Doom just can’t catch a break in the 90s: first he was dead a couple of years after Fantastic Four #381, then for another year with Onslaught… and then a THIRD time after the end of Heroes Reborn.
With our final 90s intermission, let’s see what Latveria and the Doombots where up to during his third absence.
X-Man #45 (1998)
by Terry Kavanagh & Mark Pajarillo
cover by J.H. Williams III
X-Man might have a ridiculously generic name, but it fits him perfectly.
Think about it: he’s the genetically engineered alternate timeline version of the future time-traveling son of Cyclops and the clone of Jean Grey.
You don’t get more X-Men than that nonsense!
Judging by the artwork, I guess we begin with the Moon falling on Latveria.
I WAS KIDDING!!!
Talk about an opening act: the Moon blows up half the Earth in the first 5 pages!!!
Well, not really: turns out it was all just a dream!!!
Also: X-Man sleeps next to the clone of his mother’s alternate timeline double. Told you he was the epitome of X-Men nonsense.
X-Man’s adventure has little to do with Latveria, but we return to Doom’s land at the end when a HUMONGOUS spaceship lands there.
Well, “lands” is putting it lightly: IT CRASHES CASTLE DOOM.
X-Man #46 (1998)
by Terry Kavanagh & J.H. Williams III
The villain of the story is going to be Stryfe: the evil clone of the future time-traveling son of Cyclops and the clone of Jean Grey. I’m sensing a theme here.
Naturally, a ship crashing down on Castle Doom gets the attention of the Avengers… who are told by S.H.I.E.L.D. to sit this one out until the people of Latveria ask for help.
I like how they bring up the fact that the ship might even belong to Doom… that’s an extreme way of redecorating, but he’s Doom… but the Avengers deciding to do nothing is stupid.
Are you SERIOUSLY going to wait for people to ask for help before investigating the giant spaceship that just crashed a castle!?!?
X-Man is not from this timeline, so he considers the possibility that Doom really is behind this… but the people of Latveria seem to know better.
Stryfe reveals why he decided to land in Latveria: he intends to take over the place and make it the capital of his empire. I guess he thought he wouldn’t look out of place in a country that is ALREADY ruled by a guy with an armor and a cape.
Most of the issue is a big dumb fight between X-Man and Stryfe’s mutant minions, which is not particularly interesting.
Also Madelyne Pryor, the clone of Jean Grey that hangs around X-Man, decides to stalk Jean for some fanservice.
We close off the REAL reason why Stryfe invaded Latveria: so that he could use Doom’s technology to steal X-Man’s powers for himself.
Dude, I know that technology was once used against Silver Surfer, but the target doesn’t HAVE to be naked!!!
Cable #63 (1998)
by Joe Casey & Stephen Platt
cover by Jose Ladronn
X-Man’s more famous counterpart Cable takes over the crossover.
After taking care of his own subplots, Cable shows up in Latveria to save Madelyne Pryor from some Doombots.
A reminder that this storyline features Cable, the clone of Cable, and an alternate timeline equivalent to Cable.
Cable shows up to save X-Man… aaaaand he fails.
X-Man #47 (1998)
by Terry Kavanagh & J.H. Williams III
Judging by the cover, Stryfe has absorbed X-Man’s mind powers AND the Power Cosmic.
Stryfe’s leadership style is definitely different from Doom’s…
…to the point that the Latverians are trying to flee the country!!!
Stryfe is an awful villain, but I have to admit he does have the same kind of theatrics that Doom used to pull. Transforming Madelyne Pryor into his minion is definitely something Doom wouldn’t do, though.
Cable and X-Man have retreated to lick their wounds, and now they’re back on the attack.
X-Man’s catchphrase still needs work.
Yeah, uhm, in case you haven’t figured it out… X-Man is not very bright.
Not that Stryfe is any better: instead of securing Doom’s power-absorbing device, he just leaves it out in the open… allowing X-Man to defeat him with his own weapon.
And so the heroes save the day… leaving Latveria in ruins. Is it any wonder they go back to Doom?
Gambit vol.3 #12 (1998)
by Fabian Nicieza & Steve Skroce
Latveria is not done with mutants just yet.
After seeing a picture of himself being around in the 19th century, Gambit decides to investigate with his archeologist friend Sekmeht Conoway because in a previous story she had access to some magic time stone (I assume from the dialogue, I’ve never read anything from this series).
But if there’s time travel involved, Doom always find a way to be involved.
Gambit finds his way into Latveria, where Castle Doom has already been rebuilt after Stryfe demolished it. (!!!!)
Complete with the mandatory secret access!
In a nice bit of continuity, the place is still suffering the effects of X-Force destroying the time machine.
Naturally Gambit runs into one of the Doombots, leading to a hilarious reaction by his mercenary friends.
These are probably low-level Doombots, and Gambit takes them out easily enough.
I was under the impression Stryfe’s rule ended with the previous story, but at least the characters still consider him in charge.
If so, Stryfe’s security really sucks because people are able to walk everywhere without activating any sort of alarm.
Eventually they reach their objective, so Gambit can have his time traveling adventure.
I don’t care enough about this series to check, but in my headcanon Gambit’s friends all die as soon as he’s gone.
Gambit vol.3 #15 (2000)
by Fabian Nicieza & Yanick Paquette
cover by Kevin Maguire
While it carries over to the 2000s, let’s close off the mutant section of Doom’s absence.
Turns out Gambit’s archeologist friend has a super-rich father, who ends up recruiting Rogue (of all people) to investigate her disappearance.
This somehow turns into an investigation over the “folding city” that has apparently been in Latveria this whole time.
It’s a neat concept that doesn’t really come off from the artwork. Or the story, really.
Well what do you know, the idiots from the previous story are not dead after all.
The bad guy of the story looks worse than Stryfe, WHICH IS SAYING SOMETHING.
Also, this comic implies that Latverians speak German.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m missing Gambit. This story is as boring as they come.
Doom significance: 0/10
You would think Doom would go after Stryfe, but he can’t be bothered.
Does it stand the test of time?
As always I’m not giving real scores, just reading recommendations.
X-Man: much to my surprise, it’s pretty decent but I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re not a fan of late 90s X-Men. What was even the point of invading Latveria if Stryfe wasn’t going to do anything with it!?
Gambit: I know nothin about this series and typically I don’t like Gambit very much, but it was a fun romp. As demonstrated by the fact that the story that focuses entirely on Rogue is a snoozefest.
Times Latveria has been conquered: 11
Congratulations, Stryfe, now you’re the worst person to rule Latveria so far. And that list includes the Red Skull, so it wasn’t easy!
Number of superheroes who have fought Dr. Doom: 91
Cable and Gambit fight some Doombots, so it counts according to my rules.
Crazy tech
So Doom’s Power Syphon™ can absorb the Power Cosmic AND psychic powers? Neat!