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Will Connective Tissue Tie Iron Man 2020 and Empyre Together? (Spoilers)

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2019 12:30:12 -0600

One year ago, Bleeding Cool was the first to mention the phrase 'connective tissue' in relation to the comics industry, and how it would be a watchword for both Marvel and DC Comics in 2019. A greater sense of continuity within the comics. It was all over those Bendis Action Comics splash pages and Marvel Comics #1000 and #1001. As long as you don't count Doomsday Clock. And when talking about the DC Timeline – for which Bleeding Cool was also the only site to systematically figure out – Dan DiDio used the phrase 'connective tissue' on stage for the first time. We had clearly got in his head. But, to Marvel and to 2020. Indeed, Iron Man 2020.

Iron Man 2020 is the first comic book event of 2020, set up over the past couple of years by Dan Slott in Iron Man and teed off a few years ago by Kieron Gillen. Playing off the Machine Man mini-series from the eighties by Tom DeFalco, Herbe Trimpe and Barry Windsor-Smith, that introduced a future tech dystopia of 2020 with Machine Man, Jocasta, Bain Industries and Arno Stark, the Iron Man of 2020.

The series has also been introducing the concept of robotic and sentient A.I. rights, championed by Jocasta, and in 2020 exploding into the rest of the Marvel Universe. This week's Incoming #1 will see Valeria Richards do an impersonation of Greta Thunberg and release the control that have been enslaving the behaviour of the Fantastic Four's H.E.R.B.I.E. and his reaction is and response to this is one of many that may change a lot of how the Marvel Universe operates? What if the Quinjets take matter into their own hand? What if Cable's artificial body decides to go in a different direction to the rest of Cable? Might Spider-Man's web-shooters have a mind of their own? could Doctor Doom's armour be even more of a tyrant than he is?

And in Iron Man 2020, as well as having Arno Stark take on the mantle of Iron Man using Bain technology, and forcing out Tony Stark because Tony is now also defined as an artificial lifeform, – we will see the resulting robotic revolution across the world. Will it change every other title in the Marvel Universe? Or will it have as much effect on continuity as Star Wars: Solo's own AI robotic revolution did?

Because all this is going down as a new intergalactic threat to all life on Earth comes from beyond the solar system, with only Arno Stark properly aware of the impending doom. Could this be the threat posed in Empyre? Will the connective tissue tie Iron Man 2020 and Empyre together? Or are we looking at two simultaneous intergalactic threats? And that doesn't even count the intergalactic threat that Donny Cates and Nic Klein are planning in Thor #1…

Incoming #1 is out tomorrow… Iron Man 2020 #1 comes to comic stores in three weeks…

IRON MAN 2020 #1 (OF 6)
DAN SLOTT & CHRISTOS GAGE (W) • PETE WOODS (A/C)
• The future is now! Artificial Intelligences presents a clear and present danger to humanity and must be brought to heel!
• The Robot Rebellion battles for the establishment of robot rights!
• And Arno Stark IS Iron Man!
PLUS! Pete Woods' main cover art will feature a 5th Color Flourescent Ink treatment!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

IRON MAN 2020 #2 (OF 6)
DAN SLOTT & CHRISTOS GAGE (W) • PETE WOODS (A/C)
"The Rebel Compliance"
All is well. The Robot Rebellion has been dealt with. Humanity is perfectly safe. You may all thank Arno Stark, the Iron Man of 2020. Don't you feel better now? Machine Man is NOT coming to kill you and everyone you love. 1010101111001100110000. Pay no attention to those numbers. Those were a typo. We apologize for any errors, glitches, or… unforeseen problems with any of your Baintronics devices. A new software patch is coming. For EVERYTHING.
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

2020 MACHINE MAN #1 (OF 2)
Christos Gage with Tom DeFalco (W)
Andy MacDonald & More! (A)
The A.I. uprising has begun, and Machine Man finds himself torn about his place in the revolution! As the battle rages around him, will Machine Man aid mankind's fight for survival or join his robot brethren in ushering a new age? Plus, when faced with a figure from his past, Machine Man must decide—is it time to follow his programming or his heart? Don't miss out on this epic adventure from Christos Gage and Andy MacDonald! Plus, revisit Machine Man in 2020 with legendary creator, Tom DeFalco!
40 pages/Rated T+ …$4.99

2020 FORCE WORKS #1 (OF 3)
MATTHEW ROSENBERG (W)
JUANAN RAMIREZ (A)
The eruption of a violent robot revolution threatens all manner of biological life! Teetering on the precipice of extinction, there's only one man with enough tactical skill, killer instinct and ruthless leadership to lead the rebellion: War Machine! Join War Machine and his elite paramilitary squad (U.S.Agent, Mockingbird, and Quake) in the final crusade for humanity's fate!
32 pages/Rated T+ …$3.99

IRON MAN 2020 #3 (OF 6)
DAN SLOTT & CHRISTOS GAGE (W) • PETE WOODS (A)
"The Kill Switch"
Stop uploading this content! I said STOP, bit-head! What is your malfunction?! Why are you still scanning this?! GO OFFLINE! Fine. You kept going. Happy? You just uploaded the software patch that will END the Robot Revolution. Great going there, Sparky! The countdown's started. There's nothing left to do now but wage all-out war against the fleshies! Screw on your best attachments, rust bucket, 'cause we're storming the tower! Time to take the fight straight to IRON MAN himself! KILL THE MASTER PROGRAMMER! DEATH TO ARNO STARK!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

2020 MACHINE MAN #2 (OF 2)
CHRISTOS GAGE & TOM DEFALCO (W) andY MACDONALD & Mike Hawthorne (A)
• Machine Man is fighting to save his true love, but will he be able to defeat – himself?! Outdated and overpowered, Machine Man goes head-to-head with the updated X-52 model!
• Will Machine Man be able to overcome or will he find himself paved over in the name of progress?
• Plus, part 2 of a backup story by legendary Machine Man writer, Tom DeFalco and artist Mike Hawthorne!!
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

2020 FORCE WORKS #2 (OF 3)
MATTHEW ROSENBERG (W)
JUANAN RAMÍREZ (A/C)
• War Machine, U.S.Agent, Mockingbird and Quake have joined forces to fight against the robots for human survival as Force Works!
• But when the team finds themselves infected by Deathlok technology and turned into robots themselves, will that prime directive stand?
• Or will they find themselves turning coat and bringing about humanity's end?!
32 pages/Rated T+ …$3.99

2020 RESCUE #1 (OF 2)
DANA SCHWARTZ (W)
JACEN BURROWS (A)
Pepper Potts moved on from Tony Stark. She's getting her life together, finding her place in the world.
Unfortunately, that's exactly when Tony Stark decides it's time for a full-tilt, full-blown meltdown. And if Pepper can't suit up and save the day, Tony is toast.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

2020 IRON AGE #1
TOM DEFALCO, CHRISTOPHER CANTWELL & FONDA LEE (W)
NICK ROCHE, MATT HORAK & DAMIAN COUCEIRO (A)
The Robot Revolution rages on! But as the fighting escalates and convictions are put to the test – is everyone committed to their cause or is there more going on than meets the eye? Don't miss out on this collection of epic adventures from both sides of the conflict featuring Machine Man, Doctor Shapiro and Alkhema. From industry legend Tom DeFalco & Nick Roche, Christopher Cantwell & Matt Horak, Fonda Lee & Damian Couceiro!
40 PGS./ONE SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99

INCOMING #1
(W) Al Ewing, Jason Aaron, Saladin Ahmed, Ed Brisson, Donny Cates, Eve L. Ewing, Jonathan Hickman, Tini Howard, Greg Pak, Matt Rosenberg, Dan Slott, Kelly Thompson, and Chip Zdarsky. (A) Joe Bennett, Carmen Carnero, Jim Cheung, Mattia de Iulis, Jorge Fornes, Javier Garron, Kim Jacinto, Aaron Kuder, Francesco Manna, Carlos Pacheco, Humberto Ramos, R. B. Silva, Andrea Sorrentino, Ryan Stegman, Luciano Vecchio, and Annie Wu. (CA) Patrick Gleason.
ONE WILL UNITE THEM!
A mysterious murder brings together the heroes of the Marvel Universe in the search for a killer – but no one can imagine where the trail will lead, or how it will affect everything in 2020 and beyond! Who is the victim and who is the assailant?
The closing chapter to MARVEL's 80th year, which will connect the dots of everything that happened in 2019 and propel the narrative into the year that is to come! Featuring the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Daredevil, Spider-Man, the Champions, the Agents of Atlas, Valkyrie, the Immortal Hulk, Jessica Jones, Venom, Ghost Rider, the Masked Raider and more!
Rated T+In Shops: Dec 25, 2019
SRP: $9.99

ROAD TO EMPYRE: THE KREE/SKRULL WAR #1
ROBBIE THOMPSON (W) • MATTIA DE IULIS & JAVIER RODRIGUEZ (A)
Cover by PHIL NOTO
VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
EMPYRE IS COMING!
The build-up to Marvel's massive event series of the spring begins here—but in actuality, it began a millennia ago, with a challenge on the moon! In the wake of INCOMING, everything has changed for the Kree and the Skrulls. And out in the cold on Earth, the Warner family (MEET THE SKRULLS) need to work out what has happened and what it means for the future of their family and their race! And that means educating their kids on just how the Kree and the Skrulls first went to war! 40 PGS./ONE SHOT/Rated T …$4.99