| "Ultimate Iron Man (Part I)" | |
|---|---|
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| Ultimate Iron Man | |
| Title: | "Ultimate Iron Man (Part I)" |
| Volume: | 1 |
| Number: | 1 |
| Cover price: | $2.99 |
| Cover date: | May, 2005 |
| Publisher: | Marvel Comics |
| Credits | |
| Chief: | Joe Quesada |
| Writers: | Orson Scott Card |
| Pencilers: | Andy Kubert |
| Inkers: | Danny K. Miki |
| Cover artists: | Bryan Hitch; Andy Kubert |
| Cover inker: | Bryan Hitch; Andy Kubert |
| Cover colorist: | Richard Isanove |
| Colorists: | Richard Isanove |
| Letterers: | Chris Eliopoulos |
| Editors: | Ralph Macchio; Nick Lowe |
| Navigation | |
| Previous: | — |
| Next: | Ultimate Iron Man #2 |
"Ultimate Iron Man (Part I)" is the first issue of the Ultimate Iron Man comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics. This series takes place in the Ultimate Marvel continuity, which is separate from that of the mainstream Marvel Universe. The story was written by Orson Scott Card with artwork by Andy Kubert and inks by Danny Miki. It was colored by Richard Isanove with lettering by Chris Eliopoulos. The cover art illustration was rendered by Bryan Hitch. This issue shipped with a May, 2005 cover date and carries a cover price of $2.99 per copy (US).
Synopsis
Howard Stark, CEO of the Stark Defense Corporation invites a scientist named Maria Cerrera to his Manhattan facility. He shows her his Bio-Armor project which has created a bacterial body sheathe that will render an individual nearly invulnerable to most conventional forms of attack. The problem however, is that prolonged exposure to the body sheathe will gradually begin to eat away at the wearer's flesh. Knowing that Maria Cerrera's research involves retro-viral regenerative tissue, he suggests collaborating with him in order to find a solution to his bio-armor's restrictions.
Meanwhile, Howard's estranged wife Loni conspires with rival entrepreneur Zebediah Stane to buy out the Stark Defense Corporation. With the shares Loni would acquire as part of a divorce settlement, combined with those that Stane already owns, he would be in a position to gain controlling interest in the company.
Time passes and Howard and Loni Stark's divorce is finalized. During this time, Howard and Maria Cerra grow closer together, fall in love and are soon married. One evening, Maria is working in the laboratory when one of her infected test monkeys breaks out of its cage. It leaps onto Maria and infects her with his treated blood. Maria immediately grows ill, but soon discovers that her illness was not caused by the infected monkey. What she's experiencing is morning sickness. Unfortunately, this presents a new problem, for she has no idea how the regenerative virus inside her bloodstream might affect the fetus.
As months pass, the virus inside of Maria Cerra begins aggressively taking over her body. She is terrified of what it might do to her unborn child. Howard Stark provides her with the best possible medical accommodations, but knows that Maria will likely not survive the pregnancy. The virus is infecting the child's neural tissue, essentially transforming his entire nervous system into one large brain. The only thing that can save him is Stark's Bio-Armor technology.
Howard Stark races back to SDC to conduct some desperate experiments to insure that the Bio-Tech armor is compatible with Maria's retrovirus. His work is interrupted by Zebediah Stane who barges through the doors of the facility proudly announcing that he is now the owner of the Stark Defense Corporation. The telephone rings and Zebediah answers. Pausing a moment, he turns to Stark and dryly tells him that the hospital called to inform him that his wife just died.
Appearances[]
Featured characters
Supporting characters
Villains
Minor characters
- Tony Stark (Behind the scenes only)
- Nero
- Si Ma
Organizations
Races
Locations
Items
Vehicles
Miscellaneous
Notes & Trivia[]
- Iron Man created by writers Stan Lee and Larry Lieber and artist Don Heck in March, 1963 and first appeared in Tales of Suspense #39.
- This issue is reprinted in the Ultimate Iron Man trade paperback collection.
- This story takes place in the Ultimate Marvel continuity, which is separate from that of the mainstream Marvel Universe.
- This is the first appearance of all Ultimate Marvel iterations of these characters.