Comic Review - Books of Doom 1-6

Title/Storyline

Books of Doom 1-6

Publish Date/Year

2006

Creative Team

Ed Brubaker & Pablo Raimondi

Publisher

Marvel

Story

Told in the format of a TV interview program, Victor Von Doom is interviewed and he tells the interviewer of his story – from the time when he was a Gypsy boy in the Latverian Alps to the point where he becomes the powerful Latverian Monarch we all know today. There are supplementary insights about Doom from his Gypsy Clan members and subjects of the Latverian kingdom throughout the course of the interview.

We see how his mother had dabbled with the dark arts, causing her soul to be in the possession of a demon, his quest to save his mother led him to not only master science but also the dark arts as well - leading to a deadly combo that had proven to be a constant thorn to his arch enemies - the Fantastic Four. His studies in the USA (where he met Reed Richards, leader of the Fantastic Four) and subsequently became a recluse before finally trekking to the hidden monastery up in the Everest where he became Dr Doom, the leader whom they have prophesied would one day come.

Once his training at the monastery was complete, he was ready to go back to his Gypsy home to liberate his people from the Latverian tyrant who had caused him and his people so much misery!

Art

Raimondi reminds me of Doug Braithwaite (of Earth/Paradise/Universe X & DC’s Justice). His work is clean and crisp and has a very realistic slant to his style (altho' not in the same vein as Alex Ross' Photo-Realism) and yet still manages to convey some of the magic & power reminiscent of Jack "the King" Kirby.

Additional Comments

This is one of, if not THE best, Doom stories I have EVER read! Any Doom or Fantastic Four fan must read this! It is extremely well-written and provides some of the deepest insights of the man we usually find tyrannical and oh so fascinating. This series delves into and shows us that his failures are always due to his biggest weakness – his arrogance/ego!

It also shows readers an extremely rare glimpse into the human side of Doom – his love for his mother, his “girl friend” from his childhood days and his sense of duty and fierce loyalty to his Gypsy people.

I found myself unable to resist reading the entire 6 issues in one go.

Get the complete story here:
Fantastic Four: Books of Doom (Fantastic Four (Graphic Novels))