TWiV: Dr. Doom

The Week in Villainy: Taking stock of super-villains

Dr. Doom: The Doctor is IN.

Like many villains from the Golden or Silver Ages, the good doctor has seen his character flirt with campy disregard.

But in the recent Death of the Invisible Woman arc in the past four issues of Fantastic Four, he has re-asserted his play for alpha-male status among Marvel’s black capes.

After being used by a Susan-Richards-from-the-future to power a time-machine battery (the lifeless husk of a future-timeline-Galactus), Dr. Doom calmly fries the elder Invisible Woman into a charred husk.

To restore his honor.

Consider it restored, tin-nose.

Dr. Doom edges ahead to a nine on the VQ scale. Stormin’ Norman Osborn still has him beat on the big board, but it’s a big move for the Latverian leader.

This arc in FF was simply astounding. The concepts were tremendous and vigorous. The art was crisp and clean. The dialogue was clever and the plot was roller-coaster thrilling. I’ve added the Fantastic Four to my pull-list for the first time since the 1980s.