''Extremis'' is a six-issue
story arc
A story arc (also narrative arc) is the chronological construction of plot in a novel or story. It can also mean an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, board games, vide ...
from the
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
series
''Iron Man'' (vol. 4), published in issues one through six in 2005 and 2006 by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
. It was written by
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis (born 16 February 1968) is a British comic book writer, novelist, and screenwriter. He is best known as the co-creator of several original comics series, including ''Transmetropolitan'' (1997–2002), ''Global Frequency'' ( ...
and illustrated by
Adi Granov
Adi Granov (;) is a Bosnian-American comic book artist and conceptual designer. He is best known for his painted work with Marvel Comics, for whom most of his comics work is produced, in particular his work on Iron Man. He is especially known for ...
. ''Extremis'' elevates the status quo for
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
, increasing the power of
his armor significantly.
''Extremis'' received mostly positive reviews,
and it is often listed as one of the best Iron Man stories.
[Ultimate Bookshelf 2.0: Iron Man](_blank)
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
Elements of ''Extremis'' were adapted for the
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
film ''
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
'',
and the ''
Iron Man: Armored Adventures'' episode "Extremis,"
and the storyline serves as the primary source material for the 2013 film ''
Iron Man 3
''Iron Man 3'' (titled onscreen as ''Iron Man Three'') is a 2013 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to ''Ir ...
''.
Production
''Extremis'' was the second story arc after the "
Avengers Disassembled
"Avengers Disassembled" is a 2004 crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics involving the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Captain America, Spider-Man and Thor. The beginning of Brian Michael Bendis's ''Avengers'' run, it depicts the destruction of ...
" crossover event, not to be confused with "
Stark: Disassembled", a later story in ''The Invincible Iron Man''.
The story was meant as a sort of "new start" for the character—to redefine him from his origins as an arms dealer, to be the "test pilot for the future" Ellis intended him to be. The story rarely mentions any of Iron Man's past, and references to the rest of the Marvel universe are limited to brief, passing mentions of the
Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
and
Fin Fang Foom
Fin Fang Foom is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as an extraterrestrial creature resembling a dragon. The character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #89 (cover ...
. Warren Ellis admitted he had intentionally not read any Iron Man material besides the very earliest issues.
This is similar for Adi Granov: "My first official introduction to the character occurred a year prior to ''Extremis''.
..Upon reading the script, I realized how realistic Warren's approach was to the story.
..When illustrating the book I wanted my art to mirror the realism in Warren's writing
..I felt that Warren wrote a story that's a sort of techno-thriller action story and I wanted the art to reflect this.
..I saw Iron Man as not just a superhero in a suit; rather he is a pilot or weapon. To me, the Iron Man armor is more akin to a jet fighter than it is to an outfit.
The story, which lasts about three to four days in comic book time, takes place at an undefined time after the
founding of the New Avengers and before the
Stamford catastrophe (which led to the Marvel
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
).
Story
Tony Stark is a weapons designer whose weapons are being used against
Al Qaeda
Al-Qaeda (; , ) is an Islamic extremist organization composed of Salafist jihadists. Its members are mostly composed of Arabs, but also include other peoples. Al-Qaeda has mounted attacks on civilian and military targets in various countr ...
in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
in the years just prior to the second
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
. He is injured during an inspection tour when one of his own bombs detonates, sending a piece of shrapnel into his chest, and is captured by Afghan terrorists. As in the original origin story, Tony creates his first suit of armor with
Ho Yinsen
Y'Garon
Y'Garon is a demon who has clashed with Marada the She-Wolf and Dracula.
Yandroth
Yandroth was the humanoid Scientist Supreme of the " otherdimensional" planet "Yann" and a would-be-conqueror who, with his robot Voltorg, has fought Doc ...
and escapes the terrorists, with Yinsen killed during the escape.
Three men enter a disused slaughterhouse in Texas, where two of them inject a willing third, whom they call "Mallen". This injection contains an experimental drug which makes him fall to the floor in immense pain. A bizarre physical change overtakes him; his horrified compatriots flee the room, locking him in.
