CHAMPIONS #16 (1977)
by Bill Mantlo & Bob Hall
The Champions are one of the weirdest Marvel superhero groups, so it figures that they’d be the final challenge for one of the weirdest Doctor Doom stories.
Beast is the one who suggested going to the Champions for help, possibly because his buddies Iceman and Angel are part of the group. Magneto isn’t really sure about it.
Hey Mags, you’re the one who decided to free Beast from Doctor Doom’s mind control, so you have yourself to blame.
Yes, the Champions are pretty lame. But I’m okay with them because they have Hercules. And Hercules is awesome.
Even Magneto is more interested in Hercules than in saving the world from Doctor Doom!
Magneto is already bored with the Champions, so he decides to attack Doom directly.
The Champions follow him thanks to Darkstar’s vaguely defined shadow powers.
By the way, we will eventually learn that Darkstar has basically the same powers of the Shroud.
Except she doesn’t embarrass herself by being an annoying Batman wannabe for ten issues.
Meanwhile Doom has taken over the White House, where he has to deal with bootlickers and a terrible Jimmy Carter impersonation.
Look, Bill Mantlo can be a really good writer when he’s on target.
But satire really isn’t his thing, because this is very cringy.
Then the Hulk arrives! The Secret Service trying to protect Doom is actually kind of funny.
Then Magneto arrives, and Doom unleashes the Hulk against him. This should be fun!
It isn’t. The Hulk goes down IN ONE PANEL.
Oh come on!!! I don’t have a problem with Magneto defeating the Hulk, but ONE PANEL!?
Then the Champions arrive, with Darkstar demonstrating once again why the Shroud’s first appearances suck so badly.
Both Hulk and Hercules are contractually obligated to fight any super-strong person they meet, so of course they trade blows.
The Champions are the latest pawns in Doom’s fight against Magneto.
Except Ghost Rider, who has absolutely no idea of what’s going on.
It turns out that Ghost Rider is immune from Doom’s mind-controlling gas because he doesn’t need to breathe! That’s a cool detail.
Most of the Champions are busy fighting Hulk and Ghost Rider.
Except Black Widow and Darkstar, who are handily defeated by Magneto.
A bit anticlimactic, but it makes sense: Black Widow is severely overpowerd here, and Darkstar has been a superhero for like five minutes at this point.
Time for an exciting battle between Magneto and Doctor Doom!
By the way, if you ever hear the argument “Magneto would easily defeat Doom, he’s wearing a metal suit!”, just tell them about these two panels.
Beast tries to save Magneto (now THAT’s something you don’t hear every day!), but after he’s attacked by Doom he’s rescued by Ghost Rider who BURNS DOOM WITH HELLFIRE.
To save himself, Doom has to remove his mask. The art isn’t very good in the rest of the story, but THIS is a very cool panel.
Doom puts his mask back on immediately, but this somehow frees everyone from his control.
And that’s how Doctor Doom is defeated… somehow?
This makes no freaking sense. The idea is that Doom inhaling the mask put him in some kind of loop… because apparently you can’t be mind-controlled by Dr.Doom if you LITERALLY have the mind of Dr.Doom!?!? *groan*
Doom significance: 0/10
Best left forgotten.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
Much like the first one, on the Marvel scale this is as Silver Age as it gets.
Does it stand the test of time? 0/10
This was painful. All the potential of the first part is completely thrown away! Why is Doom at the White House? Because we just HAD to make fun of Carter’s accent? Why is the Hulk here if all he has to do is punch Hercules? Why guest-star on the Champions if Doom doesn’t even fight them? And of course that stupid ending!
It was a Doombot all along
Considering the ending, unfortunately this one HAS to be the real Doom.
Destroy the FF!
Doom doesn’t even mention them!
Take over the world
He already HAS, but I’m still counting it as a yes.
Crazy tech
Not only Doom’s armor is immune from Magneto’s power, but it can turn it against him!!!
Number of superheroes who have fought Dr. Doom: 26
I’m only adding Ghost Rider to the count, since none of the other Champions (except Beast who was already in the count) actually fight Doctor Doom.