Ultimate Comics: Armor Wars
Encyclopedia
Ultimate Comics: Armor Wars is an American comic book
limited series
published by Marvel Comics
. The series is set in the Ultimate Universe
, and is written by Warren Ellis
and pencilled by Steve Kurth.
The story is considered an adaptation of the original Armor Wars
story line, placing it in the Ultimate Universe. This is also the second limited series by Ellis to focus on Ultimate Iron Man
, after the previous Ultimate Human
series.
has returned to New York to visit Stark Enterprises branch offices. Stark Enterprises is nearly bankrupt, and Tony intends to salvage what he can from his headquarters to rebuild his company as well as keep his technology out of the wrong hands. The focus of his search is the mysterious Remnant 242. However, in his private quarters he finds a woman with red irises, who threatens to blast him with energy and demands that he hand her the blueprints for the nanomachines that allow him to control his armor. He recognizes her as Justine Hammer, daughter of Justin Hammer. She admits that she got superpowers from her father's private superhuman research program, but now she is dying. Stark tries to strike up a conversation, but Happy points out that there is another intruder who is currently on the same floor as Remnant 242.
Stark flies down to investigate and finds that the box in which he left Remnant 242 has been opened. He also finds the thief who is wearing a suit of Iron Man armor. Generating a hypersphere, the thief hides the Remnant in hyperspace and battles Stark. Justine Hammer appears, and after identifying the thief as the "Ghost
" she blasts him, damaging the armor enough to force the Ghost to retreat, using a phasing unit even Stark can't understand. Hammer begins to hemorrhage internally and Stark calls off the search so he can get her to a medical facility.
Waking up on board a flying facility with the call-sign "FP1", Justine Hammer explains to Stark that his secure systems were hacked a few months ago, and the Ghost was the first person to illegally acquire re-purposed Iron Man tech... but he is not the last. Stark decides he must get his armor back from Ghost and anyone else who may have taken it, in addition to recovering Remnant 242. Justine says she can help him thanks to her connections in the superhuman underground.
Stark and Justine go to Prague where they find Dr. Faustus
who has sold the Iron Man tech. They find out that only one person bought the Iron Man data, someone named Bram Velsing
, who lives in Darmstadt. Tony gets into his suit, flies to this new destination, and immediately a fight erupts between the two Iron Men. Iron Man battles Bram Velsing, and after a quick and embarrassing fight, Velsing surrenders. Unfortunately for Velsing, Iron Man isn't looking for a prisoner, and after getting the information regarding where Velsing sold the Iron Man technology (the British) he is left entombed in his damaged suit, supposedly to die. After going to England, Iron Man finds out that the British Police have used the technology to make an army of anti-riot squads codenamed Firepower
to break up protests against the government's environmental choices. Tony Stark quickly gets into his damaged Iron Man suit and gives Justine Hammer a specific mission to help in the attack.
Iron Man flies down to the streets of Britain where he finds all the riot Police in modified Iron Man suits. Iron Man immediately attacks them, but is unaware of what weapons they possess. The Police retaliate and the battle quickly accelerates as explosives and bullets fly everywhere. The fight goes up into the sky as Iron Man flees from incoming rockets. Iron Man tries to contact Justine but doesn't get a response. He is able to hold off the Police, killing most of them, but once Iron Man flies low through the city, he gets shot at once and appears to be losing the upper-hand. Suddenly, he is ambushed by the Ghost, causing his suit to fall into the Thames River. The Police take Tony out of the river, bringing him to Justine, who publicly revealed that the British government had bought stolen Stark technology.
Back on the plane, Justine and Tony make love, and Tony asks her to stay with him, which she agrees to. They are interrupted by an explosion outside their jet. Tony gets into his ruined suit and flies outside to meet two giant Iron Men who blast Tony until he finally is defeated. The robots bring Tony to a base in a stranded desert where he meets his delusional Grandfather, Howard Stark Sr.