Miles underground in his Coney Island "garage", Stark is awakened from sleep and several weeks of work, isolation, and diminished self care by his secretary's phone call, reminding him of a scheduled interview with a journalist. During the interview, it emerges that Stark deeply regrets that the world-changing, humanitarian improvements he had hoped to fund with his weapons sales have not yet materialized. Confronted by his regrets, Stark returns to the garage, takes stock of himself while realizing that the Iron Man is likely his key to a better future for both himself and humanity. Having canceled all appointments, Tony Stark dons the newest version of the Iron Man armor and takes off into the sky.
Meanwhile, the injected man's body, still lying in the Bastrop warehouse, is now covered completely in a bizarre layer of scar tissue.
Later, at Futurepharm Corporation offices in Austin, Texas, Dr.
Aldrich Killian
Aldrich Killian is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in ''Iron Man (comic book), Iron Man'' vol. 4 #1 (Jan. 2005 in comics, 2005) and was created by Warren Ellis and Adi Grano ...
commits suicide after typing and printing his confession. The note informs co-worker
Maya Hansen
Maya Hansen is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Rebecca Hall portrayed the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film ''Iron Man 3'' (2013).
Publication history
Maya Hansen first appeared i ...
that he has stolen and "loosed" the company's dangerous Extremis serum for some "greater" purpose. Hansen calls Tony Stark, whom she met years ago at a meeting of the minds.
Back in the Texas slaughterhouse, the two men return to find Mallen almost completely recovered in appearance. He is alive, having almost punched through the locked metal door.
Stark arrives in Texas in the middle of a teleconference with his board of directors, rejecting their requests that he resign as CEO of his company and take a head technician title instead. Tony also argues that Stark Industries, having invented a revolutionary cell phone and connection method, no longer needs the government's funding. The conference ends at a crossroad. Arriving at Futurepharm, Stark learns that the intended receiver of the Extremis dose is currently unknown due to an inability to hack Killian's computer. Using Stark Industry's new prototype phone, Tony emails Killian's entire hard drive to be hacked by one of his employees, and, to distract Maya, jets her and himself to San Diego to talk with their old friend and teacher, Sal Kennedy.
Meanwhile, the three men from the slaughterhouse arrive at the FBI field office. While Kennedy, now a futurist following nature and an idealistic way of life, harangues Tony and Maya on their military work and thus-far-failed promise, Mallen sets the FBI office on fire using his new biological powers. Maya catches the story on the news, realizing that the terrorists are in fact using Extremis and causing casualties of over 50 civilians. Back in the van, Mallen tells his compatriots that he is only getting started.
In flight back to Texas, Maya tells Stark Extremis is a military nanotechnology serum that was another attempt to recreate the
Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
Super-Soldier Serum, and that the new formula interfaces with the brain's 'repair center' and directs the body to rebuild itself from scratch as if it were all wound tissue to be replaced. Stark receives a call from his employee, which reveals that Killian gave Extremis to local terrorists. Realizing the threat, Tony drops Maya off at Futurepharm, and departs.
Iron Man tracks the terrorists' van from above via body heat scans and tears it in half with a non-lethal repulsor ray. Mallen instantly recovers, and after refusing to surrender peacefully, engages Iron Man in a brutal fight. Throughout the battle, it becomes obvious that Mallen's new abilities far surpass the processing speed and durability of Iron Man's armor. Suffering severe injuries and damage to his armor, Iron Man and the police manage to repulse Mallen, though civilian casualties are present. Mallen flees, leaving Stark trapped beneath a burning car with his armor at zero power. Stark saves himself and the car's passengers by raising his armor to 1% power by drawing from the flames' thermal energy, though he is forced to rely on the police to remove the car from atop his body.
Iron Man calls Maya and has her people fly him to Futurepharm, where, in a private medical bay, he reveals himself as Tony Stark to Maya. Knowing the severity of his injuries, Tony realizes the only way for him to survive and defeat Mallen is to become one with the Iron Man by taking the Extremis serum himself. Maya gives Tony a lower dose of the serum that will not alter his mind and body as it did for Mallen. Unknown to Maya, Tony had altered the structure of the Extremis dose, removing several safeties and linking himself to his armor and machinery. Tony falls into a coma as a cocoon forms around his body.
