Korvac returns as surprise Iron Man villain

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

The cult-classic Marvel villain Korvac will return in the new volume of Iron Man from writer Christopher Cantwell and artist Cafu. 

Revealed in the company's October 2020 solicitations, Korvac returns just as Tony Stark is trying to rebuild his life after recent events including his death (Hey, it's comics).

"Tony Stark continues to roughly dismantle the fancy, shiny, and sophisticated ways of his past… but the world doesn't seem quite convinced that he's changed his rich guy tune," reads the solicitation for October's Iron Man #2. "As Iron Man, he takes the fight to the streets, looking to sacrifice himself on the altar of superheroism again and again - first with Arcade and Absorbing Man, then with medical vigilante Cardiac - all in hope of redemption in the eyes of the public.

"Only trouble is he might get himself killed in the process, and there are still plenty of people in line with an ax to grind," the solicitation continues. "Old friends like Hellcat try to help him find peace of mind and speak truth to his stubborn god complex, but lurking on the horizon is a threat Tony - and indeed the entire cosmos - hasn't seen in years… Korvac … yet another guy who believes he's smarter than the rest of the universe."

Originally created by Steve Gerber and Jim Starlin as a one-off villain for the Defenders in 1975, Korvac graduated to become a major cosmic villain with the late '70s crossover 'The Korvac Saga.' It's there he first crossed paths with Iron Man, although at the end of the arc he died. He has since come back to life three times (hey, it's still comics) but was killed again each time.

How will Korvac come back to life? Answers coming in the new Iron Man series.

Chris Arrant

Chris Arrant covered comic book news for Newsarama from 2003 to 2022 (and as editor/senior editor from 2015 to 2022) and has also written for USA Today, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Publisher's Weekly, Marvel Entertainment, TOKYOPOP, AdHouse Books, Cartoon Brew, Bleeding Cool, Comic Shop News, and CBR. He is the author of the book Modern: Masters Cliff Chiang, co-authored Art of Spider-Man Classic, and contributed to Dark Horse/Bedside Press' anthology Pros and (Comic) Cons. He has acted as a judge for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the Harvey Awards, and the Stan Lee Awards. Chris is a member of the American Library Association's Graphic Novel & Comics Round Table. (He/him)