I Am Iron Man #2 (2023)

In Earth's orbit, Iron Man struggles against a meteor, pushing to slow its descent. The asteroid suddenly cracks, threatening to shower debris onto a rural village in Norway. Villagers panic as they run, but a woman points her daughter to Iron Man, expressing admiration and relief as he uses brute strength and repulsor blasts to shatter it into smaller pieces. At dawn, two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in hazmat suits collecting residual meteor nuggets pick up a piece in the countryside. One of them remarks on the village's fortune that no pieces fell on it, as they stand surrounded by the limp corpses of cattle, victims of radiation. Lying on the ocean floor, Iron Man regains consciousness to the realization that he is still alive. A massive florescent marine creature behind him telepathically expresses awkwardness, having almost eaten him. Tony's words appear distorted to the creature as it explains that he can simply think out his words and it will pick them up. Tony follows suit, but the massive fish rages defensively when Tony tells it to get away if it doesn't want to die. Stark squares up and thinks about shooting it with a repulsor beam, but the fish quickly rolls around facetiously, expressing resignation. Iron Man explains to the obtuse creature that he is not trying to kill it. Stark walks away in frustration, cautioning it about the radioactive asteroid fragment. The creature playfully acknowledges knowing its location, and extends its help. As Tony and the enormous fish venture out together, the creature notices his glowing armor. He explains that his suit's thermocouple factor is on overdrive, pulling heat from the water to stay alive. The fish interrupts Tony to greet a passing group of sardines, calling them "Freds," which are thinking out "flee." Tony humors the creature as it explains that "Freds" have very simple thoughts, but that group seemed stuck on "flee." A school of sardines swims toward them from the opposite direction. Iron Man prepares to fire a repulsor beam to create a path, but the giant fish assures him that they're harmless, unlike what they next walk into: a whale with glowing purple eyes preying on the sardines. Tony's companion draws his attention to the final piece of the asteroid, lodged in the whale's back, and it points out that it can either take lives or grant power. The whale turns around and uses a telepathic beam to call forth all "Freds," including the enormous fish. Tony reaches out to it, but it explains that it used to be a Fred as well, until it was too mutated by the asteroid piece. Fred pleads Tony to take the asteroid piece and escape, surrendering itself to the fact that the strong feast on the weak, as such is the law of nature. In defiance, Iron Man propels himself toward the whale, delivering a punch so powerful that water erupts into the surface. The whale reels from the blow, and Iron Man threatens it to leave. The creature taunts Tony's resolve, doubting that he can repeat such an attack. Tony holds steady, hoping the whale buys his bluff. It eventually does, and as soon as the whale turns around, Iron Man tumbles. Fred catches Stark and cradles him to the ocean floor. Tony explains to Fred that it is Mother Nature who stops his heart if his armor loses enough power, and that it was her who sent the asteroid for the fun of it. As he rests against a rock, Tony imparts to Fred that it is okay to rebel and defy nature to fight for one's survival or that of those one loves. He gestures to his chest plate as an everyday example of his conviction. Stark loses consciousness as his unibeam's glow dies out. Fred remarks that nature won this time, and swims away. Tony remains motionless, but a spotlight begins shining on him. Two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents wearing scuba suits approach Iron Man, noticing that he is still alive.