Iron Man is taking on a new identity as the Iron Shogun, wielding plasma swords and new armor to confront the trauma of losing his mother Maria.
Tony Stark is shedding his iconic Iron Man armor to take on a new identity as the Iron Shogun. The ultimate futurist will brandish twin plasma katanas and apparently gain a kid sidekick, all in the name of saving his mother’s life.
The change will happen in Murewa Ayodele and Adedotun Akande’s I Am Iron Man #3. Marvel’s ongoing I Am Iron Man series is a celebration of Tony Stark’s sixtieth anniversary in comics, with each issue acting as the perfect place to start for new readers. Each installment is set in a different era of Iron Man’s comic history, with the third issue dropping into Tony’s ’90s adventures, despite seemingly embracing all the trappings of the Age of the Samurai.
Iron Man Is Getting New Samurai Armor
In recently revealed solicit information from League of Comic Geeks, Iron Man dons new armor and takes on the name Iron Shogun, apparently in the name of eradicating the regret he feels at being unable to save his mother Maria Stark. It’s unclear whether this will involve time travel or whether Tony will be working through his grief in some kind of virtual environment, but what is clear is that fans will be introduced to an awe-inspiring new suit which ditches his regular arsenal for a pair of glowing energy swords. The issue will be released May 10, just in time for Mother’s Day.
MOTHER’S DAY SPECIAL… One of Iron Man’s greatest regrets was his inability to save his mother’s life. Iron Man dons new armor, an oni mask and twin plasma katanas on his quest to make his long list of regrets one item shorter. For his mom, he becomes the all-new IRON SHOGUN. This episode is set in the ’90s era of Iron Man comics and, just like every other episode, is ideal for new readers as a jumping-on point for the series.
Iron Man Has a History with Samurai Redesigns
This isn’t the first time Iron Man has taken on a samurai identity, with Simone Bianchi’s 2010 Iron Man by Design variant cover giving Tony a blade-wielding makeover, and the recent Demon Wars: The Iron Samurai introducing a multiversal samurai variant of the Armored Avenger. Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez’s Invincible Iron Man #4 likewise saw Tony introduce samurai armor, including a crackling energy sword. However, by going back to the ’90s, I Am Iron Man is netting the honor of being Tony’s canonical first foray into a shogun redesign in Marvel’s main continuity. Tony was canonically inspired by medieval knights in inventing his armor, but his history also makes it clear he had samurai in mind while crafting his Iron Man persona.
Iron Man Is Celebrating Mother’s Day with New Armor
Despite learning later in life that he was adopted to cover up the existence of his brother Arno Stark (created using alien genetic science), Tony has kept the memory of his mother alive through efforts like the Maria Stark Foundation, through which he spends billions on charity. Given Tony’s contentious relationship with his father, his love for his mother is a huge part of his moral identity, so it’s fascinating that this ’90s-set story will see him grapple so extensively with the guilt he feels over her death. Of course, this being comics, Iron Man‘s soul-searching comes complete with a demonic new mask and blazing swords – and fans wouldn’t have it any other way!
