How Dr. Doom Was Upstaged By Pirates

Journey Into Marvel

By: Julian Munds

Dr. Doom may be Marvel’s most important super-villain. However, he was not the first character to wear the mantle of the super villain. Namor: the Sub-Mariner, having starred in the preceding issue, held the distinction of being the first debuted villain of the Silver Age. The Doctor is not even the first costumed villain for Fantastic Four #1’s Mole Man wore styled garb in his underground lair.

Looking back, as I have the luxury to do, over the complete collection of Marvel adventures Doom stands out like no other. His iconic armoured face and green hood is witnessed in some capacity in every comic stream.

Perhaps, this is because of his personal connection with Reed Richards or this is because of his supposedly infallible genius. Whatever the reason, Victor Von Doom has faced every major superhero that Stan Lee created and the others that followed. Sadly his later greatness can’t be fathomed from his first appearance for Doom is upstaged by a whimsical pirate adventure.

The Fantastic Four, from the outset, embraced the campiness of the 60s sci-fi. Science fiction was still a relatively new genre and relied heavily on a series of pulpy plots that had been recycled thousands of times since the 40s. I have spent plenty of time talking about the stupidity in creation of the Skrulls and the aimlessness of events that occur in these comics spurring from “what if” scenarios. The more fantastical the story, the more nonsensical the plot. This is what severely hampers this issue.

Sea piracy has been around historically since at least Ancient Egypt.

During that period a group of people history has referred to with the creative name ‘The Sea Peoples’ harried the coast line of one of the world’s first organized civilizations. As time moved forward, the practice of piracy took on many forms. Whether it was shanghaiing new merchandise for slavers or stealing much saught after wears, piracy as a way of life created a bane for every major empire from Rome to Spain. Spain took piracy to a whole new level with the development of the writ pirate or privateer: a criminal who raids  ships in the name of the state.

Francis Drake, noted defeater of the Spanish Armada, was a writ protected pirate and spent many of his years in pursuing Spanish fleets for the fruits of the New World. When the famed Captain Kidd established the legendary Sode of Piracy in the Caribbean Sea shortly after, Piracy left the annals of undesirables to the stuff of legend.

From the 30s into the 50s, Saturday movie matinees were full of campy adventures on the high seas, filled with swashbuckling rogues and dastardly outlaws. Some were based on real life characters like Blackbeard or Grace O’Malley, others came from a land of pure fiction like Errol Flynn’s timeless classic Captain Blood (1935). But whatever the inspiration, the world created by these films was a colourful, grandiose place, that did little to reflect the gritty and dangerous reality real pirates of the Caribbean lived in. It is into this Saturday matinee pirate world the Fantastic Four enter.

Time travel is a favourite mechanism of the Marvel creatives. I have written two articles, recently, on how it seems their favourite destination is always Ancient Egypt. Why this is, I cannot say, but what I can say is they love traveling to periods full of mystique and magic. Ancient Egypt is one of these as is the golden age of Caribbean piracy. Robert Louis Stevenson knew this when he created that brilliant bible of pirate lore: Treasure Island. Apparently, Stan Lee understood this as well.

Dr. Doom, hearing of jewels that once belonged to Merlin were said to be in the possession of the the famed pirate Black Beard, kidnaps Sue Storm to blackmail the men of the Four  to time travel to steel the jewels from him. Long story short, they go, rather unwillingly, and happen upon a pirate crew. Sure enough they get themselves into a rabble rousing fight that ends in their coronation as pirate kings. This is a big moment for each character, in particular, Thing who lets the respect go to his head.

Blackbeard Thinginto a rabble rousing fight using their skills and soon become pirate kings. Because Thing has been wearing a dark beard and eyepatch to cover up his no doubt startling visage, he actually creates a paradox which makes him the basis for Blackbeard. This  makes little sense as Blackbeard is a real person, but Marvel has never cared too much for accurate history.

Finding some sense of respect as the grizzled sea outlaw, Thing informs the other two that he is staying on the ship. This is a great moment that once again shows that Thing just wants respect and love. He nearly chooses to stay in the period. Of course, the moment only occupies a few panels and Ben quickly has a change of heart, but it is another wonderful glimpse into the angst Mr. Grimm deals with endlessly.

After this great time adventure, there is an obligatory fight ending with Dr. Doom flying away. Though it is exciting, if a bit predictable, the villain could have been anybody, yet, this is Dr. Doom’s debut. He’s given a little bit of backstory saying that he grew up with Reed Richards and was expelled from school after he stages an black magic experiment that not only disfigures him, but destroys half the school. Through his constant obsession with knowing all the secrets of the universe and therefore being the ultimate mind is mentioned in passing, Doom just doesn’t pose much threat. It’s clear that he is intended as a reoccurring character with the fact he escapes and sets up an extravagant plan to destroy the Four, but since so much time was spent on the adventures in pirate times, little room is given to Dr. Doom to strut his stuff.

Perhaps, knowing that Doom would become a reoccurring character and the arch-nemesis of the Four, Stan Lee only wanted give the readers a slight taste of him. But because of the haphazard jaunting from a time travel adventure to a more classic villain vs. superhero theme ,this issue leaves the reader in a state of confusion.

