Fantastic Four 143
“The Terrible Triumph of Dr. Doom!”
Published November 1973
Writer: Gerry Conway
Pencils: Rich Buckler
Inks: Frank Giacoia
Letters: John Costanza
Colors: Petra Goldberg
Editor: Roy Thomas
Cover: Gil Kane and Joe Sinnott

Synopsis

Dr. Doom captures Mr. Fantastic and Medusa, and reveals his plan for world domination by hypnotizing humanity. But as he subdues the Human Torch and Wyatt Wingfoot, Darkoth escapes and frees Reed and Medusa, enlisting them in a plot of revenge against Doom.

What’s going on here

This comic continues the story that began in earnest last issue. The focus is really on Doom and his machinations, and he’s in full, megalomaniac, world-beater mode in this comic. In years to come, Doom’s personality will shift and he’ll become more sinister and less grandiose, but this depiction, thanks to Gerry Conway’s over-the-top script, feels one of an archetypal super villain.

Rich Buckler’s art bolsters this concept of Doom, especially with this amazing double-paged splash that comes out of now where and blew my mind (Doom is addressing Belle Thorne, the wife of Reed’s now-unconscious college friend).

The Kirby influence is unmistakable here, not just in the layouts but in the finishes. But interestingly, this comic was inked by Frank Giacoia, not Joe Sinnott. Giacoia does a great job and is I think pretty under rated as an inker. (If anyone knows the whereabouts of the original art for this DPS, I would love to see it).

Also of note, the cover is by Gil kane and Sinnott, although it’s not obviously recognizable as such (nor does it depict anything that happens in the comic). Kane, a true legend, will go on to draw a few more FF covers over the next few years but never an interior, which is a shame.

What I liked

This was generally a well-plotted and -paced comic, with an exception I’ll get to. I liked the concept of Doom building a massive bunker under Manhattan, as if no one would notice (hopefully it was zoned appropriately). Doom’s scheme of hypnotizing all of humanity with a bomb is basically ridiculous, although no more than a million other comic plot devices. But his demonstration of its ability is chillingly cold blooded, and should be used as evidence for anyone who thinks Doom is warm and cuddly.

This splash page was also unexpected, and amazing:

What I didn’t like

The Darkoth twist at the end wasn’t well set-up over the course of the last two comics and wound up convoluted and confusing (I wouldn’t be surprised if Thomas didn’t have a hand in it). A lot of exposition was jammed into the last page (a Lee / Kirby tic), and this panel, where Darkoth reveals what has transpired, might set a record for the number of words in one comic panel:

Also, this comment from Johnny is just weird, where it seems like he’s telling Wyatt he should be OK with being jailed because his ancestry. Yeesh.

Overall

A solid comic