Rage Against Time

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	Rage Against Time
	Title - May the Circle be Unbroken Issue - 39 Writer - Warren Ellis Art - John Buscema Title - The Night Before Yesterday Writer - Tom Peyer Art - John Buscema and Scott Koblish Summary: Having escaped America, and with Latveria a toxic wasteland, Doom removes himself to Myridia. There he constructs the Point, a new citadel for the government using nano-technology. He ponders on recent events leading up to the coup which took America from him. Reaching the summit, Doom listens to information coming in and going out across the globe. Finally he connects himself into the data net that is Myridia and attempts to grasp at the impossible solution until finally...he disappears. Notes: Panel appearance by various supporting characters on Doom's monitor. Cerebra, Nkrumah, Sharp Blue, Poet, Static Annie, Indigo Eshun, Vox, Wire, and Fortune.
	Title - Visitation Issue - 40 Writer - Tom Peyer Art - John Buscema Summary: The 1990s, deep below the ocean surface, Namor witnesses the destruction of a plot of sea bed. To his surprise and anger, the vehicle responsible disappears without a trace. In the slums of Hell's Kitchen, Daredevil busts a drug lab in a church. While apprehending the culprits, crabs appear from nowhere and then vanish. Meanwhile, on the metaphysical plane Dr. Strange senses a disturbance that may cause untold damage. In Latveria Doctor Doom observes a planet which seems to be moving to enter the solar system. Suddenly his lab comes under attack from a mysterious foe who battle from within the castle. When Doom confronts this foe, it is Doom 2099. Doom 2099 attempts to convince himself that he comes from the future and that he must aid him in order to save Latveria, but Doctor Doom doesn't believe him. Doom 2099 is forced to restrain him. Later in New York, the directors of Alistair Chemical are called in for a late night meeting. The directors are introduced to their newest partner, Doom 2099, as they are all attacked by crabs which latch onto their faces. Notes: Guest appearances by Namor, Daredevil, Dr. Strange, and Doctor Doom Dorian from X-Nation 2099 appears here as an unskilled lab attendant in Doom's castle. It is unclear how he continues to be a young man 2099 or why he seems to have no recollection. Doom 2099 tells Doctor Doom that he will be torn from his present era at some point in the future and flung more than 100 years into the future. This version of events is what Doom 2099 believed to be the truth until Doom 2099 #25 where he regained his memories. Its unclear as to why he gives his younger self this explanation.
	Title - Burn Issue - 41 Writer - Tom Peyer & Evan Skolnick (script) Art - Dale Eaglesham [story pages 1 - 8], John Royle [the rest] Summary: Daredevil is called to a scene of a crime where he once again encounters the mysterious crabs and their unusual effect on humans. Underwater, Namor continues to pursue the immense machine that is destroying his oceans. Namor and Daredevil cross paths when Namor attacks a pier where Doom's ships are picking up a shipment. A battle ensues in which Doom must put a hand in. When Namor believes that he has beaten Doom he swims to destroy the machine but is then caught in a huge explosion which further demolishes the ocean floor. Enraged Namor takes flight leaving Daredevil in the water. Namor flies to Latveria where he finds a battle damaged Dr. Doom warning him of an imposter. Together they form an alliance to track down the so called Doom of the future and make him pay for his crimes. Notes: Guest appearances by Namor, Daredevil, and Doctor Doom. Doom offers Dorian restitution for his younger self's mistreatment . Dorian asks Doom for crab venom but he refuses him, but Dorian takes some anyway. Its unclear what connection this has with his presence in X-Nation 2099, apparently un-aged. Its hinted here for the first time since Doom 2099 #25 that Doom doesn't have his full memories. He finds Daredevil and Namor only "vaguely familiar." First issue to not end with a quote. Issues #41 and 42 do not have a quote. Although not credited, Dale Eaglesham penciled the first 8 pages of the issue. Via email I asked Dale about his work on this issue. He recalled that following a change in editors, there was a misunderstanding over whether or not he was supposed to complete the issue and the rest of it was given to another artist [Royle]. Thanks Dale for answering all my questions! The change in artist partially explains why Doom first appears in his Mark-II then later the Mark-III armor. (Just speculation on my part, but perhaps he wasn't given reference material for the new armor).
