Queen in Central Park. Osborn was chosen as Stark's successor as the head of world security in what would become an extended Dark Reign. And when Stark refused to roll over for Osborn, he became the World's Most Wanted, hunted and hounded for the secret identities and technology contained in his brain. From Invincible Iron Man #20:

ODG Find Your Own Fire

XXX. ESSENTIAL IRON MAN (cont'd)

EARTH'S MIGHTIEST HEROES

"And there came a day, a day unlike any other, when Earth's mightiest heroes and heroines found themselves united against a common threat! On that day, the Avengers were born -- to fight the foes no single super hero could withstand! Through the years, their roster has prospered, changing many times, but their glory has never been denied! Heed the call, then -- for now, the Avengers Assemble!"

Iron Man was a founding member and original chairman of the Avengers. Over the years, Iron Man remained an indelible cornerstone of the Avengers with adventures that spanned the world, outer space, the edges of time and beyond. From Avengers Finale #1:

IN SECRET, THEY RULE

"The Illuminati is a secret organization compromised of several of the world's most powerful heroes: Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, King of the Inhumans, Charles Xavier, founder of the X-Men and mutant rights activist, Reed Richards, founding member of the Fantastic Four, Namor the Sub-Mariner, Ruler of Atlantis and Iron Man, founding member of the Avengers.

These six men have worked together to mold and shape the status of the superhuman world and the world around it. To keep the trust between the group members, the Illuminati's existence is a secret to everyone, including their teammates and families.

How and what they have done together has remained a mystery... until now..."

Iron Man was also responsible for the formation of arguably the most secretive and influential group in the Marvel Universe, a group defined as much by the impact they've had and their hubris. From New Avengers: Illuminati #1:

ODG Find Your Own Fire

XXX. ESSENTIAL IRON MAN (cont'd)

AVENGERS WORLD

"There was nothing. Followed by everything. Swirling, burning specks of creation that circled life-giving suns. And then... we raced to the light.

It was the spark that started the fire -- a legend that grew in the telling. Some believe it began the moment Hyperion was rescued from the a dying universe. Others said it was when the Guard were broken on the dead moon. Many more think it was when Ex Nihilo terraformed Mars, turning the red planet green. They were all wrong.

As it happened before the Light. Before the War. And before the Fall."

Upon discovering what may be the greatest danger Tony Stark has ever faced, he did what he did best: build something. Approaching it from an engineer's point of view, Stark built an Avengers Machine -- the most powerful Avengers team ever assembled led by an unsuspecting Captain America -- to handle any other overt threat while he worked on the real problem.

"The great idea was Expansion. And it started with two Men. One was Life. And one was Death." From Avengers vol.5 #1-3:

EVERYTHING DIES

"Everything dies. You. Me. Everyone on this planet. Our sun. Our galaxy. And, eventually, the universe itself. This is simply how things are. It's inevitable... and I accept it. What I will not tolerate -- what I find unacceptable -- is the unnatural acceleration of that end."

Summoned by the Black Panther who originally refused to join the Illuminati, Tony Stark and the rest of the Illuminati must confront the greatest danger they've ever faced. Trying to save everything that does, and will ever, exist from multiversal collapse.

But the universes are colliding via Incursion points: Earths. Each Incursion lasts exactly eight hours. And either both worlds are destroyed, along with their respective universes... or one Earth is destroyed, which eliminates the Incursion point between the two universes sparing them both. Eight hours, one event -- two possible outcomes. And though it may cost them their very souls, the Illuminati decide to build and prepare for the unthinkable. Learning how to destroy a world.

"It was an Avengers World. And it was the first of many." From New Avengers vol.3 #2-3: