Type: Divergent Earth
Environment: Earth-like
Usual means of access: Presumably vibrational attunement
Dominant Life Form: Humans
Significant Inhabitants: Iron Man (James Rhodes), the Living Laser, Erica Sondheim, Tony Stark, Abraham Zimmer
Significant Locations: The Andromeda Galaxy, Stark Enterprises
First Appearance: What If? II#63 (July, 1994)
History:
(What If? II#63/2) - When Tony Stark was presumed dead, Jim
Rhodes offered a job at Stark Enterprises to Arthur Parks, and the Living Laser.
Laser accepted, thinking that Stark was dead and that Iron Man had been
"fired." Once aboard on Stark Enterprises, Laser found that not many employees
trusted him and after speaking with Iron Man about the problem, he decided
that he would win their trust by helping out Jim Rhodes.
Impersonating Rhodes, the Living Laser was called down to the Medlab, where he discovered that Tony Stark was still alive. While still in shock of his former enemy's life, the Living Laser was asked by Tony Stark himself to stay on at Stark Enterprises. The Living Laser agreed to stay on, but Rhodes, who had arrived when Abe Zimmer had hit the security button upon seeing the Laser, quit Stark Enterprises after seeing that his old friend had faked his death.
Two days later, another business firm opted to dismantle Stark Enterprises after seeing that Iron Man had quit as corporate bodyguard. They acquired technology from an unknown source and blasted their way into Stark Enterprises using androids and robotic tanks. Upon seeing his company under attack, Tony Stark monologued that his new armor would not ready for another few hours and that despite him still being alive, he was paralyzed and in a hover chair. Noticing the Living Laser near him, Stark mentally pointed a gun at the Laser, one designed to destroy him. The Living Laser responded by saying that he was there to help, but that it didn't look like he would have his armor finished in time. Stark replied that he needed Iron Man, and the Living Laser asked why Stark didn't say so. He then transformed himself into a duplicate of Iron Man's armor and left to fight off the androids attempting to destroy Stark Enterprises.
Comments: Created by Dan Slott, Manny Galan, Jim Amash, Mark Stegbauer, Kane, and Lewis.
This Earth diverged from the events seen in Iron Man I#289 (February, 1993).
Clarifications:
No known connection to:
LIVING
LASER
After taking the job at Stark Enterprises, the Living Laser found that he wasn't trusted by almost everyone in the company. Attempting to prove himself, the Laser disguised himself as Jim Rhodes and went down to the Medlab, where he Tony Stark still alive. Stark offered the Laser a permanent position at Stark Enterprises, given that he had noticed the Laser's good work while mentally traveling through cyberspace. The Laser accepted and eventually helped Stark defend his company from corporate terrorists.
--What If? II#63/2
images: (not counting ads)
What If? II#63, p18, pan4 (Living Laser)
p21, pan1 (Living Laser impersonating Iron Man, main pic)
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Last Updated: 06/30/05
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