Description

The Invincible Iron Man.Shortly after the launch of Sputnik in October 1957, an object from space crashes in a forest near Rockwell, Maine. Nine-year-old Hogarth Hughes goes to investigates and finds a giant robot being electrocuted as it tries to eat the transmission lines of an electrical substation. Hogarth turns off the station, and the robot runs off. Hogarth tracks down and befriends the robot, finding it docile and curious. When it eats the railroad tracks in the path of an oncoming train, Hogarth tries to have the robot repair the damage, but the train collides with its head and derails. Hogarth helps usher the robot away from the scene, discovering that its damaged parts are drawn to the robot and can undergo self-repair. Hogarth hides the robot in his family's barn. After dinner with his widowed mother Annie, Hogarth reads comics to the robot. The robot is impressed with the adventures of Superman, but is agitated by how the villainous "Atomo the Metal Menace" is depicted. Hogarth calms the robot by telling it "you are who you choose to be". The recent incidents lead U.S. government agent Kent Mansley to town. He discovers evidence of Hogarth's involvement and rents a room in their house to stay close to the boy. Hogarth ditches Kent long enough to move the robot to a junkyard owned by beatnik artist Dean McCoppin, where they are able to pretend the robot is one of Dean's scrap metal sculptures. Nevertheless, the easily-spooked Kent issues orders for the military, led by General Shannon Rogard, to move into town. Hogarth enjoys his time with the robot but is forced to explain the nature of death when they witness hunters kill a deer. One day, Hogarth is playing with the robot using a toy gun. The robot involuntarily reveals several powerful weapons, and Dean rescues Hogarth before one strikes him. The robot reverts to its docile form and Dean orders it away for Hogarth's safety, but Hogarth gives chase. Dean realizes the robot was acting in self-defense and quickly catches up to Hogarth as they follow the robot into town...