MARVEL SNAP Explained: Who Is Iron Lad?

Iron Lad has officially arrived in MARVEL SNAP, and the heroic variant of Kang the Conqueror’s comics-inspired ability is already promising to change the game in a big way. With that in mind, here’s what you need to know about playing Iron Lad in MARVEL SNAP and the character in the comics.

Playing Iron Lad in MARVEL SNAP

Iron Lad is a 4-Cost, 6-Power card, which in and of itself makes him formidable. However, his ability is potentially game-changing, as Iron Lad has an On Reveal effect that causes him to copy the text of the top card of his player’s deck. When synergized properly, Iron Lad can then have a massive effect on a match.

The biggest drawback to Iron Lad’s ability is that, without advanced knowledge of what card a player has at the top of their deck, it’s quite random. However, there’s an upcoming card that can really help him out: Howard the Duck, who has an Ongoing ability that allows players to see the top card of their deck. Howard is also a 1-Cost card, making it relatively easy to get him out before it’s possible to play Iron Lad. As such, Howard can greatly reduce the randomness of Iron Lad’s ability, thus making him an invaluable synergy card.

With Howard the Duck in tow, there are a lot of different deck styles that Iron Lad can fit into well. He can, for example, copy the effects of big finishing cards, such as Galactus, Knull, or Death. Outside of those big finishes, Iron Lad can act as a second Cosmo, Shang-Chi, or Enchantress, allowing him to disrupt an opponent’s strategy. He can also be used to increase any buffs a player gets by copying Iron Man, Shuri, or Ironheart. Additionally, he can copy cards like Kang the Conqueror to get insight into an opponent’s moves.

There are a few locations that can also work well for Iron Lad. Bar Sinister or Sinister London could be used to duplicate any buffs, like those mentioned above, to really empower a player’s cards. One of the drawbacks to using those cards on those locations is that they have low Power, so they take up a slot that might have otherwise featured a stronger card. However, Iron Lad doesn’t have that drawback since he retains his 6-Power.

In terms of stopping Iron Lad, there are a few ways players can counter his effects. The most standard will be Cosmo and Leech. The former prevents On Reveal abilities from happening at a location, while the latter strips the cards in a player’s hand of their effects. Additionally, cards that add Rocks to a player’s deck, such as Rockslide or Korg, can reduce the chances of a player getting something advantageous to duplicate. Otherwise, Killmonger, Elektra, Enchantress, and Rogue can all take out Howard the Duck, making Iron Lad much more random again.

There are also several locations that can cause trouble for Iron Lad. Knowhere and Deep Space don’t allow for On Reveals to happen at them, making Iron Lad’s ability not happen if played there. Places that add weaker cards to a player’s deck, such as Lechuguilla, Subterranea, and Vibranium Mines, can also reduce the chances of Iron Lad having a solid card to copy. Finally, Lamentis-1, which destroys both players decks, makes his ability useless, since there’s nothing for him to duplicate.

Iron Lad in the Comics

Created by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung, Iron Lad debuted in YOUNG AVENGERS (2005) #1 and is an alternate version of Nathaniel Richards, AKA Kang the Conqueror. After seeing the brutality of his future self, Iron Lad went back in time to change his destiny. He then helped found the Young Avengers, a group of heroes who took up the mantle of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes following the disbandment of the team’s older iteration. The main MARVEL SNAP card for Iron Lad reflects the character’s appearance in the comics, as do the variants, which all show him in his neuro-kinetic armor.

Iron Lad’s ability has a close and deep connection to the comics. A major part of Richards’ character is his desire not to become Kang the Conqueror. However, he’s unable to break away from that fate and stop himself from becoming that villain. In YOUNG AVENGERS (2005) #6, for example, Iron Lad found that he must return to his time and become Kang to save his friends. Later, when Richards returned in AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN’S CRUSADE (2010), it became clear that he was going down the dark road that would lead to him becoming Kang. Iron Lad’s ability in MARVEL SNAP thus reflects—especially if played to duplicate Kang the Conqueror—the way he must become someone else in the future, regardless of if he wants to or not.

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MARVEL SNAP is available now on Android, iOS and Early Access Windows PC!