Appearing in "When Innocence Dies"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Willie Evans, Jr. (Final appearance; dies)
- Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S.
- X-Factor / X-Terminators
Antagonists:
- Grunt (William Evans, Jr.) (First and only known appearance)
Other Characters:
- Willie Evans, Sr. (Final appearance)
- Doris Evans (Mentioned) (Death)
- Cameron Hodge
- Franklin Richards
- Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards)
- Susan Storm (Susan Richards) (Behind the scenes)
- S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Miss Thatcher
- Rita
- Mary Lou
- The colonel
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
- Guardsman Armor
- Iron Man Armor MK VII
- Alpha-particle generator
- Brain scan device
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "When Innocence Dies"
Young Willie Evans has the mutant ability to alter reality. However, Willie is a troubled youth and receives advice from a strange, talking frog named Grunt. A violent outburst at his school alerts the authorities of Project Pegasus to his presence and they sneak into the Evans' home late at night and abduct the boy.
The following day, Iron Man hand delivers a new Stark Alpha-Particle generator to Project Pegasus. He speaks with his old pal, the Guardsman, Michael O'Brien. During which time, he sees Project Pegasus guards ushering the unconscious Willie Evans into a laboratory. Tony grows immediately suspicious and wants to know what Pegasus is doing with a young boy.
On Manhattan's lower West Side, Willie Evans, Sr. visits the complex of the mutant-hunting organization X-Factor. He wants X-Factor to find his son and describes the horse-head patch on the uniforms of the men who abducted him. After a quick review, X-Factor learn that Evans' son is the boy who once caused so much trouble for the Fantastic Four.
The members of X-Factor exchange their business uniforms for their X-Terminators costumes and go to Project Pegasus. They ultimately get into a fight with Iron Man. As is often the case, the opposing combatants are fighting due to a misunderstanding. Once explanations are made, they join forces to face the common threat.
By this point, Willie Evans escapes from Project Pegasus and the heroes track him to the nearby town of Pottersville. Grunt is revealed to actually be a physical manifestation of his rage and fear. Through Grunt, Willie creates giant effigies of X-Factor and forces them to fight one another. Willie's father intervenes and tries to stop them, but Willie lashes out, nearly crippling his father. The shock of seeing his father hurt, makes Willie realize what he has done. He turns against Grunt and unleashes the full spectrum of his power against him. The energy surge from the attack destroys the entire town of Pottersville and Willie dies in the explosion.
Notes
- The events of this issue take place between Iron Man v.1 Vol 1 211 and Iron Man v.1 Vol 1 212.
- Iron Man appeared last in West Coast Avengers Annual Vol 1 1.
- Willie Evans and his father appeared last in Fantastic Four v.1 Vol 1 203. The death of Willie's mother, Doris, is revealed in this issue.
See Also
Links and References
- Iron Man (Volume 1) series index at Comicbookdb.com
- Iron Man (Volume 1) series index at the Grand Comics Database Project
