I've known Tony Stark for a long time, and I love him. He's like family to me at this point...So believe me when I say that his getting cosmic powers could end up being the worst thing imaginable--both for him and for all of existence. 
Appearing in "Big Wheel Keep on Turnin'"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Space Friends
- Avengers
- Fantastic Four
- Starbrand (Brandy Selby)
- Echo (Maya Lopez) (Possessed by Phoenix Force)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Michael Korvac (Mentioned)
- Halcyon (Mentioned)
- Misty Knight (Mentioned)
- Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) (Mentioned)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (Mentioned)
- Nova Corps (Mentioned)
- Silver Surfer (Norrin Radd) (Mentioned)
- Carl (First appearance)
- Louise (First appearance)
- Unnamed mechanic
- Unnamed client of mechanic
- Tommy (First appearance)
- Doctor Doom (Victor von Doom)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
- Frog-Man's Suit
- Power Cosmic
- Iron Man Armor Model 70
- War Machine Armor Model 8
- Cat Suit
- Captain America's Uniform and Shield
- Star Brand
- Panther Habit
- Mjolnir
- Captain Marvel's Suit
- Unstable Molecules
- Fantastic Four Uniforms
- Doctor Doom's Armor
- Infinity Gems (Mentioned)
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Big Wheel Keep on Turnin'"
Brief Synopsis[]
Back on Earth, the Space Friends convene at Isaac's Oysters to discuss what to do regarding the newly-cosmically empowered Iron Man. Patsy Walker has had her scar fixed by Reed Richards. Iron Man suddenly makes landfall in Washington Square Park in giant-size. The Space Friends intercept him, and they're joined by both the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. Tony attempts to persuade his friends that he is not a threat, and decides to use his new powers to make everybody in New York City as smart as he is, in hopes to achieve harmony while preserving individuality.
One of the people affected is the super villain Big Wheel, who suddenly wakes up from a coma at a hospital. At night, Patsy is confronting Tony about his course of action when they're interrupted by the rampage of Big Wheel. He is flying through the streets aboard his Big Wheel, joyfully firing laser pulses at cars. Iron Man and Hellcat intercept him, and Tony uses his powers to disassemble his vehicle. They quickly realize that he was reprogramming the cars to follow a super-computed algorithm capable of solving traffic congestion. Patsy takes issue with his reckless way of proceeding which caused chaos, and likens it to Tony's own intellect. Tony briefly snaps at Hellcat, reminding her of Korvac's own behavior. Hours later, Patsy reluctantly meets up with the only person she hopes can bring Tony back to normal, Doctor Doom.
Detailed Synopsis[]
In New York City, the Space Friends sans Halcyon, Misty Knight and Scarlet Spider have convened at Isaac's Oysters. Frog-Man is the only person suited up, and Patsy Walker tells him there was no need for that since Gargoyle had disclosed his secret identity to the rest of the team on their way back from space, much to his chagrin. As the small talk continues, Jim Rhodes comments on Reed Richards fixing Patsy's facial scar. Jim Hammond eventually moves the topic of discussion to the cosmic Iron Man. Both Rhodey and Patsy express worry despite their attachment to Tony, especially as Patsy points out that Tony has a good soul and the best of intentions. Rhodey asks her if she can reach Tony telepathically, and she regrets to inform that Stark seems to be using his powers to shut her out. Frog-Man states that they're going to need help due to their loss of manpower: Halcyon is attending to his finals, and Misty and Ben are busy with the latter becoming Spider-Man again. Rhodey informs his allies that he put the Avengers on alert as soon as they got back. Hammond asks about reaching out to Reed Richards due to his deeper understanding of the Power Cosmic, and Rhodey elaborates that they need to contact everybody possible. The sky suddenly rumbles, scaring the bystanders and putting the heroes in alert as Iron Man appears in the sky in giant form.
