Issue-249
Title- The Doctor's Passion

Writer-David Michelinie
Pencils-Bob Layton
 

Summary:

In the castle hideaway of the exiled Dr. Doom, a mysterious object of great power suddenly appears. Sensing its great potential, Doom begins to study it. He also attempts to discover if anything similar has appeared elsewhere in the world. To his consternation, an exact duplicate of the object has appeared to Iron Man. Doom travels and meets Tony Stark at his home, demanding he hand over the object, Stark of course refuses. Stark proceeds to evacuate the lab where the object is being held and, as Iron Man, prepares to fend off Doom's impending attack. When the attacks comes, it is in the form of a platoon of robots which ravage the Stark facilties. While Iron Man fights the robots, Doom enters the chamber where the object is being held and it comes to him of it volition. Iron Man chases Doom to his hideout where he puts the two objects together. However he discovers that as Iron Man aproaches the two devices react and a dark force engulfs them both.  

Notes:

• Ironically, on both of the occasions that Iron Man and Doom have met for these celebratory issues he has been living in exile. In Iron Man #149-150 he was in exile because Zorba was ruling Latveria. Here, he is in exile because the brainwashed Kristoff rules Latveria believing himself to be the real Doom.
   

• One of the on-lookers at the mall opening is wearing a shirt that says "JR JR Fan Club," a nod to artist John Romita Jr. who worked with David Michelinie and Bob Layton on their previous run on Iron Man, including this story's predecessor, Iron Man #149-150.

Issue-250
Title- Recurring Knightmare

Writer-David Michelinie
Pencils-Bob Layton

Summary:
After being engulfed by the mysterious dark matter, Iron Man and Doom find themselves in London of the future. The famed sorceror Merlin greets them and tells them that he has brought them to the year 2093. He reveals that he has called them here because England faces great danger and King Arthur is unable to come to its rescue because he has been reborn into a boy whose parent kept him cryogenically frozen. Doom refuses to play any part and flies off to explore the future. Meanwhile, Iron Man investigates how a left over satellite from the Star Wars defense project is being used to decimate whole populations without destroying physical structures. In the process he discovers that one of his own descendants, Andros Stark is controlling the satellite. The two clash, but Iron Man is unable to defeat his descendants advanced weaponry. Meanwhile, Doom discovers that he is unable to return to his own time without Merlin's aid. He then agrees to help Iron Man defeat the menace. Merlin calls upon the Lady of the Lake to give up Excalibur, and with it Iron Man's armor is fully repaired. Armed with the mystical sword, Iron Man takes the fight to his future counter-part while Doom follows another trail which leads to who Andros is working for. He is shocked to meet his own future self, a cyborg more machine than man. Both men defeat their counterparts, though Iron Man spares Andros, Doom kills himself. With the threat averted, Merlin returns the two to their own times without any memory of the events that transpired.

Comments:
Its hard to sequel a classic, even in comics. But Michelinie and Layton managed to craft a truly enjoyable story. Instead ot treading over the same material, they managed to take their original idea and do it again but in a new and refreshing way. Instead of going into the past, we go into the future. Brilliantly simple. Both stories compliment one another so well. In #150, both characters travel to medeviel time, an age with heavy influences on both of them. Iron Man gets to meet one of his idols, King Arthur while Doom gets meet Morgana Le Fey. Here, Doom gets to meet someone else that no doubt he's always wanted to meet, Merlin. Something else thar strikes me about this story is what it has to say about legacies, of heroes and villains. I think this issue is one of many that demonstrate that Doom's character is better developed outside of the Fantastic Four title. In other titles, like here in Iron Man, we get to see another side to the character. Having Doom kill is own future self? I thought that was fantastic! I think this issue, and of course #150, also show that Doom and Iron Man make good foils. These are two characters that should probably meet more often. Bottom Line: ***** out of 5
 

Notes:

• Although the cover to this issue bears the banner of the Acts of Vengeance event, the story itself does not actually follow the format or tie into the event. The Acts of Vegeance formula called for an unusual pairing of hero vs villain. Here, Doom and Iron Man actually do not fight each other at all, and their meeting is in no way planned by the Acts of Vengeance council.
• Doom meets the great sorcerer Merlin here for the first time. Doom has previously sought out artifacts Merlin has left behind in his own time, see Fantastic Four #5 v1.
  
• This story takes place in the year 2093, just six years prior to the year 2099, the same setting of Marvel's fictional future universe Marvel 2099. Doom played a prominent role in that universe. The Doom portrayed in 2099 in no way resembles the future Doom seen here. As Doom states that the future can be changed, it could be interpreted that Doom managed to keep his oath never to end up like the Doom seen here. 
• The future depicted in this story follows the continuity established in Iron Man 2020 by featuring the grandson of Arno Stark, Andros. A fleet of Iron Man 2020 style armors is depicted in Doom 2099 #25 seemingly linking all three stories. 
• Collected in Iron Man vs. Doctor Doom and Iron Man vs. Doctor Doom: Doomquest (Premeire Hardcover, 2 covers) pictured below.
  
  
  

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