For today’s comic book review I read Fantastic Four #23,  titled “The Master Plan of Doctor Doom!” that is right, Dr. Doom is back, and seeing to eliminate the Fantastic Four yet again.  But is his plan one that is destined to succeed? or will we see Dr. Doom stopped yet again? 

Story

This is perhaps one of the best Dr. Doom Tales I have read yet,  it is pleasantly over complex, and almost chess like in the lengths he goes to virtually insure the Fantastic Four’s defeat.

This is just what I think a Doctor Doom Story should be,  filled to the edges with a plan that’s failure is more rooted in how much he over thinks it then anything else.    Such as in this tale, he could have easily defeated the Fantastic Four, but his own plan, and the way he follows it is what got in the way.

Artwork

The artwork of this issue was well done, offering great facial expressions, and even detail in scenery.  even all the combat scenes where well done. The panel I am including here shows The Thing on Yancy St. and I feel this panel shows it all, from the human expression on the most human  of characters, to the little details in the background.

But this is just one fine example from this issue,  so i encourage you to get yourself a copy and read it for yourself.

Originality & Continuity

I feel they did a good job with the continuity, taking us partly back all the way to Dr. Doom’s Time machine,  and reminding us that he is still out there before we even see him.   But at the same time, it ignores the other conflicts with doom, and even his appearance in Spider-Man.  So while recapping in its own way his first appearance, we also ignore much of what we seen after that.

I do feel Doom’s plan was quite original though, in particularly in picking his helpers. So you got to give Stan & Jack credit for that.  Building a team of his own, designed to stop the Fantastic Four.

Characters & Development

as a backdrop to this issue, we have an internal conflict over who should be the leader of the team.  I do feel this offered some character development, although it just did not feel right to me, and sort of out of the blue.  but it was entertaining seeing Sue Storm mad at Reed Richards.