Ultron plays a minor role here, so this one will be short 'n sweet:
Deathlok #2, 5 (August, November 1991)
"Deus Ex Machina"
Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciler: Denys Cowan
Inker: Mike Manley
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Colorist: Gregory Wright
Editor: Tom Breevort
Executive Editor: Bob Budiansky
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco
Deathlok (Michael Collins) is investigating the kidnapping of various
folks who are either wholly or partly mechanical in nature (referred to
as "cybernets"). He traces it to an operation run by Dr. Doom, where he
has a whole bunch of these folks (including Ultron, in #2), helplessly
held prisoner in his lair. As it turns out, it wasn't actually Doom, but
one of his Doombots. The odd thing was that this was one designed by
Kristoff back when he thought he was Doom, a model that developed
independent thought. The Doombot was trying to figure out how so many
robotic entities managed to achieve human emotions, and so captured
them. After a fight in which Deathlok barely manages to cut off the
Doombot's (named Mechadoom) power source, the various cybernets are
freed.
Ultron is seriously pissed off, and vows revenge as he storms off.
(Curiously, he refers to himself as Ultron 11, even though the last model
was Ultron-13. Hmm.) Deathlok manages to convince Mechadoom that he's
become human in his own way, and he agrees to serve as a friend to other
cybernetters. Ultron slips back in and destroys Mechadoom, and then
slips back out, ending a potentially wonderful life.
Comments:
This is an extremely abbreviated discussion of an excellent 4-part
story. McDuffie did some great stuff here in using the cybernet stuff as
an (obvious) metaphor for race. The incredible power of Deathlok
contrasted with his pacifism was a strong storytelling device. The McDuffie-
written issues of this series are some of the most underrated comics of
the 90's. He'd go on to do some great stuff with the much-missed
Milestone line.
Ultron here is treated like the threat he is, even in a cameo. After
being held prisoner for really the first time in his career, it makes
sense that he'd want to wipe out his captor, even if it was a fellow machine.
--Rob