A choice of Dooms! (One here, one not.)

The Spokane Comicon is a couple of months out, so I was thinking of some issues I'd like to pick up: these first two are probably out of my usual range (of quarterbooks...) but even the reprints are probably spendy. From 1971, the Incredible Hulk #143 ("Sanctuary") and #144 ("The Monster and the Madman") Written by Roy Thomas, art by Dick Ayers and John Severin. Reprinted in the super-awesome Marvel Treasury Edition #20, along with Hulk #136-137.

Doctor Doom fakes the Hulk's death, with a Hulk-robot; in order to offer Bruce Banner sanctuary in Latveria, but as you might expect, he's not doing it out of the kindness of his heart. Doom plans on subliminally controlling Banner and the Hulk, to use them to conquer a neighboring nation; but Doom's occasional girlfriend Valeria takes pity on Banner and frees him. The Hulk proceeds to just wreck Doom up. Seriously, it's a top-drawer beating, and although Doom is too stubborn to give up, cry uncle, or pass out; even the Hulk reaches a point where he's tired of hitting Doom. I've often wondered: does Doom know he's beat, or how close he came to death? Or does his ego refuse to acknowledge that?


Since I don't want to go without a scan today, we'll look at a slightly more recent Doom appearance; the unfortunately titled "Doom Service!" from Amazing Spider-Man #350, written by David Michelinie, pencils by Erik Larsen, inks by Randy Emberlin. Senior citizen jewel thief the Black Fox steals a gem called the Dragon's Egg, which belonged to none other than Dr. Doom! Or, rather, his mom, which makes it one of Doom's few keepsakes of her. Spider-Man had on multiple occasions let the Black Fox off the hook before, and this time he pays for defending him, as Doom beats Spidey into a concussion. Spidey's on defense the whole time, and even when he does connect, Doom so angry it doesn't faze him.

I was hoping those Hulk issues had been reprinted, perhaps in Marvel Super-Heroes, but so far it doesn't appear so. Have to keep an eye out...