Issue - 5

Writer - Stan Lee
Art - Jack Kirby

Summary:
Doctor Doom takes Sue Storm hostage and forces the rest of the FF to travel backwards through history to recover the teasure chest of Blackbeard the pirate. Unknown to the FF is that within Blackbeard's loot is also the  treasure of the great sorcerer, Merlin. Shortly after arriving in the past, the group are shanghaied by a band of pirates. While trying to escape, their captors become embroiled in a sea battle with another pirate ship. The team helps the pirates win, hoping that the enemy ship belongs to Blackbeard. To their surprise, the crew name a disguised Thing, Blackbeard. The team concludes that the treasure chest that Thing (now Blackbeard) wins from the battle must be the chest that Doom wants. The team is pulled back to the present where Doom becomes furious when he discovers that the team dumped the treasures in the ocean and returned with a chest filled with chains. Thing attacks Doom, but discovers that it is merely a robot. The real Doom begins to remove the oxygen from team's chamber, but is foiled by the escaped Invisible-Girl. The team regroups but finds that Doom has escaped.

 
 

Notes:

  • First appearance of Dr. Doom

  • When Doom first speaks to the Fantastic Four, only Reed recognizes the voice. At this early stage it was not yet established that Reed, Ben, and Doom studied together at Empire State University. See Fantastic Four Annual #2

  • Doom's origin here is brief, a fuller origin is not revealed until Fantastic Four Annual #2. For other significant re-tellings of the origin see: Fantastic Four #278, Triumph and Torment, and Books of Doom.

  • Although not named, Doom's castle which is located "within minutes" of the Fantastic Four's headquarters is his castle located in the Adirondack mountains.

  • First appearance of a Doombot

  • First appearance of Doom's Time Platform.

  • The Fantastic Four cheat Doom out of Merlin's treasure this time, but he eventually finds one and makes it part of the Latverian treasury. See Dazzler #3-4.

  • Other versions of this story: see Fantastic Four #236 (II), Marvel Age Fantastic Four #5

  • Reprinted in Fantastic Four Annual #2, Essential Fantastic Four: Volume 1, Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four Volume 1, Bring on the Bad Guys, and as Marvel Milestone Edition: Fantastic Four #5 (pictured below)

 

 
  Comments:
The story that started it all. The story firmly establishes that Doom is rooted in both science and magic. Truly he is one of the the most original and great villains of MARVEL. You're not likely to find this issue in the quarter bin at your local comic shop, so unless you have the money to spend I would look for a good reprint. My own copy is from the MARVEL Milestone Edition. You can also find this issue reprinted in B/W in The Essential Fantastic Four vol 1. It goes without saying, Bottom Line: * * * * * out of 5

 

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