Fantastic Four #7 SPOILERS and Review

[SuperiorIronman]

So Victor's plan is;

-Imbue Victorious with the power cosmic to bring Galactus to Earth, specifically Latveria.
-Subsequently broadcast to the entire planet that he's fighting Galactus and hope the Fantastic Four decide to show up without everybody else despite the world ending scenario.
-Leaving the kids at home and not bringing the Ultimate Nullifier or gadgets
-Which allows them to free Victorious should she get captured and keep civilians safe
-Which also allows Doom to use his bullshit science guns on Galactus
-Which enables Victorious to whack him with a stick and knock him out
-Subsequently also able to capture the FF and have nobody notice that the FF are being held prisoner by a foreign dictator who is also filming it

All to gain power from Galactus despite Victor having access to cannons that are firing big bangs at enemies and are strong enough to weaken a cosmic god, and being able to bestow the power cosmic or nearest equivalent. So all that just to gain access to a guy he never needed in the first place? And what exactly was Latveria running on prior? It clearly has the energy reserves to fire big bangs at enemies and the expedient infrastructure to build all of that in the short time Victor has been back.

And if the hunger problem is moot, well clearly whatever Victor does wont last because we know he's still purple when he shows up in Doctor Strange later. Meaning whatever calculations are done, he didn't finish. Either that or his plan is of course thwarted by his sworn enemies whom he pretty much asked to come. But then that raises questions like why would Reed change him back when Lifebringer is so much more beneficial.

[Snoop Dogg]

He didn't hope the FF would show up, he predicted they would specifically because they are the FF and he is Doom, conspired a way to use them if they did, and was prepared if they didn't, or if anyone else showed up. But the FF arriving immediately is what was most likely, and that's what happened. Why would Reed have the actual Ultimate Nullifier? Where even is it now? SHIELD? That's gone. It's probably in some crate.

He wants the world to see what he's doing to the team. He wants the world to know what happens to those who disobey him. He doesn't need Galactus, the entire purpose of this plot was to show the world that Latveria could conquer a major threat and then control a valuable resort to boost Latveria's standing in the world.

We will find out how Galactus is in Doctor Strange within the next entire two issues that haven't been released yet.

[jackolover]

I am looking at the players as the Galactus scene unfolds. There, in Secret Wars, stood God Doom, who held Galactus at his castle entrance like a Sentenel, a bearded Reed Richards, who called Victor out for the shoddy job he made of an Earth, the Human Torch who Doom made into a Sun, and the Wall, Ben Grimm, who shut out all the hordes clamouring to bring Doom Down. Not to mention the subtle wife, Susan von Doom, observing the scene, who once was married to Victor. This is what I see when the scene opens out. What I see is a Doom who knows Galactus’ secrets, and can play him like a fiddle, because Victor was god Doom once upon a time, and knew everything. What we don’t see is how Doom responds to Reed Richards’ furrowed brow, in the recreation of stuff Doom saw fit to make of reality at one time (Battleworld), and that gives an insight to Dooms psychology.

What I see is some kind of relationship between how Doom structured Latveria as against Battleworld. It all comes down to how Doom justifies his Earthly country, Latveria, to Reed Richards like Battleworld. If Doom can’t justify Latveria he can’t justify Battleworld, and Victor needs to have this conversation with Reed, even though Victor admits Reed makes a better Earth than himself. After Secret Wars, there were many threads left hanging - Reed putting together his nostalgic Multiverse again, Victor admitting Reed makes a better Earth than Victor does, and where to go in the future from here knowing these realities. This story is like Victor responding to what it would be like to have gone through Secret Wars and ANAD (as hero Infamous Iron Man Doom), when Reed Richards reappeared in Dooms world. It is a shocking confrontation for Doom.

The intriguing thing here is the attitude of Reed Richards, in that he is astonished, (but not afraid), like he was on Battleworld. Everything seems like he can take it all in his stride, now. Once, Reed was always angry and afraid, as in Authoritive Action and Civil War 2006. But after Reed stepped out of his Raft on Battleworld, after being 8 years in a hibernation of some sort, Reed was a different man. His demeanour was more relaxed and confident, and he is the same here, in Latveria. There is something different about Reed now, and maybe Doom will notice it too. I think Reed knows Doom cannot harm him or Franklin or Valeria again. Once it can be realise that on Battleworld, Franky and Val were Dooms children at one time, it can be acknowledged Victor was their family. It almost sounds like Doom is in the Richards family too.

And you could almost extrapolate that to how do you justify how you made America as against the Cold War Russia, if you can envisage Reed and Dooms struggle with the Cold War.

[Chainsaw Vigilante]

I don't understand why Victorius with seemingly some leftover fraction of Silver Surfer energies (if I'm understanding correctly it's leftover from the classic draining way back when, much like the source of power for the clay Frankensurfer that fought Dr. Strange) acts as a beacon for Galactus, or why some bit of power that should be infinitesimal to him would be attractive as an energy source. Hell he should have been draining those big bang beams Doom was shooting him with if he wanted real power.

