Avengers Annual #9
—- Today the Avengers Die!
Retreating to his underground hideout, the robot known as Arsenal has fully recovered from his battle against the Avengers and vows that today they will die.[1]
While above ground, Iron Man has called a meeting with the Avengers to figure out a strategy to find and deal with Arsenal. Since there isn’t any immediate threat, Hawkeye — still bitter over being forced into reserve status — goes down to the training room to practice his archery.[2] Annoyed by Hawkeye’s immaturity, Iron Man goes to review the data on Arsenal, asking Thor to inform him when the Vision comes back from his task.
While back at Arsenal’s hideout, he wonders why the master has not come back for him and Mistress, the computer that gives him his orders. Mistress believes that the master is dead and that the world above is under the control of the enemy. Reaching the limit of her programming, Mistress tells Arsenal that she needs more information and sends Arsenal back up to the surface to find someone who can tell them what has happened since their long slumber.
Back on the surface, Hawkeye continues to fume over Falcon getting his spot on the Avengers.[3] His training session is interrupted by the Beast who convinces him to help look for Arsenal. Unaware that they are being followed by Yellowjacket at insect size, the pair find a hole in the wall and presume it was caused by Arsenal. While they search the tunnel, Iron Man and Captain America contact Henry Gyrich, their NSA handler, to see what information the government can provide on Arsenal. Gyrich is able to dig up Doctor Singer, a scientist working for SHIELD who can look into the robot.
Singer was able to learn that Arsenal was part of a program that was implemented during a past war. Arsenal and Mistress, the computer programmed with artificial intelligence to guide the robot, were created as an answer for the Nazi Sleeper robots as the last line of defense if the Allies lost the war. As it turns out, the robot and its computer were created by none other than Howard Stark, Tony Stark’s father.[4][5][6]
Meanwhile, Hawkeye and the Beast are found by Arsenal who defeats them in battle by knocking them out. He then takes the pair down into the tunnels below the mansion so they can tell Mistress about the current state of things on the surface. Still following the pair is Yellowjacket who is detected by Mistress. However, she fails to knock out the diminutive hero who flees up to the surface. Still, Mistress orders Arsenal to place Hawkeye and the Beast on some nearby slabs so that she can siphon the thoughts from their mind.
Yellowjacket manages to make it up to the surface and tip off the rest of the Avengers that Arsenal is stationed in a facility hidden below the mansion. Leaving Yellowjacket in the care of Jarvis, Iron Man leads the Avengers into Arsenal’s underground facility. That’s when the Vision returns and uses his phasing powers to sink below the mansion to assist the others. While the other Avengers are busy fighting Arsenal, Iron Man slips away to get into the chamber where Mistress is preparing to lobotomize Hawkeye and the Beast and learn their secrets. Iron Man frees them both and sends them away while he deals with Mistress. Iron Man is surprised to see that Mistress is programmed to look and sound like his mother, Maria Stark. Iron Man tells the computer that the war is over and the allies have won, and to demonstrate this, he removes his helmet to reveal that he is Tony Stark, Howard Stark’s son. Hearing how Howard Stark had died in the years she has been locked away Mistress cannot bear to live in this world and sets herself and Arsenal to self-destruct.[7]
With the threat over, Iron Man returns to the Avengers and explains that the threat is over. He then asks the other Avengers to give him some time alone, as the resemblance between Mistress and his mother really hit close to home.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Yellowjacket, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, the Vision, the Beast), Arsenal Beta, Mistress, Henry Gyrich, Edwin Jarvis
Continuity Notes
Arsenal fought the Avengers in Iron Man #114.
Hawkeye was pushed out of active duty when NSA agent Henry Gyrich forced the Avengers to cut down to a team of seven in Avengers #181.
Hawkeye mentions how Falcon is off solving an embassy murder. This is chronicled in Marvel Premiere #49.
The origins of Arsenal and the lifetimes of Howard and Maria Stark are a fucking mess. See below for details. It should also be noted here that although Anthony and Maria Stark are referred to as Tony’s biological parents, they actually aren’t. Iron Man (vol. 5) #17 reveals, Tony was adopted by the Starks. His biological parents are later revealed to be Amanda Armstrong and a man named Jude as detailed in International Iron Man #5-6.
This story states that Arsenal was created by Tony’s father during World War II. This becomes impossible due to the Sliding Timescale. A later story in Iron Man (vol. 3) #84 states that the robot was built during the Cold War. Later, in Spider-Man Family #8, it goes back to stating that this robot was built in World War II. As of this writing (June, 2022) Marvel has yet to provide an explanation. My theory is that Howard Stark has managed to extend his life span due to his connections with the Brotherhood of the Shield. As such, the World War II references here should be considered factual.
Iron Man and Thor are aware of their secret identities. This has been the case since Avengers #113.
Howard and Maria Stark seemingly died in a car accident as detailed in Iron Man #288. However, S.H.I.E.L.D. #5 revealed that Howard had set up a plan to fake his death with a car crash. If he is still alive somewhere, as of this writing (June, 2022), remains to be seen.
Topical References
Dated pop-culture references: Battlestar Galactica
Singer states that World War II happened 30 years prior to this story. This should be considered topical. Due to the Sliding Timescale, the length of time between World War II and the Modern Age will grow longer with time. For more on that go here.