Invincible Iron Man #9
World’s Most Wanted, Part 2: Godspeed
Following the failed Skrull invasion of Earth, Norman Osborn has been made the head of HAMMER, the agency formerly known as SHIELD. In order to prevent Osborn from accessing the files from the Super-Human Registration Act, Tony Stark wiped it with a virus.[1] Now thanks to Extremis, the only copy of the database is in Tony Stark’s mind.[2] However, the SHRA database is just the tip of the iceberg, as Tony’s mind is full of secrets that Osborn will want to get his hands on. That’s why he will be using repulsor-powered terminal stations to begin erasing them from his mind.
Tony explains that the process will not just erase all the sensitive and secret information in his mind, but everything that’s there. It will wipe out everything that makes Tony Stark who he is, leaving him braindead. Maria Hill finds this outlandish and tries to convince Tony that there is some other way. Stark doesn’t believe there is. Hill then suggests that he use her sidearm and blow his brains out if he really wants to stop Osborn from getting his secrets. Tony refuses, figuring that shooting himself in the head might not destroy the part of the brain that holds all the secrets and Osborn might find a way to get it out of the brain matter anyway. Erasing his mind is the only way this is going to work and Tony asks Maria and Pepper to trust him, assuring them that he has a plan.
Regardless, Maria thinks this is insane and will not take part in it. However, when she tries to leave the lab, the keypad on the door begins asking her questions. Tony tells her to enter her date of birth, social security number, and her SHIELD passcode. When it asks if she is sober, Tony says it is a precaution from back when he used to pilot his Iron Man armor while drunk.[2] As she responds to the prompts, Tony is suddenly shocked with a jolt of electricity. It’s then that Maria realizes that Tony tricked her into initiating the memory purge. Tony tells her that he’ll be seeing her and to be careful.
Back at HAMMER headquarters, Norman Osborn stands silently in his office. His knuckles are bloody from venting his rage on the window that looks out from his office. He is then advised that the inspection crew has arrived. Victoria Hand leads him down to where they are dismantling all the pieces of Starktech left over from the Skrull invasion. Osborn orders it all dismantled and taken back to Thunderbolts Mountain. Suspecting the lost data might be kept at Stark Industries, Osborn vows that he will crush both Tony Stark and his business once he is through with them. That’s when a HAMMER agent arrives to tell Commander Osborn that they got a bead on Maria Hill. Osborn orders them to make it messy.
Later, in Washington, DC, Maria returns to her Georgetown apartment for the first time in months. Inside, she finds a HAMMER tactical team waiting inside to take her out. She tries to run, but she is quickly surrounded and is forced to surrender. Deciding to stop resisting, she doesn’t make any sudden moves. She is then knocked out and wakes up aboard a HAMMER ship. The crew ae given orders to eliminate her, which the co-pilot is more than happy to oblige. Maria manages to get the drop on him and then kills the pilot, crashing their plane in the water below. Swimming to shore, Maria realizes that Tony is in serious danger.
Back at Funtime, Pepper Potts is entering in her own code to initiate Tony’s mind erasure program. Tony explains that he needed both Maria and Pepper to enter codes as a safety feature. Tony has made a lot of bad decisions back when he drank, and he wanted the two people he trusted most to make sure he was doing the right thing. Pepper admits that Stark is right and finishes punching in their code. With that out of the way, Tony tells Pepper to go back to Stark Industries to sign some paperwork that abdicates Tony and makes her the CEO of the company. However, after the Zeke Stane incident, the business is on its last legs, so it will be her job to wind up the company.[4] When Pepper asks what Tony is going to do next, he refuses to tell her since she can’t tell Norman Osborn what she doesn’t know. She then kisses him and they wish each other luck.
Meanwhile, Norman Osborn is holding a press conference outside Thunderbolt Mountain. He announces to the press that both Tony Stark and Maria Hill are wanted for questioning in regards to their activities during the Skrull invasion of Earth. Osborn says that they have evidence that might have cooperated with the invaders and want to find out the truth.
Tony, suiting up in an old suit of Iron Man armor, is watching the press conference.[5] That’s when Maria Hill shows up and startles him enough that he almost blasts her with his repulsors. She shows him that she was arrested and beaten by HAMMER but managed to escape. She asks him what the next part of the plan. At that same moment, Pepper Potts is tearfully signing the paperwork that will put her in charge of Stark Industries.
Recurring Characters
Iron Man, Maria Hill, Pepper Potts, HAMMER (Iron Patriot, Victoria Hand)
Continuity Notes
The SHRA collected data on registered superheroes following the events of Civil War #1-7. Osborn became top cop following Secret Invasion #1-8.
Stark mind was enhanced by Extremis in Iron Man (vol. 4) #1-6.
Tony has struggled with alcoholism, something that was first explored in Iron Man #128. He operated the Iron Man armor while drunk then and again in Iron Man #168-169.
Zeke Stane was using Starktech to create a new breed of suicide bombers. In order to stop Zeke from blowing up multiple Stark Industry locations, Tony used a massive EMP to brick all of the tech in those areas. See Invincible Iron Man #1-6.
Tony is wearing a version of the Model 16 armor first seen in Iron Man (vol. 3) #1.
Topical References
Pepper tells Tony that his mind isn’t like an iPod on the fritz. The iPod was a popular digital music player at the time this story was published. However, the advent and proliferation of smartphones took the place of stand-alone music players. As a result, the iPod was discontinued in 2022 As such, its reference here should be considered topical.
