9:33 PM
Brad
Cover Date: July 1962
Plot Overview: The Human Torch and Thing argue as the issue starts. Suddenly a net covers the FF's HQ and a man announces himself as Dr. Doom. Reed recognizes the voice and recalls going to college with Doom and how he was horribly disfigured in a lab accident.
Doom demands Sue as a hostage and she has no choice but to agree. The other members of the FF eventually turn themselves over. Doom wants them to travel back into the past and obtain the jewels of Blackbeard. Reed, Torch and Thing have no choice but to accept.
In the past they disguise themselves as pirates and are quickly drugged and conscripted onto a pirate ship as part of the crew. The Thing wakes up and the FF begin a battle with the crew. After seeing the Torch in action the pirates decide to end the battle. Just as the battle ends another ship approaches. The Thing leads a successful attack on the ship and the pirates celebrate thing as Blackbeard. Reed figures out that the Thing is really Blackbeard and that the treasure chest they found is what they've been looking for. They decide to replace the jewels with junk to double cross Dr. Doom.
Thing decides to stay because he's accepted and a leader in this time period. Reed and the Torch argue but Thing has them tied up by the crew. Just as this happens a tornado hits the ship and the FF regroup on an island. Thing admits he was being foolish and they find the chest. Just then Dr. Doom recalls them to the present. He eagerly checks the chest and realizes he's been double crossed.
The Thing attacks Dr. Doom and smashes him to pieces revealing a robot. The real Dr. Doom announces that he's going to drain the room of oxygen to end the FF. Doom is so busy that he forgets that Sue Storm is in the room. She sabotages the machine and then releases the other members of the FF. Dr. Doom makes his escape in a jetpack and the Torch makes an unsuccessful attempt at capturing him. The Torch is dismayed that Dr. Doom and Namor are both loose in the world. Reed says that they'll defend the world against future threats from Doom and Namor as the issue ends.
My Take: I'm not really a fan of time travel storylines. Okay, I take that back. I'm not really a fan of time travel storylines that aren't Back to the Future. I will give this issue a little credit. I did like that the Thing became Blackbeard. I thought that was a nice touch and a little unexpected on my part. The art was good in this issue. The Thing actually looked pretty good for the first time ever.
Speaking of the Thing. He got the bulk of the character development in this issue. He's starting to shift from an angry out of control monster into more of a man trying to cope with being an outcast of society.
What else can you really say about this issue. It's a very important historical issue as Dr. Doom is one of the key villains in the Marvel Universe. He's barely in the issue though.
I didn't dislike the story that much. I just found the last issue to be much stronger and I think I was just expecting more from an early Doom appearace.
I'd give this issue ** out of *****
Notes: This is the first appearance of Dr. Doom. His concept hasn't really been thought out at all in this issue. He's really a mad scientist with an interest in black magic that stays in a creepy castle. It takes a few years for the Dr. Doom you know from the current comics to really take shape. Johnny Storm was also reading the first issue of the Incredible Hulk at the beginning. He made fun of the Thing for looking like the Hulk to start their argument. How's that for advertising?
Next Issue: Incredible Hulk #2
Posted in: Dr. Doom,Fantastic Four,Human Torch,Reed Richards,Sue Richards,Thing
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