The Marvel Universe relies a little too much on Iron Man's technology, to the point that it nearly destroyed the Earth. In 2009’s Avengers: The Initiative, a tie-in to the Secret Invasion crossover event, members of the Initiative join forces with a group of modified humans called the Skrull Kill Krew to help turn back the Skrulls' attack. Part of the Skrulls' invasion involves disabling nearly every piece of technology created by Stark Industries, which brings the world to its knees and exposes a serious weakness.

Iron Man is one of the foremost technological and scientific minds in the Marvel Universe, and his accomplishments and contributions are many; he has very few peers on Earth who can match his prowess with machines and technology. Using his company as a way to disseminate new technology, Iron Man has worked his way into homes and businesses all over the planet. Stark Industries has truly revolutionized the tech industry in the Marvel Universe–but the over-reliance on his inventions and know-how has created a glaring weakness, one the Skrulls sought to manipulate.

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Earth Is Too Reliant on Iron Man

Iron Man Stark Tech

The issue, written by Christos Gage and Dan Slott and illustrated by Stefano Caselli, is set during the Skrulls' invasion of Earth. The members of the Initiative are reeling from the revelation that their mentor, Hank Pym, is actually a Skrull in disguise, and now they must find a way to stop him. Along with the Skrull Kill Krew, the Initiative travels to the home of Hal Chandler, the former 3-D Man. 3-D Man’s successor, a member of the Initiative, is trying to draft him into the fight; he asks Hal for primitive technology, such as a gas generator. Hal tells 3-D Man that he has ham radios in his basement, but he believes them to be out of date. 3-D Man tells him that the Skrulls have disabled nearly every piece of Starktech on Earth. He tells Hal that most modern devices run on Starktech and are thus useless, justifying the need for older, outdated tech.

Iron Man’s technological knowledge and scientific acumen have made him one of Earth’s premiere heroes and industrialists–yet as seen here, this tech has created a huge weakness for the people of Earth. Tony Stark’s inventions have changed the world, mostly for the better; the Iron Man armors have saved countless lives and the ARC reactor is an excellent source of clean energy. While Iron Man may have revolutionized everyday life in the Marvel Universe, he has also inadvertently created a dilemma: the world relies a little too much on his inventions and anyone who can figure out a way to disable or otherwise take it out will be able to inflict serious damage. The Skrulls realize this, and act accordingly, creating a “Trojan Horse” that nearly brings Earth to its knees. If not for more primitive pieces of technology, such as ham radios that do not use Stark technology, the Skrulls would have succeeded in their invasion.

Apparently, the Marvel Universe did not learn its lesson, as Tony Stark’s technology has continued to evolve and become even more intertwined in the lives of humans. Another invading force could just as easily deal Earth a debilitating blow by specifically attacking Stark tech. In the Marvel Universe, Earth’s over-reliance on Iron Man is still a glaring weakness.

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