Well, we have come to what is undoubtedly the most important story of Chris Claremont’s run on Fantastic Four. It’s also the best of his run–but that’s really not saying much because I find little to recommend from his time with the FF.
Doctor Doom was one of the characters who got shunted to Franklin Richards’ pocket universe during the big Onslaught finale, and we havne’t seen him return to the 616 yet. So that happens now. And it has a tone of plot elements, nearly all of which we’ve seen before–or at least are so predictable, it feels like we have.
Mr. Fantastic and Doctor Doom are forced to team up, with Doom’s daughter-from-the-future Valeria, against a Celestial!
Doom talks like Darth Vader!
Doom doesn’t like his daughter!
Valeria has to choose between her father (who really isn’t her father since she’s from a possible future–which means this Doom might not be the one who’s her daddy) and her mother’s husband, Reed!
Valeria poses all sultry-like in front of her daddy’s throne, which is gross!
Reed Richards is trapped inside Doom’s armor!
There’s a wedding! (Not!)
There was a power vacuum in Latveria and a bunch of other dudes vied for power. These issues wrap around a Doomsday one-shot. Completely unnecessary.
Doom owns a planet now and has to choose whether to save 616 Earth or Planet Doom! But in the end, Doom is kinda hero(ish) and Sue owes him one when the status quo is returned…
This is all very exhausting.