Who is the Iron Man of the year 2020? Find out here, as Arno Stark hurtles into the past to prevent a nuclear explosion in his own time!
Iron Man 2020 travels back in time to get a retinal imprint from a terrorist who has armed an experimental bomb in his own time, only to find his quarry is a child who has been befriended by Spider-Man.
We open with Arno Stark (Iron Man 2020) showing off his armor's strength to the press. Having recent great technological successes and is a front runner for Man Of The Year. Mainly due to the working time displacement device. His show is interrupted by his wife, very upset, reminding him of a "promised" weekend for his family. It is clear that Arno won't live up to his promise. Cynthia Stark then takes their child and leaves for Stark International to confront Arno.
His assistant Hawk reminds him of a meeting with the military regarding the development of his Planet Buster bomb. A high yield nuclear device. Arno feels uncomfortable building such devices but his goals require the funding provided by the military. During this time they receive word of a possible terrorist threat. Hawk warns Arno of the seriousness of this particular terrorists but Arno shrugs it off.
Unknown at the time. The terrorist, Robbie Saunders, is already on the premises. Arno Stark's family comes across him and he decides to abduct them and place them in the room with the bomb he intends to detonate. Arno Stark's bomb itself. The Planet Buster!
Minutes later Arno receives work from Hawk that the bomb has been armed and his family is trapped with it. Arno's races back to the Stark International while the automated security systems are closing off every exit in attempts to prevent Saunders escape. Confronted by Iron Man, Saunders makes a desperate attempt for the quickly closing dome. Iron Man tries to "snag" Saunders with a tractor beam but unfortunately Saunders is crushed by the dome walls.
Is it discovered that the only way to stop the timer on the bomb is through Saunders retinal ID. Hawk finds a newspaper article dates 35 years ago is the only reference of this man. Arno decides to use his time displacement device to go back in time and retrieve a retinal scan of Saunders.
New York City.
Spider-Man is having a "scuffle" with Blizzard and his men. A typical bank robbery... Spider-Man makes quick work of the henchman and Blizzard himself and leaves them webbed up for the police. "Compliments Of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man"
Peter heads to the Daily Bugle with hopes of selling his pictures of the fight. He is facing eviction. Having no luck as everyone is busy and no one really wants the pictures anyway, he spies a young man hanging around the office. It is Robbie Saunders, a son of a Bugle stockholder. Peter gets approached by Jameson for a photo job in Geneva the next day. He happily accepts the job and in his joy of not being evicted dances with a drunk and scares Mary Jane by swinging directly into her front window. MJ reminds Peter what tomorrow is...
Aunt May's birthday!
The next day Peter makes it back to his apartment to change narrowly avoiding Mrs. Muggins. He wasn't so lucky on the way out. He decides to just walk out as Spidey. On the way out he runs into Robbie Saunders who was hoping to learn how to take photographs from Peter.
Spidey drops Robbie off at the Bugle. The Blizzard and his crew see this. They have been waiting at the Bugle hoping to run into Spider-Man for some payback. They decide to abduct Robbie instead and use him as bait to lure Spidey into a trap.
Upon pulling Robbie into their van they hear a thump on the roof. The Blizzard, anticipating Spider-Man is stunned to see Iron Man instead! Arno, only wanting to get a retina scan of young Robbie, simply fly's away with him.
The Blizzard gets upset at this. Having suffered defeat at the hands of Iron Man. Confident because of a new enhanced version of his Blizzard suit, he strikes at Iron Man with his best shot and knocks Arno out of the air.
This would be his last mistake. Arno, no wanting to waste time, simply opens up full blast on Blizzard. Killing him.
Arno retrieves Robbie and just as he attempt to preform the scan Spider-Man snatches it away. Again, not wanting to waste time Arno goes on the offensive, firing at Spider-Man. During the blast the retina scanner gets destroyed and Arno has no choice except to take young Robbie back with him to the future.
Unaware of Iron Man's true intent and simply reacting. Spider-Man scoops up Robbie and flees. Arno gives chase all the while firing at them. He realizes that he is hampered by his own weaponry as it is designed only with maximum offensiveness. Attempting to anticipate Spider-Man. Arno fires ahead of him destroy several office building windows. Robbie and Spidey are caught in the rain of glass. Robbie has suffered several facial lacerations as a result. Seeing this (and I love this part) Spider-Man loses his temper.
Going on the offensive and going full out. Spider-Man strikes Arno several critical blows, knocking him to the ground several times. Moving too quickly, Arno has no opportunity to defend himself. At a break in the fighting... Arno tries to defend his actions, Arno is surprisingly begun time shifting back leaving Spider-Man completely confused. Spidey rushes Robbie to the hospital and later learns the poor kid has suffered permanent damage to his face. Scarring him for life. Robbie's father, wishing to reward Spidey agrees to loan him the money needed for his rent.
But what of Arno?
In remorse, standing amongst smoke and ruin. He breaks down crying. We discover that there was a flaw. A simply logic flaw that would eventually be found. In the timer of the bomb. It was early. Arno ran of out time... because the time displacement device was destroyed.
The final page shows us a huge crater. Showing us the complete destruction of Stark International. The surrounding area... and Arno Stark's wife and child. He lost everything.