Victor Von Doom: Doctor Doom appreciation 2018

[Iron Maiden]

This looks interesting.....apparently after Ben and Alicia finally tie the knot, the reception will take place in Latveria. I'm hoping to see Slott follow up on recent developments between Ben and Victor. He was really trying to make reparations with Ben even if he still doesn't think much of Johnny

[Gambit, King of Thieves]

I don't think that means the reception is in Latveria, I think it means things happen and they end up there.
So, there may be hope still.

[Iron Maiden]

You mean maybe Doom will hijack the wedding? I suppose it's not outside his abilities.


Now that Val has been made older, I think I'll do a little wishful matchmaking. How about a romance with Kristoff and Valeria?

[SuperiorIronman]

Assuming the reception is really in Latveria that might be why Slott had Doom return to retake the country as abruptly as he does in FF#1. In that case it might be to serve the story purpose of showing Victor's more violent tendencies and him being on the 4's side in that he would host the wedding for Ben. We already know Victor doesn't think much of the regime he left to keep the peace seeing as they've done poorly and that he misses and respects the 4 (except maybe Johnny). So while it's wishful thinking, I'm thinking there is probably some character development there with Victor as he shows his gratitude for the incredibly bizarre relationship he's had with them over the years.

[Iron Maiden]

Assuming the reception is really in Latveria that might be why Slott had Doom return to retake the country as abruptly as he does in FF#1. In that case it might be to serve the story purpose of showing Victor's more violent tendencies and him being on the 4's side in that he would host the wedding for Ben. We already know Victor doesn't think much of the regime he left to keep the peace seeing as they've done poorly and that he misses and respects the 4 (except maybe Johnny). So while it's wishful thinking, I'm thinking there is probably some character development there with Victor as he shows his gratitude for the incredibly bizarre relationship he's had with them over the years.

I hope so. It would be in character for him to make peace with the FF and their extended family by forcing a reception on them without even asking. He would just assume that they would be honored to accept his hospitality. It goes with their past history and maybe part of his expressing his Romany heritage. According to some sites on the culture of the Romany showing genorisity is considered " honorable ....and a display of hospitality by offering food and gifts is a proper way to celebrate friendship or mark the end of disputes". This does go back to the end of Stan and Jack's run on the Fantastic Four where, Sue and Crystal are confronted with ....a large banquet waiting for them in Castle Doom. We've seen this before too, like at the end of the mini series the Fantastic Four vs the X-Men by Chris Claremont, or when Doom invites Reed to dinner a couple of times. I think since this started with Stan and Jack's run that most writers have picked up on it from there. But my suspicion is that it mostly comes from Jack Kirby, who grew up in NYC's melting pot. Stan's family was a bit more well off but still not exactly rich either. Jack also served overseas during WWII when he was in the U.S army. It's more likely that he came across the horse drawn gypsy caravans that he draws in Doom's origin in FF annual #2 . Kirby was an advance scout for one of General Patton's divisions and it was common for the Romany to use horses as a means of transportation in Europe of the 1930s and 1940s.

It has been a complaint of mine that Marvel writers seldom refer to Doom's ethnicity and it's probably a stretch for me to even assume that Doom will host a full-blown reception for Ben and Alicia. But it would be pretty wild and more than a little awkward if he did. Over the years, you could make a case for the only person Doom hates more than Reed would be Ben, since he injured his hands pretty badly in FF#40. He's even been known to bring it up now and again.

[comicscollector]

The way Doctor Doom is more focused in the mystical powers that him relying in technology will make him a even more dificult foe for the Fantastic Four.(Assuming Doctor Doom will be a villain in the stories again)
Because it is more difficult to win a villain with magical powers that a villain with just technological powers.

[DoomScribe]

Doom's greatest advantage to me always seemed to be the combination of technology and magic. It flummoxed those whose domain was pure science (Tony, Reed), and gave him an edge over magic users. It goes all the way back to his origin story too. He is unpredictable because he has a hand in both worlds.

[comicscollector]

Doom's greatest advantage to me always seemed to be the combination of technology and magic. It flummoxed those whose domain was pure science (Tony, Reed), and gave him an edge over magic users. It goes all the way back to his origin story too. He is unpredictable because he has a hand in both worlds.

Yes,Doctor Doom advantage over the rest of the villains had been a combination of technology and magic.But in that Spectrum i always looked at Doctor Doom as being more in the technology side that the magic side.
The Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom:Triumph and Torment story is one of the few stories featuring Doom´s that have him more in the magic side of the spectrum but the majority of the stories have Doctor Doom using more technology that magic.
Thus why the change in the spectrum to have Doctor Doom using aparently just magic as seen in the secondary story of the new Fantastic Four comic book is interesting to me.

[Iron Maiden]

You won't find Doctor Doom using magic as much in the early years after he relied on his armor's tech but it shows up sporadically. IMO writer Gerry Conway brought it back in a significant way in the Astonishing Tales story that introduced the annual ritual where he fought try to free his mother's soul in Astonishing Tales #8. It shows that he never really forgot, he just found that technology suited his purpose for gaining power in Latveria.



