Tony Stark has reworked his Iron Man armor repeatedly, adding new weapons and tools to improve his versatility. His latest suit sported a surprising ability, which allowed Tony to mimic the powers of another Avenger.
Avengers #6 by Jed MacKay, Ivan Fiorelli, and Federico Blee found Earth’s mightiest heroes defending the planet from the Ashen Combine. The cosmic conquerors divided their forces, with each team member targeting a different city. The Avengers likewise split up, with Tony traveling to Toronto to face the villain called Citysmith.
A self-styled artist, Citysmith has the power to warp architecture and the inhabitants of a city into twisted living sculptures. They intended to make Iron Man into the centerpiece of their latest work. Thankfully, Tony’s new Mark Nil armor had the ability to pass through solid matter. This “Flattery, Sincerest Form” mode was specifically modeled on the density changing powers of Vision.
Why Iron Man Mimicked Vision’s Phasing
The Mark Nil Iron Man armor was intended to be a stealth suit for scouting missions. It was built for speed, with minimal weapons and defenses. The ability to phase was a secondary consideration, which Tony intended to test later under safer conditions. Luckily, it worked perfectly, although not for its originally intended purpose.
Once the Ashen Combine was defeated, Vision asked Tony about why the stealth suit copied his intangibility. Tony sheepishly explained that the Mark Nil was a stealth suit, “and walking through walls is pretty stealthy.”
This is ironic given that Vision most often uses his density control powers in combat. As he noted in his battle with Meridian Diadem, he could become “as insubstantial as smoke… or as dense as plutonium.” While Vision is often creative in how he uses his abilities, Iron Man was still able to put a new spin on them with his flattering imitation.
Avengers #6 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