[lordozone]

The plan works and is completely sustainable, it's just really inhumane and cruel because you're locking someone up, torturing them through starvation, and then drip feeding them so you can milk them like cattle forever. Galactus won't die of starvation, because there's no measure of what it will take to actually kill him if he's not using any energy himself and is being fed a little to put out a little.

Yeah, it's cruel, but it's a creature who destroyed thousand of worlds and commited cosmic genocide so... The real problem I have is that this story make Galactus once again weak, and Doom once again stupid. We know that Doom's plan will not work, we know that Galactus will free himself and will want vengeance, we know that the fantastic four will save the day and that Doom will hate Reed in return. It's a FF story that we have read a hundred time. Dan slott is better than this, and after Hickman he can"t write this kind of by-the-number story: Doom, Reed, Susan... they have evolved, they are beyond this.

[Gunter]

This is a new relaunch of Fantastic Four, a one and one quarter recap of Doom's origin is handy for people who haven't read FF Annual 2 (which is many readers of this book) and is an organic and dramatic segue back into the plot.

Galactus is not at full power nor has his senses about him because he was shot by giant lasers and was trying to restore his power. Reed says that that is the only reason his puppet trick even worked. Even if he weren't weakened, Ben throwing rocks and hitting him is not bad strategy because Ben has been swatting Galactus around which those same tactics while Galan's not paying attention to him since the first Galactus story. Also, Brevoort and Slott want to make Ben an MU powerhouse again.

Victor's plan is not complicated. He wants to start Latveria's new debut to the world stage by eliminating a well-known threat to the entire world, and then flex even more by using him to solve any energy crisis himself. To do this, he created multiple traps and empowered one of his people to act as a bait to get this all started. Through basic logic, he knew the Fantastic Four would probably intervene. So while he did not hinge his entire plan on their arrival because he's not stupid, he made it so he could work them into his plan to save resources instead of having them impede a more tightly-constructed scheme. If we assume that his idea of punishing them for coming is being played straight, then it also makes sense because he saw a further opportunity to use the team as a way of showing the world what happens to those who cross the new world power. But given that there are two issues left and not one, there's probably a swerve incoming. Still, it all lines up with what Dan said it would, that Victor was still going to be a hero, just for Latveria and Latveria first.

Wait, really? When did they say that? Was it in some interview or something like that?

Because that is awesome! Ben definitely deserves to return back into ranks of Marvel's heavy hitters.

[kalai]

I personally want Slott to make Galactus golden Lifebringer again.
That change back to Purple in Infinity Wars Countdown was really underwhelming.
It's just a lot of wasted potential.
Because Galactus is going to break out anyway, cuz Doctor Strange is going to have Galactus in his book, so maybe?

[Coatl]

Yeah, it's cruel, but it's a creature who destroyed thousand of worlds and commited cosmic genocide so...

Except that Galactus does not commit "genocide" for sheer cruelty, has been stated that he has no malice in his actions, he only attacks planets when hungry and he needs to eat to preserve the universal balance other way much more planets will be destroyed. For a cosmical entity feeding in planets is like a normal person eating chicken, or cutting some leaves in a healthy tree so doesn't need to be cut after. So he doesn't deserve a literal torture just to feed someone's ego and need of validation since we have stated that someone who can make mini bigbangs surely isn't in need of galactus as fount of energy.

The real problem I have is that this story make Galactus once again weak, and Doom once again stupid. We know that Doom's plan will not work, we know that Galactus will free himself and will want vengeance, we know that the fantastic four will save the day and that Doom will hate Reed in return. It's a FF story that we have read a hundred time. Dan slott is better than this, and after Hickman he can"t write this kind of by-the-number story: Doom, Reed, Susan... they have evolved, they are beyond this.

Yes, I agree a total regression in a character who had been developing for several years, and made the F4 look pretty dumb.

[CaptCleghorn]

I really didn't look into this much. Doom's plan has a lot of flaws, doesn't it? It's like the Golden Age villain that creates device worth millions to steal thousands.

In Marvel's defense, there may be explanation in the next two parts. Some outcome where both Reed and Doom know that there are major flaws. But neither says anything becuase they know the other knows and the secrets are obvious to them, but not us. Kinda weak sauce writing though.

As for the FF showing up, Doom may have had a plan if they didn't, but he may also have a plan if the sun rose in the west today. There's not one villain anywhere that wouldn't have known that was happening.

Still not happy about Galactus being a pawn here. He's freaking GALACTUS, not Trapster 2.0. I find it unbelievable that not only does Earth stay as the only planet to survive multiple galactus incursions, but also has produced more than one way of changing a universal threat where no other planet has been able to stand against it? Suffice it to say, I wasn't a fan of the Ewing development in Ultimates. If Galactus is thwarted, it's got to be something other than kicking his @$$. Trick him, find him another planet, even manage to send him to another dimension.

I'm really hoping this shapes up because I want to love this, but reading the comments here is starting to disenchant me from the story.

[9th.]