While unconscious, Stark relives his story as Iron Man, starting with his first mortal injury and the secrets he revealed to Yinsen while they constructed the original Arc Reactor (used to still the shrapnel lodged in Stark's chest and prevent it from puncturing his heart) and Iron Man suit (something powered by the same thing keeping him alive that would allow for the two of them to escape their captors). Tony confesses that the terrorists could not be allowed to use his weapons, and that his Military contracts were nothing more than "stealing money from the government" to fund something that would better all of mankind and bring a better future; the Iron Man idea was never a weapon of war, but the start of a process that would merge men with machines and make humanity great.
Twenty-four hours into his coma, the cocoon which has covered his body bursts; Stark awakens, healed and newly fit. An internal control sheath for his Iron Man armor is now contained within the hollows of his bones, able to emerge upon mental command. He can integrate himself not only into his armor, but phone, computer, and even satellite networks. Maya confronts Tony on the potential strain his organs will suffer, only to find that the Extremis formula allowed him to grow entirely new organs. Using an older version of the Iron Man suit stored in a suit case, Tony explains that the autonomous armor was the way of the future, though its low processing speed made it useless until now.
Tapping into a satellite cluster, Iron Man finds Mallen heading towards Washington, intent on killing the president. Having the police evacuate the city, Iron Man confronts Mallen. During the fight, Iron Man reveals several aspects of his past, saying that he was forced to kill nearly 50 people in order to escape the terrorists and save himself and his friend, only to witness a stray bullet kill Yinsen on impact. Mallen replies that his parents died the same way. Tony points out that when Mallen killed 50 people, he did so with no knowledge of who or what they were, and did so twenty years after the fact. Now superior to Mallen, Iron Man explains that he had to be the one to stop the terrorist, seeing Mallen as a perversion of himself: a man with power but no concern for or ability to see the future. In the end, Mallen refuses to listen, pins Stark to the ground, and violently declares, "There isn't any future. I'm gonna kill it!" Seeing the horror before him, Stark fires his unibeam, piercing Mallen's chest and tearing his organs apart. Enraged by the man's refusal to give up, as well as his contempt for all life, Iron Man grabs Mallen's head with both hands and blows it off with a double blast of his repulsor rays. Attempting to recover, Mallen's body rises onto its knees, only to collapse lifeless on the ground. Furious, Iron Man condemns Mallen for what he made him do. Recovering from the incident, Stark declares that he has one last thing to do: the worst part yet.
Confronting Maya at Futurepharm, Iron Man reveals that Maya was clearly Killian's accomplice, due to the issue of needing two key cards entered at the same time as well as her extensive involvement with the formula. Maya allows herself to be taken away, though she justifies her actions by comparing the Extremis serum to the Atom Bomb, saying, "It had to be used once in anger so that it would never be used in anger again." Maya then declares that Tony is no better than she is, to which Iron Man replies, "No. But I'm trying to be... And tomorrow I'll be able to look myself in the mirror."
The Extremis virus
Extremis is referred to as a "virus" throughout the story. The verbatim description offered by its inventor Maya Hansen, goes: "...Extremis is a super-soldier solution. It's a bio-electronics package, fitted into a few billion graphite
nanotubes
file:Chiraltube.png, A scanning tunneling microscopy image of a single-walled carbon nanotube
file:Kohlenstoffnanoroehre Animation.gif, Rotating single-walled zigzag carbon nanotube
A carbon nanotube (CNT) is a tube made of carbon with diameters ...
and suspended in a carrier fluid. A magic bullet, like the original super-soldier serum—all fitted into a single injection. It hacks the body's repair center—the part of the brain that keeps a complete blue print of the human body. When we're injured, we refer to that area of the brain to heal properly. Extremis rewrites the repair center. In the first stage, the body essentially becomes an open wound. The normal human blueprint is being replaced with the Extremis blueprint. The brain is being told the body is wrong. Extremis protocol dictates that the subject be placed on life support and intravenously fed nutrients at this point. For the next two or three days, the patient remains unconscious within a cocoon of scabs. (...) Extremis uses the nutrients and body mass to grow new organs. Better ones..."
