With the changes happening in certain Avengers titles (such as THOR and ALL-NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA), Iron Man is also facing some changes. Spilling out of AVENGERS & X-MEN: AXIS, Scarlet Witch and Doctor Doom unleashed an Inversion Spell in order to stop the Red Skull (with Onslaught’s powers) as well as other villains. The problem is, this has had an affect on some heroes as well. They’re not acting quite so…heroic.

Tony Stark is a brilliant and arrogant man. He’s constantly pushing his intellect to accomplish big things. Now it appears he’s taking it to the people. The question is, will the changes he’s going through have a positive or negative impact. (We discussed the changes from AVENGERS & X-MEN: AXIS #4 HERE, which leads into this issue).

In SUPERIOR IRON MAN #1, by Tom Taylor with art by Yildiray Cinar, we saw Tony Stark is kind of acting like a big jerk. Check out some of these changes and why you’ll want to pick up the issue. There will be some spoilers for the issue below.

Tony Stark Sometimes Fights by Remote

We've see Tony operate his armor by remote control before, even in the movies. Seems like a pretty cool thing to do. But if you think about it, it doesn't seem like the best idea. Is he able to give the action his full attention? Is he full aware of his surroundings and any innocent bystanders? What happens if he's distracted wherever he's operating the suit from?

When a new villain, going by the name of Teen Abomination, starts smashing up San Francisco, Tony joins She-Hulk in the action. When Iron Man's head was knocked off, it was clear Tony wasn't even there. He didn't feel "Teen Abomination" was worth actually showing up. Instead, he was at the pool, with a beverage and some female company.

She-Hulk wasn't too happy not being aware he wasn't really there. He was also pretty cold to her, leaving the clean up and dealing with the authorities to Jennifer.

Tony is Drinking Again

Tony is a recovering alcoholic. He shouldn't be drinking. We even saw him talk to his drink, which was a little disturbing. Mix that with his intellect and new outlook on things, you know it can't be a good combination.

Pepper Potts flew out to San Francisco to try to find out what he was thinking with releasing the Extremis App. While he was at the pool, he kept Pepper waiting an hour before going to talk to her. He's even working on a new armor while drinking.

Sounds like it's pretty innovative and sophisticated but how safe will it be to Tony and the public? With all the firepower his suits usually have, it seems the slightest miscalculation could end really badly for Tony and anyone around him.

Extremis App Has Created a New Underclass

The Extremis App was released via smartphones. It automatically downloaded on them and people were able to use it to become perfect. They could have the appearance they dreamed of and wouldn't have to worry about aging or looking...unattractive. This sounds pretty cool, right?

What about those that don't have smartphones? It seems like most people these days do but there are plenty that don't want one or simply can't afford one. In this issue, we see a group of pretty people getting rough with those that haven't used the Extremis App. This soon leads into the next development.

There's a Big Catch to Using the Extremis App

Those people roughing up the homeless person and those hanging out by Tony's pool soon learn there is a price to pay for using the app.

"I won't make a lot of money giving things away for free, and I plan to make a lot of money." - Tony Stark

When things are too good to be true, they usually are. Tony will be charging for further use of the Extremis App. In some ways, it's like he's unleashed a drug upon the citizens of San Francisco. Now that they've had a taste for perfection, will they pay what he's asking? If they are willing, what will they do in order to be able to continue paying?

Pepper Enlists a Mysterious Person to Stop Tony

Pepper is aware how bad things have gotten. This is something that has been discussed before. She refers to this as the "Nightmare Scenario." In order to activate some contingency that has been developed by...someone, she enlists the add of someone.

Who is this shadowy person? Is it who you think it is? Probably not. The last page, which we will not spoil here, has a pretty big shock. You'll look at it and yell, "WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?"

Needless to say, we're hooked on this new direction. It may not be the Iron Man we're used to but that's part of what makes this fun and intriguing. You'll want to see what happens next and whether or not Tony can be stopped. We know he's incredibly brilliant. His mind may be a little tainted but can he be stopped?

Thankfully we only have to wait until November 26 to find out. Be sure to pick up this issue to see everything else that happened.

lol, dat title :)

I think Marvel did the fight thing giving this to Tom Taylor. I hate what he did with Earth-2, but outside of that he's a great writer, and this type of series is right up his alley. Can't wait to see where this series is going. Also I'm calling it now, Ultron is somehow connected to all of this.

And that's right, he-he.

That shadow figure Pepper is talking to maybe T'Challa or Daredevil?

Now THIS is the Iron Man I know and love!

"Is it who you think it is? Probably not. The last page, which we will not spoil here, has a pretty big shock. You'll look at it and yell, "WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?"")))

I was thinking Panther too, but the silhouette was too obvious. I'm thinking the points that look like ears are... from one of Iron Mans earlier model facemasks.

Although after this article I'm seriously thinking of buying this.

that's all right...

Well, everyone knew already that Tony was a jerk, and he's always been a jerk and a jerk with a superiority complex now in full bloom.

