Fantastic Four v3 #67

Fantastic Four v3 #67 (2003)
by Mark Waid & Mike Wieringo

Doctor Doom has been absent from the Fantastic Four series for a while; that’s going to change, because the Mark Waid run is going to occupy  several reviews of the retrospective.
There is A LOT that happens, both in the “Unthinkable” story arc and in its aftermath. The prologue in particular might be the most divisive part of Doom’s history among his fans.

Doom is going to be the protagonist of this story: the Fantastic Four don’t even appear.
We begin with Doom in civilian clothes looking for his long lost love Valeria, who he hasn’t seen since Incredible Hulk #144 in 1971.

This brief monologue is one of Doom’s very best. It’s his typical style of boasting about himself, but he’s not exactly wrong here.

Interestingly, Reed will make a somewhat similar speech in the Hickman run.

However Doom has grown to regret his rejection of Valeria. I have to wonder if the events of Double Shot #2 had anything to do with it.

Specifically, Doom is looking for Valeria in a fortune-teller-themed tourist trap.
As far as I can tell, there is no town with this name in Georgia.

Doom’s uttermost disdain for America is in full display here.

Although the way this town is making a mockery of his culture might have something to do with it.

They are all charlatans, but I would totally believe that you can read the future on tea leaves in the Marvel Universe. It’s not like that would be the most ridiculous magical thing there.

This makes Doom reminisce about his teenage years. We will be revisiting this scene in a later issue of the Waid run.

I’m positive Waid’s heart is in the right place (especially considering future issues), but while he has Doom criticizing America for trivializing and stereotyping Gypsy traditions… Waid himself is doing something similar by bringing up the old stereotype about Gypsies being all about superstition and theft.
You can’t really skip the magic stuff with Doom, but come on.

Doom’s flashback continues to his origin story, and there’s a couple of interesting bits.
We’ve seen the origin retold several times, but this is one of the VERY few that doesn’t skip Doom’s wacky inventions from the first version.

This version, however, is notable for being the fist time where the fact that the American that brings Doom to the United States was from the military.

This is a retcon: in the original version this was the dean of State University.

The relationship between Doom and the US military will be expanded in Books of Doom, which will merge the two versions: the guy recruiting Doom is a civilian from the university, however Doom will still work with the military on the side.

Considering this is Doctor Doom, I wonder if his threat of haunting the fake clairvoyant is real or not. I do find it hilarious that he ends the curse with a “good evening”.

Doom retires for the night in the cheap hotel where he’s staying, and this is one of my favorite Doom scenes ever.
HIS PRESENCE ALONE does this!!!

A more understated moment is Doom throwing away all technology from his room and doing a tarot reading of himself under candlelight.
It both continues the theme of him embracing his magical side over technology and his disdain for the American style of life.

Doom visits another psychic, and the narration continues to him leaving Valeria.
This is the only version of the story where Doom asked Valeria to follow him to America, which is really interesting.
First of all, what are the “familial obligations” that kept her in Latveria? It’s very rarely mentioned, but she’s related to Doom’s trusty servant Boris; their relationship is not always 100% clear, but she’s mostly referred to as Boris’ granddaughter. So did she stay behind to care for Boris? He’s the only relative that’s ever mentioned.
But most importantly, this would be a great starting point for a “What If” story: if Valeria followed him, would he still have turned into Doctor Doom?

Amusingly, Doom refers to Reed as “a marginally bright man” in this flashback.

Fortunately for Doom, there IS a legitimate psychic in this town, and she tells him where to find Valeria.

Another nice understated moment: we’re told Valeria knows Doom is coming for her, and she’s shown surrounded by various fortune telling accessories.
This tells you that she’s tried different ways to look into her future hoping to find one that didn’t predict Doom. This is just great storytelling.

The years haven’t been kind to Valeria, because she’s seriously aged since the last time we saw her!

The explanation for why it took a while for Doom to find her is a bit weak. I get what Waid is doing here: the only possible way Doom would have trouble finding Valeria HAD to be because he didn’t really want to find her, I get that.
But the moment he decides to seriously look for her he immediately finds the right town, so it’s not like his disdain for America was that much of a factor.

Shockingly, Doom is not blaming the end of their relationship on Valeria.
He’s taking full ownership AND he’s even admitting having made a mistake!!!

The main problem has always been that Valeria was in love with Victor, NOT with Doctor Doom.

Or at least she WAS.

However, in another great scene she doesn’t flinch at the sight of Doom’s scarred face.

This is Doom’s offer: if Valeria gets back to him, he will renounce technology and embrace science.
His words can also be interpreting as him renouncing to his Doctor Doom persona, but that’s deliberately ambiguous.

In another nice touch, Valeria is shown to still have the musical box that Doom gifted her in the flashback.

And Valeria accepts the offer.

This is one of the most shocking turn of events in Doom’s history. I don’t think anyone was thinking he would REALLY stop being Doctor Doom, but I bet NOBODY saw this coming.

Doctor Doom has just sacrificed the life of the only woman he’s ever loved in order to become as good as magic as he’s been at technology.

Even more hardcore than that, she’s skinned alive in order to create his new leathery mystical armor.

The armor clearly wasn’t intended to be Doom’s permanent look: it’s obviously designed exclusively for this storyline.
While the concept of a 100% magic armor is fine… this is a pretty bland design.
The late Mike Wieringo was a great artist and I really like him on this run, but the armor just doesn’t work for me… I think the mask is its worst part.

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So this is naturally a quite divisive story for Doom fans: the fact that he kills Valeria doesn’t sit right with many of them. If you’re a Doom fan, it’s impossible to stay neutral on the debate, you simply must have an opinion on “Unthinkable”.
You’re probably wondering where I stand on this.
Honestly I don’t have complains.
Yes Doom is being exceptionally cold and cruel here, but… I think Doom fans sometimes forget two key aspects of the character.

First and foremost: Doom is a master at rationalizing ANYTHING into fitting his version of reality. The moment he started to see Valeria as a pawn rather than a person, she was already dead.

Second… look, I’m one of the biggest Doctor Doom superfans you’ll ever find. He’s an endlessly fascinating and complex character, he’s multi-faceted to the point that it’s not always easy to predict how he’ll act in a given situation, and he does have a noble and sometimes even heroic side.
It’s easy to end up rooting for him and overstate his positive aspects but… there is another thing that is easy to forget sometimes: DOCTOR DOOM CAN BE A MONSTER.

Not always… that’s what makes him complex… but we’ve seen time and time again that he can be petty, vindictive, downright cruel, and utterly without regard for human life unless it benefits HIM.
So yeah, I don’t have a problem believing he would sacrifice the life of the woman he loved, even if this is probably the worst thing he’s done… SO FAR.

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Doom significance: 10/10
Essential reading, both for what’s coming and for the conclusion of the Valeria relationship.

Silver Age-ness: 0/10
As if!

 Does it stand the test of time? 10/10
I hold the Waid run in very high regard. And while the rest of the storyline has its bumps here and there, this was great. It’s also a VERY rare opportunity to see Doom mingle with regular people (we won’t get another chance until “Infamous Iron Man”) and really getting into his head.
He’s simultaneous very human and still a force of nature whose presence alone can make children cry even when they don’t see him.

It was a Doombot all along
This begins a long stretch of stories where it’s utterly impossible for this to be anyone but the real Doctor Doom.

Times Doctor Doom has gained ultimate power: 8
Considering how he carries himself in the rest of the storyline, I’d say it counts.

Crazy tech
For obvious reasons, this category won’t be used for the rest of the storyline.