Doctor Doom Appreciation 2022 - Scientist, Sorcerer, Romani, King

[Iron Maiden]

Kristoff joins the Fantastic Four whether they like it or not

I'm overdue with this biography/history of Kristoff Venard so onward to the next phase of Kristoff's life. To recap, Reed and Victor are presumed dead as of issue #381 and the Fantastic Four are a fragmented group. Nathaniel Richards has come on the scene to mainly stir up trouble and generally be a pain in the posterior. I am of the opinion that this is not the Nathaniel Richards that John Byrne introduced in his Fantastic Four. In fact, much later in Jonathan Hickman's Fantastic Four he strongly hints the same thing when Immortus begins this purge of different versions of him, the most dangerous one being the one that becomes known as the Beast. But that's getting off the track a bit. I did happen to talk to Hickman right around the start of his FF run at one of the first C2E2 shows in Chicago and I believe we may have chatted a bit about DeFalco's Nathaniel but my memory is a bit fuzzy. But that's getting off the track a bit. It is at this point that Lyja also returns to the fold and does stay with the group for a while.

In the previous entry, we saw that Kristoff didn't get killed by the TVA in Fantastic Four #352. Apparently Doom took Kristoff and placed him in a stasis chamber and kept it in the temple in Tibet where a young Victor Von Doom transformed himself into Doctor Doom. Having no place else to go, Kristoff attachs himself to the remaining members of the Fantastic Four and lives in the Baxter Building with them. Having retained much of Doom's knowledge from the Remembrancer device, he begins to act as their defacto science expert. Sue had engaged Scott Lang in this role but soon a rivalry of sorts develops between him and Kristoff, who never hesitates to belittle Scott's every time they work together. So he retains a bit of Doom's arrogance as part of his personality. Kristoff accompanies this makeshift Fantastic Four group on various missions as we see in this cover where he's even mentioned by name.

Scott Lang's presence in the Baxter Building does have it's positive side and he becomes smitten with Lang's daughter Cassie Lang. He still spends a lot of time in the suit of armor that gives him the height of an adult and she does find it a bit frightening. But in time he does make some adjustments and dispenses with it during their down time at the Baxter Building.

Eventually, Reed and Doom are brought back into the Fantastic Four in issues #406-407. They were really captured by the being known as Hyperstorm, who comes from an alternate future and is the son of Franklin Richards and Rachel Summers. Kristoff is relieved to see Doom didn't die after all. But his devotion to his father figure is shattered when he makes a remark that enrages Doom.

To be continued.....

[Darkshadow]

I still say there has only been one Nathanial Richards portrayed in the main timeline other than in the war scenes. Byrne's Nathaniel, is Defalco's Nathaniel, is Hickman's Nathaniel.

[Iron Maiden]

I still say there has only been one Nathanial Richards portrayed in the main timeline other than in the war scenes. Byrne's Nathaniel, is Defalco's Nathaniel, is Hickman's Nathaniel.

Nope. I have to disagree. For one thing, the personality of DeFalco's Nathaniel doesn't track to either Byrne's or Hickmans. And DeFalco's Nathieniel is killed by the the Great Beast in Hickman's run. DeFalco's Nathaniel wore this same eye piece as the one killed here in this panel..... Hickman's story verifies that there are multiple versions of Nathaniel from alternate universes, just like he came up with AU Reeds. I suggest you go back and read Fantastic Four #581.

[Darkshadow]

Nope. I have to disagree. For one thing, the personality of DeFalco's Nathaniel doesn't track to either Byrne's or Hickmans. And DeFalco's Nathienile is killed by the the Great Beast in Hickman's run. DeFalco's Nathaniel wore this same eye piece as the one killed here in this panel..... Hickman's story verifies that there are multiple versions of Nathaniel from alternate universes, just like he came up with AU Reeds. I suggest you go back and read Fantastic Four #581.

I know it well, and what I take from it is the Beast takes a piece of what made other Nathaniels better. Because the war takes place basically out of time, the Beast acquires the monocle and goes back in time to the Byrne era (forward in time) to rest. Thus, the only Nathaniel we have ever seen. In 581, we simply see him kill the original monocle owner.

[Iron Maiden]

I know it well, and what I take from it is the Beast takes a piece of what made other Nathaniels better. Because the war takes place basically out of time, the Beast acquires the monocle and goes back in time to the Byrne era (forward in time) to rest. Thus, the only Nathaniel we have ever seen. In 581, we simply see him kill the original monocle owner.

I don't know where you got this idea from but nothing in the story indicates this. So we will just have to agree to disagree

[DoomScribe]

Finally got the latest Doctor Doom chess piece - the Black King - from Eaglemoss, first sold 2015. This includes a small pamphlet sized "magazine" of 8 pages.
2015 Eaglemoss Dr Doom chess figure Black King.jpg

2015 Eaglemoss Dr Doom chess figure UK.jpg

Pretty nice piece, these were sold by subscription from Eaglemoss, a UK firm.

There was an earlier chess piece that they put out in 2005:
2005 Eaglemoss Classic Marvel Figure Collection #10 Dr Doom.jpg

I already had that one. But it took some searching to get the latest one.

[Iron Maiden]

Good catch. I've not seen any Eaglemoss stuff at my local LCS, which is where I used to get them, for quite a while. I may have to check another that's a bit farther away. But they are hard to find these days.

