Last time Doctor Doom stole the Cosmic Cube while the heroes wasted time in a lot of big dumb fights.
ISSUE 5
Writers: Erik Larsen, Eric Stephenson, Kurt Busiek
Pencilers: Gordon Purcell, Ron Frenz, Keith Giffen, Joe Bennett
Cover by Erik Larsen & Joe Sinnott
Apparently we didn’t have enough characters involved, because now the Hulk shows up.
Reed Richards and his extreme closeup have figured out that Doctor Doom is the bad guy behind all the latest shenanigans.
And Doctor Doom is like “ABOUT TIME YOU FIGURED IT OUT!!!”
With the Cosmic Cube, Doom doesn’t need any more delays!
With the immense power of the Cosmic Cube, Doom can… create a robot double of the Hulk.
Wait, I thought you didn’t want any more delays! Why do you need to “confound your enemies” if you have the Cosmic Cube!?!?
So… big dumb fight?
You bet!
Especially since the Thing is actually fighting the REAL Hulk, while the others deal with the robot.
The fight ends when a weird drone turns the Hulk back into Bruce Banner and the robot disappears.
All of this because Doom needed to use the Psyche-Scalpel ™ to extract something from the Hulk’s mind. Dude… you have a COSMIC CUBE!!! Surely you could’ve used THAT to do it without going through all this trouble!?!?
The information leads Doom to the Moon.
If he doesn’t end up fighting Nazis there, I’m going to be disappointed.
Also, remember that Crystal was taken back to Attilan by her teleporting dog? Looks like somebody stole an important McGuffin.
Considering how the rest of the series goes, there’s basically no chance this isn’t part of Doom’s plan.
ISSUE 6
Writers: Erik Larsen, Eric Stephenson, Keith Giffen
Pencilers: Ron Frenz, Frank Fosco, Keith Giffen, Jorge lucas
Cover by Michael Golden
Another cover that could work rather well in any Fantastic Four period.
Banner has been helping the FF track down Doctor Doom. Without much success.
At least Black Panther shows up to help. Interestingly, this takes place before his first fight with Doom.
Bruce Banner is like “This story is getting way too complicated, I’m going home”.
Seems like the FF are contractually obligated to meet EVERYBODY in this series, so they recruit Silver Surfer who was hanging around S.H.I.E.L.D. at the time.
We then catch up to Doctor Doom, who’s gone to the Moon.
He’s here to talk to the Watcher.
This is the memory he extracted from the Hulk in issue #5: that time the Leader stole the Ultimate Machine, a device that grants ultimate knowledge.
The Watcher informs him that attempting to use it killed the Leader…
…but Doom replies with even MORE continuity!
The Watcher doesn’t appreciate someone showing they know more about continuity than him.
But then SURPRISE THING!!!
The Fantastic Four and Black Panther have arrived, but considering Doom has the Cosmic Cube this isn’t exactly a fair fight.
MOST BADASS PANEL OF THE SERIES.
Instead of fighting the FF directly, Doom just creates some duplicates of their enemies.
So… big dumb fight. Again.
One of them is Hate Monger, who is literally Hitler, so at least this is still technically fighting Nazis on the Moon.
But it’s ultimately meaningless when Doom can casually defeat the Watcher!
So basically Doom has already won. And as it’s to be expected… he’s bored already.
Oh well. Blowing up the FF’s ship will surely raise his spirits.
ISSUE 7
Writers: Erik Larsen, Eric Stephenson, Tom DeFalco
Pencilers: Rick Veitch, Ron Frenz, Mike Manley, Graham Nolan
Cover by Keith Giffen & Bruce Timm
The covers so far have been pretty hit or miss in imitating the style of the Kirby era, but I could easily believe this one was the real deal.
Crystal returns to the Baxter Building, finding Doctor Doom playing around with Reed’s tech.
I’m a sucker for any panel where Doom’s cowl covers his mask in shadow.
Doom is on quite the power trip!
Meanwhile the Fantastic Four have survived thanks to, what else, Invisible Girl’s force field.
Thankfully Reed has a flare gun that he designed to work in space…
…and the FF are rescued by a freaky looking spaceship…
…that belongs to the Inhumans.
I have to highlight that Black Panther was completely useless during the entire Moon mission.
Back to Doctor Doom, he remembers that at the beginning of the series he stole the Atlantean horn.