	Title - Bitter Choices Issue - 42 Writer - Tom De Falco Art - Jeff Lafferty Summary: After inspecting the wreckage of the environmental platform that Doom used to ravage the seas, Dr. Strange follows Doom's trail. Doom meanwhile experiments on his own people using crab venom. His studies show that the venom, while highly addictive, provides an immunity to the necro-toxins which will be used to destroy Latveria in 2099. Dr. Strange follows Doom's trail to Yancy St. where he invites the Thing to help him defeat Doom before he causes a temporal cataclysm. Daredevil, using his own method also tracks down Doom's hideout. Together with the Thing they defeat Doom and destroy his lab. Doom having lost the battle is forced to ingest some of the crab venom in order to preserve it for analysis. But the only place where he can find the technology to analyze the venom lies in the Four Freedoms Plaza, home of the Fantastic Four. Notes: Dr. Strange identifies the machine Doom 2099 uses to ravage the seas as a Environmental Maintenance Platform.Alistair Chemical is renamed Alchemax Dr. Strange finds Dorian overdosed on the crab venom. He is not seen to be rescued by Daredevil or the Thing but somehow he manages to get out since he lives in 2099. This is the only issue of Doom 2099 written by Tom De Falco (of Fantastic Four fame). He would write Doom 2099 one more time in Fantastic Four #413 which immediately follows this issue. Second issue to not end with a quote. Issues #41 and 42 do not have a quote. Continues in Fantastic Four #413
	Title - Missions Impossible Issue - 413 Writer - Tom De Falco & Paul Ryan Art -Paul Ryan Summary: Doom 2099 uses the Fantastic Four's facilities to analyze the crab venom in order to save his people. After he is discovered, he must battle the combined efforts of the Fantastic Four and the Inhumans as he tries to escape the 4 Freedoms Plaza with the necessary data. Ultimately he is captured by his past self and Namor. Notes: Follows Doom 2099 #42. Continues in Doom 2099 #43 Other than the Spider-Man meets Spider-Man 2099 graphic novel, this is the only other occasion in which characters from the 'classic' 2099 continuity visit the regular (616) Marvel universe. Paul Ryan also served as the artist on Ravage 2099.
	Title - Homecoming Issue - 43 Writer - John Francis Moore Art - Jeff Lafferty Summary: After being kidnapped by his younger self, Doom is interrogated for the truth behind his actions. He once again tries to convince his counterpart that his intentions are for the best of Latveria. Seeing that his presence is causing more harm than good he escapes his younger self and uses the Shi'ar star gate to catapult himself into the future. As he returns home Doom sees an alien planetoid circling the earth causing untold environmental damage to earth. After landing in Latveria he finds the result of his time travel. Some Latverians survived the Necrotoxins. Among them are Fortune and her brother Kaz. Together they lead the last of the Zerifo clan and any mutated survivors of the Necrotoxins. Fortune, blaming Doom for all that has happened, warns him to either help them or stay out of the way. Doom returns to his castle where he catches up on the events that have transpired in the months that he was away. Then he receives a transmission from an unlikely visitor, Reed Richards. Notes: When his younger self does not recognize the face beneath the mask, Doom 2099 reminds him that he has switched bodies before. He mentions Daredevil (Daredevil #37) and Reed Richards (Fantastic Four #10). Doom theorizes that gaps in his memory, for instance not remembering the events of this issue, can be explained that his memories have been affected by his exploration of time and space. Doctor Doom tells his future counterpart that his future will not be his. To date, this is true. It is also not the first time that Doctor Doom has refuted a possible future, see Iron Man #250. Doom sees his mother, Cynthia von Doom, in his vision. This is her only appearance in Doom 2099. Goof: When Kaz mentions the Y'lestja its misspelled as Y'Lostia Zefiro law forbids the killing of another tribe member, the punishment is exile. John Francis Moore, the original writer of Doom 2099 returns for this and the final issue of the book. Issue ends with a historical quote, something that Moore himself started and was missing from issue #41 and 42 Continues in Fantastic Four 2099 #7
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