. Howard Stark, Sr. is in charge of the Ghost, the robots who just attacked Tony (ARSENALs
), and also Justine. Howard is trying to upgrade his aging suit and demands that Tony assist him. Howard reveals that he has the Remnant the Ghost stole and wants Tony to open it. Inside the box is the dead head of Tony Stark from an alternate universe, specifically Earth-242. Tony explains he got the head while looking at other universes with Reed Richards. The entire Earth was on fire and the head fell through the portal they were looking through. Tony explains that, while he had already upgraded himself for safety, the head has a defense mechanism that automatically destroys any nearby machinery. The Ghost and Howard Sr.'s robot bodyguards are destroyed, while Howard Sr. and Justine immediately die due to a failure of their internal systems which was keeping them alive. Later, at a bar in Berlin
, Tony is seen talking to the head while drinking in an extremely depressed state.
gave it 8/10, concluding "the series has gorgeous art, exceptional dialogue, and an appealing premise. If you're a fan of Tony Stark, this is right up your alley." Chad Nevett of Comic Book Resources
went further, stating "Ellis’ Ultimate Tony Stark is a wonderfully entertaining character, one that I could read about every month". David Wallace of Comics Bulletin
summarized that "the series as a whole has been one of the better Ultimate books to come out of Marvel's relaunch, developing the Ultimate universe in a new but logical direction, providing a solid take on one of the most enjoyable Ultimate characters, and serving up plenty of action and spectacle for readers to enjoy."
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. The series is set in the Ultimate Universe
Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's superhero characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of the series...
, and is written by Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
and pencilled by Steve Kurth.
The story is considered an adaptation of the original Armor Wars
Armor Wars
"Armor Wars" is a seven-issue Iron Man story arc written by David Michelinie and Bob Layton with art by Mark D. Bright and Barry Windsor-Smith and published by Marvel Comics...
story line, placing it in the Ultimate Universe. This is also the second limited series by Ellis to focus on Ultimate Iron Man
Ultimate Iron Man (character)
Ultimate Iron Man , is the Ultimate Marvel version of the fictional superhero Iron Man that first appeared in Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #4, written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Mike Allred. He later appeared in the Ultimates and often appears in the same titles they do...
, after the previous Ultimate Human
Ultimate Human
Ultimate Human is an American comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics...
series.
Plot synopsis
In the wake of the Ultimatum Wave, the world is in shambles. New York has been heavily damaged, Europe is suffering from extreme climate changes, and the global economy is extremely weak. Tony StarkIron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
has returned to New York to visit Stark Enterprises branch offices. Stark Enterprises is nearly bankrupt, and Tony intends to salvage what he can from his headquarters to rebuild his company as well as keep his technology out of the wrong hands. The focus of his search is the mysterious Remnant 242. However, in his private quarters he finds a woman with red irises, who threatens to blast him with energy and demands that he hand her the blueprints for the nanomachines that allow him to control his armor. He recognizes her as Justine Hammer, daughter of Justin Hammer. She admits that she got superpowers from her father's private superhuman research program, but now she is dying. Stark tries to strike up a conversation, but Happy points out that there is another intruder who is currently on the same floor as Remnant 242.
Stark flies down to investigate and finds that the box in which he left Remnant 242 has been opened. He also finds the thief who is wearing a suit of Iron Man armor. Generating a hypersphere, the thief hides the Remnant in hyperspace and battles Stark. Justine Hammer appears, and after identifying the thief as the "Ghost
Ghost (Marvel Comics)
Ghost is a fictional character appearing in comics books set in the . He first appears in Iron Man #219 and was created by David Michelinie and Bob Layton. Originally portrayed as a supervillain, the character is later portrayed as more of an anti-hero or mercenary.-Fictional character...
" she blasts him, damaging the armor enough to force the Ghost to retreat, using a phasing unit even Stark can't understand. Hammer begins to hemorrhage internally and Stark calls off the search so he can get her to a medical facility.
Waking up on board a flying facility with the call-sign "FP1", Justine Hammer explains to Stark that his secure systems were hacked a few months ago, and the Ghost was the first person to illegally acquire re-purposed Iron Man tech... but he is not the last. Stark decides he must get his armor back from Ghost and anyone else who may have taken it, in addition to recovering Remnant 242. Justine says she can help him thanks to her connections in the superhuman underground.
Stark and Justine go to Prague where they find Dr. Faustus
Doctor Faustus (comics)
Doctor Faustus is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain.An Austrian by birth, he is most commonly associated with Captain America, first appearing in issue #107 of his first series.-Creative origins:...
who has sold the Iron Man tech. They find out that only one person bought the Iron Man data, someone named Bram Velsing
Dreadknight
Dreadknight is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Iron Man #102 Dreadknight is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Iron Man #102 Dreadknight is a...
