Marvel Just Turned The MCU’s M’Baku Into The New Iron Man

Tony Stark’s Iron Man technology has been the primary benchmark for the Marvel Universe’s technological evolution, and now, it’s no longer exclusive to him. What began as a desperate, clunky survival suit forged in a cave morphed into a sophisticated array of nanotech and sentient AI that constantly shakes up the power balance between cosmic entities and the mortals who stand against them.

The influence of Tony Stark’s Iron Man tech is felt in every corner of Earth-616 continuity. However, Stark’s monopoly on high-end armor sparks a global arms race. Iron Man has inspired a diverse array of armored successors like War Machine and Ironheart, but it has also drawn the attention of rival millionaires and geniuses.

At this point, it isn’t too difficult for other powerful figures to create their own version of an Iron Man suit, especially with the amount of wealth and resources that the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda possesses.

M’Baku Is A New Iron Man In Marvel Comics

Black Panther: Intergalactic #4; Written by Victor LaValle; Art by Stefano Nesi & Brian Valenza

Marvel’s Black Panther: Intergalactic sees T’Challa be impersonated by a clone as he pursues the impostor’s creator. In the king’s absence, it’s up to M’Baku to take Black Panther’s place. However, things continue to take a dark turn in issue #4, and M’Baku joins Shuri and T’Challa in their pursuit of the fake Black Panther and the evil engineer B’Wete. To ensure victory, M’Baku deploys on the battlefield with his best look to date, a full suit of armor inspired by Man-Ape and Iron Man’s gear.

This is not the first time that M’Baku wears advanced armor. In Last Annihilation: Wakanda, M’Baku is gifted a sleek, high-tech suit of armor with Man-Ape-inspired symbols and an ape-inspired helmet for outer-space missions. In Imperial, M’Baku’s body-fitting armor is destroyed during an assassination attempt by the Skrull empire, after which M’Baku spends some time using Wakandan technology to recover from his wounds.

M’Baku’s first suit of armor featured gauntlets that granted him the ability to cast simple hard-light constructs and enhance his strength. The abilities included in M’Baku’s second suit of armor are unknown, but considering the immense amount of resources and gadgets that the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda possesses, it could easily be just as advanced as the best Iron Man suits Tony Stark regularly uses, or perhaps even more.

Wakandan Iron Man Technology Is Long Overdue

The Wakandan Empire Dances Around Their Iron Man-Inspired Tech

The technological gap between Wakanda and the rest of the Marvel Universe has always been wide, yet their military application of that genius has leaned toward traditionalist weaponry over heavy-duty gadgets. In a universe where Tony Stark can fabricate god-slaying suits as a side project, the fact that the most advanced nation in human history hasn’t already standardized a fleet of high-density powered armor seems like a strategic oversight. With the sheer abundance of Vibranium, a Wakandan take on Iron Man technology is an absolute must to keep pace with the cosmos’ tribulations.

The debut of M’Baku’s specialized armor in Black Panther: Intergalactic #4 shows how the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda views individual combat power. The heavy-set figure of M’Baku’s Man-Ape armor with the sophisticated flight and energy-projection systems typical of Iron Man gear transforms M’Baku from a grounded bruiser into a mobile, heavily weaponized threat. This suit is a vital proof-of-concept. If it survives the events of Intergalactic, it could be the first in a series of highly-advanced suits.

Of course, Black Panther and Iron Man occupy different spaces in Marvel lore. Black Panther doesn’t design and wear technology that could be comparable to Iron Man’s, and Tony Stark doesn’t extend his technological reach to Wakanda. This clear delineation allows both armored billionaires and their supporting cast to craft their own path in the Marvel Universe. Every once in a while, however, it’s nice to see a character explore the best of both worlds.

Which character would you like to see wearing their own suit of armor?

Black Panther: Intergalactic #4 is available on March 18 from Marvel Comics.