Admittedly, it felt like a week reading this one.

Even though I know I didn't, it feels like I read all of one comic last week. Oh, and another volume of Chainsaw Man, but too bad for you, we're looking at 2000's Heroes Reborn: Doom #1, "Doom" Written by Chris Claremont, pencils by Mike McKone, inks by Mark McKenna, letters by Richard Starkings and Comicraft. So many letters...

I was trying to sort out where this one fell: a gazillion years ago, we saw the Chuck Dixon/Leonardo Manco Doom mini-series, where Victor ends up stranded without armor and weapons on the Heroes Reborn earth that had been created by Franklin Richards: I had to look it up, that's after this series. We also saw a bit of continuity backfill, in a Thor annual, explaining what happened when the other heroes returned to regular Earth-616; that maybe doesn't work because Doom has his armor back there, but whatever. By this point, Doom is conquering the hell out of the largely hero-less earth--who did they have left? Proto-Iron Man Rebel? Girl Bucky? While Doom had a crew of hitters, most of whom are seemingly terrified of him but still betray him; but he had a few that were maybe loyal so far: a really murdery Lady Dorma, the Celestial Ashema, and Lancer. Seeing Lady Dorma is mildly interesting: she had of course been dead in regular continuity for years, and wasn't quite considered a saint like the likewise passed Gwen Stacy, but close. Somehow, Claremont seems to be implying that Namor was a humanizing influence on her (and the other Atlanteans there) and without him Dorma could be a monster.

I also had to look up Lancer, since I remember her appearing at Doom's side for a bit there; but I wasn't sure what happened to her. Narratively, it would make the most sense for her to be loyal to Doom until he eventually went too far, or used her up entirely: arguably, she would have been a creation of Franklin Richards and not necessarily "real," but that would hardly matter to Doom either way, he'd still see here as just another tool for him to use as needed. I don't think her story was really resolved, and neither was her world's: the thrust of this issue, is Doom uses an attack by the Dreaming Celestial to get the power to move the Heroes Reborn earth out of its pocket dimension and into the real world, on the other side of the sun, where the High Evolutionary's Counter-Earth used to be, taking that name. It may or may not still be there to this day? I've noticed this before, but I'm still surprised: so in the 616 universe, today, there's probably at least four earths around somewhere: the regular one, this one, the High Evolutionary's (that got stolen some time back) and the New Universe one that was sealed off. Suck on that, Hodgkin's Law of Parallel Planetary Development!...that might be the nerdiest reference we'll ever make here. Read more!

"The End" Week: Guardians of the Galaxy #18 (180)!

I didn't write these all at once, but I would've had to space them out--so to speak. From 2021, Guardians of the Galaxy #18 (Legacy #180), "Then It's Us" Written by Al Ewing, art by Juan Frigeri. 

The cover event blurb is "The Last Annihilation," and this is the big finish: Dormammu has possessed Ego the Living Planet, and was now a colossal, galactic-level force of destruction. The Guardians are pulling out all the stops, working with both the mutants of Krakoa (they maybe hadn't colonized Mars/Arrako at that point) and Doctor Doom, who performs an elaborate ritual with Drax, Moondragon, Star-Lord, and Groot to drain energy from Dormammu. Doom then sends the heroes off to battle...

Meanwhile, Nova is getting ready for a suicide run, to punch the planet-sized Dormammu in the kisser: Gamora refuses to leave him alone, although she's not the type to say "I love you" but definitely the type to want to be there to say "I told you so." Their moment is interrupted by Rocket, who arrives with a big gun and a bullet of anti-magic mysterium from Krakoa. Star-Lord and Groot arrive, with Star-Lord and Nova powering the bullet, and Gamora taking the shot. She playfully accuses Rocket of being lazy, but he defers to the deadliest woman in the galaxy, who blows a massive hole through Dormammu/Ego; banishing Dormammu back to the Dark Dimension, and reducing Ego to an asteroid belt. (Oh, he'll be back, he's taken worse than that!)

Doom confers with his...not partner, certainly: ally? Pawn? Lackey? Sister Talionis now had rule over whatever was left of the Chitauri; and while Doom hadn't gotten everything he had wanted, he came out well ahead with a ton of mystic power, that may or may not have come into play the next time he was seen. At Gosnell's bar, the Guardians catch up, including members of their extended roster like Quasar, Hercules, and Noh-Varr. Peter, Rich, and Gamora are looking forward to a vacation, and look like a better throuple than Scott, Jean, and Logan.

I think I came to this title late in the game, because I saw Quasar was back; but I stuck around for the next series since writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing had done some Star Trek I just loved. They haven't wowed me since, though; and their run was only 10 issues and an annual to wrap up. Some of that could be MCU fatigue; or the fact that this would be what, like the third time the Guardians had built a deep bench of supporting characters, that would be either forgotten or benched in a new run to hew more closely to the MCU lineup; even if like Iron Man I don't know that the movies improved sales of the actual comics the least little bit. Just a matter of time until yet another relaunch, of course: I wouldn't mind a Rocket/Groot fronted book, with, um, let's see...Death's Head, Her/Kismet, maybe Lila Cheney...unless I could use Rom, then all bets are off.  

And I loaded the wrong scan here...twice. Ugh, skill issue.

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It's the busy season at my job, as well as the dead of winter out; so I didn't love last week, but I did pick up a couple more Marvel Essentials that I'm 60, 70% sure I didn't already have! I need to reorder that entire shelf, but one of the levels is Satana's bar. I may have to check if this issue is included in one of those new ones, though: from 1974, Fantastic Four #143, "The Terrible Triumph of Doctor Doom!" Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by Rich Buckler, inks by Frank Giacoia. 

The cover proclaims, "Get set for the greatest battle issue ever!" which is a bold statement. Feel like it should just be 19 pages of violence then, no subplots or anything, just get in the pit and tear this bitch up. (Channeling Tagalongs there!) The FF is not only broken up when this one opens, but Doom has already captured the Thing, as he confronts Reed, Medusa, and...the college football coach? Presumably a grudge from his time at university. Reed and Medusa are trapped by a trapdoor, then the coach knocked out when he tries to rush Doom; leaving Doom to monolog with the coach's wife, since he obviously wants to tell somebody how great his scheme is. Reed wakes up in time to get most of it: with the Thing and Darkoth hung up like trophies, Doom explains his new "vibration bomb," which allegedly can "erase all previous emotional ties" leaving only devotion to Doom. He mindwipes two turncoats in his ranks, then forces them to kill each other, just as an example. 

Meanwhile, in Buffalo, Wyatt Wingfoot has managed to calm down the furious Human Torch (over what Reed did to Franklin, in the previous issue!) but the cops are pissed at them for property damage. Sue is left to fret over the comatose Franklin; while Doom considers just how swell the world will be with him in charge of it. But, Darkoth has broken free: Doom calms him down, claiming to not only be his master, but his creator. Still, we don't get into that here, since Doom is off to Buffalo, after the Torch. Can't very well rub his nose in Doom's victory if he's not there, right? Doom and his men attack the jail, capturing Wyatt and Johnny; but back at his base, Darkoth turns on him, freeing Reed, Ben, and Medusa...to be continued!? Ah, was that "greatest battle ever" blurb supposed to go on next month's issue? I'm not overly familiar with this stretch, but I do know Darkoth would return, around FF #193 or so.

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We saw his later fight with "She-Thing" some time back, but today we get to the second round of this particular slugfest: from 1988, Incredible Hulk #350, "Before the Fall" Written by Peter David, pencils by Jeff Purves, inks by Terry Austin.

I may have to trundle out to my garage to look for the first part of this one, "Pride Goeth..." from Fantastic Four #320, although I don't think most of Englehart's run held up that well. And the splash page catches you up just fine, anyway: Doctor Doom (or "Doctor Doom," 90% sure he was a Doombot!) has talked the grey Hulk into a fight with the new and improved spiky Thing. Smaller and not-as-strong as the classic "Hulk smash" version, the grey Fixit gets crushed by the stronger-than-usual Thing; but the fight is interrupted by the appearance of said classic Hulk! Old speech patterns and all! While they scuffle, Doom picks Fixit up, who perhaps for the first time, feels "puny."

