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doomfans2017-09-29 03:20 am
nomadicwriter) wrote in doomfans2017-09-29 03:20 am
Infamous Iron Man #12
Pretty much a wrap-up issue that ties a few loose ends and sets up some new ones ready for the continuation in Invincible Iron Man #593, so, in brief: Doom and Strange defeat Mephisto. This Cynthia was just a false construct, though he made her a bit too real and so she screwed up his plans by caring about Victor. Doom reaches out to her anyway, and watches her disintegrate.
He tells Carter that if she lets him go instead of arresting him, he'll go and take down a Hydra science island. Ben's having none of it, and prepares to clobber him, but Doom deals with him the way he said he vowed to do last time they clashed: namely, teleporting him off to Amsterdam, where he's bought him a vacation house and left him some nice booze and a polite note. Meanwhile, Carter asks Strange if it's possible Doom is legit, and Strange says that they'll have to judge him by his actions. Doom, as it turns out, is off busy taking down that Hydra science island.
We end with two cliffhangers/story hooks for the next series: one, the supervillain inmates of Ryker's prison vow to break out and go after Doom for having turned on them. Two, the return of Amara Perara, who's visiting her doctor because... she's pregnant.
Okay, so, kind of a mixed issue. Much of it is taken up by a Mephisto monologue at the beginning, which is not a great choice given (a) anything Mephisto says about his supposed knowledge of Doom's character is so inherently untrustworthy it's kinda boring and pointless to include if you're not even going to have other characters react, and (b) it gives enough of an extended demonstration of Bendis attempting to write Mephisto-voice for me to decide I don't think he's very good at it. Also, I could not be less interested in the story apparently being set up of a bunch of third-rate villains going after Doom.
Still, there are some nice touches in the bit of Doom that we get in between. The whole two-page sequence of Doom reaching out to his disappearing mother even though he has to know she's not real is rather lovely. He also thanks Strange for his assistance, noting, "Obviously it was needed," which a pretty huge acknowledgement for Doom, plus he admits in front of the whole group that, "I believe I may need a few hours to collect myself after... this."
I also kind of love both his method of dealing with Ben and the fact that he apparently just calls him Ben now, both of which represent major personal growth demonstrated in an incredibly presumptuous, high-handed way. Which is pretty much a microcosm of what I love about this whole redemption storyline, really. He's technically doing the right things now, but hasn't actually learned to give a crap about the opinions of the people he's doing those right things "for". I am so here for "good" Doom determinedly doing good things for people while still being completely indifferent to their actual feelings about that.
As for the Amara cliffhanger... I really don't know where we're supposed to think they're going with that. Logistically, it makes most sense for it to be Tony's baby, since they were actually, you know, dating. I can't see much of a space in her relationship with Doom where it would make sense for them to have slept together, though we haven't seen her for a while and it wouldn't be too wildly implausible to retcon something in. And I'll admit I would probably be shamelessly onboard if they do, because I like Amara's character a lot and I'm always totally up for the possibility of Doom being a dad. (I will also admit that a large part of this is probably my long-held wish for Doom to have a child that grows up to marry one of the Richards kids so they can be gloriously awkward inlaws together.) On the other hand, this could be setting up a situation with her being pregnant with Tony's/someone else's child and Doom butting in to be helpful whether she wants it or not. Who knows?
Anyway, that's certainly successfully snagged my interest for the continuation in Invincible, though it remains to be see if it's going to be in a good way. Interesting times ahead, in any case, I guess!
He tells Carter that if she lets him go instead of arresting him, he'll go and take down a Hydra science island. Ben's having none of it, and prepares to clobber him, but Doom deals with him the way he said he vowed to do last time they clashed: namely, teleporting him off to Amsterdam, where he's bought him a vacation house and left him some nice booze and a polite note. Meanwhile, Carter asks Strange if it's possible Doom is legit, and Strange says that they'll have to judge him by his actions. Doom, as it turns out, is off busy taking down that Hydra science island.
We end with two cliffhangers/story hooks for the next series: one, the supervillain inmates of Ryker's prison vow to break out and go after Doom for having turned on them. Two, the return of Amara Perara, who's visiting her doctor because... she's pregnant.
Okay, so, kind of a mixed issue. Much of it is taken up by a Mephisto monologue at the beginning, which is not a great choice given (a) anything Mephisto says about his supposed knowledge of Doom's character is so inherently untrustworthy it's kinda boring and pointless to include if you're not even going to have other characters react, and (b) it gives enough of an extended demonstration of Bendis attempting to write Mephisto-voice for me to decide I don't think he's very good at it. Also, I could not be less interested in the story apparently being set up of a bunch of third-rate villains going after Doom.
Still, there are some nice touches in the bit of Doom that we get in between. The whole two-page sequence of Doom reaching out to his disappearing mother even though he has to know she's not real is rather lovely. He also thanks Strange for his assistance, noting, "Obviously it was needed," which a pretty huge acknowledgement for Doom, plus he admits in front of the whole group that, "I believe I may need a few hours to collect myself after... this."
I also kind of love both his method of dealing with Ben and the fact that he apparently just calls him Ben now, both of which represent major personal growth demonstrated in an incredibly presumptuous, high-handed way. Which is pretty much a microcosm of what I love about this whole redemption storyline, really. He's technically doing the right things now, but hasn't actually learned to give a crap about the opinions of the people he's doing those right things "for". I am so here for "good" Doom determinedly doing good things for people while still being completely indifferent to their actual feelings about that.
As for the Amara cliffhanger... I really don't know where we're supposed to think they're going with that. Logistically, it makes most sense for it to be Tony's baby, since they were actually, you know, dating. I can't see much of a space in her relationship with Doom where it would make sense for them to have slept together, though we haven't seen her for a while and it wouldn't be too wildly implausible to retcon something in. And I'll admit I would probably be shamelessly onboard if they do, because I like Amara's character a lot and I'm always totally up for the possibility of Doom being a dad. (I will also admit that a large part of this is probably my long-held wish for Doom to have a child that grows up to marry one of the Richards kids so they can be gloriously awkward inlaws together.) On the other hand, this could be setting up a situation with her being pregnant with Tony's/someone else's child and Doom butting in to be helpful whether she wants it or not. Who knows?
Anyway, that's certainly successfully snagged my interest for the continuation in Invincible, though it remains to be see if it's going to be in a good way. Interesting times ahead, in any case, I guess!