"What if the Iron Man of 2020 had been stranded in the past?" - September 1993
Story: Simon Furman
Penciler: Manny Galan
Inker: Jim Amash
Story:
Although this is the shortest Arno Stark tale ever told, it is probably the most revealing one of all. Based on the events that unfold in the Amazing Spider-Man annual I reviewed before, this book tells the tale of an alternate reality in which Spider-Man damages Arno's armor to the extent of keeping him from returning to the future. Stranded in the past, Stark is arrested and serves six years in jail. He then hooks up with Tony's cousin, Morgan Stark, and helps him frame Rhodey for the murder of Tony Stark in his scheme to take control of Stark Enterprises.
Story:
Although this is the shortest Arno Stark tale ever told, it is probably the most revealing one of all. Based on the events that unfold in the Amazing Spider-Man annual I reviewed before, this book tells the tale of an alternate reality in which Spider-Man damages Arno's armor to the extent of keeping him from returning to the future. Stranded in the past, Stark is arrested and serves six years in jail. He then hooks up with Tony's cousin, Morgan Stark, and helps him frame Rhodey for the murder of Tony Stark in his scheme to take control of Stark Enterprises.
When Rhodey shows up in his War Machine armor, he is easily defeated by Arno's futuristic technology. More than just the battle, Rhodey actually loses his life. But the victorious co-plotters are then taken by surprise by Tony Stark's return to life! When Iron Man attacks his futuristic counterpart in shining armor, the battle takes an unexpected turn and Arno is accidentally killed, his true identity remaining a secret to all. As for Morgan, he exiles himself to Central America. Reduced to the state of a poor, bitter and violent alcoholic, he takes his anger out on his wife and their son… a little boy by the name of… Arno Stark!
What's cool:
This is cooler than cool! How could it be any other way? Iron Man 2020 versus War Machine! Iron Man 2020 versus Iron Man! Add to that the surprise ending that FINALLY reveals to us who Arno Stark really is: the son of Morgan! Great stuff! And even though this story reveals to us who fathered Arno, we are left wondering what is the character's origin in this reality and how he came to take control of Stark Enterprises. In other words, it answers one question and brings up a hundred more, don't you love it? ;-)
What's cool:
This is cooler than cool! How could it be any other way? Iron Man 2020 versus War Machine! Iron Man 2020 versus Iron Man! Add to that the surprise ending that FINALLY reveals to us who Arno Stark really is: the son of Morgan! Great stuff! And even though this story reveals to us who fathered Arno, we are left wondering what is the character's origin in this reality and how he came to take control of Stark Enterprises. In other words, it answers one question and brings up a hundred more, don't you love it? ;-)
The story is great, truly one of the coolest What If tales I've been privy to read. It's a damn shame it doesn't last longer! The battles should have lasted a lot longer, this tale deserved more than 12 pages. As for the art, it's very good. The artists demonstrate a good knowledge of the various armors. And you'll just love the last few panels!
Quote:
Quote:
With Rhodey at his feet, Arno boasts: "The War Machine technology is well known to me… almost redundant! I know its systems as intimately as I knew the codes that allowed me access to this office - AND Tony's Iron Man workshops!"
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