The green Hulk was from Eternals #14, of all places; a robot rebuilt and repurposed by Doom. And the robot wasn't tagged in to help out Fixit, but to rectify the mistake of working with him in the first place: Doom was pretty sure Ben was gonna beat the Hulk robot as bad as he beat Fixit, and he was going to call it a day. Fixit claims he's not out yet, though. Meanwhile, Ben has realized, the "Hulk" wasn't getting angrier and stronger; it was a fake. Fixit watches Ben take the robot apart, and realizes his advantage: he knew his opponent. With the sun now down, Fixit was tougher; but also lighter and faster: he lets himself be seen, so Ben will chase him into Central Park. Fixit uses hit-and-run tactics, forcing Ben to run around--and badmouth Nightcrawler? Aw, what'd he do to you?

After forty-five minutes of chasing what he assumed was a robot, Ben is getting exhausted, but takes a running start at him...and misses, landing in the lake! He thinks he's got enough air to last him, until Fixit "heimlich's" the air out of him, nearly drowning him. Barely getting to shore, Ben asks how he got there so fast, and Fixit finally speaks to him: "I jumped." Realization dawns as Ben recognizes the voice, that he thought was dead and gone! 

 Doom is impressed with Fixit's win, or at least pretends to be; and assumes he can count on his support when the time comes to retake Latveria. Which might've been the plan, but FF writer Steve Englehart ended up burning that plot in a dream sequence in FF #330! Still, Doom doesn't offer Fixit a ride back to Vegas, so he's going to have to jump--except, he happens to pass the site of Avengers Mansion, which was more-or-less demolished at the time. Oh, well, not his problem--except, the Beast is there, called in on a major emergency that's called in the reserves. Worse for Fixit, the Beast realizes who he is, and quickly blackmails him into helping out: to be continued in Avengers Annual #17! Pretty good planning there.

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"The End" Week: Doctor Doom #10!

You know what sounds like a great way to get killed? Telling Doctor Doom he's wrong about something. Even Doom himself can't get away with that! From 2021, Doctor Doom #10, "Bedford Falls" Written by Christopher Cantwell, art by Salvador Larroca. 

The neighboring Symkarians had framed Doom for murder, which also involved opening a black hole: Blue Marvel had already gotten sucked into it, then when Reed Richards makes Doom doubt himself, a massive explosion ensues. Somewhat battered, Doom awakens in a green field, with local Latverian birds overhead, as a helicopter arrives, and a familiar face gets off: Doom, unmasked and casual. This was an alternate reality, that he had been having visions of. But, discussing it with alt-Doom, Doom realizes his reality was the nightmare, alt-Doom's a pleasant dream. Also, after a talk with Blue Marvel: Dr. Octavius (Doc Ock) was a "limited moron" in both realities.

Doom has to admit, seeing alt-Doom's life had shown him the errors of his own. Alt-Doom thinks that's a good first step, but has more to show him: his (relatively) humble home, and family. Alt-Doom's wife suggests that may not be a good idea, and that Doom's ambition is a constant in any reality. Alt-Doom wants to hammer home the idea that it's not all about Doom; showing him co-operation with alien worlds, and power objects like the Darkhold, Cosmic Cube, and Ultimate Nullifier collected for mutual disarmament. Doom still thinks his counterpart deserves some credit; which is humbly deflected. 

Alt-Doom keeps working on Doom, pointing out Doom could fix his face if he wanted to, but he chooses not to, "to show how humanity has wronged you...betrayed you." He has to forgive, everyone, but especially Richards: with his Richards, alt-Doom had turned his world into a paradise. Then alt-Doom goes a step too far, and badmouths the armor, as "ridiculous." 

Tut-tutting threats and violence as...well, we'll never know, Doom murders his alternate before we can find out. Before Blue Marvel can stop him, Doom has that universe's Ultimate Nullifier, and he destroys it. All of it. Without a trace of sympathy or pity. As Death herself had foretold, Doom becomes her greatest servant.

Often the Nullifier will destroy whoever attempts to use it, but with Doom's extraordinary focus he is simply able to return to his throne in Latveria. Almost as an afterthought, he leaves Blue Marvel in an ocean somewhere, "the last act of mercy I will ever show in my life." After ordering an imprisoned journalist executed, Doom is visited by Kang, like the ghost of Christmas future, who seems to assume Doom had his mojo back. And sure enough, he would be once again after the Fantastic Four: I wrote this after his "wedding" was announced, but haven't read any of that yet.