[DoomScribe]

One of the things that has always bugged me ... (first world problems, I know) is the rankings that you sometimes see on cards or in magazines for power levels. They are excruciatingly variable, usually meaningless, and sometimes a point of contention among fans. Primarily gamers, I think, want to have a consistent ranking level for head to head battles. It's meaningless to me because I'm more interested in the story. They also don't fairly assess Doom's ability to use proxies and to avoid head to head battle by strategies (something more modern writers forget). Anyway, I went through my files and cards and decided to do a year to year comparison.

Another strange thing about Doom, is are these ratings based on with armor, or without? I think the earlier ones tended toward without armor because the "strength" number ranged from a 2 to a 7.

Most of the scales are 0 to 7, presumably 7.999 being the highest possible number. Some scales are 0 to 10 though, and fractional numbers aren't specified on the scale but some ratings do fall between numbers. Some scales, rather than using a diagram, actually specify the numbers. Additionally, there are 3 of these I found for Doom 2099.

The usual categories are Strength, Speed, Agility, Stamina, Durability and Intelligence. Sometimes they combine ratings into Fighting Ability. Some also rate Mental Powers and Energy Projection or Energy Blasts.

Here's the ones that I've found and their sources, in chronological order:
Doctor DOOM Power Scales Chronology pg1.jpg

These are for Doom 2099
Doctor DOOM Power Scales Chronology pg2.jpg

The Spidey Data File from 2007 is from a Marvel licensed UK Magazine published by Panini Books called Spider-Man vs Doctor Doom, a kids magazine with games, art, and reprints of Spider-Man comics, along with new material.
Doctor DOOM Power Scales Chronology pg3.jpg

[DoomScribe]

Continuing the power ratings, chronologically by publication date:
Doctor DOOM Power Scales Chronology pg4.jpg

Doctor DOOM Power Scales Chronology pg5.jpg

The last page includes the ratings grid from the Marvel Chess piece book I just picked up:
Doctor DOOM Power Scales Chronology pg6.jpg

There may be other ratings out there on gaming cards I've not included because they weren't consistent with these published scales. You may or may not agree with these scales, I think the interesting thing is that they don't all agree with each other.

I also think that they are very malleable depending on the writer or editor at the time.

FYI

[Doom'nGloom]

Continuing the power ratings, chronologically by publication date:
Doctor DOOM Power Scales Chronology pg4.jpg

Doctor DOOM Power Scales Chronology pg5.jpg

The last page includes the ratings grid from the Marvel Chess piece book I just picked up:
Doctor DOOM Power Scales Chronology pg6.jpg

There may be other ratings out there on gaming cards I've not included because they weren't consistent with these published scales. You may or may not agree with these scales, I think the interesting thing is that they don't all agree with each other.

I also think that they are very malleable depending on the writer or editor at the time.

FYI

I used to play with Top Trumps Marvel decks back when I was in primary school. You could say they were my first introduction into the marvel universe. Here is Doom's card:

83851dd2a03128809bff5b852c3dc0cb.jpg

As for stats height seems reasonable. Max intelligence is 10 which is what Doom's intelligence should be (Reed's intelligence is 9 by the way which also should be 10.) Max strength is 50 so Doom is pretty good there. Max speed is 20, I guess they thought since Doom wears an armor he should be slow which is stupid since Doom can fly. Max agility is 30, Doom's seems reasonable since I don't think he's an acrobat especially in his armor. I don't konw what max fighting skill is but I remember Logan having the highest with 95. Doom doesn't often fight hand to hand in his armor but he is no slouch on the rare occasion when he's not wearing his armor so I say it should be somewhere in the 80s.

[Iron Maiden]

Yes I would agree with most of the stats except I am confused about the height. Isn't 86 centimeters only about 2 feet?? Most stats I see put Doom's height anywhere from 6 ft 2in to 6 ft 4 in. Taller of course in armor.

As for hand to hand, the only fight I can think of without armor is the one where he killed a lion. Not only wasn't he in armor he didn't have any clothes at all when the Dreaming Celestial banished him back to Counter Earth/Planet Doom.

[Doom'nGloom]

Today Doom appeared in Maestro WWM's final.
spoilers:

I was fairly enjoying it until the part where Blonsky hacked Doom's computer system. That didn't make much sense to me since it's Doom we're talking about. I also got mildly annoyed at how Maestro escaped the cell, like couldn't Doom think of such a possibility.

end of spoilers

[Iron Maiden]

I am going to be getting that later today. I'm glad to know that spoilers:

The Maestro didn't cause any further physical injury considering Doom is still in a wheelchair!

end of spoilers

[Doom'nGloom]

Yes I would agree with most of the stats except I am confused about the height. Isn't 86 centimeters only about 2 feet?? Most stats I see put Doom's height anywhere from 6 ft 2in to 6 ft 4 in. Taller of course in armor.

As for hand to hand, the only fight I can think of without armor is the one where he killed a lion. Not only wasn't he in armor he didn't have any clothes at all when the Dreaming Celestial banished him back to Counter Earth/Planet Doom.

186 cm roughly equals 6.1 feet which may be a little shorter than what other sources say but it's still within an exceptable margin or error compared to say his speed which is just BS. For hand to hand didn't he once used Daredevil's body to beat up some thugs. It wasn't his body but still the mind was his.

[Doom'nGloom]

I am going to be getting that later today. I'm glad to know that spoilers:

The Maestro didn't cause any further physical injury considering Doom is still in a wheelchair!

end of spoilers

Well... about that

spoilers:

It appears Doom died in the blast caused by Torch when Blonsky hijacked his body. I didn't mention it since it was directly related to the computer hacking.

end of spoilers