Effects of the Extremis process, apart from the changes specific to Tony Stark, included: greatly accelerated healing; immensely-boosted immune system; generation of "new, improved organs" (Tony's cardiovascular and respiratory systems were greatly upgraded); and, the side effect of increased aggressiveness. Tony Stark had the super-powers removed from the Extremis compiler, though, effectively 'exchanging' them for the ability to interface directly with machines and his own armor. But Mallen retained said super-powers, resulting in his high-level super-strength, super-speed, advanced invulnerability, and the abilities to breathe fire and project arcs of electricity from his hands, as well as being bullet-proof.
As well as the obvious physical changes, Extremis also affected Stark mentally, allowing him to process information extraordinarily quickly, on a subconscious level, to help him better cope with the direct technological link he now possessed to his armor (even as his standard thought processes remained at a human norm). As a result, his brain, taking in more information than he could consciously process, began to sublimate it into his unconscious mind, causing Stark to experience occasional hallucinations of particularly relevant information, manifesting as people whose deaths he felt personally responsible for, such as
Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
or
Happy Hogan. These hallucinations served to make him aware of facts that he had noted subconsciously while not recognizing their relevance or existence on a conscious level, such as that a member of the Initiative had lied about his powers (he claimed to just have superhuman physical abilities when he actually manipulated gravity to create the appearance of superstrength, as otherwise he couldn't be given an IV while in hospital as he would have had invulnerable skin), or that Maya Hansen was actually alive after her death was faked.
Doc Samson
Doc Samson (Leonard Skivorski Jr.) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as a superhero and psychiatrist in the Marvel Universe, known as a supporting character in ...
speculated that the hallucinations appeared because the excess information was filtered into the same place Stark subconsciously stored his guilt to stop himself facing it.
When the
Mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
attempts to release Extremis on a large scale as part of his plan to 'reshape' the human race, it is revealed that Maya's initial version of Extremis can only be successful when used on people who possess a rare genetic sequence, found in only 2.5% of the human population. This percentage includes Tony Stark and Maya Hansen, but does not include the Mandarin. Anyone without this sequence who is exposed to Extremis will be killed by it.
When industrialist Michael Hall attempts to create his own suits of armor based on the
Carnage symbiote, Iron Man attempts to hack the suits, but Carnage is able to 'hack' Iron Man in return by using the technological/biological interface elements of Extremis.
Legacy
During the 2010 "Stark: Disassembled" storyline, Tony is forced to erase portions of his memory in order to prevent
Norman Osborn
Norman Osborn is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July 1964) as the first ...
from gaining access to the list of people registered under the
Superhuman Registration Act
Discrimination against superheroes is a common theme and plot element comic books and superhero fiction, usually as a way to explore the issue of superheroes operating in society or as commentary on other social concerns. Often in response to ...
. These actions resulted in his falling into a persistent vegetative state, in which his brain is unable to even regulate the autonomic functions of his body. During this period, Stark's colleagues play a recorded holographic message from Tony, which reveal that when the extraterrestrial
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Skrulls first appeared in ''Fantastic Four'' #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. They originated fro ...
s invaded Earth during the 2008 "
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight-issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008. The story involves a subversive, long-term in ...
" storyline, they attacked Tony's Extremis, permanently shutting it down. Stark's mind is "
reboot
In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...
ed" using information that he had saved when he first injected himself with Extremis, with the result that he loses all memory of the actions he had committed after receiving the Extremis upgrade, although he has spent time researching his activities between then and his restoration. Tony later discovers that his brain still has access to Extremis, which he began using again.
During the 2012 "Believe" story arc, Tony learns that Maya Hansen has been killed and various new versions of Extremis have been released onto the black market, prompting him to track them down and eliminate them.
The Extremis virus is then remade by Tony's long-lost foster brother,
Arno Stark
Arno Stark is the name of two similar fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, appearing as a counterpart of the superhero Iron Man from the multiverse. The first of these characters is best known as Ir ...
.
When
Bruce Banner
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book a ...
is shot in the head by the Ancient Order of the Shield, with his usual healing factor making an erratic job of reconstructing Banner's mind even if it can repair the physical damage, Stark is able to use Extremis to heal the damage to Banner's brain and restore him to full mental health without any of the usual side effects or powers. However, during the 2014 "
Original Sin
Original sin is the Christian doctrine that holds that humans, through the fact of birth, inherit a tainted nature in need of regeneration and a proclivity to sinful conduct. The biblical basis for the belief is generally found in Genesis 3 (t ...
