Marvel has revealed that its latest volume of Ultimates, the flagship title of its relaunched Iron Man, Tony Stark. This version of Iron Man is younger, and more idealistic, and I can't think of a more brutal alternative for a shocking, gamechanging character death.
The Ultimates #6 – written by Deniz Camp, with art by Juan Frigeri – will feature the climactic battle between the freshly assembled squad and the villainous Ultimate Hulk. The synopsis for Ultimates #7 promises at least one heroic casualty from this fight, and looking back on the series up to this point, I think the creative team has been setting up Tony Stark for a tragic fall.
The Ultimates so far has treated Tony like its lead protagonist – to take him off the board at this point in the series would be a radical departure from readers' expectations.
The Ultimates Are Losing A Member At The End Of Their First Arc & I Think It's Going To Be Tony Stark
The Ultimates #6 – Written By Deniz Camp; Art By Juan Frigeri; Color By Federico Blee; Lettering By Travis Lanham
In a parallel to the original early 2000s Ultimates series – as well as the original 1960s debut of Avengers – the initial arc of writer Deniz Camp's The Ultimates will end in a violent confrontation with the Hulk. I love the way Camp is rhyming Marvel history here, echoing familiar story beats, while consistently offering some novel subversion of the lore he has to play with. It makes sense that the team's first battle against a supervillain would have major consequences, but which of the heroes introduced so far will bear the cost of those consequences is the really question.
There are a few reasons I think Tony Stark will be the hero to fall in battle in Ultimates #6. Known as "Iron Lad" in this timeline, this is a more inexperienced version of Stark, and Marvel's advanced solicitation for the issue hints that this will lead the team into danger:
ULTIMATES ASSEMBLE TO TAKE DOWN THE HULK! The entire roster of THE ULTIMATES unites for the first time in this high octane, climactic conclusion of the first arc! Iron Lad has a plan to defeat the Hulk, the most powerful and imposing member of the Maker's Council — but has he gotten his team in over their heads?
While younger, and perhaps less prepared to face the Hulk, Iron Lad has so far been depicted as still embodying the core heroic virtues of the Tony Stark most fans are familiar with. I would wager that this includes his propensity for self-sacrifice, if it should come to that.
First, Why The Ultimates Killing Off Tony Stark Seems Like Such A Wild Prediction
The Ultimates #6 – Available November 6 From Marvel Comics
In order to make my case that the series is going to kill off Iron Lad, I'd like to dig in and scrutinize everything we know about Ultimates #6 and #7, and consider it in the context of what has happened in the first five issues. First, however, I should address the inevitable counterpoints to my argument. That is, I should start by considering the case against Ultimate Tony Stark dying this early in the series. Of all the characters in this rebooted Ultimate timeline, the most narrative energy has, without a doubt, been devoted to building up Tony.
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Spoiler alert for my argument for killing him off, but this is exactly what would make the loss of Iron Lad so impactful for both Ultimates readers, and the surviving Ultimates team , moving forward. Yet I understand that many readers will see that investment of time and page-space as signaling that he is too important to the overall trajectory of Ultimates story to kill at this stage, even for a huge dramatic pay-off. Certainly, many fans will argue that the loss of one of his newly recruited team will further Iron Lad's story, rather than the other way around.
My Case For Why The New Ultimate Iron Man Makes The Most Sense For Marvel To Kill Off
The Ultimates #7 – Written By Deniz Camp; Art By Juan Frigeri; Available December 4 From Marvel Comics
The Ultimates has been the story of a superhero team coming together against all odds, to fight against an almost insurmountable level of adversity. Iron Lad has unquestionably been positioned as the team's leader, and the series' protagonist – which would make his death the greatest obstacle yet for the team to face. In one way or another, almost all the heroes of this incarnation of the Marvel Universe owe their empowerment to Tony Stark, making him the single most pivotal character in the story, and making his death more of a devastating blow than any other character could equal.
The loss of Iron Lad...would force the series' other characters to step forward and take on more prominent roles, and most importantly, it would emotionally resonate in a way that no other character can match at this point.
The way I look at it, killing off Iron Lad in Ultimates #6 would be a huge shock for fans – but beyond that, it would be the most consequential storytelling move writer Deniz Camp and Marvel could make, in of how it would affect every single character in a significant way. Ultimate Marvel as a project, especially in this second iteration, is all about offering a radically new paradigm for its characters to operate within. That isn't just a matter of set-up, but also of follow-through.
That is to say, the series needs to continue pushing the story in unexpected directions, and nothing would do that more effectively than the death of Tony Stark. The loss of Iron Lad would change the entire nature of the story; it would force the series' other characters to step forward and take on more prominent roles, and most importantly, it would emotionally resonate in a way that no other character can match at this point. Personally, I think it would be better for Tony Stark be taken off the table than the newly introduced Hawkeye, or Ultimate America Chavez.
Let's Be Real – A Superhero Death Doesn't Need To Be Permanent To Be Impactful
If The Ultimates Can Deliver A Devastating Moment, I'm Satisfied
This version of the Ultimate Universe is a product of time travel and timeline-hopping, so I would hazard a guess that whoever the series might kill off in The Ultimates #6 might not be permanently gone – and I am fine with that. Too much of the discourse around superhero deaths is fixated on whether it needs to be "forever," or for a long time, to be meaningful, and I don't think that's right. Storytelling is about crafting moments that stick with readers; if a character death is done right, the emotional impact it can have is all that matters.
If author Deniz Camp and artist Juan Frigeri can give me a truly heartbreaking death scene for this incarnation, I will be excited and impressed.
I'll close by noting that the cover for The Ultimates #7 does feature Iron Lad, along with Captain America, Hawkeye, and more of the Ultimates – and if I was killing off a major character in a story like this, I would have them on the cover of the next issue as a misdirect. That might be a bit of conspiratorial thinking, but it's worth noting that the cover of Ultimates #8 gives away nothing, suggesting that Marvel will keep a lid on any more potential spoilers until issue #6 is out, and the major death has happened.
I think killing off Ultimate Tony Stark would be a bold move for this story, and would ratchet up the stakes of the series exponentially. Even if a time-displaced version of the character was brought back later, if author Deniz Camp and artist Juan Frigeri can give me a truly heartbreaking death scene for this incarnation, I will be excited and impressed. Whether the Ultimate incarnation of Iron Man dies, or lives to feel guilty for the death of another member of the team, Ultimate Marvel has hooked me once more with the wide open possibilities of its story.
The Ultimates #6 will be available November 6, 2024 from Marvel Comics.
- Writer
- Brian Michael
- Publisher(s)
- Marvel
- Main Characters
- Spider-Man, The Hulk, Thor, Daredevil
Created in 2000, the Ultimate Marvel imprint redesigned the entire Marvel Comics universe with a new set of origin stories and relationships. The reboot reinterpreted Marvel continuity from scratch in an attempt to simplify and update the company's 60-year history for modern audiences. With famous comic book writers such as Brian Michael Bendis, Warren Ellis, and Mark Millar at the helm, the Ultimate universe (named Earth-1610 within the Marvel multiverse) lasted 15 years and provided plenty of inspiration for the MCU.
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