Worth noting, the Ultimates had the better way of dealing with Galactus. Just a shame he completely fell off the wagon after just 1 planet.

I miss Lifebringer

[Crimz]

Re-read the issue.

Why did the 'the Big Bang cannons' not instantly kill the FF at the end of the issue? If they effect Galactus of all beings, shouldn't the team be toast when hit by one?

[kilderkin]

Thought there were some nice character points especially for Ben

Thought Galactus showing was ridiculous, my patience with this treatment of him is failing generally

I'm actually finding the use of doom and Galactus so soon and especially this squash jobbing of Galactus a little tedious

Whilst I'm happy with the fours characterisation the plotting of the book so far hasn't really interested me and using doom and Galactus together in this way i e felt has belittled Galactus as a power and dooms recent developments

The plotting remains disappointing for me and I'm already losing interest

Which is a shame as the fours characters I am liking

Just not the actual story

I'll give this a couple more issues

[jackolover]

I think he may think more highly of Ben than Johnny, though. The Ben scenes in Infamous were the primary motivation for that, I'd say. My idea of Doom is he'd see Johnny as the FF's weak link. But being Victor, he'd want to stike at Reed, the head rather than Johnny. But I'd guess YMMV on Doom's motivations.

I think there is too much history of the links between Victor and the FF. When Johnny’s sister was dying in childbirth, Johnny had no hesitation running to Victor to save her. That’s respect. That’s being included n the family. I don’t think Doom can misread those moments in history, and the chess games he has with Reed. Doom did reprehensible things after that in FF Unthinkable TPB, but after Secret Wars 2015 HC, I think Victor has a new outlook in life, because Victor spent 8 years in Sues bed, living the life he always wanted with his two children, Franky and Val. I think that has sated Vics appetite for everything Vic was jealous of Reed.

[jackolover]

Just because an archenemy exists, does not mean that its important. Doctor Doom being the archenemy to The Fantastic Four stems primarily from over usage and the retreading of the Reed/Victor relationship much like Batman and Joker. Archenemies don't exist because they are just that important of a villain (you don't gain importance just by existing), they are archenemies because they show up enough or are used in such a way that every time they confront the hero(s) the stakes are high to them. Good writing is always important but that kind of villain exists either due to a lack of villains or the refusal to use others which as seen in FF they tend to use Doctor Doom a lot.

Doctor Doom pretty much only occupies the position he does due to the inability or refusal to use anybody else. Good stories do still happen but Infamous Iron man was necessary due to the long history of Doom coming in an upstaging what's going on in Fantastic Four. Fantastic Four is not about Doctor Doom. A major difference between Green Goblin, Joker, or even Lex Luthor, is that Doom is here far more consistently and therefore occupies a spot in the book never-mind that FF is again, not about him. Suffice to say he really shouldn't be here nor even so quickly back as ruler of Latveria.

I like the idea a super villain exists on his merits. Doctor Doom seems to have formed a fan base just on Victors seemingly anti-hero nature, as described in his adventure to counter-Earth as an example, where there was no Fantastic Four. I may not have been convinced of Dooms anti-hero status because of his behaviour, but Victor has done enough during his return from Hell, up through Dark Reign, and into Secret Wars 2015, to justify Doom as having more dimension to him than being simply defined by the FF. I consider Doom family now to the FF. Much like what has happened to Peter Parker’s rogues gallery, where Parker “makes” them better people, that in the FF and Dooms case, Victor now recognises he is on a par with his adversaries, and doesn’t have to be an adversary. I think Doom has become like the Submariner (another member of the FF family, I consider). It’s strange that Namor and Victor are long-standing allies, and have connections to Sue Richards, as well; something Reed Richards has no control over, and must stand around while Sue has this influence on these strong men in Namor and Victor.

The Submariner was installed as a hero in 1939, but remains an enigmatic figure relating to Captain America and the Fantastic Four as a senior super hero. Victor von Doom joins these relationships as having grown into his own essential element in the narrative of the family that is the FF., and not just as someone for the FF to bounce off, regularly.

[jackolover]

Eh... I have trouble rooting for Crystal with just about anyone at this point. She was with Johnny, then Quicksilver, then the freaking real estate guy she cheated on Quicksilver with, then Black Knight, Ronan ... I think she even flirted with Sentry for 2 seconds there. Not that Johnny is any better I suppose, but at least he wasn't in player mode when he had a ring on his finger.

I'm not sure either are the type to settle down at this point.

I agree with you Johnny and Crystal are settling down. (Maybe Crystal with Roman, if she could be queen). But Johnny would burn anybody he takes to bed, so he’s not going to be a good husband during intercourse.

Yeah, this didn't feel like a post Secret Wars Doom. Granted it was a bit ... nicer I guess than Doom often is with the FF. But this definately didn't feel like the version we saw under Bendis either.

Yeah, I’m thinking Doom seeing Reed Richards has set him off again; that’s my guess. But I could be wrong, and Victor has a legitimate reason to be involving Galactus in this drama with Victorius. We’d have to see how this unfolds.