" storyline, when exposure to
Uatu
Uatu (), often simply known as the Watcher, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in ''The Fantastic Four'' #13 (April 1963). He is a membe ...
's eye after
his murder causes Banner and Stark to remember that Stark had tampered with the original gamma bomb and was thus indirectly responsible for Banner's transformation into the Hulk, Banner uses a modified Extremis to trigger his transformation into the Hulk while retaining his intellect to ensure his revenge on Stark. Even after the two recognize that Tony's actions actually saved Bruce's life, Bruce modifies Extremis to modify his usual transformation, creating a new Hulk persona known as "Doc Green" (a form of Hulk that is similar to Bruce Banner's Merged Hulk form) who retains Bruce's intellect and the Hulk's strength. After Doc Green attacked and depowered other gamma mutants as he believed that they were a threat, the Hulk then asked
Shadowcat
Katherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (January 1980) and was co-created by wri ...
for help to remove the physical components of the Extremis virus from his brain, eliminating a tumour that may have killed him but furthering Doc Green's development into what appears to be a contemporary incarnation of the
Maestro
Maestro (; from the Italian ''wikt:maestro#Italian, maestro'' , meaning "wikt:master, master" or "teacher") is an honorific title of respect (plural: maestros or maestri). The term is most commonly used in the context of Western classical music ...
. However, Doc Green eventually realised that his current state was only temporary and he would eventually return to normal, but an A.I. he created to facilitate his efforts at finding a cure has begun to work against him by using more Maestro-esque tactics, with Doc Green declining the option of a new Extremis upgrade for fear of becoming a new Maestro.
During the 2014 "
AXIS
An axis (plural ''axes'') is an imaginary line around which an object rotates or is symmetrical. Axis may also refer to:
Mathematics
* Axis of rotation: see rotation around a fixed axis
*Axis (mathematics), a designator for a Cartesian-coordinate ...
" storyline, Tony Stark experienced a moral inversion due to the
Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964) ...
making a mistake while trying to bring out
Professor X
Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writ ...
in the new
Red Onslaught, he experienced a new surge of his more negative traits such as his ego, irresponsibility, and alcoholism, culminating in him releasing a new version of Extremis onto San Francisco. This new version, known as the Extremis 3.0
app, could offer beauty, health or even immortality for free, but Tony subsequently ended the free trial mode and started charging the app in a daily fee basis, making the citizens desperate, prompting
Pepper Potts
Virginia "Pepper" Potts is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She serves as a supporting character to Iron Man and sometimes a romantic interest of Tony Stark. Created by writers Stan Lee and R ...
,
Daredevil
Daredevil may refer to:
* A stunt performer
Arts and media Comics
* Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications), a fictional 1940s superhero popularized by writer-artist Charles Biro
* Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), a Marvel comic book superher ...
, and an artificial intelligence based on Tony's mind stored in an old Iron Man armor to make plans to stop him, based on Tony's past requests that his allies be prepared if he should ever cross a line. During the fight between Daredevil and Iron Man, Extremis is used by Iron Man to "infect" Daredevil with it which enabled him to see again. Daredevil subsequently realized that Stark had added the Extremis virus to San Francisco's water supply, with the phones simply transmitting a subsonic signal that activated the already-existing virus in their bodies, but Stark subjected Matt to minor brain damage to erase his memories of this discovery, intending to reprogram the activation signal to a frequency Daredevil cannot detect. This plan was ended when Pepper Potts exposed Tony's true feelings about the world after his inversion.
Following the eight months
ellipsis
The ellipsis (, also known informally as dot dot dot) is a series of dots that indicates an intentional omission of a word, sentence, or whole section from a text without altering its original meaning. The plural is ellipses. The term origin ...
after 2015 "
Secret Wars
''Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars'', commonly known as ''Secret Wars'' for short, is a twelve-issue American comic book Fictional crossover, crossover limited series published from May 1984 to April 1985 by Marvel Comics. The series was written ...
", Tony Stark has returned to his normal self with no signs of his moral inversion personality. The status of the Extremis virus remains unknown.
Reception
''Extremis'' received favorable reviews
and is often listed as one of the best Iron Man stories.
