Doomwar #4-5

Doomwar #4 (2010)
by Jonathan Maberry & Scot Eaton
cover by John Romita Jr.

I don’t think I’m jumping the gun believing there’s a new addition to the count of heroes who have fought Doctor Doom.

I think I gave the Power Broker too much credit last time: his robots are manufactured by Doctor Doom, out of Vibranium.
They were deployed almost immediately after Doom stole the Vibranium reserves, and I don’t think he had so much of the stuff before this storyline.
So either he used his Time Platform™ to send them back, or they were produced VERY fast.

Which of course means they can only be defeated with more Vibranium.

You just have to love the Thing’s pragmatism.

This is just a small part of Doom’s plan, though: he’s not simply going to build a robot army out of Vibranium.
This is far from the first time we learn Doom uses his Doombots to gather intelligence on how to fight his foes… one of the latest was on X-Factor… but it’s also used to improve the Doombots themselves.

The Vibranium tracker built by T’Challa and Reed has been able to find all the factories where Doom is manufacturing those robots, but they are so tough and they have so much security that even Wakanda can’t hit them all at once.

I’m guessing they’re not pressuring other countries to do the same because they lack the resources?
The US are not as technologically advanced as Wakanda, sure, but they have some crazy firepower even without considering superheroes.
I get that T’Challa is currently disgraced in front of the international community, but surely having Reed Richards back up his claims would give him SOME credibility.
The only other possible reason would be trying to avoid escalation, but Doom is already escalating!

Not that Doom cares.

It could also be the fact that technically speaking Shuri is still calling the shots.

This is an interesting dynamic between the siblings.
T’Challa has realized that his tactics were too aggressive at the beginning of the war, while Shuri thinks they haven’t been fighting hard enough.
This dynamic is largely why I don’t have an issue with how T’Challa acted in the first issues, and for Shuri this is consistent with her characterization in the previous run.

He acknowledges that Shuri does have one point: he’s been trying to match Doom’s tactics.
Pound for pound, Doom’s technology and strategy far outclass anything T’Challa has at his disposal, and he adds magic on top of that.
This is where T’Challa’s new venture into magic stuff comes into play.

It’s the introduction of “Shadow Physics”, a.k.a. the combination of bulls##t science and bulls##t magic, that hopefully will throw Doom off his game.

I don’t know T’Challa, you might be able to outmaneuver Doom but I wouldn’t count on outcraze him.

We don’t know for how long Power Broker has been working for Doom. Is the implication that he’s worked for him for years?
These factories are indirectly identified as the places where Doom builds his robot armies, but it’s a bit unclear for how long Power Broker was connected to those.
Also, considering that *spoiler alert* Doom will keep showing up with massive robot armies even after he loses in this miniseries, I’m guessing even Power Broker is underestimating the extent of Doom’s infrastructure.

Doom has reasons to be confident. The war is definitely going his way at the moment.

This leads T’Challa to make a new risky move…

…after all, he DID mention wanting to outcrazy Doom.

Deadpool showing up would’ve been a real unexpected moment IF IT WASN’T SPOILED ON THE COVER!!!
I hate when comics to that!!!


Doomwar #5 (2010)
by Jonathan Maberry & Scot Eaton
cover by John Romita Jr.

That sure is a look, Doom.

Wakanda apparently had almost as many Dora Milaje as Latveria has Doombots, but unfortunately the ladies are not as easily replaceable.

You’d think finding ten thousand tons of metal would be easier than this, but even with the tracker it’s a challenge.

I don’t know Doom, I’ll believe you stopped underestimating your enemies when I see it.

I think Doom is aware that next issue is the end of the story.

In a rather weird decision, we completely skip Deadpool’s trip to Latveria: we only see him bring a bunch of Doombot heads back to T’Challa.

Reed Richards is so nice to everybody that it’s almost a surprise to see he’s not a Deadpool fan.

So why exactly does T’Challa need Deadpool? He can’t possibly believe the Merc With A Mouth can possibly kill the Doctor With A Larger Mouth.

It involves Shadow Physics, which begins with a rather comprehensible connection between science and magic…

…and then moves into comic book nonsense.

Sounds legit.

Jokes aside, it DOES explain why he needs Deadpool: this new technology is going to teleport directly into Doom’s lair, but it’s incredibly dangerous on multiple levels.
If it was only a matter of survival he could’ve sent Wolverine, but it could drive him insane.
Deadpool, however, is ALREADY insane.

Shuri is also switching to fighting smarter.
Am I the only one who would love to have a look at Doom’s banking records? There has to be some truly bonkers stuff in there, isn’t it?

Like, are CYBERNETIC VIBRANIUM KAIJU tax-deductible?

War Machine also joins the fight. He was already in the count, since the main in the Iron Man armor of Secret Wars #11 was already James Rhodes.

He’s here to provide a much-needed boost to the Wakandans.
I’m pretty sure Doom didn’t anticipate they would accept Stark’s help: Doom would be too proud to do the same.

More bad news for Doom: he’s broke!
Well, one of his treasure chests is empty, he definitely has others… but still.

The preparations for Deadpool’s journey are done.

As much as Reed doesn’t like him, he’s always the humanitarian.

Deadpool’s journey is shown in an absolutely bonkers two-page spread.
Sorry Wolverine, but I don’t think you would’ve made it.

And his trip through “the simultaneous state of nonexistence and omniexistence” (T’Challa’s words) ends up in… Latveria.
Geez, who would’ve thought that’s where Doom would keep his most secure lab!!!

Deadpool’s first fight against Doctor Doom doesn’t even last a single panel.

Which I think we can all agree is the only way it could go.


Doom significance: 3/10
As per the previous issues.

 Silver Age-ness: 5/10
Shadow Physics is described in modern terms, but it’s a crazy concept!

 Does it stand the test of time? 8/10
From a narrative standpoint, it’s still at the same level of the previous chapters and builds upon them. But from a reader’s perspective, it’s clearly stalling for time.
Issue 4 has two consecutive two-page spreads showing the war, and issue 5 has the two-page spread for Deadpool’s journey AND three splash pages!
Both Deadpool and War Machine show up late to the party, and while their presence is given a context I feel like we could’ve focues more on characters that are already in the series.
Storm hasn’t done anything in these two entire issues besides fighting in the background, and the X-Men have basically disappered!

It was a Doombot all along
The one talking to Power Broker could be one, but it’s very unlikely.

Number of superheroes who have fought Dr. Doom: 104
Deadpool would be the first one to ask not to be counted among heroes, but I’ve already included anti-heroes before.

Crazy tech
In a matter of a couple days at most, Doom either built several armies of Vibranium robots, or equipped several armies of robots with recently stolen Vibranium.

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