It was fun to see a little of that Saturday Matinee flavour enter this comic. Even if it did upstage the debut of the great Dr. Doom.

Story I Read: “Prisoners of Dr. Doom” (Fantastic Four #5 Jul. 1962)

Rating: 2 out of 5

Pros: Thing’s moment of self reflection, the fact that the Historical Blackbeard is Thing in  disguise. The retroactive influence this story has on Fantastic Four #19.

Cons: The time travel distraction. The lack of development of Dr. Doom. The absence of Sue Storm.

Previous Review: “The Coming of the Sub-Mariner” (Fantastic Four #4 May. 1962)

Upcoming Review: “The Terror of the Toad Men” (The Incredible Hulk #2 Jul. 1962)

 

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The Fantastic Four in Egypt: Why the Fantastic Four are Truly Inept

Journey Into Marvel

By: Julian Munds

The Fantastic Four, in this period of Marvel, are said to be the strongest and best superheroes in the world. As Earth- 616 (main Marvel continuity) continued, their powers started to dwindle as far more skilled characters like Thor, Hulk or even Spider-Man entered the scene.

I have said before Torch was overtaken by Spider-Man, Fantastic lost his mantle to Cyclops, and Thing sits a the feat of mighty Beast. On paper their power is astounding. When Torch achieves supernova heat, there’s not much that can withstand the shear holocaust of that force. However, when we see them pitted against a list of stronger and stronger antagonists, the Four never quite reach the apex that their reputation owes. Never was this made more clear then when they hopped in a time machine and found themselves in Ancient Egypt.

Uncle Ben famously relates Peter Parker the mantra that would haunt him and all superheroes that followed: “With great power comes great responsibility.” He should did no say: “With great power comes great intelligence.” That is telling.

Rama-Tut defeats the Fantastic Four.t Spider-Man and all superheroes forever: “with great power, comes great responsibility.Here’s my variation on that oh so important statement: with great power comes a need for great intelligence. 

Intelligence and, perhaps more importantly, ingenuity is required to wield a super-skill. It is all well and good if you have the power to manipulate heat, as Torch does, but if you do not have a strategic mind then that skill becomes a weapon of mass destruction.

And what happens if that power suddenly is taken away?

How would a character conduct themselves then?

A hieroglyph that shows the special herb.

In this issue, the Four find themselves in the midst of this quandary. After going back in time, through hijacking Dr. Doom’s time machine; which caused such problems for the Four in Fantastic Four #5, the Four find themselves in Ancient Egypt. They journeyed back through the shadows of time in an effort to find an illustrious radioactive herb that may restore sight to Alicia: Thing’s beau.

When they reach the sand dunes of that mythical desert kingdom, they find themselves gods among men, ably dispatching the Bronze Age soldiers which accost their arrival. However, after some typical Fantastic fireworks, they suddenly find themselves bereft of any power whatsoever. The now ‘Normal Four’ are prisoners of the 31st century time traveler known as Rama-Tut. He traveled in his time machine disguised as a Sphynx and brought with him a ray gun that can sap the power of the Four, essentially making them human. This predictably defeats them physically and mentally.

Without their powers, the quartet doesn’t seem to be able to function as humans and soon find themselves slaves to this futurist pharaoh. This is a really unfavourable comment on the true ineptitude of our Fantastic heroes. I have said before that the Four have always had a difficult time negotiating their internal strife with the overarching goal of the mission at hand.

When their powers are taken away they just become a squabbling team of blue jump suit wearing white people.

Now powerless, the Fantastic Four have to figure out how to use their brains to track down this Egyptian anachronism. Let me tell you they basically run around like chickens with their heads cut off. No direction, constantly squabbling, falling in and out of things. It is utter chaos.

So, what does this show?

This shows that the Four really are strategical nightmares. They are the sort that just to throw a lot of crazy moves at a villain until something works.

Mind you, Rama-Tut is a haphazard character. There is one reference to the possibility that he may be a descendent of Dr. Doom, though this is never expanded upon beyond passing comment.

In short, this is a very scrambled rehashing of the same theme that the far lesser Iron Man story in Tales of Suspense #44 tried to convey. The Fish out of water, or time, cliche. Despite its tackiness the story addresses a fatal flaw in the Fantastic Four. Without their powers they are useless.

They do somehow make it back to the present (1963) but this is largely out of luck.

Could this be the reason the Four were not included in the first Avengers issue?

Could they be too much of a liability?

I think this is worth investigating and is something I’ll hold on to as I go forward.

Story I Read: “Prisoners of the Pharaoh!” (Fantastic Four #19 Oct. 1963)

Rating:  2 out of 5

Pros: The Altruism in helping Alicia. The more detailed explanation of time travel and ancient Egypt

Cons: Thing changes form because of heat from the sun- this is never explained nor expanded upon. Rama-Tut is hastily written and makes little explanation for why he must destroy the Four. Human Torch makes fun of Alicia for her blindness.

Previous Review: “The Crimson Dynamo” (Tales of Suspense #46 Oct. 1963)

Upcoming Review: “The Porcupine!” (Tales to Astonish #48 Oct. 1963)

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