Despite growing up with a life filled with privilege, Tony Stark’s childhood wasn’t as always a happy time. His parents died in a car crash when he was a teenager. Tony’s parent’s history has been changed over time, but a new preview shows a much darker side to them - as they were apparently worshippers of the devil.

In the comics, Howard and Maria Stark were killed in a car accident. There has long been speculation it wasn’t an accident with the MCU’s Captain America: Civil War showing Bucky Barnes was responsible for his parent’s deaths when he brainwashed as the Winter Soldier.

In previews for Avengers #31 by Jason Aaron (The Mighty Thor) and Gerardo Zaffino (Cosmic Ghost Rider Destroy’s Marvel History) Stark is in trouble after finding a million-year-old version of his Iron Man Helmet buried deep within a cave. Stark’s side quest to find out more about the helmet, leads to him getting trapped and losing “most of his armor and a good chunk of his mind.” Titled “The Last Temptation of Tony Stark,” the issue teases an encounter with the devil.

In panels provided exclusively to CBR.com, a young Tony Stark is shown wandering through his home with his X-Ray contacts as his parents throw a party. Stark overhears what his parents are doing and when he gets a glimpse, it’s a shocking scene. In a room filled with elites, there is talking about making sacrifices of flesh, blood, and souls. People are dressed in robes with masks, as they try to make a deal with “the master.” Stark is caught and sees something that terrifies him: The face of the devil.

Seeing the bizarre ritual is one thing, but coming face-to-face with “the devil” clearly traumatized a young Tony. In the monologue, he says he saw the face of the devil in his dreams “until I was able to drink them away.” The encounter clearly scarred him. Check out the panels below for Avengers #31 followed by Marvel’s solicitation.

  • Avengers #31 Written by Jason Aaron Art by Gerardo Zaffino Cover art by Gerardo Zaffino Gwen Stacy variant cover by J. Scott Campbell• Chinese New Year variant by Tianqi Hu. THE TEMPTATION OF ANTHONY STARK! Special Oversized Issue! Trapped in an icy cave at the dawn of time, Tony Stark has lost most of his armor and a good chunk of his mind. And tonight when the sun goes down and the devil comes round again, Iron Man may very well lose whatever’s left of his soul. A dark tale of hell and ice and iron, unlike any Golden Avenger story you’ve ever read, featuring the gorgeously gritty visuals of guest artist Gerardo Zaffino (CONAN THE BARBARIAN). In comic shops February 26, 2020.

Next: Iron Man’s Robot Army is Growing in Marvel’s Universe