Fantastic Four #536-537

Fantastic Four #536 (2006)
by J. Michael Straczynski & Mike McKone

The JMS run on Fantastic Four is less remembered than his celebrated one on Thor (mostly because it’s ruined by Civil War), but the two are linked by Doctor Doom of all people.

The event triggering the storyline is an object falling from the sky and creating a huge crater.

Reed’s mind isn’t really on the main plot because he’s ruminating on the events leading up to Civil War. Specifically, he’s having a flashback (drawn by a different artist, nice touch) of a meeting with the Illuminati where Iron Man first brought up the Superhuman Registration Act.

Reed’s involvement with Civil War is very inconsistent. Then again, that’s my biggest issue with the entirety of that event… characterization jumps WILDLY between series.
Iron Man started off suspicious of the registration, then enthusiastically embraces it.
Reed starts without saying ANYTHING at the Illuminati meeting, only to later defend the idea of registration.

Mercifully, the Dwayne McDuffie run will repair MOST of the damage done to Reed’s characterization. But it’s still a dark spot in Reed’s reputation.

But that’s just background information for future events. Right now, the Fantastic Four are called to Oklahoma to deal with a military installation in Oklahoma…

…which is being attacked by Doombots.

Specifically, the military installation is studying something so secret they don’t want Reed to know about it.
Reed doesn’t seem surprised the current Latverian government has Doombots, despite the fact he was supposed to have destroyed all existing models in the Waid run.

This leads to, you guessed it, a big dumb fight against the Doombots.
It’s a bit long, but it’s enjoyable.

While the FF are victorious in their fight against the Doombots, the lab is destroyed…

…OR IS IT?

Yes, Doctor Doom has returned… and he set his eyes on what’s beneath the lab.
The same thing that fell out of the sky at the beginning of the story and that the military has not been able to move.

That would be Thor’s hammer. Which would’ve been a nice revelation if it wasn’t spoiled on the cover!!!

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Fantastic Four #537 (2006)
by J. Michael Straczynski & Mike McKone

You can certainly say Doom made his return in style.

The question on everyone’s mind: how the hell did Doom get out of Hell?

We are treated to a flashback on Doom in Hell.
Without his technology. Without his magic. Without allies. Without hope.
AND HE’S STILL MONOLOGUING ON HOW AWESOME HE IS!!!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why Doctor Doom is FREAKING BADASS.

Luckily for Doom, this coincides with a Thor storyline where Ragnarok happened and all the gods died. The Asgardians tend to do that.

That battle was so huge that it’s BREAKING HELL APART.

Doom spots Thor’s hammer leaving the fight, and tries to catch it because Doctor Doom.

He doesn’t take it, but this DOES bring Doom back from Hell.

We then move to Latveria, where we see that the Prime Minister that replaced Lucia Von Bardas is not exactly fond of having a bunch of Doombots around.

I should point out that the two comic book characters who kept an army of duplicate robots of themselves and spread rumors about which one was the real deal were usually Doctor Doom and Silver Age Superman.

But Doom is back, and he reclaims the throne by murdering the Prime Minister…

…and with one of my favorite Doctor Doom quotes EVER.

This ends the flashback, which was entirely for the reader’s benefit: Doom doesn’t explain to the Fantastic Four how he got out of Hell.
Probably because it involves external help and his failure to take Thor’s hammer.

This leads to, you guessed, a big dumb fight.

The ever-so-practical Benjamin J. Grimm, everybody. Last time he punched Doom like this, he only survived because he had magic powers!

Still, even without his magical power-up… HE’S STILL DOCTOR DOOM.

Doom does manage to reach the hammer, but the enchantment is still working: Doom is not worthy of wielding its power, so he still can’t lift it.

Well. Either this is a Doombot, or Doom managed to get the slightest bit of personal growth by being able to admit ANY mistake.

But it’s not like he really wanted that stupid hammer, right?
As I said, SLIGHT personal growth. He’s still Doctor Doom.

Come on, admit it. You’d give it a shot too.

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Doom significance: 3/10
It gives the backstory to how Doom returned, but it’s not like he really needed one.

Silver Age-ness: 4/10
There is SOME Silver Age-ness in how the hammer just happens to break through Hell.

 Does it stand the test of time? 10/10
In terms of quality it’s nothing special, but between the snappy dialogue and the awesome artwork you can publish this in any period. Even if it’s still little more than a prologue for the JMS run on Thor.

It was a Doombot all along
The one in the flashbacks is 100% Doctor Doom, but the one in the main story might be a Doombot between his handling of the Thing’s punch and his admission of being wrong.
Yes he tried to lift Thor’s hammer, but I can see Doom building a robot that has a shot.

Take over the world : 25
The reason why Doom wants Thor’s hammer.

Crazy tech
It should be noted that the Doombots, while not demonstrating any new particular ability, are STILL able to overwhelm the Fantastic Four even after all these years.