Iron Man (2026 series) #9

Tony Stark was at Stark Industries LA HQ for meetings held by his CEO Pepper Potts. His girlfriend Luna Lucia visited with her son Hugo. But AIM sent the current Whiplash (Anton Vanko) to attack him there. Iron Man fought him but the current Citizen V joined in and saved Pepper. But then the old Whiplash (Marco Scarlotti - long thought dead) turned up as well.

While fighting IM Scarlatti reminds him (and us) of (his version of) his history with Stark. He worked for Stark Industries as a 'lowly engineer' to make the world a better place but his 'genius' just made Stark richer. So he became Whiplash and worked for some admittedly dubious people who paid him well. But Stark didn't like *other* people getting rich so he sent his bodyguard Iron Man against him. So Marco improved his weapons until IM killed him in cold blood (IM(1998)#28), leaving a widow and young child. Tony counters that Scarlotti was always just a criminal, and actually it wasn't himself that killed him it was an armour gone rogue. Marco points out that Stark *created* that armour, and the other Whiplash agrees with him while holding Citizen V in a headlock. Marco continues to say that while he was 'gone' the world grew to hate rich guys like Stark, ad when he kills him he'll be a hero. And his electrowhips finally KO his foe.

When Tony awakes in partially-shattered armour he finds himself suspended in midair and connected to some machinery. Citizen V is nearby hanging upside down and wrapped in electrowhip. Stark tries to get CV to tell him who he is but the mystery man will only tell him that he's here to protect him but also make sure no-one else dies because of him. This makes Tony recall those who *have* died on his watch, and he particularly thinks about:- Prof Ho Yinsen who sacrificed his life to ensure Tony lived and Iron Man was born (Tales Of Suspense #39 of course). His love Rumiko Fujikawa (in the 1998 series). And his friend Happy Hogan (IM(2005)#14). Whiplash (MS) announces that they're turning Stark into a bomb that will destroy Stark Tower and everything within 10-miles of it. Whiplash (AV) reminds the other that their employer just wanted Stark distracted not killed, but Scarlotti won't back down.

In the remote Vault super-prison MODOK gets a visit in his cell from holograms of Madame Masque and Adam Ware who want him to join *their* AIM. He says he'll agree if they free him but they tell him that they want him to stay here where he'll play a vital role in their plan.

Meanwhile in Stark's School Of Super-Science in the abandoned Gamma Base the 5 genius students are working on their own stuff but discussing what they should concentrate on. Arjun Brahmin thinks everyone should be able to get to space but Daniel Buss thinks they should be solving Earth's problems. Melrose Morrison thinks everyone should have armour. Chuck Armstrong thinks Stark would want them to make money while Emi Gan accuses *him* of just wanting to build weapons. James Rhodes has been left in charge and opines that Tony doesn't want them to ask what *he* wants but to pour their creativity into their own pet projects.

Stark's security chief Melinda May is visiting to tell Tony what she's found out about AIM, that they have a new leader who's trying to unite all their factions. She confides in Rhodey that she wants to infiltrate them undercover. But just then she catches Melrose eavesdropping on their conversation. Young Mel shows them some of her armour components and says she's been working on an upgraded stealth armour. Older Mel is very interested.

In LA Pepper, Luna and Hugo are with all the SI staff outside on the roof of the building where Ms Potts discovers that her phone has no signal and deduces that Whiplash must have a blocker. She tells Luna and the rest to stay put while she goes back inside to find some way of alerting the Avengers. But the inquisitive kid finds another door which he bets will let them go downstairs and escape. Hugo goes in and his panicked mother follows him. And they come face-to-face with Whiplash (MS).

Meanwhile WL(AV) continues work on the big bomb. Stark asks him who hired him. He won't say anything but it's someone who hates him as much as *he* does. He claims Stark has many enemies and Citizen V chimes in by agreeing that he's easy to hate. But he wonders why Anton is letting Marco boss him around. Anton says they're partners but CV points out that *he*s doing most of the work. And, picking up on AV's earlier comment, he says that if the employer just wanted Stark 'distracted' then killing him will mean he's failed. Anton gets angry and tries to take CV's mask off. But an electric shock knocks him out. (Maybe the mask was booby-trapped Or maybe it was the charge in the electrowhips tying CV up, which now are inert.)

At this point Pepper walks in. But she ignores Tony and rushes over to help Citizen V down. Tony is surprised to hear him call her "Freckles". The pair team up to try to work out how to safely disconnect Tony from the bomb, but he urges CV to get Pepper and other civilians to safety and far enough from the SI building to contact help. But CV thinks he can turn AV to their side.

However the other Whiplash now enters holding struggling Hugo aloft with 1 hand while dragging Luna with 1 of his whips. He says he's changed his plan and now thinks the best way to hurt Tony isn't to kill him or destroy his business but to kill his girlfriend's kid. He challenges Stark to find away to deactivate the bomb. If he makes a mistake they all die, but if he doesn't try then Hugo dies. Citizen V offers to take the boy's place. Pepper begs him not to, and WL asks why he *should*? V says that Tony doesn't care about his business or the boy but he *will* care about *him*. And he removes his mask to reveal then scarred face of Happy Hogan, the friend Tony left to die.