InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Buy the damn roses, Brian."

sherkahn (sherkahn) wrote in scans_daily,
@ 2009-06-02 17:27:00

Entry tags:

char: dr. doom/victor von doom, char: human torch/johnny storm, char: invisible woman/susan storm, char: lyja, char: mr. fantastic/reed richards, char: the thing/ben grimm, creator: tom defalco, group: fantastic four, publisher: marvel comics, series: week of doom

Week Of Doom: For Lord and Land
Given the heat stirred up by Unthinkable, I present an example of Doom being both the noble king and at once the most despicable of villains.

*note: Not my scans*

Doom planning ahead.

Well, you could throw your helmet or some of the debris at the Hunter or in the way of the blast, Ben.

PIS indeed.

Doom is still kicking.

In the end, Doom reverts to his true nature. Willing to go into annihilation and damnation in order to hurt Reed.

We see the best and worst of the man in a single issue. Mind you, not the best writing or plot, but the moment and battle capture the essence of Dr. Victor Von Doom... he will be a hero or villain if it only serves his needs.

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zechs27
2009-06-02 08:05 pm UTC (link)

God I remember the issue previous to this was one of the first comics I picked up in the 90s. Then I got this issue and was goddamn pissed at Tom DeFalco for killing Doom the very next issue cause I wanted more Doom. I did get just that but they where frigging Doombots.

Then when DeFalco teased Doom's return I was heistant. Then was wondering when he brought in Kristoff.. WHO THE HELL IS THIS?! THIS ISN'T DOOM! Then I yielded and laid down the dough when I knew for sure DeFalco was bringing back both Reed and Doom. Of course he gave us Hyperstorm as well.

I've noticed that's DeFalco's way of handling Doom though. I sort of like it that on one hand he is noble, but if he's got the chance to lure Richards into oblivion he's gonna do it even at the cost of himself. Like he did here and in the Fantastic Five: The Final Doom.

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xdoop
2009-06-02 08:08 pm UTC (link)

Because taking Reed with him while he's dying is totally the same as skinning his girlfriend and wearing her flesh as his armor.

This Doom is complex. Waid's Doom was irredeemably evil. Waid himself has said "the truism that Victor Von Doom is, despite his villainy, a noble man is absolute crap" and that Doom "would tear the head off a newborn baby and eat it like an apple while his mother watched if it would somehow prove he were smarter than Reed."

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	kitty_tc_69 2009-06-02 08:33 pm UTC (link)
	I'd say the "truism" that is Mark Waid's opinion on the character and nature of Doctor Doom is "absolute crap". No disrespect for the man or anything, but he couldn't possibly be more wrong about this if he tried. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	zechs27 2009-06-02 08:08 pm UTC (link)
	Oh and even here Doom rules. Even under all this pain and being blasted to heck. HE STILL carries through to defeat the cosmic beast that dared challenge him and that Doom NEVER EVER GROVELS. (Reply to this)

	fungo_squiggly 2009-06-02 08:10 pm UTC (link)
	Yeah, I guess the Doom here is pretty good. Almost a compromise between-- OH GOD IT'S SUE'S OUTFIT WITH THE PEEKABOO "4" WINDOW! MY EYES, MY FREAKING EYES! (Reply to this)

	bluefall 2009-06-02 10:34 pm UTC (link)
	Well, you could throw your helmet or some of the debris at the Hunter or in the way of the blast, Ben. He probably doesn't have time. I know he's speechifying up a storm there, but talking is a free action, after all. (Reply to this)

	(Anonymous) 2009-06-02 10:57 pm UTC (link)
	Why is so much of Sue's costume invisible? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	schmevil 2009-06-03 07:42 am UTC (link)
	It was the 90s. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	mullon 2009-06-02 11:59 pm UTC (link)
	I think what I like most about Sue's new outfit is it's sublety. (Reply to this)

	xandertarbert 2009-06-03 12:09 am UTC (link)
	I like that panel right after the kid shows up. You can see Doom going, "Crap. Now I gotta save this blasted child's life. Somehow Richards, this is all your fault." (Reply to this) (Thread)

	zechs27 2009-06-03 12:50 am UTC (link)
	It's ALWAYS Richards' fault. ALWAYS. (Reply to this) (Parent)

blake_reitz
2009-06-03 09:38 pm UTC (link)

This is a great portrayal of Doom. Not just the ending, where he saves his country and destroys Richards, but also how what he's completely willing to sacrifice a few thousand of his countryfolk just to win...and has a change of heart. To me, this is the Doom that can both kidnap a child to hell and deliver the child of his worst enemy, this is a Doom that is complex and might not always know his own mind or make the right decisions...but never doubts them, not even for a second.

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moneyless_jew
2009-06-04 08:42 pm UTC (link)

I'm sorry, but I read Tom DeFalco's FF run back then and found it absolutely terrible, even as a kid. DeFalco either works or REALLY, REALLY DOESN'T - as GreyHavens' Ben Reilly coverage tells us, he helped perpetuate the Clone Saga for what seemed like aeons with more of this bad writing. Yes, it was a very Doom move to take Reed out with him. But I don't find this superior to Unthinkable in any way. Waid's Doom is horrific and cruel, perhaps shocking, but Doom has always been capable of horrific cruelty. He is The Bad Guy. When he stops surprising you, he is no longer Doom.

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