Sadly I dont think Hulk is going to show up and clobber some sense back into him this time. This time it seems to be T'Challa (Daredevil can only fight him in a court).

So Carnage is now a good guy, Tony is now a bad guy...

In this reverso world... Zeke Stane perhaps? (if he is still alive that is?)

Axis explains why.

I want it to be the old Captain America in the Iron-Man suit.

Now, I love Tony Stark/IM- I'm going to say that ahead of time(& hate seeing him turned into a jerk, AGAIN- & become an alcoholic, AGAIN, though I know it has to do with the whole Axis flip-flop dealy-o); but this will probably be the next award Tony Stark receives:

The comics community is the only place I see the word 'jerk' still being used.

This is not the 616 Tony Stark. It's the Iron Maniac Tony Stark.

if bc are right something shocking will happen to Daredevil soon

I think it's Daredevil...

I think it´s Daredevil because he appeared early on the issue because he lives in San Francisco. Also because the silhouette and the eyes colored red, looks too much like Daredevil. Also because Black Panther Won´t be using a old armor of Tony to fight him.

To be fair, BP doesn't need to be wearing anything but his own suit to look like the silhouette.

But might I add that it makes a certain amount of sense that Pepper would ask one of Tony's few intellectual rivals that also has a knack with inventions to have someone ready 'just in case' Tony goes south.

Given the cynical world view of marvel if Tony's not being a villain marvel doesn't know how to write him. Kinda surprised Tony didn't hit Jen on the head or dowse her with nanites and then drag her into a bed somewhere.

Then again he's already had her that way and it might be a case of 'been there done that' and Jen obviously didn't mind because she never did anything about it.

I think it's Black Panther. If the Avengers are Marvel's Justice League, then Iron Man and Panther are their Green Arrow and Hawkman.

i never kept up with the previous Iron Man book. Is his long lost brother still around? if so I could see this being him stepping up and trying to stop Tony

This actually looks good. Im glad to see they expandings Tony's armor Based off of the scourge symbiote. I always thought that would have been a good plot device. Im pretty interested to see what this armor can do. I also like this Jerk of Tony stark. He is acting more realistic in the sense of he actually reminds me of a few people i know. Lol.......They are intelligent people, they just like to drink too much and all the time. LOL

@cave_duck: My guess is that's the real Iron Man. Like he's been cloned or replaced by someone.

This is kinda disappointing. I've never been much of a fan of Tony but I've always liked that he's a recovering alcoholic. It kinda showed his willpower and the fact that he wasn't willing to beaten by it. Added a tenacious spark to him which is in line with his character. However now it seems more like a gimmick. Not very fun.

In all fairness, all alcoholics fall off the wagon every now and then. I had similar thoughts to you at first, but then I remembered a couple of recovering alcoholics I know in real life, and this really rang true to me. It doesn't always take much to push them off, either. Things start going well for them, and they decide to celebrate. Just the one drink, and there they go again. Maybe things are going bad, a death in the family or something small like a bad day at work, and they just need a drink or two to help with the pain, and they're off. It sucks to see this happen to Tony, but it feels real to me, sadly.

@meatwadf: True. It would be nice for Tony to maybe admit it first and we get a glimpse of him trying to get back on the wagon. It would be a great showing for the character.

I would like to see that. Would be great fodder for some solid writing and character development.

Did no one else read this issue? All I keep seeing are a bunch of theories on who it might be

@vandersexxx:

It Possibel that is Daredevil because next issues they will fight and daredevil is the 99% while Iron Man is the 1%.

It's uncle Ben, duh!

Whelp... Now we can safely say that at this point THIS is Tony's theme song

@cave_duck: Thinking the same thing about it looking like one of his old masks

No way it's DD, that's too obvious

Damn I knew i should have bought this.

ive read it and it scared the sh!t out of me... the shadow figure... i need to know more... he/she/it seems to have their own train of thought and the contingency that they have cant be good. the shadow figure isnt someone with the bestest of morals...

Tony's life might be in real danger, even with Pepper helping

What especially made me like this issue was that Extremis 3.0 and the elements surrounding it seems like an exaggerated metaphor for our current societal patterns - not to get all analytic, but it was a refreshing plot element.

someone spoil the last page for me!!!!!!!!!!!

Its daredevil hes got his own series where iron man is one of his "villains"

Tony always been a jerk so i fail to see the point, but at least before he was a good jerk.

So Pepper enlists a shadowy man with pointy ears on his head to enact a contingency plan to deal with a superhero gone bad.........

It's someone in an old iron man suit with the dual pointed mask

At first, I thought it was Black Panther, but then I saw it was just one of his suits. lol

Yeah I had no idea what that last page was all about. A great issue all around though

It's Batman. Because he's also rich. =P

I haven't read the issue but I dare to guess that: It's Iron Man(Tony Stark) from the past to stop his future self(Bendis does the same to X-MEN)Have I gone to far..?