In other media
Television
* The ''Extremis'' mini-series was loosely adapted as an ''
Iron Man: Armored Adventures'' episode of the same name. In the episode, the Extremis formula is retconned as an attempt to recreate the super-soldier serum behind
Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
's powers. Mallen, an ex-agent of
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often deals ...
rather than a terrorist, injects himself with the formula after being fired by
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in ''Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos ...
, and badly injures Iron Man during their initial encounter. In response, Tony injects himself with a modified version of the Extremis formula, allowing him to fully interface with his armor, along with all other forms of technology, and defeat Mallen. According to
Andros Stark
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
in the episode "Iron Man 2099", everyone has an upgraded version of Extremis by
2099
In contemporary history, the third millennium of the anno Domini or Common Era in the Gregorian calendar is the current millennium spanning the years 2001 to 3000 (21st century, 21st to 30th century, 30th centuries). Ongoing futures studies se ...
while he is running version 16.5, named
J.A.R.V.I.S.
J.A.R.V.I.S. (Just A Rather Very Intelligent System) is a fictional character voiced by Paul Bettany in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film franchise, based on the Marvel Comics characters Edwin Jarvis and H.O.M.E.R., respectively the househ ...
* The Extremis serum appears in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by ...
TV series ''
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
''Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' is an American television series created by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen for ABC, based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and L ...
'', continuing plot threads from ''Iron Man 3''. The
pilot episode
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...
introduces
Michael Peterson (
J. August Richards), a former factory worker who was injected by
Hydra
Hydra generally refers to:
* Lernaean Hydra, a many-headed serpent in Greek mythology
* ''Hydra'' (genus), a genus of simple freshwater animals belonging to the phylum Cnidaria
Hydra or The Hydra may also refer to:
Astronomy
* Hydra (constel ...
branch, Project Centipede, with an experimental serum created from the Extremis combined with
Chitauri
The Chitauri () are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, specifically in Ultimate Marvel. They were created by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch for the Ultimate universe franc ...
metal, gamma radiation, and an attempted recreation of
Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
's super-soldier serum. In "
Girl in the Flower Dress
"Girl in the Flower Dress" is the fifth episode of the first season of the American television series ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' Based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D., it follows Phil Coulson and his team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents a ...
", Project Centipede attempts to improve the serum by experimenting on
pyrokinetic
Pyrokinesis is the purported List of psychic abilities, psychic ability allowing a person to create and control fire with the mind. As with other parapsychological phenomena, there is no conclusive evidence in support of the actual existence of p ...
street performer Chan Ho Yi; during which they harvest his blood platelets to stabilize Extremis' unstable elements. With this success, Centipede operative Raina (portrayed
Ruth Negga
Ruth Negga ( ; born 7 January 1981) is an Ethiopian-Irish actress known for the AMC television series ''Preacher'' and the film '' Loving''. For her portrayal of Mildred Loving in the latter, Negga received several major nominations from the Ac ...
) reports back to her superior, the "Clairvoyant". In "
T.A.H.I.T.I.
"T.A.H.I.T.I." is the fourteenth episode of the first season of the American television series ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'', based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) ...
" and "
Ragtag",
Phil Coulson
Agent Phillip J. Coulson ( ) is a fictional character portrayed and voiced by Clark Gregg in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise. Coulson is depicted as a high-ranking member of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. and longtime partn ...
's team discover S.H.I.E.L.D. turncoat
John Garrett is the Clairvoyant as well as his and Project Centipede's connections to Hydra after learning Centipede's research was meant for restoring his failing cybernetic implants. Raina combines the Centipede serum with the
Kree
The Kree, briefly known as the Ruul, are a fictional scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic list of fictional extraterrestrials, alien race appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are native to the p ...
-based GH-325 serum to stabilize Garrett, thought it comes at the cost of his sanity.
Film
* Iron Man's armor and origin as depicted in the
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by ...
film ''
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
'' closely resemble those introduced in ''Extremis''. Based on his work on the story arc, artist Adi Granov was brought on as a producer for the film,
who went on to create the final designs for Iron Man's armor. "Extremis and Beyond" is included as a special feature on the DVD release. In other featurettes, Adi Granov and Warren Ellis are interviewed on the origin, the suits, John Pillinger (the interviewer), and the suit being on a crate, not a briefcase.
