What does Brian Michael Bendis have in store for us in regards to our favorite shell head, during post Secret Wars?
I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Bendis during the NY Special Edition panel in which news was revealed that he will be plotting Invincible Iron Man #1 with artist David Marquez during the aftermath of Secret Wars. With this being revealed exclusively during the Special Edition, according to Bendis Stark will modify his technological armor by not having a myriad of collected suits within his domain. Instead, it will be upgraded to the modified point that the current suit he wears can manifest and change itself to any iteration he desires. This seems to be a big step up from the Extremis enhancement. Most importantly, what was further revealed was the delving into Tony’s family tree. We recently had an arch that introduced Tony Stark’s long lost bother, but in this rendition Bendis will go into the origins of Stark’s parents. What can we expect from this, and does it enhance the evolution of Iron Man? During the Original Sin story, I and other fans were not as intrigued with the adoptive approach of entering another sibling to Stark’s life. Although there was nothing wrong with adding to the plot, one wonders if an in depth look at Tony’s parents will catch the readers eye the way fans have always wondered more about Peter Parker’s parents? After all, are we defined by what our parents make of us? Also, how does “post-Secret Wars” Tony differ from its Pre version? I was further told that Iron Man’s relationship with James “War Machine” Rhodes will be stronger than ever, and Rhodes still has the action packed fierceness we can expect.
After the revealing details, I had to ask. Bendis…..”as a continuity buff, does the pre-secret war history become null, and void from existence?” Bendis made a direct claim that we can all side line the rumors of seeing the events after the Secret War as a reboot or “what if?” Marvel’s wide universe will not get rid of its rich stories, by which everything that has happened does “count.” Simply, the incursions of Secret Wars merely adds on to a wider array of story telling within the expanded universe. Case in point of Old Man Logan crossing over to the events of the Secret War. Thus, with continuity surviving, will the current universe expand to unlimited horizons, or will it pop like a balloon with overlapping realities? As Bendis would say, Secret Wars gives the creators room to mold things to newer heights.
By: Adam Vega.
