Story #2Independence Day
Writer: Greg Pak. Penciler: Pat Lee. Inker: Dream Engine. Colorist: Dream Engine. Editor: Stephanie Moore. Cover Penciler: Pat Lee. Cover Inker: Pat Lee. Letterer: Rus Wooton.
Synopsis
Last issue
Tony Stark in his new
Iron Man armour tracked
Henry Pym to a meeting of human revolutionaries, which was interrupted by 3
Sentinels. One of the Sentinels appeared to be operated by Tony's father
Howard.
It turns out that Howard Stark has hacked into the Sentinel, and helps Tony escape. But Tony can't leave the humans to the Sentinels' mercy, and incapacitates them. His actions are then reported all over the media.
Back at Stark HQ Tony gets a visit from a 2-headed emissary of the
House of M. They want access to the
Vision android technology that
Hank McCoy and
Forge are developing. House of M will get it for security purposes, and in return Stark can have exclusive commercial rights. Tony signs.
He had feared they knew about his secret much-improved Iron Man armour. But instead they suspect fellow armoured gladiator
Johnny Storm of being Iron Man. And Storm has gone missing.
Later Howard comments that Tony's psionic inhibitor must be working well to keep his secret from
Magneto's psychics. Tony rails at Howard for leaving the humans to be killed by the Sentinels. But Howard claims that he would have protected them himself. He orders Tony to destroy the armour.
Hank McCoy and Forge hear that suspected human rebels are being rounded up and put into camps. I think they include a couple who were just walking their dog near the meeting last issue.
When Tony goes to destroy the Iron Man suit, he finds Johnny Storm inside it. Johnny knew from their
Sapien Death Match bouts that Stark was the only person other than himself who could have been piloting it. He thinks Stark is a rebel, and he wants to join him.
Then Tony's AI
JARVIS announces that Henry Pym is one of those arrested. Johnny dons his Death Match armour and they both go to rescue Pym. They succeed, but Henry doesn't seem too happy, saying that this wasn't 'the plan'.
Mutant flying troops chase after them. But Pym activates something he is carrying, and the mutants fall from the sky.
He explains that it's a gene bomb (based on his mutant genome research last issue) that targets mutants. And he's planted lots more of them.