Iron Man Gets Classic Look, Classic Cars in New Age of Ultron Teaser

It's looking more and more like time travel might be a part of the upcoming Age of Ultron event by Brian Michael Bendis and Bryan Hitch. Today's teaser, the fourth this week to feature a single Marvel character standing in a ruined landscape and the words "submit or perish," features Iron Man in his "classic" costume (the MK V armor that looks more like tights and was his longtime standard) standing atop a car that dates back probably to around the time he started wearing that outfit in the late '60s. Around him are a number of other cars that don't look like they could have come out any later than 1985 or so. Of course, Iron Man wasn't active in the '60s--or even in 1985--in the current Marvel Comics continuity, but it does seem odd to have the character not only back in his Mark V armor but also to be back in it standing atop a car that obviously calls attention to everything around him being "older." Could this be, as some have speculated, a way to bring together Marvel's heroes and create a timeline reboot for Marvel NOW!? It seems unlikely, since this story won't be taking place before the Marvel NOW! issue ones, but it might tie into the time/space anomalies hinted at in the Marvel Cosmic books. Of course, it's hard to say whether this being the Flashpoint of the Marvel Universe would make more or less sense given the fact that none of the Age of Ultron promotional material is branded as Marvel NOW!. Certainly it's odd, since almost every Marvel NOW! title is tying directly into Age of Ultron while it's being published this spring. The series launches in March. You won't know which of the many new Iron Man armors he'll be wearing without a playbook.