I remind you that Doom can do ANYTHING with the Cosmic Cube so this really, REALLY feels like unnecessary padding.
Although I can’t stay mad at Shadow Cowl Doom.
Laughing Doom, on the other hand, is just embarrassing.
And why is he laughing? Because the horn can summon A GIGANTIC MONSTER WHALE.
Okay that’s pretty cool, but… WHY!?!?
THIS MAKES NO SENSE.
Doctor Doom has the Cosmic Cube, which he has shown has enough power to effortlessly defeat the Watcher. NOBODY on Earth is that powerful!
Case in point, when Namor shows up to protest:
Also: OF COURSE Doom was behind the theft in Attilan. There are no other villains in the universe according to this series.
As the Avengers deal with the giant monsters unleashed by Doom, the FF return to the Baxter Building only to find an unexpected guest.
“Can I crash at your place, guys? I had the worst day ever at work…”
ISSUE 8
Writers: Erik Larsen, Eric Stephenson, Kurt Busiek
Pencilers: Ron Frenz, Jorge Lucas, Bill Wray, Rick Veitch
Cover by Rick Veitch & Bruce Timm
Another good contender for the best cover in the series.
The Inhumans give the FF the key to possibly stop Doom: the Legally-Distinct-From-The-Mother-Box.
I can appreciate a callback but this is really ridiculous, that is LITERALLY the Mother Box from Kirby’s Fourth World!!!
It’s been a while since we’ve had a big dumb fight, so it’s about time for one.
Especially since, in addition to the monsters summoned by Doom, we also have to deal with a brainwashed Namor.
It’s padding this already bloated plot, but it’s worth it just to see the Thing wield Cap’s shield.
You might’ve thought that Doom used the Cosmic Cube to control Namor, but no.
He also didn’t use the Cosmic Cube to control the sea monsters. Since they’re controlled by the Atlantean horn, Reed just straps it to Iron Man to lead the monsters back to the ocean.
Interestingly, Reed points out that Thor has already met Doom. That’s true only if we include Avengers #1.5, otherwise Thor wouldn’t fight Doom until Thor #182.
At this point Doom already has the Cosmic Cube (which gives him unlimited power), the Ultimate Machine (which gives him unlimited knowledge) and the Helix of Randac he stole from the Inhumans (which does ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )
But he also needs something from the Weird Kirby Collage Negative Zone.
Oh good, the plot’s getting even more needlessly complicated!
We better take a pause before reaching the end of the series.
Doom significance
If this was a real 1970 comic: 6/10
This would’ve been the first time Doom met the Watcher, who he won’t fight until the 90s. More importantly, this would’ve been the second time Doom gets ultimate power.
As a 2001 comic: 0/10
Owing to the nature of this series, this will have no impact on anything.
Silver Age-ness
If this was a real 1970 comic: 6/10
Giant sea monsters and fights on the Moon would’ve been pretty average for the FF.
As a 2001 comic: 8/10
Less corny than the previous issues, but still extremely Silver Age.
Does it stand the test of time?
If this was a real 1970 comic: 7/10
Despite the meandering plot, this time we’re more focused on the main storyline. Oddly enough Doom gets the most characterization; his reaction to having won without much effor, while typical for more modern portrayals of Doom, would’ve been among the highlights of the 70s.
As a 2001 comic: 4/10
Slightly better than the previous issues. The lack of characterization remains the main problem, and while the action is quite good there is A LOT of padding. And I mean A LOT… from the moment Doom has the Cosmic Cube, the only thing of consequence is taking the Ultimate Machine. Everything else… the Hulk robot, Black Panther joining, Silver Surfer’s cameo, creating the duplicates, blowing up the FF, summoning the monsters, brainwashing Namor… nothing matters in the slightest.
It was a Doombot all along
I’m pretty sure a Doombot wouldn’t be able to use the Cosmic Cube.
Take over the world & Destroy the FF!
I’m only counting the first two issues for the “Destroy the FF!” total count, since Doom believes he’s killed them for the other ones.
Crazy tech
I’m pretty sure the Psyche-Scalpel ™ was introduced here. It’s a shame that it’s used in a story where Doom absolutely does not need it, because it’s a pretty neat invention!
Times Doctor Doom has gained ultimate power: 2
Considering the way he uses the Cosmic Cube, this certainly counts!