In one of the best single-issue stories in IM's long history, writer Archie Goodwin features a world-spanning computer of the
future dubbed Cerebrus,
who was apparently created by Tony Stark some 400 years before! Rebel humans in
this future have whisked Stark to their time to face execution -- hoping that
his death will prevent the existence of the omnipotent computer. One of the
rebels informs Stark that Cerebrus started out as a Stark-invented master
defense computer for the United States. However, it had begun to spread to an
international magnitude eventually encompassing the entire globe! Humanity
eventually fell to slavery before its power, with the exception of small rebel
band.
While in the future,
an attack by Cerebrus allows Stark to escape his
human captors. He joins forces with a woman named Krylla
to battle the mechanical monstrosity using his Iron
Man armor that he discovers in a museum! When
Cerebrus has IM on
the ropes, Stark removes his helmet and Cerebrus realizes he cannot kill Stark
without destroying himself! While Cerebrus hesitates, Krylla tosses a special "blast pellet" into
Cerebrus' master computer bank starting an explosive chain reaction that
ultimately annihilates the evil machine.
FYI: Kurt
Busiek had hinted that the
Stark Solutions web-browser Tony invented in the volume 3 series may be the bare beginnings of Cerebrus.
First IM Appearance: Iron Man #5. 
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 13 July 2008 )
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