Warning: Spoilers for Kang The Conqueror #2!
When it comes to evil villains in Marvel Comics, Kang The Conqueror is near the top of the list, and now he’s just become the very first version of Iron Man hailing straight from ancient Egypt! That’s right, Kang’s time-hopping younger self has become the heroic character known as Iron Lad well before his scheduled appearance in the timeline, and he doesn’t care who knows it.
Making slight tweaks to history in Kang The Conqueror #2, by Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly and Carlos Magno, Nathaniel Richards aka "Kang before he becomes Kang", has found himself stranded in ancient Egypt where another version of his future self rules over all as the pharaoh Rama-Tut. Traveling to this time period after betraying another future self only to steal his Neuro-Kinetic armor to make the jump, Nathaniel is met by an ancient version of Moon Knight whom he is immediately drawn to.
Following her into a secret area where a Khonshu statue sits, Nathaniel realizes that not only does he want to be a hero, but he also “swore to tear him down,” referring to evil Kang, a feat he is now in a position to make good on as the pharaoh version of his future self is already hot on his trail. Via the unique properties inherent to Kang’s Neuro-Kinetic armor, Nathaniel is now able to take his revenge and “cast it in iron,” transforming himself into the very first version of Iron Man: Iron Lad!
Immediately putting his Iron Man skills to the test, Nathaniel and his Moon Knight-related friend take out an entire force of Rama-Tut’s minions with brutal abandon. Utilizing the energy blasters he has in the palms of his hands as well as boosters to help him fly, Nathaniel’s red and silver Iron Lad look is similar in design to some earlier Iron Man suits, even mimicking Tony Stark’s glowing chest hole accent.
And while this transformation makes Nathaniel — and technically Kang — the first official Iron Man to appear in Marvel history, it isn’t the first time the character of Iron Lad has been seen. Similar to this series’ take on Kang’s early days, a previous story saw Nathaniel also buck his future self’s teachings, only this time traveling back to try and protect the Avengers instead. While there, he dons this familiar look and forms the team known as the Young Avengers, but with this latest trip to ancient Egypt, Nathaniel has clearly changed his timeline in some way, leading to Iron Lad — and by extension Iron Man — appearing way earlier than ever before.
This story very well may act as a new start for the Iron Lad character as Nathaniel transforms once more before issue’s end, but regardless, ancient Egypt can now lay claim as the birthplace of the very first Iron Man. But this being a Kang The Conqueror story, anything can happen, so Nathaniel's take on Iron Man may not be long for this timeline after all.