Issue - 1Writer- Tom De Falco
Art - Ron Lim
Issue - 1
Writer- Tom De Falco
Art - Ron Lim
Summary:
In the deepest undersea
trench on the planet, Namor holds Dr. Doom prisoner for the crime
of annihilating Atlantis. Month after month he visits, however on this
occasion he finds Doom's cell empty. Very quickly the escaped
Doom incapacitates Namor and prepares to return to the surface world.
Meanwhile, in the F5 headquarters Reed Richards informs Ben Grimm that with a
series of operations, he may be able to discard the bionic armor he has needed
for past several years and thus regain the ability to become human again. In
their quarters, Johnny Storm and Lyja begin to discuss leaving the F5 to form
their own team. Simultaneously, Sharon Ventura arrives in the F5 building
telling Ben that she is taking their children back with her. Ben pleads
with her to allow the children to stay, but she is adamant. Taking a stroll in
Central Park to think on matters, Ben's thoughts are interrupted when Doom,
armed with the power cosmic, appears on a glider and attacks him. The two battle furiously,
but eventually Doom uses his new powers to have Ben's own bionic
armor to turn against him. The armor comes off his body and reforms
itself into a sphere, encasing him inside with limited air to breath.
Notes:
Issue - 2
Writer- Tom De Falco
Art - Ron Lim
Summary:
Doom crashes through the wall of the F5
headquarters and begins his attack on the team. Within moments he is able to
capture Reed, Sue, and Sharon and the children. Kristoff arrives on the scene
and Doom punishes him for taking refuge amongst his enemies. From the street,
Johnny, Lyja and Torus spy the battle ensuing at F5 HQ. They also see that Doom
has flung Jake Grimm out into another building. While Lyja and Torus see to
Jake, Johnny proceeds to HQ. Meanwhile, in Central Park, Ben continues to bang
on the interior wall of the sphere in an attempt to break out. Johnny arrives
and attacks Doom in order to lead him away from the others, but Doom quickly
dispatches him. Reed tries to use the moment to grab a weapon designed for
cosmically power villains, but Doom catches him and destroys the weapon and
turns Reed into a ball. In Central Park, Ben finally breaks free of the sphere
and begins to make his way back.
Notes:
Issue - 3
Writer- Tom De Falco
Art - Ron Lim
Summary:
In the HQ of the F5,
Doom holds Johnny in a cube of impenetrable energy, Kristoff paralyzed and mute,
and Reed in the shape of a small ball. Lyja, Torus and Jake reunite with the
rest of the team and together they begin to plan their next move. Meanwhile, Ben
makes it back to HQ and immediately goes after Doom. Once more the two begin
to fight. During the battle, Doom uses his power to heal Ben's scarred
exterior because he wishes to beat him in top form. Growing to gigantic
proportions, Doom battles Ben and the now free Kristoff and Johnny. After
defeating them, Doom chases Reed into his lab where he becomes caught in a
stasis ray. No sooner do they think he is defeated, they learn that they were in
fact fighting a Doombot. The real Doom appears with an army of cosmic
powered Doombots behind him.
Notes:
Issue - 4
Writer- Tom De Falco
Art - Ron Lim
Summary:
Doombots blast away UN troops and reclaim Doomstadt as the
capital for their master. In Castle Doom, Doom holds and tortures Namor and keeps
F5 prisoner. In space, one of Doom's cosmic powered robots guides into orbit the
ship containing the sons and daughters of the F5. Franklin concludes that they
cannot defeat the robot as they are now, so he plans to remove the insulation of
a small part of this ship to allow cosmic rays to strike him and hopefully give
him the extra power he needs to beat the robot. Back on Earth, Doom demands from
world leaders complete and total surrender to his authority. To demonstrate his
sincerity, he destroys the UN building and retaliates against China's attack on
Latveria. Inside the orbiting ship, Franklin awakens with his telekinetic powers
super-charged and destroys the guarding Doombot. In Washington DC, President GW
Bridge is briefed on the situation around the world. Left with no choice, he
contacts Doom and surrenders the world to him. In his castle, Doom outspokenly
relishes that he finally has all he desires when Reed reminds him that he has
yet to do one thing. He has not yet humbled him.
Notes:
Issue - 5
Writer- Tom De Falco
Art - Ron Lim
Summary:
Led by a super-charged Franklin, the children of the F5 cut a
path through Doom's guardsman to Castle Doom intent on rescuing their
parents. Inside the castle, Doom ponders Reed's accusation that he has
not defeated him yet. Ultimately he relents and makes
preparations. Previously he had encased the F5 members inside of Reed malleable
and stretched out body, now he has them moved to individual cells. Once
there, Sue manages to free the team who make their way to the basement of the
castle where Kristoff is sure Doom has a failsafe to disable the Doombots. This
happens unknown to Doom who is showing Reed his Infinity Device. The device is
designed to determine who possesses the greater brain power. The loser is sent to
the Crossroads of Infinity. The two men engage in their duel. As the F5 reach
the failsafe, guardsmen call in reinforcements. Hundreds of cosmic powered Doombots burst into the castle. Luckily, Kristoff throws
the fail safe and they are deactivated. While locked in metal combat, Reed
peers into Doom's mind and sees that the Doombots were his fail safe should he
begin to lose. Reed asks him to end their duel and surrender so that neither of
them die. Doom refuses claiming that once initiated, the device must claim a
mind. With Doom refusing to work with him to escape, and Reed unwilling to
let Doom die, a surge of energy engulfs them both. When the F5 arrive with the
children, they find Reed and Doom comatose. In the aftermath, Johnny decides to
remain with the team, filling in for Reed. Meanwhile Sue remains in Latveria
with Kristoff to care for Reed. Alyce returns home with her mother Sharon,
leaving Jake to fill in for Sue. Franklin, though seriously affected by his
exposure to cosmic rays, remains on the team. Together with Lyja, they continue
as the Fantastic Five.
Comments:
Here is an equation for you. FF#57 + FF#258 + Tom De Falco =
Final Doom. I don't mean that as a criticism. The Final Doom is not bad. Ever
since his run on FF in the 90s, it was clear as day that like his work or not,
he clearly has great respect and reverence for Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's
fantastic first family. I've
ratted on his Doom, and will here, but if there is one thing I do like about De Falco is that he likes to make strong connections to this past and he does build
on continuity. Although I think sometimes the story borders on retreading on old
material (especially Reed and Doom's duel), it still beats ignoring history
altogether. Doom here is exactly the same as he was during his run. A decade of
imprisonment has had little effect on him. I've always felt that De Falco's Doom
lacked any depth, but some people like him that way. I think it would have been
nice to have more interaction between him and Kristoff, but the series is about
the F5 so we have to enjoy what's there. Art-wise, Ron Lim! Where have you
been?! The art is fantastic (no pun intended). Lim has always delivered amazing
art. Just look at Infinity Gauntlet, or X-Men 2099. Marvel should get him on
something regular, like regular FF or Iron Man. Overall the series is a fun and
action packed story which is sure to please any fan of De Falco's FF run or the
previous F5 (or any other MC2) series. Bottom Line: **
out of 5
Notes:
