“Marvel’s Agent Carter” just added another familiar face to the cast. Dominic Cooper will reprise his role as Howard Stark in the series, Marvel announced. Howard Stark and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) started S.H.I.E.L.D. together, so fans had been wondering when the show would add him. Marvel fans know that he not only founded S.H.I.E.L.D., but he's also the father to one of the Avengers, Iron Man. So will fans see a baby Tony Stark in the ABC series?

It depends on how fast the show goes. “Marvel’s Agent Carter” is going to start Season 1 in 1946. It’ll take place after the events of “Captain America: The First Avenger” (where Cooper first played the elder Stark), when Peggy is working for the SSR. “Peggy must balance doing administrative work and going on secret missions for Howard Stark,” according to Marvel.

Howard will be a little busy trying to get S.H.I.E.L.D. up and running before he can plan kids. Of course, he’ll have to meet Tony’s mother, Maria, first. In the “Agent Carter” Marvel One Shot short film that the series is based on, Howard was seen lounging by a pool with girls in bikinis (like father, like son), so it might be a while before he settles down. See the first photo of Howard Stark below:

The setting of the series is also a little too early for Tony to be born. The Marvel Cinematic Universe connects the TV shows and movies, so writers need to make it believable that Robert Downey Jr. would be Tony Stark’s age. Downey Jr. definitely isn’t pushing 70, so some time will have to pass before they can believably write in Iron Man’s birth.

Tony Stark’s birthday is May 29, 1970, but the writers might be willing to change that small detail to bring Tony in a few years earlier (Downey Jr. was born in 1965). Still, it doesn’t seem reasonable to expect to see him in Season 1 unless the series does some serious time jumps -- but fans can keep their fingers crossed for future seasons.

“Marvel’s Agent Carter” Season 1 will premiere after “Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.” goes on hiatus in the winter on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EDT on ABC. Do you want to see baby Iron Man on “Agent Carter”? Sound off in the comments section below!

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