Bendis and Maleev at least did show us a bit of magic during Infamous Iron Man. I liked how it appear he's adding some mystical elements to the armor in this scene

[comicscollector]

^^^^Thank you for posting these scans.
Especially that Astonishing story shows Doctor Doom using more magic.
Doctor Doom using more technology is well suported in the stories and makes sense because is something that helped Doctor Doom keep the power in Latveria with the Doombots and other several robots,or the advanced armor he have.
But i think will be interesting to see Doctor Doom using more magic as it seems by the secondary story in Fantastic Four#1.

[Iron Maiden]

You're welcome!

If you get a chance, you should also try and pick up Roger Stern and Mike Mignola's graphic novel, Doctor Strange/Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment. Roger Stern has said he used the Astonishing Tales story to build upon when he wrote this GN. It was reprinted recently. It's a classic IMO. It was written at a time when we did see Doom make some serious commitments to increasing his knowledge of magic. In Iron Man #149, we see him visiting another magician for some lessons for example and eventually Morgana Le Fey.

[Gambit, King of Thieves]

let me just take this opportunity to complain about how Infamous Iron Man is over.

And I was thinking more along the lines of, "Something goes down and they have to go to Latveria for some reason," not Doom making them come.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Fantastic Four #17 Aug 1963
"Defeated by Doctor Doom!"
Returning to the Baxter Building following their adventure in the realm of Sub-Atomica, the Fantastic Four bid farewell to their ally Ant-Man.
Now wishing to rest for a moment, Reed sends out the team to hunt for Doctor Doom after he managed to escape from them.
However, each individual search leads to disaster and the Fantastic Four give up for the time being.
Deciding to go out on the town, they find the main throughway in the Baxter Building to be crowded and are offered a lift in
the service elevator by a man who appears to be the janitor. However this turns out to be Doctor Doom in disguise,
and he manages to tag each of the Fantastic Four with a tracking device when he shakes their hands.

These devices allow Doom's android creations to follow after the Fantastic Four, interrupting Johnny and the Thing's dates,
one of Sue's photo shoots, and a lecture that Reed was attending. Rushing back to their headquarters, none of the FF can shake their pursuers.
It's not until Reed can analyze the group does he finds Doom's tracking devices. Upon removing the devices, their android pursuers fade to nothingness.

Doom gloats that the first phase of his plan, humiliating his hated enemies, was a great success and begins the next part of his plan.
Tracking down Alicia Masters, Doom uses a device to pull her aboard his massive floating laboratory concealed in the sky.
When the news reaches the Fantastic Four, Doom sends them a holographic warning to cease any attempts at stopping him in order to keep Alicia safe.

When Doom later threatens the United States government, they decline to meet his demands of complete surrender.
In response, Doom activates a device that causes America's missile defenses to stop functioning. This course of action attracts the attention of the Russian government.
After meeting with a member of the State Department, Mister Fantastic begins formulating a plan on how to defeat Doctor Doom. After scanning Doom's ship,
Reed learns that it is protected by a powerful force field that is keyed in to their DNA and would destroy any member of the Fantastic Four on contact.

However Reed devises a solution: since the force field is set to destroy Ben in his Thing form, he develops a temporary cure for Ben that changes him back into human form.
Ben is then launched in a transparent craft at Doom's fortress. Ben holds off his transformation back into the Thing long enough to breach the barrier unharmed
and smash into the ship. After the force field is destroyed the rest of the FF join Ben in the attack. While the male members of the team provide a distraction for Doom,
Sue manages to find Alicia and hides her and takes her place. When the Doctor tries to claim his hostage, he is taken off guard by Sue's powers of invisibility.
Overpowered by his foes, Doom opens an escape hatch and leaps out of his ship, falling to his seeming demise.

With Doom defeated, the Fantastic Four recover Alicia who is happily reunited with the Thing.

Script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers

[Iron Maiden]

Love those vintage Stan & Jack Fantastic Four pages!

let me just take this opportunity to complain about how Infamous Iron Man is over.

I'm with you on that. It wasn't perfect but it was a new direction that IMO was needed after Secret Wars. I wish it had lasted longer. The sales were still pretty decent even at the end. I was really disappointed that after all that, Doom ended up with a messed up face again. And I'm still not sure who or what it was that had possessed Parker Robbins...Dormammu? Mephisto? Because the Hood doesn't have those kind of powers.

And I was thinking more along the lines of, "Something goes down and they have to go to Latveria for some reason," not Doom making them come.

Yes, that does sound likely. It would be difficult to hijack an entire wedding party I suppose. I don't think he would try to sabotage it either like he did with Reed and Sue's wedding either.

[comicscollector]

You're welcome!

If you get a chance, you should also try and pick up Roger Stern and Mike Mignola's graphic novel, Doctor Strange/Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment. Roger Stern has said he used the Astonishing Tales story to build upon when he wrote this GN. It was reprinted recently. It's a classic IMO. It was written at a time when we did see Doom make some serious commitments to increasing his knowledge of magic. In Iron Man #149, we see him visiting another magician for some lessons for example and eventually Morgana Le Fey.

I have already the Doctor Strange/Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment Graphic Novel.And it´s a great Doctor Doom story indeed.
That Iron Man story i have read waaay back so i was not remembering much of the story.But i have to say i did liked those stories that have Doctor Doom using more mystic powers.