In a bid to stop Norman Osborn from accessing the Superhero Registration Act files, Iron Man turned himself into a living computer and began deleting the data bit by bit. As Osborn and his cronies tracked Iron Man across the globe, Iron Man slowly gave himself a lobotomy—all in the interest of protecting those he loved. The saga unfolded in the “Worlds Most Wanted” storyline running through Invincible Iron Man #8-19, written by Matt Fraction with art by Salvador Larroca.
The chain of events leading to Iron Man’s transformation begins with 2006’s Civil War. In its aftermath, the United States government enacts the Superhero Registration Act, requiring all superpowered heroes to register themselves, a move that requires volunteering their secret identities; this information is compiled into a database. Not long afterwards, the Skrulls launch an invasion of Earth and when the dust settles, Norman Osborn is appointed the Director of the Registration Act, a post formerly held by Iron Man. One of Osborn’s first acts as Director is to disband S.H.I.E.L.D and rebrand it as H.A.M.M.E.R.; Osborn then begins a campaign of terror against Iron Man and the Avengers—and at the center of his plan is the Registration Act database, containing the identities of every hero in the Marvel Universe.
As Iron Man is stepping down from the role, Norman Osborn asks for access to the Registration Act’s files. Iron Man, who knows Osborn for who he really is and what he could do with that information, refuses to comply. Iron Man hacks into the database, encrypting it so Osborn can not have access to it; he then uploads it to his own brain, turning him into a human computer. A furious Osborn begins chasing Iron Man and his allies across the world, and as Tony realizes Osborn will stop at nothing to get to the data in his brain, he starts deleting it, one file at a time.
Iron Man is able to elude Norman Osborn, and Osborn never gets his hands on the database. An increasingly unstable Osborn would continue to preside over H.A.M.M.E.R. but is removed from his position after the Siege of Asgard. The Registration Act is phased out after the Siege as well.
Iron Man went to great lengths to protect the most sensitive information in the Marvel Universe. He first turned his brain into a computer, forsaking his humanity. In order to make sure Osborn never got the database, Iron Man gave himself a lobotomy. His plan worked, and Osborn was foiled; it also marked a turning point in the Registration Act itself, as people, including Iron Man, realized it was a horrible idea—and Norman Osborn proved why.
Iron Man ranks as one of the smartest people in the Marvel Universe, with a brain that never seems to stop. Once, however, to protect those he loved from falling prey to Norman Osborn, he nearly destroyed his brain by turning it into a computer.