Tony descends into Washington Square Park. He reduces in size partially as he assures people they don't need to be afraid. The Space Friends arrive at the scene suited up, and War Machine warns Tony that he's scaring people, prompting Tony to further scale down to human size. As he expresses joy that his team made it back to Earth, they interrupt him to talk. They are interrupted by the combined arrival of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, who appear concerned. Tony attempts to cool them down, but Reed quickly rushes at him to ask about Korvac. Tony assures him that Korvac has been taken care of, not going into detail but clarifying that he didn't kill the villain. Captain America quickly asks Tony if he's a threat, and Stark attempts to play his situation down, comparing himself to Thor. When the God of Thunder refutes that, Tony agrees and points out that with the Power Cosmic he can do pretty much anything. With concern, Steve asks him what he plans to do. Stark explains that Korvac was right in pursuing harmony but was wrong on his methodology, since he believed he alone knew best and put his beliefs before others. Tony compares himself to that as an indicative that he can still be introspective despite his transformation. Iron Man states that Korvac was wrong in hoarding his intellect and wanting to take away free will. He that he once had the Infinity Gems but didn't use them to force anything with them, and assures them he won't now either. Tony poses the question of how to make something harmonious while preserving individuality, and explains that he looked at his own gifts, of the solutions and ideas he has had in the past but were contained within his own mind. He states that it can be shared as a gift. Captain America interrupts Tony as he attempts to finish explaining his idea, prompting Stark to snap at him and growing in size. Both War Machine and Hellcat agree that they will be facing a problem. Tony opens his arms, stating that his gift is now in everybody else. He clarifies that he has made them all as smart as he is. When the heroes react with concern and Captain America tells him to stop, Iron Man explains that what he has done has affected every person in the city as a means to start with a small sample size. In confusion, the Invisible Woman ask Mister Fantastic if he feels different. Reed surmises that he himself has become dumber.
In a house in Queens at that very moment, a man who insists on watching a baseball game on TV is chastised by his wife for his lack of domestic help. Their discussion begins to escalate, but they begin expressing their opinions using more technical terms and introspection, until they come to a middle ground and embrace each other. Somewhere else, a mechanic is suggesting his client to change some components of his car, and suddenly suggests overhauling the entire engine so it runs on hydrogen instead. The two begin to amicably discuss its components using advanced jargon, but when the mechanic expresses the cost and effort, the client settles for an oil change. In a baseball field, a kid catches a batted ball when he's suddenly hit by an epiphany and begins to talk about existential nihilism. In a hospital, Jackson Weele suddenly wakes up from a years-long coma, confounding a nurse and a doctor. Grinning, he states that he had the most incredible idea, and suddenly runs away exclaiming that he must pursue it.
At night, Tony beams himself and Patsy into a rooftop. Sporting his human appearance, Tony is trying to convince Patsy that this is great, but she remains apprehensive. She accuses Tony of not giving people a chance to think for themselves, and Tony tells her that they can, but at an exponentially greater thought capacity. Patsy states that she didn't ask for this, and he recalls an old proverb saying, "Give the customer what they want, not what they ask for." Patsy takes offense, wondering if that means he now sees other humans as "customers." Before he can explain himself, Patsy brings Stark's attention to a commotion. Both spot Weele as he's aboard his flying Big Wheel firing energy beams at cars below, rejoicing that what he's doing is working. Having changed into their hero identities, Tony and Patsy jump into ground, where Big Wheel has taken his vehicle. He warns the heroes not to interfere, and Tony expresses that the laser pulses he's firing at the cars are seizing control of very vehicle in the city. Hellcat lunges at Big Wheel while explaining the technical terms of what he's doing, but he fires an energy gun at her. She manages to cling into his vehicle, but is flung upward by its movement. In giant size, Iron Man blasts beams out of his eyes to hold both Hellcat and Big Wheel in place, and then uses his powers to disassemble the villain's vehicle. Patsy explains that she can see into Big Wheel's thoughts, and what he was trying to do was to order the vehicles into a super-computed algorithm to solve traffic jams. Tony powers down into his human form and commends Big Wheel's idea. He explains that he was so excited he woke up from his coma due to the idea and needed to try it right away. Patsy points out that he didn't ask permission, and rhetorically asks Tony whose intellect does that remind him of. Tony defends Big Wheel since he solved traffic congestion, but she points out it caused chaos and almost got her killed, and asks Tony if he doesn't see what this is going to do. Tony is offended, and Patsy warns him that the world doesn't instantly become a better place just because everybody thinks like he does. Tony transforms into Iron Man again and grows in size, causing Big Wheel to fall on his behind in surprise. He scoffs at Patsy's "small-minded doubt" and promises that he will fix the entire world. Unsurprised, Hellcat tells Tony that he reminds her of Korvac, and walks away disgruntled. Tony powers down to help Big Wheel up.