, who lives in Darmstadt. Tony gets into his suit, flies to this new destination, and immediately a fight erupts between the two Iron Men. Iron Man battles Bram Velsing, and after a quick and embarrassing fight, Velsing surrenders. Unfortunately for Velsing, Iron Man isn't looking for a prisoner, and after getting the information regarding where Velsing sold the Iron Man technology (the British) he is left entombed in his damaged suit, supposedly to die. After going to England, Iron Man finds out that the British Police have used the technology to make an army of anti-riot squads codenamed Firepower
Firepower (comics)
Firepower is the name of two Marvel Comics supervillains.-Firepower I:Jack Taggert worked on an experimental pilotable suit for Project: Firepower for Edwin Cord . The project was ostensibly designated by the U.S. Armed Forces, in conjunction with Senator Boynton, to serve as an ultimate deterrent...
to break up protests against the government's environmental choices. Tony Stark quickly gets into his damaged Iron Man suit and gives Justine Hammer a specific mission to help in the attack.
Iron Man flies down to the streets of Britain where he finds all the riot Police in modified Iron Man suits. Iron Man immediately attacks them, but is unaware of what weapons they possess. The Police retaliate and the battle quickly accelerates as explosives and bullets fly everywhere. The fight goes up into the sky as Iron Man flees from incoming rockets. Iron Man tries to contact Justine but doesn't get a response. He is able to hold off the Police, killing most of them, but once Iron Man flies low through the city, he gets shot at once and appears to be losing the upper-hand. Suddenly, he is ambushed by the Ghost, causing his suit to fall into the Thames River. The Police take Tony out of the river, bringing him to Justine, who publicly revealed that the British government had bought stolen Stark technology.
Back on the plane, Justine and Tony make love, and Tony asks her to stay with him, which she agrees to. They are interrupted by an explosion outside their jet. Tony gets into his ruined suit and flies outside to meet two giant Iron Men who blast Tony until he finally is defeated. The robots bring Tony to a base in a stranded desert where he meets his delusional Grandfather, Howard Stark Sr.
Titanium Man
The Titanium Man is the name of two or more fictional characters, supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. The original Titanium Man first appeared in Tales of Suspense #69 . He was created by Stan Lee and Don Heck.-Titanium Man I:Boris Bullski was born in Makeyevka, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union...
. Howard Stark, Sr. is in charge of the Ghost, the robots who just attacked Tony (ARSENALs
Arsenal (Marvel Comics)
Arsenal is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Iron Man #114 and was created by Bill Mantlo and Keith Giffen.-Publication history:...
), and also Justine. Howard is trying to upgrade his aging suit and demands that Tony assist him. Howard reveals that he has the Remnant the Ghost stole and wants Tony to open it. Inside the box is the dead head of Tony Stark from an alternate universe, specifically Earth-242. Tony explains he got the head while looking at other universes with Reed Richards. The entire Earth was on fire and the head fell through the portal they were looking through. Tony explains that, while he had already upgraded himself for safety, the head has a defense mechanism that automatically destroys any nearby machinery. The Ghost and Howard Sr.'s robot bodyguards are destroyed, while Howard Sr. and Justine immediately die due to a failure of their internal systems which was keeping them alive. Later, at a bar in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Tony is seen talking to the head while drinking in an extremely depressed state.
Critical Reception
As with Ellis's previous Iron Man focused Ultimate Human mini-series, Armor Wars also received a heavy amount of praise. IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave it 8/10, concluding "the series has gorgeous art, exceptional dialogue, and an appealing premise. If you're a fan of Tony Stark, this is right up your alley." Chad Nevett of Comic Book Resources
Comic Book Resources
Comic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
went further, stating "Ellis’ Ultimate Tony Stark is a wonderfully entertaining character, one that I could read about every month". David Wallace of Comics Bulletin
Comics Bulletin
Comics Bulletin is a website with an emphasis on the American comic book industry, updated daily with news, reviews, interviews, and editorial content. Coverage ranges from mainstream to independent/small press comic book and graphic novel publishers.-History:...
summarized that "the series as a whole has been one of the better Ultimate books to come out of Marvel's relaunch, developing the Ultimate universe in a new but logical direction, providing a solid take on one of the most enjoyable Ultimate characters, and serving up plenty of action and spectacle for readers to enjoy."
Collected edition
| Title | Material collected | ISBN |
|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Comics Iron Man: Armor Wars | Ultimate Comics: Armor Wars #1-4 | ISBN 0-7851-4430-7 |
See also
- Ultimate HumanUltimate HumanUltimate Human is an American comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics...
- Ultimatum
- Ultimate Comics: New UltimatesUltimate Comics: New UltimatesUltimate Comics: New Ultimates is a comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics that began in March 2010 as part of Marvel's "Ultimate Comics" imprint. The series was written by Jeph Loeb, writer of Ultimates 3 and Ultimatum...