Steve Rogers was always destined to become Captain America thanks to the Super-Solider Serum that transformed his body. But, what if that serum was destroyed and he became another hero instead? In one alt-universe tale, Steve became Iron Man after the serum is no more.
Marvel’s 2007 Bullet Points storyline by J. Michael Straczynski and Tommy Lee Edwards examined a world where the scientist who was responsible for the Super-Soldier Serum, Dr. Abraham Erskine, is murdered before he’s able to inject Steve with it and create Captain America. His death creates a domino effect in the alt-Marvel Universe, as it leads to a number of heroes to becoming other heroes, while many original origins changed drastically. One of the biggest changes is Steve Rogers suiting up as Iron Man and not Captain America.
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Bullet Points opens with the usual Captain America origin – Dr. Erskine is assassinated by Wilhelm Schuller, a Nazi who joined the party following the death of his father. But, before his death, he managed to inject Steve with the Super-Soldier Serum. However, the story immediately flashes forward to a different timeline where Erskine is murdered before anyone can be given with the serum. Instead of getting stronger and becoming Captain America, Steve participates in ‘Project Iron Man,’ and goes through rounds of surgery to bond with an Iron Man suit to become an all-new type of super-soldier for the American military.
As Iron Man, Steve Rogers does his job to assist the U.S. Military during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II. Steve later enters semi-retirement from the suit. Meanwhile, the story shifts focus to Peter Parker, who ends up becoming the Hulk after being exposed to gamma bomb radiation. When Peter’s Aunt May sees him Hulked out, she has a heart attack and is hospitalized. Steve is called into action when Peter is caught visiting Aunt May in the hospital and fails to subdue him with chemical darts. Enraged, Hulk grabs Iron Man with both of his arms and squeezes him until he breaks. The issue ends with the funeral of Steve Rogers, as Parker goes into hiding.
Steve proved as Iron Man that he was just as honorable as he was as Captain America. When called into duty, he went in guns blazing. Unfortunately, he ran into Peter, who had no control when he transformed into the Hulk and was killed. It’s a surprise ending to Steve Rogers’ turn as Iron Man, but even if it was short, it showed no matter what super-power, suit of armor, or upgrade Steve was given, he was going to defend his country – no matter how much a bullet changed things.