Hours later, Patsy is in a rooftop facing her back to somebody. She expresses gratitude for that person coming, and states that they understand why she doesn't feel good about the cosmic Iron Man, worrying that it's a bad idea for everyone, especially Tony himself. Patsy reluctantly asks for the person's help, and the visitor expresses that it's a shame when so much power is wasted on a person with such limited vision as Stark. As she turns around, she clarifies that she doesn't want to hurt Tony, but rather save him. The person is revealed to be Doctor Doom as he clarifies that he makes no guarantees or promises, except that he will demote this Iron God back down to Iron Man one way or another.
Solicit Synopsis
IRON MAN'S COSMIC TRANSFORMATION CONTINUES!
The Iron God arrives back on Earth, intent on making his homeworld a better place for all. Finally, Tony Stark has the power to realize all of his best ideas and intentions…but perhaps the Power Cosmic might enable his ego in ways never seen before. It's up to his mortal allies to decide: Is the Iron God a fantastic evolution of their old friend or a grave threat? GUEST-STARRING THE AVENGERS AND THE FANTASTIC FOUR!Notes
- As per its corner box legacy numbering, this issue corresponds to Iron Man #641.
- Gargoyle comments on Ben Reilly becoming Spider-Man once again. Ben reclaimed the mantle in Free Comic Book Day 2021: Spider-Man/Venom #1 while working for the Beyond Corporation. He also recruited Misty Knight into Beyond in Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 5) #75, which explains her absence in this issue.
- The Stark Unlimited HQ is missing in the background of Washington Square Park, since it should be visible behind and to the East of the Washington Square Arch. The arch is also missing its Krakoan Gateway which had been planted in House of X #1.
- The absence of She-Hulk in the Avengers and the presence of Starbrand as a toddler could indicate that the bulk of "Books of Korvac" takes place between the pages of Avengers (Vol. 8) #50, before the epilogue of "World War She-Hulk." This is because after an undisclosed period of time following She-Hulk's departure from the team but within the same issue, Iron Man's hunt for Kovac is mentioned as an event of the past.
- In this issue, Tony recalls once having had the Infinity Gems. This happened in Avengers (Vol. 4) #12 at the climax of the Avengers' race for the Infinity Gems against The Hood.
- When Big Wheel wakes up from his coma, the doctor overseeing him states that he was in that state due to traumatic injuries sustained from falling off a cliff. An editor's note cites Deadpool & the Mercs for Money #4. In this issue, Big Wheel is one of numerous super villain mercenaries sent after Deadpool to steal a Rigellian Recorder that he and his Mercs for Money were providing transportation for. Big Wheel falls off a cliff when the Orb is thrown off his motorcycle and it crashes into him. The nurse mentions that Weele was in a coma for five years, which roughly corresponds to the window of time between the publication of Deadpool & the Mercs for Money #4 in 2016 and the release of this issue of Iron Man (Vol. 6). This measure of time should be considered a topical reference due to the passage of time in the Marvel Universe being constricted by the sliding timescale in which it operates.
- Big Wheel is depicted with light brown hair and blue eyes, when he has grey hair and brown eyes.
Trivia
- Pete Woods' Homage Variant cover for this issue is a homage to the cover of Tales of Suspense #39.
- The title of this issue's story, "Big Wheel Keep on Turnin'," is possibly a reference to one of the lines of the Creedence Clearwater Revival song "Proud Mary".
