Issue - 41

Title - Everyone's Little in Liddleville

Writer - Bill Mantlo

Art - Gil Kane & Danny Bulanadi

Summary:

The Micronauts, on advice from Ben Grimm, travel to Castle Doom in the hopes of finding technology that can help them return to the Microverse from which they originate. Inside the castle, Space Glider hears a summons for aid. He then leads his team into a chamber where they find Liddleville, the facsimile town that Doom and the Puppet Master built in order to house the FF. The summons leads them to the Puppet Master, imprisoned by Doom who has once more regained control over Liddleville. The Micronauts escape his dungeons and set the Puppet Master free as they go to attack Doom. With a replica of his full-sized armor, Doom battles Acroyear until a fire erupts and begins to consume the room. Doom is distracted when he sees that the fires are burning a portrait of himself in the Vincent Vaughn body. Suddenly Doom becomes paralyzed. The Puppet Master emerges from the flames and reveals that he had hid some of his radioactive clay and that he now controls Doom's body. The Micronauts leave the two villains to their fate. Doom is left petrified as the flames melt his skin to reveal the robot body underneath.

Comments:

Here we have an odd choice for a follow-up to the adventure that began in FF #236. Why would Ben suggest to them to visit Doom's castle? Can't Reed cook up a portal for them? That plot hole aside, another point against this story is the way Doom is portrayed as willingly giving up his real body just because his synthetic one has a pretty face. That kind of vanity is overkill. I also hate that Doom proudly proclaims himself as Vincent von Doom! So not only is Doom willing to give up his body but his name as well? Bottom Line: * * out of 5