149 Issue -149
Title - Doomquest
Writer - David Michelinie
Pencils - John Romita Jr. & Bob Layton

Summary:
As Iron Man, Tony Stark travels to the open seas to stop a terrorist raid on one of his shipping vessels. After successfully stopping the attack, he orders the ship captain to return to port. Returning home for a board meeting, Tony reveals that the ship was making a delivery to Latveria, Dr. Doom's former country and a land which has been on SI's black list. Knowing that a refund will not make things right with the Latverian monarch, Tony readies for Doom's attempt to take the parts by force. Doom sends a giant crab-like vehicle which manages to momentarily defeat Iron Man and obtain the parts. Tony then travels to Latveria where representatives of the current ruler, King Zorba, are more than happy to provide Stark with Doom's location. In his armor, Tony journeys to Doom's castle where the two face off. Their battle takes them to Doom's Time-Platform where unbeknownst to them both, a disgruntled scientist working for Doom, Hauptmann, activates the platform and the two disappear.
  Notes:
  • The Time-Platform here is referred to as the Time Cube.
     
  • Doom has studied the mystic arts under the magician Cagliostro. The subject of Doom studying under other mystics has come up before. See Doctor Strange #57 and Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment.
     
  • Though dethroned, Doom continues to live in a castle in Latveria, most likely far away from Doomstadt.
     
  • Doom's head scientist here is Hauptmann, whose brother of the same name also served Doom and was executed, see Fantastic Four #85 
     
  • Latveria is on Stark Industries Restricted Sales List, and has been for years.
     
  • Digitally recreated on CD-ROM, also collected in Iron Man vs. Doctor Doom and Iron Man: Doomquest (Premeire Hardcover, 2 covers) pictured below.

 

   
150

Issue -150
Title - Knightmare
Writer - David Michelinie
Pencils - John Romita Jr. & Bob Layton

Summary:

After recovering from a tumultuous journey through time, Iron Man and Doom discover that the Time Platform has deposited them in front of Camelot in the famed time of King Arthur. The two are quickly discovered by some of Arthur's knights and taken before him. Unsure of whether they are friend or foe, Arthur commands them to stay the night in the castle while he decides what to do with them. Both of them are provided with quarters and with company. Using mind control, Doom pries the location of the sorceress Morgana Le Fey from the mind of a serving girl he is provided. He then escapes and travels to her castle. Face to face with Mogana, Doom reveals his purpose for wanting to travel to this time. He has studied under various mystics in the hopes of attaining knowledge and power to release his mother's soul, now he wishes to learn from her. Morgana agrees to help him, in exchange she asks that Doom lead her army and kill Arthur, thus releasing her from imprisonment in her own castle. With a fragment of Excalibur, Morgana resurrects her army made of men who have fallen by Excalibur's blade. Doom leads this army against Camelot while Iron Man battles with Arthur's forces. The two men clash, but eventually Iron Man flees the scene and makes his way to Morgana's castle. After defeating some of her mystic defenses, she mysteriously vanishes and with it, the power which maintained her army. Doom returns to Morgana's castle enraged that she has fled. Seeing that the object of his mission is unattainable, Doom agrees to work with Iron Man to cannibalize parts from their armors to construct a device to take them home. After hard work, the two successfully build and activate the device and they arrive back in Latveria and in their own time. The two agree to go their separate ways to battle another day.

 

  Notes:
  • The writer and art team on this issue would sequel this story in Iron Man #250. The first three pages of that issue directly mimic those of this issue, right down to the dialogue. Writer, artist, and plotters David Michelinie and Bob Layton also wrote a second sequel, Iron Man: Legacy of Doom, turning this into a trilogy.
     
  • On this trip backward through time, Doom and Iron Man travel using Doom's Time Platform. Tony Stark would later create his own time machine and make a trip to medieval times (the year 1002 to be exact). See Iron Man vol. 3 #59 / 404.
     
  • Iron Man and Doom are said to have been found in the Hildebrandt Wood, this is a reference to famed fantasy artists Greg & Tim Hildebrandt.
     
  • According to Civil War: The Confession, the battle between King Arthur's forces versus Morgana's "zombie" army inspired him to envision that one day there would be a super-hero civil war. His forming the Illuminati and his backing of the Super-Hero Registration Act have been in someway influenced by his experiences during this adventure. 
     
  • It has since been revealed that Doom has continued to travel to this time and meet with Morgana Le Fey. She has apparently kept her promise to instruct him in her ways. They have also maintained an intimate relationship. See Mighty Avengers #9 -11.
     
  • Digitally recreated on CD-ROM, also collected in Iron Man vs. Doctor Doom and Iron Man vs. Doctor Doom: Doomquest (Premeire Hardcover, 2 covers) pictured below.

 

  Comments:
In a word, classic. This is an absolute must read for all Doom and Iron Man fans. The story builds on those often overlooked elements of Doom's origin, magic and his quest to free his mother. Using his time machine to travel back and train under magicians and sorcerers is a classic example of how Doom is a meeting of science and magic. If there is an aspect to Doom's character which I think is wholly unexplored it is his travel through time. Here, like in other appearances, there are subtle references to Doom using his time platform regularly. Who knows where he has been. Since Unthinkable, Doom's mystic side has seen a large resurgence and is being featured more often in his appearances. This happens ironically now that his major reason for pursuing magic no longer exits, he has since freed his mother. Art-wise, this issue is another milestone. Doom and Iron Man have rarely looked better. I would venture to say that the cover on #150 is iconic. Its arguable (certainly on Iron Man Message Boards) that this creative team is the definitive team on Iron Man. Frankly I would agree. In terms of favorite Doom appearances, this one is always on my list. Bottom Line: ***** out of 5

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