Issue - 350Issue - 350
Title - The More Things Change...!
Writer / Art - Walt Simonson
Summary:
Doom has amassed an army of Doombots to attack Castle Doom and retake the throne of Latveria from Kristoff. Doom and Kristoff face one another but are quickly interrupted by none other than, Doom! This new Doom reveals the first Doom to be no more than a robot. he destroys the rogue Doombot and deactivates Kristoff's mental programming. As his first order of business, Doom reviews the events that have transpired during his "long" journey. He notes that Ben Grimm has returned to his normal shape but that Sharon Ventura remains the She-Thing. he then targets her as a integral part of his new plot against the FF. Doom lures Sharon to Latveria with the promise of curing her and indeed does so. Meanwhile, Ben not knowing that Doom has cured Sharon, subjects himself to a dose of cosmic rays and returns to his Thing form. The team then receives Doom's invitation come to Latveria. The team is eventually separated leaving Thing alone to fight Doom. The Thing nearly defeats Doom but Sharon mysteriously interferes and gives Doom the advantage. After defeating the Thing, Doom challenges Reed to a duel in time.
Comments:
The Kristoff / Doom war which began three years before in Fantastic Four Annual #20 is finally over. It is quickly brushed aside by writer / artist Walt Simonson whose solution is on the one hand hasty but on the other very surprising. It is also ironic in a way. What was it all about? It was a Doombot the whole time! At least that is what we are led to believe. In truth it is all rather vague. The "real" Doom makes allusions to being on a long journey but making brief returns now and then. Where he went or when he left is never mentioned. Several references are made to the Battle of the Baxter Building [way back in FF#39-40] and this seems to be very fresh in his mind. While this could be implying that that was when he first left, on the other hand Simonson could just be drawing a line saying "after this, it is all fair game that he could have been a Doombot." On the other hand he could just be picking up on an old thread to tighten up continuity. An argument against all Doom's previous appearances being a Doombot is that he does seem to be aware of Sharon. He says "the woman remains a thing," thus implying a familiarity with her situation.
This development certainly opens up a lot of possibilities for continuity clean-up. It can now be argued that since Doom would frequently leave that some of his out of character moments could be attributed to a Doombot. Certainly I don't mind the thought that anything written by Steve Englehart was a Doombot. In fact it would allow, if MARVEL had been interested, the chance to really carve a clear and consistent characterization for Doom. Even going back as far the Lee / Kirby days Doom was always going back and forth between being a benevolent ruler and a tyrant.
The Kristoff / Doom war is ultimately very disappointing. It is not because of Simonson or his resolution but rather because of Steve Englehart who originally began this war in FF Annual #20. It was a grand idea, certainly picking up on a thread left by John Bryne who originated the Kristoff character, however too often Doom was portrayed cowardly or just plain dumb. As I said, Simonson's solution is a double edged sword. While conveniently making all Doom's appearance from FFA #20 to FF#350 a Doombot, the vagueness of when Doom was where also calls into question some very good Doom stories in other titles. Doom's involvement in the Acts of Vengeance plot would by default have to be a Doombot. This however means the classic Iron Man #250 appearance would also have to be a Doombot. It would also seem to imply that this Doombot was preoccupied with saving Doom's mother since he tried not once, but twice to save her [FF Annual#20 & Avengers 332-333]. Regardless, this is certainly a milestone issue in Doom's history and so Bottom Line: Buy It!
Title - no Time like the Present
Issue - 352
Writer / Art - Walt Simonson
Summary:
Reed and Doom battle it out across time, however their fight draws the attention of the Time Variance Authority. The TVA end their fight and prepare to arrest them for time violations. Doom does not respond well to this and murders the agents. Doom however is seemingly murder only a moment later by more TVA Agents who take the FF instead. After they all disappear Doom emerges from the shadows revealing that he had switched places with Kristoff at one in the fight. He destroys a remaining time sequencer in his possession in order to cover the tracks from his own extra-dimensional travels and swears to exact revenge upon the FF should they ever return.
Comments:
Certainly not your average comic. Trying to read the Doom / Reed fight is a fun experience. Walt Simonson is clearly proud of this issue as he should be because it is one of my favorite fights between these two. Definitely a classic. I personally would be curious to know what, if any plans Simonson had for Doom. Here again he makes reference to his travels as they are the source of the technology behind the sequencer. Something I forgot to talk about in the previous issue is Simonson's redesign of Doom's armor. I like it. I'm surprised no one else continued using it. It is certainly very futuristic and is very interesting in itself bearing in mind that Doom 2099 would begin only a couple of years later. Bottom Line: Buy It!