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(May 2005) -No title- Cover art:
Andy Kubert & Richard Isanove. Script: Orson Scott Card. Art:
Andy Kubert/Danny Miki. In
what could be called "Ultimate Howard Stark," in this opener we
see neither Tony Stark
(except as an embryo) nor Iron
Man! Nevertheless, it's a
pretty decent debut. Howard Stark is working to perfect a "biotech
armor" -- a blue,
spray-painted on substance that makes the wearer virtually invulnerable. The
hassle, though, is that its effect is temporary and potentially quite dangerous
to the user. Enter Dr. Maria
Cerrera, who may hold the key
to Howard's troubles. She's a geneticist who's been dibbling in human
regeneration techniques. Looks like Howard is tryin' to make some moves on her,
too ... but wait!! Stark is married!! His wife Loni
is looking to divorce, however, and she's planning something dastardly with ... Zebediah
Stane! Stane has been
buying up Stark company stock, and when Loni divorces Howard, she'll get half of
his company stock. Loni and Stane together equals ownership of Stark
Defense Corporation!
Later,
Howard has married Dr. Cerrera, and she's been working on her regeneration
methods. In a scene straight out of the thriller "28
Days Later," a test
monkey lunges at Dr. Cerrera from his cage. Falling backward, Cerrera's
bio-helmet cracks and breaks, the monkey severs his arm on a shard, and its
infected blood gets in Cerrera's mouth! And here's the big "oops":
Cerrera is pregnant! Maria informs her new husband that their baby will be
affected by the test virus in good and bad ways: his mental growth and capacity
will be incredible, but his skin will be incredibly sensitive, like 3rd degree
burns. As Maria's life begins to fade away, Howard works like crazy to perfect
his biotech armor using as much of his wife's research as possible. Just when it
looks as if he has a breakthrough, Zebediah Stane enters and informs Stark that
he no longer owns the company -- it's now Stane's! The phone rings, and Stane
answers it, telling Stark "This is my phone now." Stane then
informs Howard that Maria has just died.
A
decent foundation for the Ultimate Universe Tony Stark. He's obviously the
embryo shown late in the book, and it seems the test virus that infected Maria
will somehow be responsible for Stark being such a genius. I just hope it
doesn't take 4-5 issues to see Tony Stark, or, of course, Iron
Man. Card makes some nice
connections with Zebediah Stane (Obadiah's Ultimate "cousin") and
Maria -- the name of the Marvel Universe proper's Mrs. Howard Stark. Kubert's
art is solid, but what is up with that last panel on page 10? YUCK!
Hube's
Recommendation: 
repulsors!
Fan
Reaction: Hube:
Bio-based armor impervious to screwdrivers! Tony's a mutant! The
Invincible Iron-X-Man. I can't stop yawning. Somebody drive me to Starbucks. --
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