Appearing in 1st story
Featured Characters:
- Tony Stark (Main story and flashback)
Supporting Characters:
- Stark Industries (Main story and flashback)
- Mary Jane Watson (Main story and flashback)
- Friday (As a hologram) (Only in flashback)
- Board of Directors (Only in flashback)
- Mister Lynch (Only in flashback)
- Gary (Only in flashback)
- Unnamed board members (Only in flashback)
- Unnamed members (Only in flashback)
- Dean of the School of Science at M.I.T. (First appearance) (Unnamed) (Only in flashback)
- Riri Williams (Only in flashback)
- Mrs. Williams (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
- Victor von Doom
Other Characters:
- FDNY
- S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Director Maria Hill
- Unnamed agents
- Avengers (Mentioned) (Only in flashback)
- Biohack ninja (Mentioned) (Only in flashback)
- Ghost (Appears on screen) (Only in flashback)
- Hydra (Mentioned) (Only in flashback)
- Pepper Potts (Mentioned) (Only in flashback)
- Dr. Amara Perera (Mentioned) (Only in flashback)
- God (Yahweh) (Invoked) (Only in flashback)
- Riri Williams, Sr. (Mentioned) (Deceased) (Only in flashback)
- Carol Danvers (Mentioned)
- Inhuman Royal Family (Mentioned)
- Jim Rhodes (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth (Main story and flashback)
- United States of America (Main story and flashback)
- New York
- New York City
- Manhattan
- Midtown
- Times Square
- Stark Tower (Ruins)
- Times Square
- Stark Headquarters (Only in flashback)
- Hall of Armor (Only in flashback)
- Midtown
- New Attilan, Upper New York Bay (Mentioned)
- Manhattan
- New York City
- Massachusetts (Only in flashback)
- Illinois (Only in flashback)
- Chicago (Only in flashback)
- South Shore (First full appearance) (Only in flashback)
- Williams Family Residence (First full appearance) (Only in flashback)
- South Shore (First full appearance) (Only in flashback)
- Chicago (Only in flashback)
- New York
- Japan (Mentioned)
- Europe (Mentioned)
- Paris, France (Mentioned)
- Venice, Italy (Mentioned)
- Afghanistan (Mentioned)
- United States of America (Main story and flashback)
- Hell (Invoked)
Items:
- Iron Man Armor (Only in flashback)
- Iron Man Armor Model 51 (Model-Prime Armor) (Only in flashback)
- Iron Man Armor Model 31 (Hulkbuster Argonaut) (Only in flashback) (Cameo)
- Iron Man Armor Model 1 (Only in flashback) (Cameo)
- Iron Man Armor Model 29 (Extremis Armor) (Only in flashback) (Cameo)
- Iron Man Armor Model 25 (Only in flashback) (Cameo)
- Iron Man Armor Model 41 (Mentioned) (Only in flashback)
- Unidentified armor (Only in flashback)
- Ghost's Suit (Appears on screen) (Only in flashback)
- Riri Williams' Armor (Only in flashback)
Synopsis for 1st story
Tony Stark is sitting among the rubble of the fallen Stark Tower, eating a burger. Several firemen on the scene ponder what is he doing, and Stark remains unfazed by their chatter. Mary Jane Watson approaches him, and he simply complains that he had asked for ketchup, and proceeds to ask for ketchup to the other people on the scene, including Maria Hill.
Three weeks earlier, Stark was at Stark Headquarters announcing his return to Stark Industries after having faked his death for a month, thanking his employees for keeping the company afloat. Down in his laboratory, the board of directors, mainly Mr. Lynch, complain to Stark about his behavior. Stark irreverently replies to his retorts, to the point of mocking Lynch's threat of holding a vote with his own vote to determine that Lynch was "a dick," with only Friday raising her hand in favor. Once the board leaves after Lynch tells Tony to "take a good last look around," Stark, MJ and Friday talk a bit more, with the conversation ending with Tony deciding to talk to the one person he probably angered the most with his disappearance.
Tony arrives at the M.I.T. science center, entering Dr. Amara Perera's laboratory apologizing with a bouquet of flowers in hand. To his surprise, the scientist working in the lab is not Perera. The scientist informs Tony that Perera has left to Europe, and she's just using her equipment. Stark subsequently talks to the Dean, who tells him that Perera had a breakthrough on her research and needed time to pursue it; however, she didn't tell him where did she go neither is she answering the phone. As they approach the Dean's car and he gets in it, he notes that he had expected Tony's visit to be linked to Riri Williams' endeavors to create her own armor.
In Chicago, Riri is working in her garage at the Williams Family Residence with the garage door open. Her mother is trying to get her daughter explain why she decided to risk her scholarship at M.I.T., stealing equipment from the campus and leaving school, to which Riri replies that M.I.T. wasn't a good fit for her. Riri even welcomes the possibility that M.I.T. could press charges, considering the press could help her "debut." Riri's mother tries to get Riri to show whatever she's working on that she's keeping under a blanket, but she refuses. Tony Stark appears behind them, and after presenting himself, convinces Riri to show him and her mother what she's been working on. As Riri introduces herself to Tony, she reveals the scraps that compose her armor from under the blanket. Riri's mother remains adamant on prohibiting her daughter from running around in a suit of armor, but Tony tells her that trying to stop Riri would be futile. Tony proceeds to invite Riri and her mother for dinner to talk about Riri's future.
Back to the present in the ruins of the Stark Tower, Tony continues looking at the sky seemingly unfazed. Maria Hill tries to make him snap out of it, but he tells him he's completely aware of his surroundings and his current situation. Tony mentions that he's aware Captain Marvel is observing him, and that the Inhumans are bracing for war considering they caused the destruction of Stark Tower. Tony makes it clear that he could very easily destroy the Inhuman Royal Family and New Attilan, but he's aware doing so wouldn't bring back Rhodey or fix the friendships damaged by the new Civil War. Tony admits that while he knows what he can do next, he doesn't know what he should do next.
Victor von Doom interrupts Tony telling him that he knows, and invites Tony to see what he needs to do. As Maria Hill tries to arrest Doom, he teleports away with Tony leaving nothing but a trail of green smoke behind.
Solicit Synopsis
CIVIL WAR II TIE-IN!
• A heartbreaking chapter in the history of Iron Man as the events of CIVIL WAR II come crashing down around him. Plus, what exactly is Doctor Doom up to in the time of all-out CIVIL WAR?Notes
- Stark Headquarters is mistakenly labeled Stark Tower during a flashback in this issue.
Legacy Numbering[]
- Based on the Marvel Legacy renumbering infographic, this issue is Iron Man #579