* The ''Extremis'' storyline serves as the primary source material for the 2013 film ''
Iron Man 3
''Iron Man 3'' (titled onscreen as ''Iron Man Three'') is a 2013 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to ''Ir ...
'', with characters Maya Hanson and Aldrich Killian being adapted and characters like Mallen being merged with
Eric Savin
The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization).
The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...
.
Although the exact nature of Extremis is subtly changed, the key powers of enhanced strength and fire generation remain, although the enhanced soldiers are not as powerful as Mallen was in the comics, as
Tony Stark
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charac ...
is able to fight them with remote-controlled armors rather than being required to give himself Extremis to face each one on an equal footing.
* An Extremis soldier appears in the 2021 film ''
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
''Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings'' is a 2021 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Shang-Chi. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 25th film ...
.
Video games
* Iron Man wears the Extremis suit in ''
Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds'', as well as the follow-up ''
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom in collaboration with Eighting. It is an updated version of '' Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds''. The game features characters from both Capcom's video game franchises and comic book se ...
''.
* The Extremis Suit appears as an optional suit in the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
and
DS versions of the
''Iron Man 2'' video game.
* Extremis soldiers are featured in ''
Iron Man 3: The Official Game''.
* Extremis appears in ''
Marvel: Avengers Alliance'', as part of Special Operations 9, which involves Iron Man, Rescue, and War Machine fighting off Extremis-enhanced super-soldiers invading
Avengers Tower
The Stark Tower Complex is a fictional high-rise building complex appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, USA, the complex is named after its owner Tony Stark, who is the alter ego ...
while trying to investigate the source of the project.
* Extremis soldiers appear in ''
Lego Marvel Super Heroes
''Lego Marvel Super Heroes'' is a 2013 Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft W ...
''.
"76006 Iron Man: Extremis Sea Port Battle"
. Lego Marvel Super Heroes
''Lego Marvel Super Heroes'' is a 2013 Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft W ...
. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
Toys
* Hasbro released a 6-inch Marvel Legends Extremis figure and variant blue stealth version in 2012 and a 3.75 inch version in the Marvel Universe toyline. The MU version has been reissued in a comic pack.
* A 6-inch action figure of Iron Man featuring the Extremis armor was released in the first wave of the return of Marvel Legends
Marvel Legends is an action figure line based on the characters of Marvel Comics, initially produced by Toy Biz, then by Hasbro. This line is in the scale, with spin-off lines in the , , and scale.
The line initially began as a spin-off of ...
in 2012 with a blue stealth variant. A re-release of the figure in darker colors was planned for the movie based toy line "Iron Man: Armored Avenger" before the line was cancelled.
Motion comic
In 2010, Marvel Knights Animation
Marvel Animation, Inc. is an American animation production company. The Marvel Studios subsidiary was incorporated on January 25, 2008 to direct Marvel's efforts in animation and home entertainment markets. The incorporated Marvel Animation inclu ...
adapted ''Extremis'' into a motion comic with 3D cel-shading
Cel shading or toon shading is a type of non-photorealistic rendering designed to make 3-D computer graphics appear to be flat by using less shading color instead of a shade gradient or tints and shades. A cel shader is often used to mimic th ...
graphics. The six-part mini-series was released by Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory is an American home video and music company founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases include previously released feature films, classic and contemporary television series, animation, live music, and comedy ...
first on DVD and later coupled with '' Spider-Woman: Agent Of S.W.O.R.D.'' on Blu-ray.
Novel
A novel adaption of ''Iron Man: Extremis'', written and adapted by comic writer and editor Marie Javins
Marie Javins (born April 22, 1966) is an American comic book editor, comic book colorist, and travel writer known for her long association with Marvel Comics and the Teshkeel Media Group. As of 2020, Javins is editor-in-chief of DC Comics.
Caree ...
, was released in May 2013 to tie-in with the release of the ''Iron Man 3'' film as part of the Marvel Prose Novel series.
References
External links
*
''Extremis''
at Marvel.com
*
{{Warren Ellis, type=comic
Superhero comics
Nanotechnology in fiction
Marvel Comics adapted into films