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Mmm, crab venom, that's the stuff.

I had wanted to read this one, since I hadn't read this stretch just before the last issue, and I thought it would be a lot of re-boxing the toys. I forgot about a crossover here, with Doom 2099! From 1996, Fantastic Four #413, "Missions: Impossible!" Script and plot by Tom DeFalco, plot and pencils by Paul Ryan, inks by John Lowe and Bob Wiacek.

The future Doom--who may or may not be the Doom we know from the present, but who is also wearing a latter, lesser version of his 2099 design--was on a pretty convoluted mission. The citizens of future Latveria were all dead, dissolved by deadly "necro-toxins." To save them, Doom 2099 had discovered long-term use of a drug made of crab venom, would alter his people on the genetic level and save them from the necro-toxins if he got them hooked on it in 1996. The Thing and Daredevil (in the yellow costume, putting this around 1995's Daredevil #347?) stopped him, forcing 2099 to take some crab venom himself, but with the crab extinct he now had to find a way to synthesize more. And Reed always had the best toys...

At Four Freedoms Plaza, the newly shaven--and seemingly mostly recovered--Reed was hard at work on a couple projects: a dimensional probe to contact either Galactus or the Silver Surfer, then a little surgery on the injured Black Bolt. Reed's trying to get help to beat Hyperstorm, even though his dad Nathan keeps discouraging him from even trying, which isn't suspicious or anything. Reed is assisted during the surgery by his son Franklin, who was currently aged up to the young hero Psi-Lord; then takes a shortcut through the Negative Zone to cross the universe and see the Surfer, who gives him the bad news about Galactus's 'death." (Silver Surfer #109, as we mentioned the other day!) Then, the Thing returns, to warn of his encounter with Doom 2099 in, well, Doom 2099 #42, only to see the armored intruder on their security cameras! He had used Reed's stuff to analyze the crab venom, saving the info in his mask. So, 2099 is a little hesitant to let the Thing and the Torch give him any shots to said mask, but probably shouldn't have mentioned it like two dozen times.

When the power is interrupted, Psi-Lord has to fish Reed out of the Negative Zone, while the Inhumans get into the fight. Desparate to save his people, 2099 swallows his pride and makes a break for it, only to be immediately captured and absconded with by Namor and present-day Doom! Nathan gives another warning to Reed, who is getting steamed at his constant naysaying, but he may have had a point, since Hyperstorm was watching, and uses a time platform on Psi-Lord. Previously, Franklin had been taken in the same way, and spent years before he could get back to the present; but this time he returns--as a child again! I don't know if there had been a ton of clues to Hyperstorm's identity, but this should be one: why wouldn't he just kill Franklin, unless he needed him for something?

The cover features Reed drifting into space, his lifeline not pulling him in; which I feel was a common problem for him, always drifting off into the Negative Zone or some damn thing. Also, is it weird a guy that can stretch has to trust a lifeline?

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"Entire."

Ben, Johnny, and Sue have long since figured out, they can trash-talk Doom until he blows his stack, and he will still always take the first shot at Reed instead. And they have been harsh on him; doesn't matter. I absolutely feel like Doom would threaten to kill someone with his bare hands, even though he hasn't removed his gauntlets in who knows how long. I'm also not sure how many battles he loses nowadays by losing his temper like a colossal baby, but after a couple of weeks of "Doom is supreme" I was kind of fed up with him. That said, I did consider having Namor stop by to try and talk Doom out of handling the Darkhold, then having the FF show up, but the scene was already getting crowded, and we've been missing someone here for a few episodes. Also, as I type this, I'm a month ahead (and as it posts, I'm super-behind!) but may have the hankering to put together a new set. Which would go...somewhere; I'll figure that out later. Read more!

"Feeble."

I know I've had more than one Contest of Champions fight against Doom, where I thought I had him on the ropes and he absolutely rallied to clobber me. Also, maybe someday I'll get tired of bagging on Spider-Man's "One More Day," but I doubt it. Even if I agreed with "erasing" Peter and MJ's wedding, getting Mephisto involved is both terrible and lazy. And terribly lazy, to boot. Read more!

"Jumped."

That Kang on the fire escape is not in the most naturalistic position; yet I don't think he's going anywhere for a bit. Read more!