Marvel Transforms Iron Man Into a Cosmic Threat Deadlier Than Thanos

WARNING: Spoilers for Iron Man #15 below. Instead of fighting arms dealers or thieves trying to get rich off of his inventions, Tony Stark’s latest rivalry has taken him to the stars. Iron Man has been feuding with Korvac, recently resurrected in an android body, with both characters receiving a major power boost thanks to the Power Cosmic found in Galactus’ worldship. Dubbed the Iron God, Iron Man is now one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. However, his fight with Korvac causes so much galactic destruction that Iron Man could be considered a cosmic threat on the level of Thanos.

Iron Man #15 by Christopher Cantwell, Ibraim Roberson, Frank D’Armata, and VC’s Joe Caramagna finds Tony Stark and Korvac locked in a heated battle in space. Both figures’ bodies have been transformed and enlargened to the point that they tower over surrounding planets. Unfortunately for these worlds, they end up as collateral damage during Iron Man and Korvac’s brawl. One figure even documents the end of his world at their hands. Planets crumble and break apart under their weight, and they hardly give any thought to the damage their causing. In other words, a galaxy is nothing more than a wrestling ring for Marvel’s Iron Man vs. Korvac main event.

Iron Man eventually references the many deaths they’ve caused when Korvac slams a planet into his body, but it winds up a throwaway line. The Iron God uses the Power Cosmic to transport Korvac to an abandoned, dead universe where he can no longer hurt anyone. In an ironic twist, Iron Man discovers Doctor Doom is responsible for this universe being the way it is. He then finds that universe’s Earth, empty just like everything else, and vows not to let the same fate befall his homeworld. Before he can put his plan into motion, Iron Man is interrupted by the Living Tribunal and other cosmic deities, who take Korvac away. They allow Iron Man to keep the Power Cosmic and attempt to use his new godly powers for good on Earth. 

Tony Stark will look to make up for all the death he and Korvac caused in the next story arc of Iron Man. Even though he didn’t set out to kill so many lives, he now has something in common with Thanos. Both can now be viewed as cosmic killers, empowered with the Power Cosmic and Infinity Stones, respectively. It would be interesting to see them pitted against each other to see who would come out victorious. Iron Man has one of the greatest minds in the Marvel Universe, and it also gets upgraded just like his body. Ultimate power eventually corrupts its user, so Iron Man’s friends in the Avengers and Fantastic Four will be keeping a close eye on him these next few issues.