SUPER-VILLAIN TEAM-UP #8 (1976)
by Steve Englehart & Keith Giffen
Cover by Marie Severin
Considering the last issue was the first story in the Doom retrospective to get multiple negative scores, this one HAS to be better.
Fantastic cover by Marie Severin.
The art is one of the first assignment of Keith Giffen at Marvel. He’s very far from his future style; we will see him again in the Legion retrospective. A LOT.
Doom has been rescued (or captured?) by Namorita, Namor’s similarly super-powered cousin.
She’s standing up to him, but Doom is playing it cool.
Doom doesn’t currently have the upper hand for several reasons… they’re underwater, he’s still hurt from last issue’s humiliating defeat, and he doesn’t have his chestplate.
He does, however, have a knack for improvisation.
As you may remember from previous reviews: the green scaly people are Namor’s friends who had been transformed into amphibians, and the red skinned lady is Namor’s alien friend Tamara.
Namorita and Tamara are too smart to believe Doom just based on his word, however.
We are very far from Giffen’s greatest moments, but the scene where the Atlantean ship docks inside the castle shows just how much potential there is.
Doom leads Namorita and Tamara inside the castle to meet Namor, who he expects will still obey his orders since Namor is an idiot in this part of the series.
When he runs into one of his servants, he’s quick to once again put up the façade of the benevolent boss.
It… doesn’t work out.
Both Namorita and Tamara are particularly well written, not buying Doom’s bulls#it but still recognizing that they need his help.
Considering that Namor is currently pretty out of character, I’m actually enjoying Namorita’s banter with Doom even more than her cousin’s.
Speaking of Namor: the Shroud is about to take him to Mr. Fantastic, when they spot the Shroud-plane.
Not only that, but they are spotted by Doom’s greatest adversaries so far… the hounds.
Namor helps them escape by THROWING THE DOG AT THE MOB.
Meanwhile, Doom is working with the amphibian scientists on a cure for their condition.
OR IS HE!?
Back to Namor and the Shroud: they wander around the Latverian borders, where they find a circus tent. Specifically… the Circus Of Crime. What the heck!?
Once Namor asks for assistance because he’s pursued by Doom’s forces, the Circus just says NOT A CHANCE IN HELL!!!
Not that it matters when you’re talking with Namor.
The Circus of Crime tries to put up a fight. But considering they’re basically small time criminals with a couple of dirty tricks and Namor can PUNCH AN ELEPHANT INTO THE AIR…
…the Circus agrees to disguise Namor and the Shroud to help them get back to Latveria.
And once there they find… Doctor Doom!?
The Shroud’s disguise is absolutely ridiculous… he has a hat with a shadow that permanently covers his eyes. Which would be find for any other character, but the Shroud’s eyes are supposed to be permanently scarred! According to last issue, beneath his hood he looks like this:
And HE’S SUPPOSED TO BE BLIND.
Speaking of inconsistencies: Namor is in a weakened state, but a few pages ago he punched an elephant off his feet. NOW the Shroud can just knock him unconscious!?
The Shroud is just unbearable in these stories.
Fortunately, from the next issue Doom will participate in a crossover with the Avengers, so we won’t have to deal with the Shroud for a while.
Doom significance: 1/10
Pretty much skippable.
Silver Age-ness: 7/10
Doom’s part of the story is almost a 0/10, but Namor’s is just crazy on the Marvel scale.
Does it stand the test of time? 5/10
Talk about uneven! Doom’s scenes hold up pretty well: he’s cold and calculating, almost unrecognizable from the raving madman of the past two issues. Namor is just dumb, turning on the Shroud because he’s STILL obsessed about the promise he made to Doom. As for the Shroud, what more is there to say to him at this point? Aside from Doom’s scenes, the only enjoyable part is the reaction of the Circus of Crime to the idea of going up against Doctor Doom.
It was a Doombot all along
Despite appearances, the Doom that Namor and the Shroud spot in Latveria is not a Doombot.
As for the main Doom, see last issue’s theories.
Take over the world & Destroy the FF!
One of the few times where Doom is 100% on the defensive.
Crazy tech
Nothing spectacular, sadly, since the only high tech displayed by Doom is a radio.
Number of superheroes who have fought Dr. Doom: 21
Even if Doom meets Namorita, she’s not added to the list yet since they are technically on the same side… for now.